SERVICE, SANWO-OLU AND THE ZIK PRIZE

The Lagos State governor deserves the award, writes Abolaji Adeyeye

Leadership should be about service and not merely enjoying the spoils of office. And good leaders must not spare themselves from the rigours of service. They must regularly endure the fatigue of brain work and physical torture of moving with the crowd. It is not enough to lead in isolation or in a vacuum. True leaders serve those they lead. And all over the world, they are recognised for good, even after their death.

In Nigeria, people like Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa, Obafemi Awolowo, Lateef Jakande, Samuel Ogbemudia, Madam Fumnilayo Ransome-Kuti, have evoked emotions from the generality of the people because of their leadership qualities. And in a bid to continue recognising such qualities, the Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre instituted the Zik Prize in 1995 to honour late Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Nigeria’s first President.

The 2020 edition saw awards bestowed on nine Nigerians. Former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari and Director General of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, won the Zik Prize in Public Service. The Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Mr. Abdullahi Sule, won the Zik Prize in Good Governance. Also, Mr U.K. Eke, Group Managing Director of FBN Holdings and Mr. Uche Orji, pioneer MD/CEO of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), won the Zik Prize in Professional Leadership. And winning the Zik Prize in Political Leadership was the Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora while former First Lady of Akwa Ibom State, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio clinched the Zik Prize in Humanitarian Leadership.

While every winner is worthy of the award, I can’t help but single out Sanwo-Olu.

That Lagos is the most thriving state in Nigeria would be repeating the obvious. As the smallest state in terms of land mass, yet saddled with the highest population density with over 20 million Nigerians and foreigners among states in the country, Lagos is unique. And living in Lagos is fun and rewarding but it is not for the faint-hearted as it also comes with high rents, high transportation costs and strenuous traffic jams. Equally, leading is so demanding that it stretches whoever is saddled with the task. You see, I don’t think Lagos is an easy place to govern. I believe that since the return of democracy in 1999, all the governors of Lagos have been super heroes. So, when I read that Sanwo-Olu bagged the 2020 Zik Prize for Good Governance, I thought it was well-deserved.

Few days before the award was presented to him, Sanwo-Olu had cut short his trip abroad when the 21-storey building under construction in Ikoyi collapsed. Upon his return to the country, he headed straight to the site, marshalling the apparatus of government to ease rescue operations. Sadly, over 40 people died. While mourning the loss and investigating the cause to prevent reoccurrence, the government remains challenged to ensure not only housing but transportation, education and employment for its residents. The bustling nature of Lagos ensures the government must be constantly on its toes to improve the quality of life of residents. It’s a headache for any governor of Lagos constantly.

According to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, in 2020, Lagos State generated about N419bn in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), topping all the states in the country. The state contributed 32.08 per cent of the total IGR of N1.31 trillion from all states, including the Federal Capital territory. Though the revenue is way larger compared to other states, it is still an Herculean task to provide the necessities for a good life for Lagosians. Anyway, by the stats, it is evident that whoever governs Lagos is saddled with more economic responsibilities than even some countries’ heads of state.

And while Lagos was originally populated by the Yoruba, that sentiment is less pronounced in the governance machinery compared to other states. For instance, the current Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr Sam Egube, hails from Delta State. And recently, when the state government constituted a committee to revitalise the entertainment and film sector after the Covid-19 hit, by a mere stroke of excellence, the five professionals – Richard Mofe-Damijo, Tunde Kelani, Ms. Mo Abudu, Mr. Kunle Afolayan, and Mrs. Peace Anyim-Osigwe – in the nine-man committee turned out to be non-indigenes. That is Lagos for you – cosmopolitan.

And while Lagos continues to celebrate economic growth or development with strides in education, healthcare, agriculture, and road infrastructures, without adequate security none of it would be possible. About this time in 2020, Lagos was just coming out of destruction inflicted on it by urchins who hijacked the #ENDSARS protests. That episode however, provided Sanwo-Olu some shine with his approach to resolving the crisis in the early days when he presented the wants of the youths to President Muhammadu Buhari. I can’t help thinking that had Lagos had full control over its security architecture, the evolution of the protests to shootings at the Lekki Toll Gate and general conflagration, leading to killings, burning and looting of police stations and other properties may have been avoided.

Thankfully though, Lagos continues its partnership with the private sector implemented Lagos State Security Trust Fund, which has ensured the security officials get the needed resources to do their work. While kidnappings and killings have become somewhat normal in other parts of the country, Lagos is generally safe. The governor himself said this recently when he commissioned the newly constructed and equipped Ise Town Police Station, Ibeju-Lekki.

“Considering the spate of insecurity and incessant attacks on innocent citizens and businesses across the Nation almost on daily basis, this administration remains unflinching in its resolve to boldly and efficiently deploy cutting-edge thinking and technology to prevent crime and criminality, with the hindsight that prevention is always better than cure,” Sanwo-Olu said at the event.

“And in the situations where crime has been committed, we will ensure that no stone is unturned in apprehending the perpetrators and bring them to justice.”

Sanwo-Olu also said that this commitment by the state government and residents, including the business community and the Community Development Associations (CDA), to security, has made Lagos comparatively safer than other parts of Nigeria.

“Our Lagos is safer and more secure today because of the improved operational capacities of our security agencies. Note that Individuals and corporate organizations have made this possible largely through the financial and material donations to the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

“The effectiveness of this initiative as a strategy to fight and prevent crime has been widely acknowledged through its replication by other subnational governments, and even at the national level.”

However, in spite of the many worry points, in its tradition, the state is rolling out its month-long Greater Lagos Fiesta with musical shows across Lagos starting from December 1, 2021. Such celebrations can only be possible in a safe and secure environment.

And while the 2020 Zik Prize in Good Governance bears Sanwo-Olu’s name, as it rightly should, in truth, it is a testimony of the symbiotic relationship he has forged with Lagosians.