By Razaq Kolade Olokoba
Looking critically into the antecedent and pedigree of former governor of Lagos State and current honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babaatunde Raji Fashola, BRF, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, it is clear that they are great testimony that he is a man of different parts, each of which points to the fact that the 59-year-old SAN and lawyer-turned-politician, is a worthy mentor, great role model and quintessential administrator.
As brilliant as he has been and still is, when he was Chief of Staff, CoS, to his boss, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when he was governor of Lagos State, he still remained humble, respectful and submissive, tending to the business assigned to him by his principal ad with that, one can rightly described the six-feet gangling footballer humility personified.
When the home boy eventually succeeded his boss to become governor, he never lost his head, as he remained loyal and faithful to anything that could be of great benefit to the state in line with the path paved by his predecessor, Tinubu; by building on the foundation the latter had solidly laid and thus became the Actualizer of Lagos.
Additionally, he so performed very well that Lagos became a reference point for the rest of his colleagues across the nation. Till date, the great achiever still remains a reference point in hard work, humility, thoroughness, perfection and having eyes fixedly on the ball.
With what BRF has achieved, educationally, politically, socially and electorally, the gangling athletically built professional in politics has no doubt become a role model for the youth, mentor for the young generation, who naturally want to excel in life and be successful in their careers.
As one thanks God for blessing the country with this unique golden Home Boy of unrivalled dignity and unequalled performance, one wil also congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari on his right choice of Fashola as a round peg in a round hole.
Having passed the periodic integrity tests of a pro-democracy organization, the Campaign for Dignity in Governance, CDG, one cannot but agree with those who nicknamed Fashola Mr. Infrastructure.
With over seven years in the saddle of the one of the country’s administration’s important ministries, President Buhari has left nobody in doubt that he is aware of the importance of standard infrastructure in growth, development and progress of any nation across the globe. And he has not also left anybody in doubt that since infrastructure drives the economic wellbeing of any nation globally, one must look for a better hand to handle it.
Against this background, it would amount to disservice to him if he is not commended for fishing out the right human being to do the job.
As of today in Nigeria, it is not a gainsaying that Buhari’s signature in infrastructure development through Babatunde Raji Fashola, is so visible that even the blind can see and so loud that even the deaf and dumb can hear. And it is also gratifying to note that as the administration is sort of winding up, Fashola still buries himself in the duties assigned him, as if the administration is just a year old.
One heard from the grapevine that Fashola has vowed to do the work given to him by the country till 12 midnight of May 29, 2023, unless the President decides otherwise. And in addition to that, Fashola is respected for the way he has been furnishing the public the state of the infrastructure across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, as well as how he has been periodically explaining the workings of the Federal Government.
In addition to the road network that crosses the length and breadth of the country, Fashola has also over run 34 out of 36 states of the country with housing units to the admiration of the populace that always give kudos to him. At least, to the best of his ability within the availability of funds, Fashola has built himself to a worthy role model, great mentor and an exemplary character, for whoever wants to be remembered for adding values to humanity.
All hails the the Nigeria’s super performer, professional in politics and reference point for hard work, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN.
•Comrade Olokoba, a rights activist, is the National President, Campaign for Dignity in Governance, CDG; and writes from Ilorin, Kwara State.
