The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, celebrated his 59th birthday. Although Fashola, the former governor of Lagos Stated, did not make much noise about it, the event did not go unnoticed by his close associates and admirers, especially those on the Progressive forte.
They, in their various ways, poured encomia on the man who has been renamed ‘Mr. Infrastructure’ by those who have been following his activities not only as the Chief Executive of the Centre of Excellence, but also in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
One of such individuals is Chief Modestus Umenzekwe (Onwa Achina), a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and member, Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Board.
In an elaborate eulogy for Fashola, the politician described the Works and Housing Minister as a man whose life is full of selfless sacrifices for his state and the nation, Nigeria.
He maintained that but for some congratulatory messages in prints and electronic media from close friends and associates, Fashola – like a stoic that he is – would not have announced the birthday of the minister would have gone unnoticed.
In an interaction with Sunday INDEPENDENT on the occasion and why it was observed almost unnoticed, Umenzekwe, an Anambra-born politician and title holder said: “This is Fashola for you. The birthday went with no pomp at all which in itself was a characteristic hallmark of the low key lifestyle and noiseless disposition of the man who has sacrificed all for the development of state and nation, an icon who believes in working more and talking less.”
Umenzekwe stressed that for those that know the history of Lagos and understand its progressive developmental trajectory, which of course is noticeable even by the blind, they know that Lagos entered its present phase of great transformation in infrastructural development and economic growth to the extent of being ranked among the sixth biggest economy in Africa, from the time Fashola took over the governance of Lagos State, and since then, Lagos has been growing along the line of Fasholaism.
Hear Umenzekwe: “Fashola was the Executive Governor of Lagos State from 2007 till 2015, succeeding the great Asiwaju of Yoruba land and Jagaban of Nigerian politics, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Fashola’s exceedingly unmatchable achievements was so loud that in 2015 when the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari came on board, Fashola was appointed by the president as a Federal minister and handed three powerful ministerial portfolios to him, that of Power, Works and Housing, since then, Fashola has maintained the status as being one of the heros of this administration.
“In 2019, his assignment was pruned to those of Housing and Works. Today, he took the nation as his ward and has constructed roads and houses in all the six geopolitical zones of the country in a detribalised manner.”
On Fashola’s recently observed birthday, Umenzekwe said that it gladdened his heart to glorify God for the life He had given to the minister.
According to Umenzekwe: “You see, in life people are created, people are made and people are developed, and when you look at the man, Fashola, he is created, he is made and he is developed, and that makes him unique, that makes his attitude unique, that makes his decisions unique, and that makes his achievements unique.
“A well trained lawyer in the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), a structural analyst, a silent achiever, a trail blazer who has written his name in Gold, not just in Yoruba land alone, but in the six geo-political zones of this country, he turned Lagos around from where our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu stopped.
“He improved greatly on that, and not only that Lagos is the Centre of Excellence, but it became the first among equals. Then successive governors coming behind him did very well, and today the present governor, His Excellency, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is working tooth and nail to make sure the tempo does not go down.
“So, what I am saying is that the three things I mentioned earlier are in this man, Fashola. If he was created and not made he won’t be like this, if he was made and not developed; he won’t be like this. But you see, he was created, made and developed, and that is why you see him this way. Everything he is doing is unique.”
Umenzekwe also spoke on other qualities that make Fashola unique, a man whom he said is not just hardworking, but also an innovative personality.
He said: “There was a dilapidated high-rise building in Broad Street in Lagos Island, which was to be demolished, His Excellency, Babatunde Fashola, as the governor of Lagos then, had to introduce an innovative implosive mechanism, the first time I was hearing such a thing to bring the building down without hurting a fly, it is a landmark and signature achievement.
“I don’t want to go into other things he has done, because I have spoken a lot about him at other fora, but this is just to wish him a very happy birthday celebration. Good a thing age is on his side, and I believe as time goes on he will be the president of this country, I so believe that.”
Umenzekwe was optimistic that his party, the APC, would win the 2023 presidential election and when that would happen, according to him, “The young and amiable minister will be given additional federal responsibilities to continue to do what he knows what to do best.
“And if eventually our party wins this presidential election in 2023, I know the young man will be at the helm of affairs to continue to do that thing he knows how to do best so that everybody will feel happy. You don’t see him engage in political statements. We don’t know him for political statements. Look at what he did in the South East, the signature project of Second Niger Bridge. Igbos will never forget him in a hurry; they will never forget this administration in a hurry.”
Umenzekwe continued: “I always pass Nnamdi Azikiwe’s compound. We used to be there with Chuma Azikiwe when he was alive. That used to be our rallying point, and Fashola was used by President Muhammadu Buhari to keep the promise he made in 2004 when he came for the burial of Chike Offodile, former Attorney- General of the Federation, when Buhari said ‘f I became President of Nigeria, I will do Second Niger Bridge and I will renovate Azikiwe’s mausoleum’. He has kept these promises, using this young man, a lawyer, but you see him doing Engineering work and doing it perfectly well. To God be the glory. I wish him well, I wish him more years, I wish him good health, success, and I wish him everything good in life.”
Umenzekwe maintained that Fashola has not lowered the tempo of his developmental initiatives and will not do so in the nearest future, after all, age is still on his side. He also spoke on what he expects Fashola to do as the tenure of the administration inches to its last months.
He stressed: “His Excellency, the Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), is working. He is not even dropping from his tempo. Roads are still being touched; federal houses are springing up here and there. What else do you want him to do? He is a strong man. He will continue working until the last day of this administration, on May 29, 2023, when I believe, he will be given another assignment because I believe God that we are going to win the 2023 presidential election.”
Independent
