New Sanwo-olu cabinet: 10 former EXCO members to watch
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By Rasaq Adebayo
The political atmosphere is becoming tense in Lagos State as Lagosians especially the politicians are eagerly waiting to see the list of the next cabinet members of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s led second administration.
A few hours before his inauguration for his second term in office last week, Governor Sanwo-olu dissolved his 44-member executive cabinet giving them till Friday May 26 to submit their handover notes and official properties which were not boarded.
Beginning a new term of office on May 29, 2023, Governor Sanwo-olu is expected to announce the Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff and Chief Press Secretary.
Next, he will forward a list of would-be commissioners and special advisers to the House of Assembly for consideration and approval.
While the search continues. Echonews brings you the stories of 10 outstanding members of the defunct executive council who touched lives by implementing the governor’s THEMES agenda in their respective ministries.
Interviews by Echonews team across local governments put the following among the best 10 cabinet members. According to Echonews, the list includes the former Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello; former Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde; former Chief of Staff, Mr. Tayo Ayinde; former Commissioner for Home Affairs, Anofi Elegushi; former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso; former Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu Fatai; former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN); former Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Hakeem Fahm, former Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, and former Special Adviser for Innovation and Technology, Mr. Tubosun Alake.
TUNJI BELLO
Born on July 1, 1961, a Lagosian, Olatunji Bello grew to become a lawyer, environmentalist, political scientist, journalist, and Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources under the first administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
He has a B.Sc. Degree from the University of Ibadan where he studied Political Science and graduated in 1984.[6] He earned his Master’s Degree in International Law and Diplomacy ML.D in (1987) from the University of Lagos. He also earned a Bachelor of Law degree from thei same University of Lagos, Nigeria, in the year 2000.
Bello is a Barrister at Law (BL) qualifying from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos In 2001 having graduated with an LL.Bi (Hons.) (Bachelor of Law).
Tunji Bello started his media career at the defunct Concord Press of Nigeria where he grew to become an Editor. Hei started as a Features Writer; was also an Assistant Features Editor. His career in journalism grew so quickly that he became a Politics Editor at the age of 27. He was later promoted to the Editor of the Sunday title and later Editor of the Daily title of the Concord Newspapers Group. He was also appointed Chairman of the Editorial Board of THISDAY Newspaper. He was a Staff Writer with St. Petersburg Times, Florida, USA, and alsok the US News & World Report, Washington DC in 1992.
As a student at the University of Ibadan, Tunji Bello was Vice President of the University of Ibadan Students Union. He has always agitated for democracy since the 80s. His mainstream national political career started when he served as the Special Assistant to Bashorun MKO Abiola, winner of the annulled June 12, 1993, Presidential election. After the annulment of the epochal election, Tunji Bello became a member of the Nigerian pro-democracy group, NADECO which fought for the actualisation of Democracy in Nigeria and was active from 1993 to 1999. After the handing over from Military rule to the Democratic dispensation in 1999, Tunji Bello joined the former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his cabinet. He served as the Head of the Signage and Advertising Agency (LASSA) and also the Commissioner for Environment in the Asiwaju administration.
In July 2011, he joined Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration as he was sworn in by the Governor as Commissioner for Environment where hek served till May 29, 2015.
In 2015, after the swearing-in of the former Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Tunji Bello was appointed Secretary toi the State Government on the 29th May 2015 serving till the end of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration in 2019.
In 2019, He joined the Sanwo-Oluk administration and he was sworn in by the Governor in 2019 as the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources.
Dr. FREDERIC OLADEINDE
Dr. Frederic Abimbola Oladeinde has worked in the transport industry for over 20 years and until now was the Director, Corporate and Investment Planning at Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).
He began his career as a Senior Transport Consultant in a transaction advisory role at Oscar Faber Consulting in London, United Kingdom, and in the year 2000 joined the Department for Transport, UK as a Senior Transport Planning Adviser, where he was responsible for advising the British Minister of Transport of the impact of various transport schemes and policy options.
Dr. Oladeinde joined LAMATA in 2008 through Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (NIAF), A Department fori International Development, UK (DFID) Funded Programme as a Transport Planning Expert and Technical Adviser, heading the Transport Planning Unit of the organization and led a team of consultant in developing a 20-year Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP) for Lagos megacity.
Dr. Oladeinde took up thei role of Director of Corporate and Investment Planning in 2016 and led the planning strategy on the future transport needs of Lagos state, coordinating the implementation of transport scheme initiatives and securing investment for the provision of transport infrastructure.
