Fashola

Fashola: Making a Case for the Next FCT Minister

Aliyu Bala Aliyu

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand” ~ Vince Lombardi

When the establishment packaged and gave the “reborn” Nigeria Gen Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 following Abacha’s death and a hurried transition led by Gen Abdusalam Abubakar, expectations were high that the giant of Africa was hopefully going to regain her place of pride in the sub-region, the continent and the community of nations at large. 16yrs down the road, Nigeria, sadly, is still in the limbo; and for whatever it is worth, Nigerians seems to have come to terms with the need for atonement and redemption on the altar of the change movement. Indeed another great opportunity presents itself.

Obasanjo, it was said, and he proved it, had a nose for talent hunting and spotting. To his credit, he drafted the likes of Chukuwuma Charles Soludo, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Nasir El-Rufai, Oby Ezekwesili, and Nuhu Ribadu, late Dora Akunyili among others to his right hand side. They were the shining lights of the Obasanjo administration of yore. However history chooses to judge them, they were the active stirrers of the Obasanjo broth which he served Nigerians.

Like Obasanjo, Bola Ahmed Tinubu too it was said, and so proven, had, and still has a nose for talent sourcing. With the likes of Rauf Aregbesola and Kayode Fayemi , commissioners in the Tinubu led administration of Lagos state, going on to become governors in their states, Tinubu can lay claim to a successful political empire that transcends his home turf. But of all these, his greatest gift to Lagos, a state he governed for 8yrs, and perhaps one of his most successful political moves, was the gift of Babatunde Raji Fashola. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Fashola was Tinubu’s chief of staff; and was never in contention for the governorship race in 2007 or better still, its expression of interest. But Tinubu knows good stuff when he smells it. He knew what the man had in him and was not prepared to let all of it go to waste. He prevailed on the popular contenders and the rest as the say, is now history!

President Elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari will have to hunt diligently and discover his own men and women who would help him execute the enormous task ahead. With the plethora of tested hands and achievers that abound, Buhari’s task should not be extremely difficult. On the contrary, the challenge would be making his own fresh discoveries. One of the low hanging fruits is Fashola but that should not prevent Buhari from embarking on the journey of discovery to help bring to Nigeria’s benefit the services of potential Charles Soludos, Sanusi Lamidos, Oby Ezekwesilis, Nasiru El-Rufais, Dora Akunyili and many more Fasholas.

The enactment of Decree 6, of 1976 which gave birth to what is today’s capital of Nigeria, Abuja, was the approval of the 6months assignment given to the late Justice Akinola Aguda panel to search for a new capital for Nigeria hinged on two main reference points – a region sparsely populated; and centrally located. The other critical and perhaps unspoken aspects of the need to relocate Nigeria’s capital away from Lagos border on National security vis a vis the location of Lagos principally. Others include the exploding population of Lagos relative to landmass and series of challenges associated with the urban sprawl of the city. So like Brasilia, a planned and deliberate new national capital was inevitable.

From 1976 –date, the list of FCT ministers are as follows: Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun (1976-1979), John Jatau Kadiya (1979-1982), Iro Abubakar Dan Musa (1982-1983), Haliru Dantoro (1983-1984), Mamman Jiya Vatsa (1984-1985), Hamza Abdullahi (1986-1989), Gado Nasko (1989 -1993), Jeremiah Timbut Useni (1993-1998), Mamman Kontagora (1998-1999), Ibrahim Bunu (1999-2001), Mohammed Abba Gana (2001-2003), Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (2003-2007), Aliyu Modibbo Umar (2007-2008), Muhammad Adamu Aliero (2008-2010), Bala Mohammed (2010-Date). Of all of them, no one has impacted the Federal Capital like Nasiru El-Rufai and it is quite tragic that the shoes he left behind since he bowed out in 2008 have been difficult if not impossible to fill.

As is often said, “to the victor belongs the spoils of war”. However, the war that has just been fought and won by the Nigerian people, which saw to the emergence of Gen Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the March 28 elections call for both magnanimity in victory and exceptional leadership as the great first steps towards the arduous task of nation rebuilding.

Fashola is no stranger to limelight. He earned his stripes with his performance as a two term governor of Lagos state, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre. Although he is not a northerner, and I am not aware of any law that makes it a criterion for the appointment of an FCT minister, Fashola has distinguished considerably. He has done to Lagos what El-Rufai did to Abuja. Both men have made their marks and raised the bar considerably in the administration of both cities. I must be quick to point out however that neither city as the fore runners of urban success has gotten to the Promised Land or contemporary world class “urbanness” which we dream of but by the third world standards we judge ourselves, they have done their bit in moving towards that destination.

What Fashola brings to the table is neither in doubt nor in need of mention for such evidence abounds beyond measure. His stewardship of Lagos stands him out in a class of his own - different from most of the pack of governors that have held sway across the length and breadth of this country not only in the last 8yrs but since the return to civilian rule in 1999. With the panache, finesse and strong work ethic Fashola has displayed in Lagos in the last 8yrs governing Lagos, and his occasional contributions to national discourse, Abuja would be better for it with his stewardship. It is therefore my humble recommendation that President-Elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, gives the FCT ministerial slot to this gentleman and outstanding outgoing governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola. That no non-northerner has been minister of FCT since Ajose Adeogun, its pioneer minister, is a fair raison de’etre to appoint Fashola as the next FCT Minister in the New Nigeria we seek to create.

Many a joke have been trending on social media since the victory of Gen Muhammadu at the polls and one particular one that struck me was the hashtag #BabaNowThatYouAreThere. The hashtag listed a number of dos and don’ts for incoming President Buhari; and recommended that Fashola be given ten (10) portfolios - He can handle them! Though crafted in such joking manner, it was a testimony to the national recognition of Fashola’s workaholic disposition.

Personally, I feel Fashola fits into five portfolios perfectly well with the last of the listing being my preferred and for which I am in no doubt, as millions of Nigerians that he will deliver. They are: Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF); Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF); Minister of Works, Minister of Power, and lastly Minister of FCT. The suggestion about making him Chief of Staff to Buhari as is being spoken of in hushed tones would be to cage all that action and put the show man behind the curtains. Nigeria needs him out in the open where, with his sleeves all rolled up, he can inspire, lead, and help transform FCT; and contribute his bit, at the centre this time around, to making Nigeria great again.