It has been said that leaders are identified by their actions more than their words, but of immense importance is the dispassionate assessment of others. Factual confirmations which are a product of assessment on the basis of established leadership assessment parameters give huge credence even validation.
For instance, a leader, and by this I mean transformational leaders, and not transactional ones, must be engaging, ready to communicate with his constituency; he must be fair, empathetic and responsive while displaying respect for the people.
Such leaders must, of necessity also have a good knowledge of his or her people and their needs, be democratic in their activities, initiate and indicate readiness to accept feedback which will ultimately culminate in periodic modification of his plans and programmes for his people.
Such a leader must not be found wanting in such leadership qualities as willingness to listen, perseverance, tenacity, honesty, selflessness, decisiveness, integrity and gaining and retaining public trust. Needless to say, these are areas where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has measured up remarkably since he assumed office in Lagos State about three years ago.
For instance, during the outbreak of the COVID-19, collapsed building and other emergencies in the state, he assumed the driver’s seat, visited locations to personally supervised and assessed responses and disaster management strategies, without denigrating the competencies of his Commissioners and Directors-General.
He was at the situation room or operational theatres, so to speak, communicating government efforts to the people and reassuring them not to be despondent. More recently he displaced empathy upon sighting two children of school age running errant during school period in a state that ensures free primary and secondary school education and offered them scholarship. The governor is also doing a yeoman’s job in the area of infrastructural development, and also education, agriculture and many more. Lagos State Government has expended the sum of N20 billion out of the N25 billion initial budget for the construction of the much-awaited 32 metric tonnes per hour Imota Rice Mill in the state.
The Rice Mill is expected to be the largest rice production in sub-Sahara Africa and the mill will help to strengthen the economic rigour of the nation and enhance economic resilience as the facility seeks to provide employment opportunities for Nigerians, through the creation of 250,000 jobs across value chain when completed, not only in Lagos alone, but across Nigeria.”
In the area of education, Governor Sanwo-Olu is receing accolades daily, especially for signing the bills for the establishment of additional two universities in the state, Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) and Lagos State University of Science and Technology into law.
Also, he recently assented to the bills transmitting Lagos State Polytechnic in Ikorodu, Isolo and Surulere to the University of Science and Technology as well as Adeniran Ogunsanya Colleges of Education, Ijanikin and Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Epe to Lagos State University of Education.
No doubt this year, 2022, is expected to witness major milestones in the areas of landmark achievements in the rail transportation system in our state as we expect the 37km Red and 27.5km Blue Line Rail projects to commence commercial operations between the last quarter of this year and first quarter of 2023.
The governor was at Talgo Incorporated USA, on a factory tour of high-speed train manufacturers, for the acquisition of two sets of brand new 10-car Metro Trains for Lagos Rail project, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. On his entourage were a member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Temitope Adewale; Lagos State, and they were conducted round by the Acting Mayor of Milwaukee, Cavalier Johnson and President & CEO, Antonio Perez.
Equally gratifying is that the construction work on the 38km Fourth Mainland Bridge – which will be the longest in Africa – and the Opeibi-Mende Link Bridge will commence this year. 2022 will also witness by the special grace of God, the completion of the ongoing reconstruction work on the 18.75km Eleko to T-Junction in Epe, the 10km Lekki Regional Road and the section of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway that the Lagos State Government is constructing with the permission of the Federal Government.
It did not baffle anyone therefore, when the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan last weekend showered accolades of Governor Sanwo-Olu for what he called “the good work” he is doing towards delivering dividends of good governance to the people of Lagos State and to validate the State’s position as the economic and commercial nerve centre of the country.
Lawan spoke at the fifth Town Hall Meeting and Empowerment Programme organised by the lawmaker representing Lagos West in the Senate, Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan, popularly known as Yayi, at the Police College, Ikeja.
Lawan, who opened his speech on a note of admiration for the governor, said the party leadership across the country had watched with satisfaction the giant strides being made by Sanwo-Olu, stating that without any equivocation, that the Governor deserved a re-election.
He said: “We have been watching you over the last two and half years. You have been very wonderful. You have been consistent in terms of service delivery to the people of Lagos and indeed this country. You are focused…”
The Senate helmsman endorsed Sanwo-Olu’s to return after the completion of his current tenure, saying the tremendous achievements the State recorded within a short period under the Governor’s watch needed to progress.
“One good term you’re doing deserves another term,” Lawan told Sanwo-Olu.
The Senate President praised Sen. Adeola for his contribution to the robustness of the Senate and his efforts to uplift his constituents through regular empowerment.
Lawan called for more support for the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that the Peoples Democratic Party had damaged the country beyond measures in its 16 years of governance, but assured that the ruling party was up to the task to defeat the opposition again.
Coming after recent fears that the governor might be denied a second term by the power that be in the state like they did his predecessor, Akinwumi Ambode, the Senate President verdict is most electrifying to the many Lagosians.
Also exciting was the denial by the Governor’s Advisory Council in Lagos State, whose secretary issued a statement stressing that “The process of picking a governor is clearly stated in the constitution. And contrary to the false impression the merchant of hate, confusion, discord and disharmony wanted to create with the post, there is no discussion of a second term ticket by the GAC.”
The council pointed out that it is not within the realm of GAC to engage in picking replacements for a governor. Governor Sanwo-Olu was elected for a four-year term which is still ongoing. The matter of replacement of the governor does not arise and is subjudice. It acknowledged that Governor Sanwo-Olu is doing a wonderful job delivering infrastructure projects for Lagos and working daily on making the state better for all residents.
Femi Adeniyi writes from Lagos.