He was born on the 2nd of October, 1966. Dr. Oladeinde has a B.SC (Hons) in Mathematics, M.Sc in Applied Statistics and Operational Research DIC, Ph.D. Transport Planning (Modeling) and Engineering. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK).
TAYO AYINDE
Tayo Akinmade Ayinde, aka BUFFALO born August 24, 1964, in Ikorodu, Lagos, is an accountant.
Ayinde got his Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Banking and later the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy from Federal Polytechnic, Anambra.
He was an Account Officer at TELL Magazine in 1993. He joined the State Security Service (SSS) where he was Head of the Accounts Department till he retired in 2009.
In 2019, he was appointed Chief of Staff by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
In 2020, after 3 helicopters were purchased under Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration to strengthen the security of Lagos the Lagos State House of Assembly summoned Ayinde and two commissioners for questioning.
In 2022, Ayinde was accused in a report by Sahara Reporters of using the police and other security forces to assault landowners to forcefully possess and destroy properties worth over N500 million.
ANOFI ELEGUSHI
Prince OlanrewajuAnofiuElegushi was born on 11th October 1970 into the Royal family of Elegushi from IkateElegushi in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos.
He started his early education at Yaba Model School in Lagos in 1976. He later proceeded to ZamuratalIslamiyyah High School also in Yaba in 1982 for his secondary school certificate.
In 1989, he enrolled at the Lagos State Industrial Manpower Development Centre (Technical School) and later in 1992 attended the Lagos State Technical College Odomola, Epe, for a certificate in Motor Vehicle Technology.
After his secondary education, his quest for knowledge inspired him to enroll at the Modern Institute of Technology, an affiliate of City & Guilds of London 1997, and in 2002 got a diploma certificate in Mechanical Engineering from the Lagos State Polytechnic.
He holds a PGD in Strategic Management and Leadership from the Metropolitan School of Business and Management, UK in 2016 and currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, UK.
He was elected a councilor and made the Majority leader of the Legislative Council in Eti-Osa Local Government between 1999 – 2002. As a majority leader, he represented his ward and the people efficiently by providing a bridge between the community and the council. He responded to queries and investigate the concerns of residents. As the majority leader, he was responsible for the Communication of council decisions to the residents on matters that affect them. He also worked with representatives of local organizations, interest groups, and businesses as well as represented community views at council meetings.
Between 2003 and 2004,k he was re-elected councilor and was the supervisor for Health in Eti-Osa Local Government where he helped and coordinated health campaigns at the council as well as presenting the health care queries andi advocates for residents.
He was later in 2004-2007 re-elected as councilor and was made leader of the Legislative Council where he presided over council meetings. He Spearheaded the creation of the four LCDAs in Eti-Osa and facilitated, supervised, and monitored numerous projects at the Local Government level.
Prince Elegushi was elected as the Executive Chairman of Eti-Osa Local Governmentk between 2008 – 2014 where he performed meritoriously.
In January 2018, he was appointed Special Adviser on Central Business Districts to oversee and coordinate the activities of the Central Business District in the State.
Before he was assigned the position of Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs by Governor Sanwo-Olu in January 2020, Elegushi served as the Special Adviser to the Governor in Central Business District since the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu assumed the mantle of leadership in the State.
GBENGA OMOTOSO
Omotoso was born on November 11, 1961. He is from Osun State. He graduated from the University of Benin in 1984 where he received his B.A. in English and Literature. He proceeded with a Master’s Degree in Public and International Affairs at the University of Lagos, Akoka, which he completed in 2007.
Omotoso has spent 35 years in the media. He started as a trainee sub-editor at The Guardian newspaper. He later became the deputy editor of Guardiank Express from where he rose to become the Editor of the Saturday Guardian. In 1999, at the inception of the Comet newspaper, he was appointed the pioneer editor of the newspaper.
In 2006 he again became the pioneer editor of The Nation newspaper. He has maintained a column “Editorial Notebook” in The Nation, where he writes on topical issues using humor to present serious issues. He is a member of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) and a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He was the editor at The Nation newspaper until he was appointed as the Commissioner in charge of the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy. He was sworn in in 2019 by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
AKINDERU FATAI
Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, a former Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State from 2003 to 2007 was born on January 6, 1965. He attended Ikeja Grammar School, Oshodi for his secondary education and thereaftero preceded to Nigeria’s premier University, the University of Ibadan, Ibadan where he bagged a B.A (Hons.) in Archaeology in 1989.
