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By AWA Bamiji

Due to his enviable antecedents, former Governor of Lagos State (2007 – 2015), Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, became the Chief of Staff under the administration of his Political Mentor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as Governor of Lagos State, when his Predecessor, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, resigned in 2002 in preparation to contest under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) for the 2003 Gubernatorial election in Kwara State and he excelled.

His sterling performance showcased him to be the Lagos State preferred Candidate of the Action Congress (AC) in 2007.

His 2 terms in Office witnessed consolidation and rapid development, across board, in Lagos State to the credit of his Leader and Predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and to some keen Observers, his hardworking nature gave him grey hair on the head

Tall, dark, bold, intelligent, handsome and outspoken but he doesn’t live a fake life. If you ask him today, the reason why he doesn’t dye grey hair on his head which contradicts his look and age, his response will be because it will be a hoax.

The same way he announced inside the Afe Babalola Hall, University of Lagos, Akoka, during the 70th Birthday lecture of the elderstateman, a Cultural Icon and playwright, Prof Akinwunmi Isola, in 2012, organised by Ayangalu Foundation, that he couldn’t guarantee the Audience particularly the Two Babas who double as Two Yoruba Language Experts in our midst, Prof Akinwunmi Isola and Alagba Adebayo Faleti, his speaking of Yoruba Ponbele, to the amazement of the August gathering.

Before delivering his speech, he said and I quote, “Se ki nmo tan yin, papa julo awon Agba pedepede meji ti o wa ni Ikale nibi loni, Ojogbon Akinwunmi Isola ati Alagba Adebayo Faleti, ko da mi loju pe ma a so Yoruba Ponbele ni Ibi bayi loni, ma a daluu ni. Yo o mo leyin yo o mo leyin, Oro yi yo o leyin… E jowo, ebe ni mo be o, e ma je ki Oro yi o leyin o”.

The whole Hall bursted into laughter. As Organisers, we advised all proceedings be conducted in pure Yoruba language but he confessed instantly before delivering his lecture that he preferred mixture of Yoruba and English languages because speaking pure Yoruba was his weak point.

Others would had kept quiet and been struggling to be in tune by force but for a Realist like our own BRF, truth exalts a Nation.

In the spirit of your 59th Birthday’s celebration, we say many Happy Returns to a legal Icon, SAN, the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing and a notable figure in the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Informal International School of Political Study.

Ki Enikeni ma fowo kan Bobo yen, Ara wa ni, Ara wa ni Bobo yen, Ara wa ni.

Please, don’t disturb him in the field of Politics because he is a long – standing member of Asiwaju’s Political family.

Comrade AWA Bamiji
Special Adviser on Presidential Campaign to the Director – General (and former Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu)
Asiwaju Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation