Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy Editor
UNEASY lies the head that wears the crown. Governance in the Centre of Excellence is not a tea party. This is one moment nobody would envy the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the ‘incident commander’.
For two days – Sunday and Monday – the governor could not sleep. His ‘house was on fire’. There was panic. Lagosians looked up to him to restore order into a state of pandemonium.
Unforseen situations have turned the workaholic governor into a manager of crisis.
The governor has been shuttling between Lagos and Abuja in the last 72 hours, seeking solutions to emergency challenges threatening the state.
As the problems occurred suddenly, they elicited rapid responses from the chief executive. In two days, he flew to Abuja three times.
Sanwo-Olu had no premonition about another major disaster. While on his way to Abuja for an emergency meeting of Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) on that fateful Sunday, only Coronavirus was on his mind. Some questions agitated him.
How is the Italian, the incident case, faring? Have those who boarded the identified plane been responding to the patriotic pleas to show up? How can Lagos prevent the spread of the pandemic that is shaking the entire world? Are people taking precautions since prevention is better than cure?
The governor was confident about the level of preparedness by his government; only Lagos has a bio-security land so far in the sub-region. A 100 bed space facility is available for potential patients. An IDP camp was also ready. The search for those that boarded the suspected plane has intensified. Hope was not lost after all.
Read Also: Gov. Sanwo-Olu updates Buhari on Sunday’s Lagos explosion
As he boarded the aircraft, the governor trusted that the hardworking Health Commissioner, Prof. Akin Abayomi, would be briefing him on the latest developments while in Abuja.
Armed with documents, Sanwo-Olu intimated President Muhammadu Buhari about Lagos’ response to confirmed cases. He also informed him about proactive measures to curtail the spread of the dreadful disease, and how those quarantined were faring.
Little did he guess that another major calamity would befall the state. The multiple explosions in Abule-Ado boxed the state into another emergency that needed the governor’s prompt attention.
His phones were bombarded with calls across the federation. What is the cause? What time? The extent of damage? Sabotage? The victims? Rescue work? Is it is bomb explosion? Or Gas? How about the affected boarding secondary school?
The governor was also making calls to the right quarters for an accurate account.
It was a moment of anxiety. Sanwo-Olu hurriedly returned from Abuja on Sunday to behold the ruins. He returned around 1am. Around 8am, he was at the scene of tragedy.
He spotted a black t-shirt, like a chief mourner; the doom, gloom and cries of despondency staring him and other government officials in the face.
Accompanied by his deputy Obafemi Hamzat and other aides, a message of hope oozed out of his mouth to victims in their hour of despair.
The governor set up a N2 billion relief fund, urging public spirited individuals and organisations to extend a duty of care to the victims.
On Monday, he was back in Abuja to explain to the president the details of the horror. He managed to change his dress. This time, he was in a traditional attire, with a cap to match.
Sanwo-Olu showed the gory picture of a devastated community to the President, who nodded affirmatively at the heavy casualties and implications for rehabilitation. On Monday, the governor went back to Abuja again.
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