Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola on
Saturday politely declined the honour of a chieftaincy title from a
royal father, Oniru of Iru land, Lagos, Oba Abidun Idowu Oniru.
He,
however, received the award of excellence conferred on him by the
monarch who was celebrating his 75th birthday and 18th coronation
anniversary. While expressing his appreciation to Oba Oniru for
honouring him, Fashola said the task of governance required absolute
focus and would want the chieftaincy title to wait
for now.
He
said, “Kabiyesi and his chiefs can continue to lead us, let them deal
with all those traditional and chieftaincy issues. At the appropriate
time, we will come and join them, but for now, leave us in our suits,
booths, overalls and helmets, because this agbada is not good for
clearing refuse and tarring the roads.”
On the award for
excellence, Fashola said it was not for him; rather he dedicated it to
all the civil servants in the state who he said were responsible for the
giant strides of his administration.
Fashola said “This award
does not belong to me; it belongs to all the public servants in Lagos
State who do the great work that is responsible for the progress in the
state.”
While acknowledging the mornach’s exemplary leadership and
support for his administration and his predecessors, the governor
expressed his gratitude to the Oniru on behalf of members of the state
executive council.
He confessed that when the state Commissioner
for Waterfront Infrastructure, Prince Segun Oniru, informed him of the
event, and told him that the Kabiyesi wanted to present him with
something, he had made it clear that he would not attend the event if
what the Kabiyesi wanted to present to him was going to be a chieftaincy
title, but that Oniru had assured him that that would not be the case.
Former
Lagos State governor and national leader of the Action Congress of
Nigeria, Senator Bola Tinubu was also conferred with an award of
excellence.
But Tinubu was not present as he had travelled to the United States.
Other
dignitaries at the occasion included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade
Sijuade, Oba Abdulfatai Aromire Ojora, Oba Tijani Akinloye, Chief GOK
Ajayi, (SAN), former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Adewusi,
chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Mrs. Abike
Dabiri-Erewa, as well as all the white cap chiefs.
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