BABAJIDE SANWO-OLU: THE MAN CHANGING THE FACE OF GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA
By Tomisin Adebukola
Emerging governor of Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre in 2019 after a rather tough and unnerving pre-campaign season, Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu rose to the occasion and defeated naysayers with wit and precision while proving to Lagosians, local and international visitors in the state that he knew his onions.
Lord Mayor, Prof Michael Mainelli
Before his inauguration into office as governor of Lagos state, the cry of Lagosians included better road infrastructure, traffic control, cleaner and safer Lagos, a better health care delivery system, and more infrastructural intervention in Lagos schools.
Our criteria include tax policy, overall state spending levels, handling of COVID-19 funds, relationship with labour unions, health and welfare spending, school investments and other education policies.
With a critical analysis of Nigeria’s governors and their performances,
Sanwo-olu ranks first among thirty-seven, including the FCT minister. Lagos has been an economic powerhouse among the states not just because it once was the capital of Nigeria but through careful planning, a definite succession plan that pays full attention to the Lagos road map and more.
According to Statista, Lagos had the lowest poverty headcount rate in Nigeria as of 2021, at 4.5% despite the uncontrollable rise in population. Despite the fall of the naira against the dollar and the economic hardship occasioned by the removal of the petrol subsidy and the attendant increase in transport cost, it is not expected to be more than 6.5% and still would stand as the lowest poverty headcount rate in the country.
Meanwhile, Fitch ratings’ latest report on Lagos, states that the state has a per capita GDP double the national average. Her diverse economy generates around 20% of Nigeria’s GDP, fuelled by public and private investment and a population of over 20 million. Managing such a population requires a combined set of skills and experience, the ability to show vulnerability and resourcefulness. These are qualities that have distinguished Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu from other governors in the country in the 4 years.
Of course, he is by no means a perfect man, no one is, nor the best administrator in Nigeria, but one must give him his feathers having earned them. For the COVID-19 year cum #Endsars, he had it worse among other governors. Lagos topped the NCDC COVID-19 chart back to back with the volume of cases but had better results when measuring successful treatment and recorded low fatalities. That wasn’t automatic. It was achieved through careful planning, systemic management, and adequate funding. Ultimately, it was a case of, better preparation breeds better results. As Lagos was gradually being weaned off the breasts of COVID-19, Endsars happened, and back we were in the trenches. This less than 18 months-old-in-office governor was back in the mouth of an open crocodile, ready to devour him and every stride he had recorded in the few months of being governor of Lagos state. He was the man everyone pointed an accusing finger to. No mere man could have survived that in politics, but he did. Largely as a result of his ability to be vulnerable and the grace of God.
Two years later, Lagos is celebrating some of the biggest infrastructural investments in West Africa: the Lekki Deep Seaport, Nigeria’s first fully automated port equipped with Super Post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes and Rubber tyre gantry (RTG) cranes was completed and commissioned, 32 metric ton per hour Lagos Rice Mill with the capacity to absorb 2000 into the job market was also commission, an 18.75-kilometer rigid pavement six-lane expressway at Eleko-Epe was opened for immediate use, while the first phase of the Lagos Blue Light Rail was also commissioned. All of these within one week. The seemingly silent governor whom people kept wondering what exactly he was doing had so much to show for his silence.
And then the 2023 elections came. After such display of prowess, it was expected that his win in the coming election was a done deal. Contrary, he faced stiff opposition who were willing to jeopardize everything that held Lagos together as a peaceful state just to win the election. Of course, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was the man to beat. Little did they know he was also the favourite of all Lagosians. So the 2023 election saw every Lagosian contributing their votes to silence all forms of opposition. The victory was too magnificent to ignore.
His next assignment was to stabilise the Lagos economy which would in turn improve the Nigerian economy after a period of intense market volatility, and a profound economic challenge occasioned by the removal of petrol subsidy and the free fall of the Naira against the Dollar. To ease the burden on the citizens, the Lagos state government subsidised fares on all state-owned buses, trains and ferries by 50 per cent and later, reduced the subsidy to 25 per cent after a few months.
An Overview Of Lagos In Recent Times
Let us talk about some of the health interventions: treatment and diagnosis for Tuberculosis (TB) are free. Why Tuberculosis someone would ask? It is one of the leading killer diseases globally made complex by malnutrition and HIV. Nigeria is home to 4.4% of TB patients worldwide, according to the Global TB Report. That statistic places Nigeria sixth in a list of countries by volume of TB cases. Lagos accounts for 11% of Nigeria’s burden of tuberculosis (TB).
In response, the Lagos state government, with support from Global Fund, procured three mobile vans and 18 X-ray machines for 18 state facilities to facilitate TB diagnosis. With more than 1280 Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) centres scattered across the 20 Local Government Areas of Lagos, close to 50,000 persons are on treatment currently. Next is the Lagos State Health Scheme (LSHS), a mandatory health insurance program established to ensure all residents of the state have access to quality and affordable healthcare services, ensure financial protection and reduce catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditures.
Critical areas known for crazy bottlenecks now wear a majestic look. First is Allen and Obafemi Awolowo Way Roundabout. The removal of the big roundabout structure and statue, resulting in the expansion of the roads has significantly reduced traffic and erased the hour-long traffic bottleneck that used to be at both junctions. Next is the Oyingbo Overpass Bridge, the Ikeja Overpass Bridge and the most outstanding and recently unveiled, Red Rail Line Overpass Bridge at Yaba. For anyone who used to travel through this area in the last 15 years, rush hour in Yaba was a nightmare. One could spend nothing less than two hours within a 5-minute distance. But the new T-shaped Yaba Overhead Bridge takes away the traffic completely and brings complete ease and safety to both rail and road users.
For education infrastructure, Lagos state is working to fulfil the SDG4 which is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. As a result, the government instituted 1,449 unique projects which included the construction of over 1047 new classrooms, 96,334 dual unit furniture, toilets for the physically challenged pupils in specific schools, and 2000 new bed spaces in boarding schools, with about 1,036 schools in Lagos benefitting directly from these projects. The number of out-of-school children in Lagos has drastically reduced with the introduction of Project ZERO, and should completely disappear in the next two years.
In recent times, the Chief marketing officer of Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu took his marketing to the Lord Mayor’s Show’s 805th procession in London, where he showcased Lagos in his words, “as the beacon of financial innovation in Africa”.
As a Lagosian, I can categorically state that Lagos is the most innovative global investment choice in Africa, the fastest-growing economy, and the best for 100% ROI within five years. The ever-growing population, the zest to make a living being the driving factor for its population growth, the high consumption rate presenting an unimaginable revenue turnover, and much more, guarantees that every fund sunk into Lagos would yield the desired profit within the stipulated time frame.
So let me join my dear governor to invite you all to come invest here. You will not regret putting your money into our economy.
