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Fashola: Celebrating a Political Outlier at 60 By Olatunji Oke

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Turning 60 is a significant and special milestone in the life of any mortal. Depending on the celebrator, a gaudy or godly celebration is permissible to mark the occasion. Former U.S. President Barack Obama turned 60 in August 2021. This was when the world was still grappling with the aftershocks of the Covid-19 pandemic with the attendant lockdowns and social distancing. For an otherwise modest and restrained person, Obama reckoned that he could only be 60 once in this lifetime.

Despite the hoopla that trailed the announcement of his 60th birthday party, which necessitated a ‘scaled back’ guests list, Obama went ahead to have a ball and a blast with his starry circle of guests including Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Spielberg, George Clooney, and Erykah Badu among other A-listers and Hollywood heavyweights. Well, Covid-19 is now a thing of the past or so.

Yet, the latest inductee into the sexagenarian club, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), the immediate past Minister of Works and Housing, is not ever likely to throw a party. Fashola turned 60 Wednesday, June 28. Yet, he does not believe in the fanfare and pomp and circumstance of birthday celebrations.

Ten years ago when he turned 50, aides and associates fell over themselves to throw a jaw-dropping party for him. When he got wind of it, he called it off. Rationalising this in a dated interview, he said, “By nature, I am not a ceremonious person. I don’t like all the noise and partying. When I saw all the plans going on for my 50th, I said no. If this is my day, then those who really love me should allow me to do it the way I want to. I have told my aides how I feel about this whole 50th birthday celebration. I asked them if governors in other countries don’t have their birthdays and is it usually in such a loud way and manner. If I do it my own way it won’t cost me that much to receive my visitors. I funded my 40th birthday when I was Chief of Staff and it cost me so much. I am not quite sure I can do the same now.

“As a governor, it will cost me more. I am not sure I want to spend that kind of money on parties. And to tell you the truth, the idea that probably I will have a birthday at tax payers’ expense is something that does not go down well with me and it’s only for 24 hours. So I am going to have a very quiet and simple day with close friends and family.”

That is vintage Fashola! He exemplifies a successful outlier in Nigerian politics in many ways. Indeed, it seemed just like yesterday that a suave and smooth-talking 43-year-old lawyer and then Chief of Staff to former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu sauntered into public consciousness aspiring to succeed his boss as governor of Nigeria’s most important state. Until then, he was relatively unknown in the political calculus of the state. How could Tinubu have supported the little-known lawyer, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria though, ahead of more formidable politicians? Many wondered. Tinubu stood his ground. With the benefit of prescience, he had seen in the University of Benin Law graduate what many did not see. As God would have it, the good people of Lagos State voted massively for Fashola in the 2007 governorship polls. It was only a matter of time before the whole world started seeing in Fashola what Tinubu had seen.

Fashola would prove to be a different kind of governor. Gifted with an unnerving self-confidence and a nonpareil oratorical skill, Fashola was a breath of fresh air – youthful, measured, and mild-mannered. As governor, he was prudent yet, prodigious; and painstaking but proactive. The Lagos that Fashola met needed rejuvenation and resurgence and he diligently and fearlessly went about these.

One recalls with nostalgic flourish his cleansing of Oshodi, until then a deplorable, seamy underworld of all criminal activities known to humanity. And the hotbed of avoidable traffic gridlock. By the time Fashola divested Oshodi of its infamous toga, it became a marvel, a sedate thoroughfare with orderly traffic. That was all he needed, among other achievements in the early years, to tell Lagosians that it would not be business as usual for his administration.

During his fast-paced, work-filled, and praise-worthy odyssey as helmsman of Lagos State, Fashola evolved as an administrator par excellence. He also emerged as one of those rare breeds who rule their world and are not bound by a time clock; that group of people who see failure as a launch pad to the success that they either have achieved or seek to achieve. Nothing sets them in a bootstrapping mood like setbacks and challenges.

Their resoluteness when plights and ordeals rear their ugly heads is a lesson in resilience. Fashola’s handling of the Ebola scourge in 2014 comes to mind. Even when the tides appear to be rising against him, Fashola is never to be underrated. He is like a phoenix that rises from the ashes of tribulation to the peak of success against all odds. He is also driven by the belief that a man’s reach should always exceed his grasp, which is why he reaches for the moon, knowing that if his grasp missed its cusp, his hands may land on the stars.

