Looking critically into the antecedent and pedigree of the former governor of Lagos State and current honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babaatunde Raji Fashola (BRF), one will know they are great testimony that he is a man of different parts each of which points to the fact that the 59 year old Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), 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 to his boss, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when he (Tinubu) was governor, he still remained humble, respectful and submissive tending to the business assigned to him by his Principal and with that, he can rightly be described as 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 to 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 to the youth, mentor to the young generation who naturally want to excel in life and successful in their careers.
As one thanks God for blessing the country with this unique golden Home Boy of unrivalled dignity and of 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), on cannot but agree with those who nicknamed Fashola Mr. Infrastructure.
With over seven years on the saddle of the country’s administration, 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 the infrastructure drive 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 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 also 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 overrun 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 made himself to be 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 Razaq Kolade Olokoba, right activist and National President, Campaign for Dignity in Governance (CDG), wrote from Ilorin, Kwara State.
