Babatunde Fashola Biography, Early Life, Career, Politics

Fashola is a man of excellence. He portrays an uncommon dedication to work in public service, this kind of man worth knowing more about.

Babatunde Fashola Biography

Babatunde Raji Fashola is a Nigerian politician and lawyer; he is one of the highly revered politicians in Nigeria whose contribution and effort to improving the state of the nation is laudable. He has served in different leadership capacities both at the state and national level.

Early Life & Education

He was born in the Island Maternity Hospital on June 28, 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria. A fifth generation Lagosian and a direct descendant of the patriach of the Fashola family in Isalegangan, a descendant of the Shomade family of Isale Eko through his paternal grandmother as well as a descendant of the Bashua and suenu families of Lagos.

He began his education at the SunnyField Primary school, Adelabu, Surulere, Lagos. After, he attended Birch Freeman High school Lagos and Igbobi College, Yaba, Lagos. Then, he earned a Bachelor of Law degree (LL.B) from the University of Benin in 1987. Then, proceeded to the Nigerian Law school and was called to bar the following year.

Career

He was called to the Nigerian Bar as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in November 1988 after completing the professional training programme at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos which he undertook between 1987 and 1988.

His legal career of over one and a half decades, commenced in the law Firm of Sofunde, Osakwe, Ogundipe and Belgore, where he cut his legal teeth as a litigator over such wide-ranging areas of specialization as, intellectual property (registration of trade marks), commercial law, covering general contracts, company activities, mergers, acquisitions, right issues, ownership of shares and equity of corporations, as well as land disputes, criminal law and chieftaincy matters, in all of which he has come to acquire appreciable expertise and vast experience.

Politics

In April 2007, Fashola contested for the gubernatorial election under the Action Congress (Now All Progressive Congress) and emerged victorious. Babatunde Fashola commenced a four-year tenure as the Executive Governor of Lagos State in Nigeria on May 29, 2007; this was after a successful four-year tenure as the Chief of Staff to his predecessor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Fashola had during his tenure as Chief of Staff also defeated candidates from other political parties like Musiliu Obanikoro and Jimi Agbaje of the PDP and DPA respectively. As a result, he began his tenure on May 29, 2019 succeeding Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Next, in 2011, he also contested under the All Progressive Congress and won. This time, he won against Ade Dosunmu and Olurotimi Olulana of PDP and LP respectively.

Fashola led Lagos State from 2007 to 2015 and effected several developments especially in the areas of infrastructure. While governing, he was the Chairman of the Governor’s forum and a member of other committees of the federal government.

Before and during his appointment he had had the privilege to serve the State in various capacities, including:

• Secretary of the Lands Sub-Committee of the Transitional Work Groups in 1999.

• Member of the panel of Enquiry into allocation of houses on the Mobolaji Johnson Housing Scheme at Lekki in 2000.

• Member of the State Tenders Board from 2002 to 2006.

• Member of Lagos State Executive Council from 2002 to 2006.

• Member of the State Security Council from 2002 to 2006

• Member of the State Treasury Board-2002-2006

• Chairman Ad-Hoc Committee on the Review of Asset distribution among Local Government.

Personal life

He is married to Mrs. Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola in 1993. They are blessed with two children, Ademola and Olayinka.

Awards And Recognition

• International Association of Public Transport (UITP) Award, 2011

• Man of the Year Award, The Guardian, 2009

• Man of the Year Award, The Sun, 2009

• Peace Award, Yatzhak Rabin Centre for African Development Governor of the Decade, 2009

• Award of Excellence in Leadership, Martin Luther King Jnr Foundation, 2010

• Man of the Year Award, The Champion, 2010

• Man of the Year Award, The City People, 2012

• The Corporate Governance Award, Governing Council of the Institute of Directors, 2012

• Most Labor-friendly Governor’s Award, Lagos Zonal Council of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), 2012

• Governor of the Year (International Revenue Generation), Newswatch Awards, 2014

• The Governor of the Year (Internal Security), Newswatch Awards, 2014

• Governor of the Year (Health), Newswatch Awards, 2014

• One of the 100 Top Global Thinkers for 2013, Lo Spazio della Politica (LSDP), 2014

• Recipient of the Stephen J. Solarz Award of the International Crisis Group of 2015

• Minister of the Year, City People Magazine, 2017

• Man of the Year, Silverbird Awards, 2017

• Award of Excellence, Hallmark of Labour Foundation

• Distinguished Alumnus Award, University of Benin Alumni Association

• Lagos State Public Service Club Platinum Award

• Alliance for Democracy, Igbogbo Bayeku Local Government Award

• He is a Notary Public of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, has been variously honoured with awards and certificates of merit including the Distinguished Alumnus Award conferred on him by the University of Benin Alumni Association in recognition of contributions to the Alumnus association and humanity.

• He is also a recipient of Lagos State public service club Platinum Award for outstanding contribution towards development. As well as Alliance for Democracy ” Igbogbo Bayeku Local Government Award” in recognition of activities towards the success of the party.

• He is also a Patron of the Law Students Association of the University of Benin and he is the second law graduate from the University of Benin and the first member of the Nigerian Law School graduating class of 1988 to be conferred with the Rank of Senior Advocate. He is also the First ever Chief of Staff to be so honored.

• Notably amongst his professional affiliations are his membership of the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Bar Association and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.