Through the rough and tough times, the frustrating times of enlightening people about why certain policies or decisions had to be taken; why, for instance, Okada had to be banned on major highways to reduce the incidence of accidents on Lagos roads despite the concomitant loss of jobs; banning roadside trading; and the labyrinthine tax system among others; Fashola held his head high.

He turned Lagos around, re-engineered its economy, making it one of the fastest-growing in the continent; combated the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease like a Trojan in 2014; soothed the sorrows of people during adversities; built them affordable homes; and constructed new roads where there were none among other success stories.

He always held that governance should be about the good of all, not a negligible section of the populace. Thus, by the time the All Progressives Congress, APC, came on board in 2014, Fashola unwittingly became its poster boy. And he parlayed his star power for the gains of the APC in the presidential and governorship elections in 2015.

In the first coming of President Muhammadu Buhari, Fashola was, unsurprisingly, appointed the Minister of Power, Works, and Housing, making him a Super Minister of a sort; a primus inter pares among ministers. Four years after, he was reappointed by President Buhari as Minister of Works and Housing, which undergirds the president’s unflinching belief in his capacity to deliver. In all these illustrious positions, he left indelible footprints of achievements that will be the high water mark that subsequent occupiers would be measured by. Say what you will of former President Buhari, a discerning and dispassionate majority believes that no administration in the history of Nigeria’s existence revamped national infrastructure as much as President Buhari. Fashola superintended that ministry!

Almost two decades after his first public office appointment, Fashola has become one of Nigeria’s most adored politicians of his generation. The occasion of his 60th birthday touches a personal chord in some of us who saw him work at close quarters in those early, tentative days; how he surmounted some of the debilitating challenges that confronted an emerging mega city like Lagos; showing concern and compassion for everyday Lagosian, and how he set Lagos on the path of progress and prosperity.

We saw a devoted and hands-on family man who never shirked his filial and paternal responsibilities notwithstanding his punishing schedule. As his ‘aburos’, we benefitted immensely from his well of wisdom and encouragement which is why he quadruples, for many of us, as a role model, leader, mentor, and friend. Personally, I remain eternally grateful to him for leading me by the hand through life’s many vicissitudes and helping to actualise the vision of Lagos Indicator as a veritable feedback mechanism of his administration’s activities.

However, whether he throws a party or allows one thrown for him, the former Lagos State governor has earned his stripes in public office and he deserves all the accolades that come his way. The outpouring of well-wishes from across the world is a pointer to the fact that he has impacted mankind in his various political offices and given the opportunity, would do even more!

On behalf of the Lagos Indicator Team, I celebrate you, Skippo, and wish you good health and happiness and many more years of outstanding exploits in the affairs of our dear nation.

 

Olatunji Oke is the publisher, Lagos Indicator.

BIG STORY

Appeal Court Nullifies Rape Conviction Of Lagos Doctor Femi Olaleye

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The Lagos appeal court has overturned the “rape” conviction of Femi Olaleye, managing director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation. On Friday, the appellate court ruled that the lower court “erred” in its judgment.

Olaleye was arraigned in November 2022 on a two-count charge of “defilement of a child” and “sexual assault by penetration.”

He was convicted in October 2023 and sentenced to life imprisonment for “rape.”

However, the appeal court held that the lower court relied on “tainted” and “unreliable” evidence.

THE VERDICT

The three-member panel of the appeal court are Jimi Olukayode Bada, Mohammad Sirajo, and Folasade Ojo.

Bada read the lead judgment which was adopted by the two other justices.

The appeal court held that the lower court erred based on the “tainted” and “unreliable” evidence of Oluremi, the defendant’s wife, and the alleged survivor.

The appeal court stated that Oluremi’s conduct showed that she was motivated by greed and the desire to take over the appellant’s assets upon his incarceration.

The appellate court described Olaleye’s wife as a “tainted witness”.

The court also ruled that the lower court relied on the “hearsay evidence” of the other witnesses on the age of the alleged survivor.

The appellate court held that since none of the witnesses witnessed the birth of the alleged survivor, it was wrong for the lower court to rely on their testimonies.

The court ruled that the prosecution’s case that the alleged survivor was a 16-year-old child was bereft of evidence.

The court described the testimonies of the child forensic specialist, that of a medical doctor from the Mirabel Centre, and the investigating officer’s, as “worthless”.

The appellate court said the trial judge “interfered” in the proceedings by bridging the “yawning gaps” in the prosecution’s case.

The court held that the prosecution failed to present material witnesses such as two family members who witnessed Olaleye’s alleged confession.

The court said a trial within trial ought to have been conducted to ascertain the voluntariness of the appellant’s confessional statements while in police custody.

