Has Serial Contender, Owolabi Fakunmoju, Finally Quit Politics?

Owolabi Fakunmoju is well recognised as a successful immigration lawyer in New York City, United States of America. Without a doubt, the Lagos State-born legal practitioner is brilliant, hence the volume of briefs he handles at his chambers in Brooklyn. It is also a fact that he has done well for himself by providing legal advice and representation for many in the busy city of New York.

However, despite his great achievements in life, Fakos, as he is famously known, has never hidden the fact that his greatest ambition is to someday become the number one citizen of his state, Lagos. He doesn’t mouth this alone. It all began in 2007 when he threw his hat into the ring under the umbrella of the Action Party of Nigeria for the number one job of the state.

He had then contested with the likes of Babatunde Fashola (SAN), and Musiiliu Obanikoro, among others.

A political tyro, he lost in the bid to govern the state then.  And following his loss, he ran back to his US base to lick his wound. But like a stubborn hopeful, he returned in 2011 when he contested for a seat in the Senate. Sadly, it turned out to be an effort in futility.

Just when many had thought that he had learnt his lesson, the legal practitioner, again, ran for Governor on the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). But it was another unsuccessful attempt.

Goaded by what some people have described as an over-bloated ego, he came back in the last governorship election under the umbrella of Action for Democracy (AD). But, again, his balloon of hope was deflated.

Following his loss, he approached the election petition tribunal to challenge the victory of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

But in the views of political observers, Fakunmoju, who many described as a serial contestant, became a laughing stock and an object of ridicule.

After several failed attempts to clinch the much-coveted elective position in the state in the past years, Fakunmoju seems to have now heeded the advice of the ‘elders’, as he is said to have bidden farewell to politics for good.