Further quest for knowledge made him enroll in Law, thereafter bagging a Higher Certificate in Law at the University of London in 2015. A graduate of John Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies, Washington D.C, U.S.A., Akinderu Fatai also studied Budget Strategies and Research Methodology at Management Development and Productivity Institute, Accra, Ghana.
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After a brief stint in the private sector, he started his political career as the Special Assistant to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political and Legislative Power Bureau, Governor’s Office, Lagos State in 2001 where he was engaged in assisting in Research and the coordination of Political activities and ensuring harmonious relationship with the Legislature and in coordinatingol Government\Students Harmonious Relationship. He later worked as the Secretary of the 2003 Governorship Campaign Committee for Alliance for Democracy Party (AD) in Lagos State.
With the success of the Party at the polls, he was appointed as the Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations in 2003. His responsibility in this capacity was to assist in the Co-Ordination of the Job Creation Policy of Lagos State in the Ministry of Special Duties and the Formulation of Policies and initial takeoff of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA).
He contested in 2007 and was voted in as Honourable Member, Federal House of Representatives representing Oshodi-Isolo LGA,1 Lagos State. This is an elective position which he held for two terms. Apart from being the Secretary, South West Caucus, House of Representatives (2007-2011) ensuring the interest and welfare of Honourable Members from the South West, he was Chairman House Committee on Legislative Compliance (2011-2015).
He was also at various times a member of the House Committee on Housing, Committee on Culture and Tourism, Committee on Interior, Committee on Science and Technology, Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Committee on Legislative Budget and Research, Committee on Agriculture, and Committee on Aviation.
As a federal legislator, he sponsored many impactful bills and achieved the implementation of strategies for the uplifting of Nigerians.
Akinderu-Fatai was appointed a member of the Greater Lagos team headed by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu in October 2019. A quiet achiever, he has brought his wealth of political experience and expertise to bear his responsibilities as the Honourable Commissioner for Housing in the State ofi Excellence.
A highly rated philanthropist, MAF as he is popularly called runs a Foundation for the welfare of widows and also a vocational training programme for students on holidays among others.
A devout Moslem, Hon. Akinderu-Fatai is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management (NIM) and an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in Nigeria (ICSAN).
MOYOSORE ONIGBAJO
Moyosore Jubril Onigbanjo was born to a middle-class family on September 24, 1964, in Surulere, Lagos. He attended Sunnyfield Primary School, and later St’ Finbarr’s College,i Yaba. He gained admission and studied law at the University of Ilorin in 1983 but earned his LLB Hons degree in 1988 from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife after the faculty was canceled at the University of Ilorin in 1986 by the National Universities Commission, he then went to Harvard Law School for two Executive Courses on Negotiation and Leadership and thereafter, Difficult Conversation both in 2017.
He was called to bar by the Nigerian Law School in 1989. Onigbanjo was an NYSC corp member when he cut his legal teeth at Akin Delana &i Co. in Ibadan, and then became an associate with Professor A. B. Kasumu. He was appointed a Notary Public on 31 March 2001 and later appointed Council Member of thek Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Business Law (SBL) on March 30, 2011.
He was a member of the National Executive Committee of the NBA between 2010 and 2012, in September 2013, Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar GCON conferred on him with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
On August 22, 2019, he was sworn in by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the 16th Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State.k
HAKEEM FAHM
Hakeem Popoola Fahm was the Commissioner for Science and Technology during the first team of Governor Babajide Saneo-Olu.k
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology from Ohio University, Athens Ohio as well as a Master in Business Administration in Computer Information and Systems Science from the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), Washington DC. His wealth of experience cuts across different fields.
His passion for technology has earned him several accolades and certifications.
PROF. AKIN ABAYOMI
Akin Emmanuel Abayomi is a Nigerian Professor who specializes in internal Medicine, Haematology, Environmental Health, Biosecurity, and Biobanking.
He served as Lagos State Commissioner for Health.
He was with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research in Lagos when he was appointed Commissioner by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2019. Following the reported index case of COVID-19 in Lagos in March 2020, Abayomi was appointedk to lead the response against the virus in Africa’s largest commercial city.
On August 24, 2020, he tested positive for COVID-19 but recovered on August 31, 2020.
President Muhammadk Buhari conferred on Professor Akin Abayomi the award of National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) in recognition of his hard work and excellence, particularly in the fight against COVID-19 in Lagos State.
Though it is not certain as there is no assurance yet that those would still be picked to form the next cabinet, there has been insinuation that some of them would come back.
Meanwhile, while many others are still lobbying in the political corridor for a post, the criteria for choosing a member to be qualified for the post are not known yet.
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