The political cold blood between the two immediate past governors of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola came to fore Tuesday as notable political figures stayed away from the launch of three books written about his administration as the fourth executive governor of the state by his Special Adviser on Media, Hakeem Bello and Dapo Adeniyi.
The anxiety that preceded Tuesday’s book launch was aptly echoed by the chairman of the ceremony, Fola Adeola who said that only very brave people were bold enough to come for the ceremony.
According to him, “I believe everybody that came here today considers Fashola as a friend, brother, cousin, so I greet everyone and welcome them here. I will also say some people are here just because they are brave and not afraid.
“I believe in fullness of time, everything evolves and dissolves, things come and go. Fashola, SAN and a former Governor is now the only thing that will remain constant and the people who are here today are simply telling him that no matter what, they still remained his friend,” Adeola said.
Speaking at the occasion, Fashola urged the federal government to take the 2016 population census with all seriousness, if the nation’s quest for development would not remain elusive, describing falsification of census figure as the major hindrance to development.
Fashola said the onus is on us to get it right in 2016, saying that the people who did our first census now owing up that figures were falsified.
The books entitled: ‘The Great Leap: Speeches of Governor Babatunde Fashola,’; ‘In Bold Print: Thoughts Of Babatunde Fashola,’ and ‘The Lagos Blow Down,’ were compiled and edited by the two authors.
He said: “I say this, because data, in my view, is important. If the work of government is to provide services to people, it’s efficiency will be determined by its knowledge of how many people need service. And therefore without accurate census figures, it may seem that we are not determined to head on the path of development.
“The numbers have changed from 160 million to 170 million and sometimes we now hear of 180 million. But I recalled that during the last census exercise in 2006, we worked with the National Population Commission (NPC) then.
“When they returned a number over nine million, it was clear that it had become, Fela’s words, ‘government magic’. Because I recalled very clearly that for 11 nights and 11days, we didn’t sleep.”
He said the entrenched practice of manipulating census figures in the country is impeding the nation’s economic growth and development.
“It was my office as the then Chief of Staff that led, including all the Local Government chairmen, on the exercise. And the population commission told us that they were going to enumerate households and the definition of a household is one family; of husband, wife and children.
“At the end of the exercise, we enumerated 4.5 million households in Lagos. Yet, they returned with only nine million as Lagos population. It meant that all households in Lagos have only husband and wife, and no children!”
According to him, given the drama and the conflicting figures released by the census commission as Lagos population, there was need for the federal government to ensure that census figure in 2016 is not manipulated for any reason to enhance effective planning.
The ceremony was attended by dignitaries from the various professions outside the political realm.
The notable political players present were immediate political associates of the former governor including, former governorship aspirant Supo Sashore, former deputy Governor, Lateefat Okunnu, former Commissioner for finance in Lagos state, Wale Edun, former Senator Munirudeen Muse.
Others are Chief Judge of Lagos state, Justice Funmilayo Atilade, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Gbenga Makanjuola, Professor Tunde Samuel who represented the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lanre Babalola, Jide Sanwolu, Rotimi Oyeko among others.
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