Fola Adeyemi, outstanding PS, bows out of service
A grand pull-out of outstanding public relations specialist and permanent secretary of the Ministry of Information & Strategy, Mr. Fola Adeyemi today ends a 35-year sojourn in the service of the people of Lagos State and begins a new lease of life in retirement.
Born in Ebute-Metta , Lagos on September 3rd, 1959, he attended Baptist Academy Obanikoro Lagos for his secondary and Higher School certificates.
He proceeded to the University of Lagos Akoka where he bagged a Bachelor of Science degree with honours in Social Sciences.
Thereafter, he went to the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, for a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and University of New York Graduate School of Journalism for another certificate in journalism.
His bustling journalism Career started in 1987 at the News & Current Affairs, Department of Radio Nigeria. He was at various times at the News & Current Affairs Department, The News Room and Voice of Nigeria, until he left in 1989.
Thereafter he moved over to the Daily Times/Sunday Times of Nigeria. He was at various desks like News Room, Foreign Desk, Sub Desk, and Production. He was there until July 1990 before joining the Lagos State Civil Service.
During his bustling journalistic career spanning over 25 years of active reporting, he has occupied various positions such as Reporter, Staff Writer, Sub Editor, etc, both on Radio and at the Daily Times of Nigeria.
His activism days dated back to the University of Lagos where he was Secretary Henry Carr Hall of Residence and Hall Chairman in 1982 and 1983 respectively. He was also Deputy Speaker Student Union Government.
During his career in the Civil Service, he has held several positions such as Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Lagos State and Deputy Press Secretary, Governor of Lagos State.
His Professional Career in the State Service also took him to virtually all Ministries in the State Civil Service, where he has continued to formulate Policies and Strategies to propagate and publicize the programmes and activities of various Governments in the State. He reached the peak of his career in service in October 2015, when he was made the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy by His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode. By November 2017, he was redeployed to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture as their Permanent Secretary and later brought back to the Ministry of Information & Strategy on the 27th of December, 2018.
He pioneered the publication of various in house Journals and Publications such as- Our Town Series in the State, Magazines in the State Civil, such as Finance Echo at the Ministry of Finance, Works News, and popular Sponsored Programme TV Programme -EKO WORKS meant to showcase giant infrastructural strides of the State.
He also pioneered the First Education Magazine in the State for 4years until it was rested in 2000.
He is a Fellow of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations and member Nigeria Union of Journalists. He is an Alumnus of the Singapore Civil Service College and won the best Visiting Student Presentation in the Class 2007.