Governor Sanwo-Olu: The Untold Story -By Dele Sobowale

Facts speak for themselves”. That is what most of us have been led to believe. But like most common statements, when put to the test, it has not always been the case. Back in the 1970s, working with a research firm in Boston, USA, we set out to put that statement to the test. Actors were drafted to stage a fight in Boston Gardens. It would invariably start with a loud argument between the two people and end up in fisticuffs.

One of them gets bloodied; then three “policemen” arrive to arrest them and to start asking onlookers to volunteer in determining how the fight started. Five eye-witnesses told five different stories – each insisting that they were stating facts. None, it turned out, was even fifty percent accurate. Those of us old enough can remember the fable of the three blind men who touched an elephant; one the trunk, another, the leg and the third the side. The first said an elephant is like a long and thick rope. The second likened it to the stem of a tree; and the third was certain that it was a broad wall. All were being “factual”.

But, were they correct? To some extent, any government is like the elephant and we are like the three blind men. Nobody, not even the head of government – President, Governor or Chairman of the Local Government – can see and describe the entire organization as it is. Our observations are often distorted by previous experience, education, ethnicity, religion, politics, personal and group interests and situation in life. To most Nigerians alive today, life is hell.

But, for Dangote, Rabiu, Adenuga, Otedola, Elumelu etc, this is the best Nigeria they ever experienced. For that matter, to those newly-elected to top posts, life cannot be better. So, which is the correct Nigerian economy to which we all refer when we talk about the current situation? That is why, being conscious of my limitations, I avoid commenting on aspects of the national life where my knowledge is scanty. I don’t select the team to play for the Super Eagles for instance.

As much as possible, I stay close to economics and finance, farming and food production and Marketing/Sales. On those, I am ready to battle anybody. That explains why it is so difficult to assess governments; especially a government like the Lagos State Government. We have been told that Lagos State, if ranked by Gross Domestic Product, GDP, would be the sixth largest economy in Africa. The population estimated at 22 to 24 million would have made it one of the top ten on the continent – if it is a separate country. Remarkably, like Japan, it has no natural resources and very little farmland.

Yet, it consumes more resources and food than the next three states put together. Its Governor is the second most important official after the President. It is intriguing how Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, a soft-spoken, self-effacing, serious-minded man, who one would expect to be a Pastor instead of a politician, could emerge as the state Governor. Yet, those human attributes are propelling him to become one of the best Governors the state has ever known. Has he made mistakes? Certainly! But, as a sage has told us, “The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything”. (Edward Phelps).

All our leaders make mistakes; and we will never have a perfect Governor in Lagos. So, forgive me for not dwelling on faults. Instead, my focus of attention is on the things that the man is doing which now position him as second only to Jakande in terms of solid achievements and lasting legacies in the history of Lagos. Permit me again to mention just a few for now. There will be opportunity to elaborate on them in the future.

Sanwo-Olu has exceeded all the others, Jakande included, in maintaining continuity in the execution of government programmes. Because this article is not intended to indict anybody else, and raise unnecessary controversy, we will stick to appraisal of the Sanwo-Olu Government. Among other major projects, which will stand the test of time, he has finally got the Mile 2 to Lagos Island (Blue Line) and Oyingbo to Agbado (Red Line) train services running.

The road leading from MMI International Airport, Ikeja, once the shame of the nation, is now something we can all be proud of. He didn’t start it; but he completed it. The Ikeja and Oshodi transport exchanges were also left uncompleted; he finished them. His legacy projects are just as impressive. Lagos has needed a fourth bridge since Military Governor Marwa opened up Ikorodu, Ogijo, Ijede, Gberigbe, Imota and Agbowa-Ikosi to people seeking escape from choked up Lagos Island, Mushin, Ojo, Alimosho etc.

That demographic revolution brought about more congestion on the Third Mainland Bridge – which has served all Nigerians for so long. Sanwo-Olu is now set to launch the Fourth Mainland Bridge. Given how long it takes to build a long bridge, it is doubtful if it will be completed by time he leaves office. History will, however, record that he was the Governor who grabbed the bull by the horns and delivered to Nigerians one of the most valuable infrastructures of this era. Lekki Sea Port, Lekki Airport and Lagos Airline form a troika of breath-taking initiatives which leave the perceptive observer wondering why nobody else ever thought of them before. But, because it is my intention to touch on these matters later this year, I will stop for now…

Stone-hearted comminssioners
“You can’t make omelets without breaking eggs.” That is axiomatic. But, breaking raw eggs can be a very messy business. Just ask anybody selling Indomie and omelets to hungry customers. Lagos State, almost by consensus, is a filthy and dangerous place in which to live. For far too long, one of the most populated cities on our planet had been calling for major transformation – almost like brain surgery.

Hitherto, everybody else had shied away from the brutal removal of the social and physical cancers which were snuffing the life out of the metropolis – until Sanwo-Olu took up the challenge. To succeed, he knew he needed to find men with extra-ordinary courage; who can withstand the pressures that would surely come from those wedded to the status quo. Can he find them? That was the question. He found a few.

But, as far as I am concerned, two young men stand out among the gallant young people Sanwo-Olu assembled for his second term in office – the Commissioners for Environment and Physical Planning & Urban Development. Because I have not interviewed the former, this article will focus on the latter – Dr Abiodun Olayinka Olumide. Rest assured the other Commissioner will be covered adequately.

Before you start thinking that this is a PR job for the Commissioner, permit me to declare that one of our family houses, in Lagos Island, was marked for demolition for being unfit for human beings. The demolition of the building is now in progress — quite rightly I might add. Please feel free to verify my claim. Obviously, the Commissioner is not receiving my commendation because I am not a “victim”.

He deserves credit because he did the right thing by preventing another disaster waiting to happen. I personally applaud the Lagos State Government for forcing my family to start again on a sounder footing. Everybody has read or heard about buildings demolished by the Lagos State Buildings Control Agency, LASBCA – which is the agency in the eye of the storm. I have received calls and text messages from at least nine close friends and relatives accusing LASBCA of high-handedness; investigated and none of the allegations substantiated – so far. Incidentally, the nine include four non-Yoruba and five Yoruba. That leads to one obvious conclusion. To the best of my knowledge, demolition has been largely non-discriminatory. My building was demolished; and I am from Lagos State…

Should Lagos consider secession?
The Supreme Court of Nigeria, SCN, has made two recent decisions which should bother every Lagosian. The first was on waterways nationwide, which affect Lagos State more that most states. There is no Local Government Council recognized by the Nigerian Constitution which has no waterway passing through it. In fact, by the time you exclude the setbacks from the shoreline, there is nothing left of Lagos Island that is not Federal Government territory.

The second concerned the judgment on Oniruland; in which the SCN has rendered null and void all the Certificates of Occupancy, issued by the Oniru and Lagos State Government. Granted, English jurist Lord Mansfield had stated that “Let justice be done, though the heavens fall”, I am certain that even he will tremble if he realizes the social, political and, most especially, economic havoc the SCN’s decision will create.

Many of the structures were erected on lands leased for 50 years or more; and they have over 30 years left on the lease. To come to the point; what is left of a state, which is a series of islands and very little mainland, when our military-imposed Constitution gives most of its land to the FG? Lagos State must resist this legal injustice. SCN has dispensed law; but not justice.