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The immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN on Tuesday stressed the need to conduct an accurate exercise in 2016 when the next National Census is due in order to ensure progress and the achievement of the desired goal in National Development.
Addressing a quality audience at the capacity-filled Shell Hall of the Muson Centre, venue of the public presentation of three books titled, The Great Leap and In Bold Print, edited by his former Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello, and The Lagos Blowdown done in collaboration with another seasoned writer, Mr. Dapo Adeniyi in his honour, the former Governor expressed regrets that in the life of the nation, her leaders have consistently failed to conduct an accurate headcount.
Fashola said given the fact that those who conducted the last headcount in the country have owned up that the figures were falsified , the onus was now on the nation to ensure that next year’s exercise would be right for the nation to make progress.
Stressing the importance of data in national and human development, the former Lagos Chief Executive declared, “If the work of Government is to provide service to the people, its efficiency will be determined by its knowledge of how many people need service”, adding that without accurate census figures it may seem the nation was not determined to head in the path of development.
“So, the numbers have changed from 160 million to 170 million and now sometimes we hear 180 million. But I recall that during that census exercise in 2006, we worked with the National Census Commission then and when they returned a number of 9.6 million, it was clear, in Fela’s words, that “This has become Government Magic”, Fashola said.
According to the former Governor, for eleven days and nights he, as Chief of Staff to the then Governor Tinubu, and his team, comprising all the Local Government Chairmen, did not sleep, as they conducted parallel census alongside the National Population Commission which said it was going to enumerate households, meaning a husband and his wife, or wives and their children.
“At the end of that exercise we enumerated 14.5 million households in Lagos. Yet they returned a number of 9 million, so it meant that every household in Lagos has only a husband and a wife and no child”, he said adding that such development should ginger citizens, including those entrusted with the responsibility of the exercise, to play their roles accurately when the time comes.
Fashola, who warned against people moving from where they live to their home states for the exercise, pointed out that census was not about where one comes from but about where one lives adding that the data generated from the exercise would be used to plan the life of the citizens, their children and the future generation.
Commenting on the book, The Lagos Blowdown, which chronicled the events of the historic implosion of the former Bank of Industry in central Lagos which partially collapsed in 2006 and constituted threat to life in the area, the former Lagos State helmsman recalled that when he became Governor and commissioned the reconstruction of roads in the city, the contractor handling the area suspended work on Broad Street saying he could not expose his workers to the danger posed by the eventual total collapse of the building.
“We asked them if they could do the job of bringing the building down and they said it was well beyond their scope and so the search for the company to do the job began until we found the company called the Wreckers”, he said adding that the company lived up to its name by bringing down the building without causing any damage to the surrounding structures.
Fashola said though the Federal Government was thanked for granting him the permission to carry out the blow down it was actually the statesmanship of the late President Yar’Adua that made it possible in the face of the fierce opposition to the exercise by the opposition party in the State and the fact that they misinformed the President (late Yar’adua) on the issue.
The former state helmsman, who described the period of the blow down as a very challenging moment, thanked God that in spite of the expectations for the worst, the implosion was successful, recalling that the most tense moment was the ten seconds to the final blow down when he was handed a walkie-talkie and given the options to count down the go ahead or abort the exercise.
“I still lack enough words to describe how almost surreal those last ten seconds were. I am sure that if anyone recorded my voice at the time it must have been shaky. But indeed go on we must because we were propelled, not by fear but by a larger cause to save human life and protect property”, he said.
On his relationship with the author and his former Special Adviser on Media,Mr. Hakeem Bello, Fashola, who recalled that their paths crossed in 2006 when his political journey to the Government House began, explained that they met through a friend at a time when he had no clue as to how to deal with the media, pointing out that after their first interaction in his office as Chief of Staff, the former Special Adviser came back after a week to offer his service to him.
Describing his former Special Adviser as diligent and dedicated, the former Governor, who said the three books were about events that took place during his tenure as Governor, added, “It may be tempting to think that this day truly belongs to me. Regrettably it does not. It belongs to Hakeem Bello who painstakingly documented all of these for us. It belongs also to Dapo Adeniyi who worked with him to deliver all these.
“To all of you who have come to join us at this event, what you have done is to join us in celebrating and honouring Mr. Hakeem Bello, a gentleman, a family man and a consummate professional whose passion for his work epitomizes his fidelity in any cause that he believes in”, he said.
He continued, “In the nature of the responsibility that I had, it was impossible not to offend people, but I think that without being a priest or an Imam, what I can say publicly is that Hakeem went behind my back making friends for me that I did not know. This is, of course a different strategy from those who make enemies for their principals and for those who have to manage the image of politicians, I think Hakeem’s quiet mien, diligent and dedicated professional commitment is something that we can all learn from”.
The former Governor said he had kept the walkie-talkie of the blow down for about seven years as part of his record of service, “because the blow down that you saw has already gone global on National Geographic as a learning curve for people who wish to bring down buildings”, adding that the operation was the first of its kind worldwide.
Thanking all the invitees and guests at the occasion, including former members of his cabinet, judges, traditional rulers and other eminent personalities, Fashola expressed gratitude to all of them for honouring the invitation to celebrate the author whom he described as a consummate professional “to whom the Journalism Profession could truly say this our own of whom we are well pleased”.
In his remarks at the occasion, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress and predecessor to Fashola, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by his former Commissioner for Education, Professor Tunde Samuel, expressed joy that the event was another step that would reflect on what he referred to as “performance auditing” of what the former State Chief Executive had done in the last eight years.
Referring to the former Governor’s achievements in office as a result of high wired political engineering, Asiwaju declared, “ As I used to tell you anytime we chatted that whatever you do today is an insurance for tomorrow”, adding, “Your surrender value has been further energized by today’s event”.
Professor Tunde Samuel, observed that the ability of the former governor to “intellectualize properly” has been recognized by all and sundry through the policies and strategies with which his administration has made fundamental impact on the lives of Lagosians in the last eight years.
Noting that it is one thing to be determined and another thing to think right, Asiwaju declared, “Your Excellency, your ability to intellectualize, your rugged determination to succeed has been well recognized by all; You have demonstrated the ability to combine the two very effectively to reach your goal in the service of the state”.
In his remarks also, one of the reviewers of the books, Professor Olatunji Dare whose Prefatory Essay on the Thoughts of Governor Fashola was read by seasoned broadcaster, Angela Ajetunmobi, noted that Fashola’s achievements as Governor of Lagos State has been universally acknowledged pointing at the most recent award to the former Governor by the Global Conflict Prevention organization, International Crisis Group (ICG).
The ICG recently named the former Governor as one of the seven outstanding personalities worldwide to be honoured with its annual Stephen J Solas Award for his commitment to resolving social economic and security challenges in one of the world’s most challenging urban environments.
Earlier, Chairman of the occasion, founder and Chairman of the Fate Foundation, Mr. Fola Adeola OFR, said the true essence of the occasion was that the numerous personalities who graced the occasion did so not because of what they could gain from the celebrant but because of their commitment to him as a friend, relation or acquaintances.
Of the former Governor, the Chairman said, “There are times in an environment in a nation, that certain things happen that don’t happen often. For example, in football since we all watch football, there was a time that Pele happened. And after a long time, Maradona happened and then after another long time, Messi and Ronaldo are happening”.
“But they don’t happen every time. I am happy that in my own time Fashola happened. Fashola happened and it is my prayer that we do not have to wait for too long for another Fashola to happen”, he said adding that the former Governor’s reputation has become a household in States across the country.
