Fashola: An Icon Of Lagos Transformation

By
Alabi Oluwatobi Olakunle(Jesutobi)
Alabioluwatobi55@yahoo. com

Its might not be sweet or easy to  acclaimed, who truly was the revolutionists and evolutionary of  Lagos state  transformation. If we want to go by individual achievement or impacts in Lagos state.

 The achievement of these past and present Governors can not be undermine. Tthe likes of  Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson,
Commodore Adekunle Lawal,
Commodore Ndubuisi Kanu,
Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe,
Alhaji Lateef Jakande,
Air Commodore Gbolahan Mudasiru,
Navy Captain Mike Akhigbe,
Brigadier General Raji Rasaki,
Sir Michael Otedola,
Colonel Olagunsoye Oyinlola,
Colonel Mohammed Buba Marwa,
Mr Bola Tinubu,
Mr Akinwunmi Ambode the incumbent governor.

However,individual are free to acclaimed, who they felt was the true icon Lagos would ever bear, but we can never underestimate some keys and tremendous achievement of our past Governors before Governor Tinubu, Fashola and the incumbent governor.

Talking about one person that most never abase, while choosing the revolutionists of Lagos transformation.
Its clear and neat every other governors before Bola Ahmed Tinubu did spontaneously well. But talking about the brain box of the whole evolution we can never put the formal governor Bola Tinubu . He is the master mind behind the evolution and revolution of the transformation and beautification of Lagos state. He is the visionary that bear the vision of Lagos state transformation.

 Moreover, the then governor Fashola succeeded Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on 14 April 2007,  and was sworn in on 29 May 2007.

He was re-elected on 26 April 2011.On November 11th 2015, he was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to be the Minister of Power, Works and Housing. He might not be be interesting enough if his little of  stories are not highlight. He was Chief of Staff to his predecessor,

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.  Fashola had during his tenure as Chief of Staff also dubbed as the Honourable Commissioner to the Governor's office. He is the first person to hold both offices simultaneously.
Babatunde Fashola also served in Lagos state in various capacities, including:
Secretary of the Lands Sub-Committee of the Transitional Work Groups. 1999.

Member of the panel of Enquiry into allocation of houses on the Mobolaji Johnson Housing Scheme at Lekki, 2000.
Member of the State Tenders Board- 2002– 2006.
Member of Lagos State Executive Council-2002-2006.
Member of the State Security Council-2002-2006
Member of the State Treasury Board-2002-2006
Chairman Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of Asset distribution among Local Government.
Governor of Lagos state.

More so, those stories wasn't the reasons,he was acclaimed the governor Lagos state would ever had. The incumbent governor also possess similar services In Lagos state ministry, before becoming the  current sitting Governor.

The major reason why Raji Fashola SAN, was seen to the revolution and evolution Lagos state. Was the  crucial part of the mega city project is the rehabilitation of Lagos' infrastructures and districts. Formerly taken care of by the federal government, they were immediately neglected, as
Abuja was declared Nigeria's new capital since 1991.  According to Lagos Rail Mass Transit, proposed light railways will be consisted of the outskirt blue-line and inner red-line destinations.As part of the project, the Badagry Expressway, which links Lagos directly to the south-eastern border of Benin Republic , is currently being rehabilitated by various contractors, with BRT and railway networks being established.
Another ambition is to recover lands at Victoria Island, being lost to erosion for decades. This artificial terrain is the location of the proposed Eko Atlantic City. This is also to support housing project that would accommodate up to 25 million Lagosians by 2015, a population growth from 15 million that could turn Lagos into the world's third largest city. The mega city project was the first of it kind in Lagos state history.

 Although initialised under the former governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in June 2002, however the mega project task accelerated under Fashola's governorship. Both private and public sectors are involved in fulfilling the vision,


Taxation being
One of the main source of Lagos State government' funds are received as tax payers' money. Recently, a controversial proposal to charge consumption tax on eateries had been enforced.The matter was taken to court, but the ruling was announced in the government's favour.

The major area, in  which major citizens of Lagos will never denied in  his tenure's. Was the
Education reforms, it's was a great testimony that many grown up child now can at testify to that. Talking about the free textbooks, clubs uniforms and many of its kinds. He also commission a university-style gate for Birch Freeman High School, in Surulere, on 4 February 2010. He vowed to rehabilitate the state's public schools, long being neglected with time. Among the schools being rehabilitated included the governor's alma mater, Birch Freeman High School, which is located at a busy metropolis of
Surulere, and all other Government schools.

Also to mention more of his achievement,  The Haiti earthquake through the  fund-raising, as soon as Haiti was struck by a
magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, Babatunde Fashola launched an appeal to raise up to one million US dollars. The funds raised were used to assist the victims of the Haiti quake. Likewise the
Water safety precautions
In May 2014, Fashola announced the compulsory use of life jackets on Lagos waterways. In a 2012 accident, ten children from Ijora Awori, Lagos State, drowned while they were being ferried to school, because they were not wearing life jackets.

There are more to these, but these would just be the peak of major achievement. That undoubtedly bear him the greatest  icon of Lagos revolutionists and evolutionary of Lagos state transformation. We all can not hid from the fact of his all round achievement in Lagos state. Its just that I can not mention it all and it lives in our heart how he touch all nooks and crannies of Lagos state.

In a nutshell, his successor Governor Akinwunmi Abode, his undoubtedly doing wonderfully well. His also building an image that will leave forever in lagosian heart. That is the beauty of Lagos state, continuity is their Paramount desires.