The court of appeal resolved all five issues in favour of the appellant.

The appeal court thereafter discharged and acquitted Olaleye.

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BIG STORY

US-Based Nigerian May Get 20-Year Jail Term Over Money Laundry

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A United States-based Nigerian, Samson Omoniyi, who was arrested alongside eight others for alleged money laundering and fraud, may be sentenced to 20 years in prison if found guilty by US authorities.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the Office of Public Affairs of the US Department of Justice late Wednesday.

The statement noted that Omoniyi, alongside his accomplices, was indicted on Tuesday on allegations of conspiracy to engage in money laundering following their arrest across three jurisdictions in the US.

It further indicated that the defendants, who remain innocent until proven guilty by the court, operated a money laundering organisation to launder proceeds from fraud amounting to millions of US dollars, allegedly obtained from defrauding multiple citizens.

The statement read, “An indictment was unsealed yesterday (Tuesday) in Nashville, Tennessee. It charges nine members of a multi-state money laundering organisation with laundering millions of dollars derived from internet fraud, including business email compromise schemes. The nine defendants were arrested in a coordinated takedown across three jurisdictions.

“According to court documents, Samson A. Omoniyi, 43, of Houston; Misha L. Cooper, 50, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Robert A. Cooper, 66, of Murfreesboro; Carlesha L. Perry, 36, of Houston; Whitney D. Bardley, 30, of Florissant, Missouri; Lauren O. Guidry, 32, of Houston; Caira Y. Osby, 44, of Houston; Dazai S. Harris, 34, of Murfreesboro; and Edward D. Peebles, 35, of Murfreesboro, were charged with conspiracy to engage in money laundering.

“As alleged in the indictment, the defendants were members of a long-running money laundering organisation operating since approximately November 2016 in and around Tennessee, Texas, and across the country.”

The statement further stressed that the defendants used the structured organisation as a guise to launder the proceeds of their fraud and to enrich members of the syndicate.

“The conspirators allegedly structured the organisation so that recruiters or ‘herders’ recruited and directed participants or ‘money mules’ to launder money obtained from Internet frauds that targeted businesses and individuals in the United States and abroad.

“The defendants allegedly used sham and front companies to conceal the fraud proceeds and enrich the conspiracy members. The conspiracy allegedly agreed to launder more than $20 million in fraud proceeds,” it stated.

According to the statement, each of the defendants could be sentenced to 20 years in prison under the US Sentencing Guidelines as the maximum penalty for their offence.

“The defendants each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison if convicted. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” the statement concluded.

Earlier reports had it that two Nigerians, Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, were sentenced by a US federal jury to 30 years combined jail time for defrauding some US citizens of $3,500,000.

According to the US Justice Department, the duo had deceived their victims by telling them that they had received substantial inheritances that required some money to claim.

The duo was said to have requested their victims send money with a promise to refund them once the inheritances were claimed.

It was also noted that the duo carried out romance scams by establishing romantic relationships with their victims and demanding that they send money after building trust with them.

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BIG STORY

Australia Bans Social Media Use For Children Under-16

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Australia’s parliament on Thursday passed a world-first law banning social media for children under 16, putting tech companies on notice to tighten security before a cut-off date that’s yet to be set.

The ban came following the passage of a groundbreaking law in parliament.

The new law was drafted in response to what the Labor Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, described as a “clear, causal link between the rise of social media and the harm [to] the mental health of young Australians.”

“We want our kids to have a childhood and parents to know we have their backs,” Albanese told reporters afterwards.

The new law, passed by the Senate with 34 votes to 19, prohibits platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, X, and Reddit from allowing users under 16.

Companies found in violation could face fines of up to AU$50 million (US$32 million). YouTube has been excluded from the ban due to its educational content.

While the law has been hailed by some as a bold move to protect children, it has drawn criticism from academics, advocacy groups, and tech experts.

Concerns have been raised that the legislation could drive teenagers to unsafe spaces like the dark web or lead to increased isolation.

Questions about enforcement have also surfaced, with critics warning that rushed implementation could create privacy risks if companies require extensive personal data for age verification.

Amnesty International has recommended that the bill be reconsidered, arguing “ban that isolates young people will not meet the government’s objective of improving young people’s lives.”

The bill received over 15,000 public submissions in a single day, many opposing the measure, after tech billionaire Elon Musk drew attention to the proposal on X.

The law will take effect in 12 months, allowing time for the government to trial age-verification technologies.

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