Oziegbe Okoeki and Musa Odoshimokhe
LAGOS State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday named the newly renovated Onikan Stadium after the state’s first military administrator, Sir Mobolaji Johnson.
The stadium is now Mobolaji Olufunsho Johnson Stadium.
In his tribute, the governor said Lagos would miss the late Johnson’s wise counsel.
“Our illustrious and now departed son of Lagos was a constant source of support and inspiration to successive governors of Lagos State, especially from 1999 till date. He was always willing to offer his wise counsel and experience whenever the need arose. Even while it was obvious that his health could not really rigorous endeavours, Gen. Johnson was a regular feature at every major Lagos State Government groundbreaking events. Such was his unbelievable and unswerving commitment to the cause of Lagos State. How then are we not going to miss him sorely?”
Speaking at the Day of Honour for the late military administrator at the Onikan Stadium, Sanwo-Olu described the late Johnson as a symbol of decency, humility and integrity, fairness and justice, who touched and transformed thousands of lives through his foresight, service and industry.
“In the realisation that Lagos State is the most populous and leading state in the federation, Mobolaji Johnson was determined to turn the state into the pride of the nation. The policy thrust of his administration was shaped by his faith in the creative capabilities and boundless energies of the people, especially the masses. Thus, his early days in office clearly showed him as a man who brought resourcefulness, experience and dynamism to the task of solving some of the teething problems of our dear state.
“He set Lagos on a course and a race of an unending quest for improvement, innovation and development”, Sanwo-Olu said.
At the event were House Representative Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila; former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu, former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba; wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; former Lagos State Deputy Governor Sarah Sosan; Senator Ganiu Solomon; Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe; Lagos State Head of Service Hakeem Muri-Okunola; top military officers, white cap chiefs and traditional rulers.
Tinubu described the late Johnson as a servant leader and man of incorruptible character, who never used the corridor of power to amass personal wealth.
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He said:” We are here to honour our hero and founding father, a man of integrity, first military administrator of Lagos state, a fine officer and gentleman, a servant leader and man of incorruptible character. He never used the corridor of power to amass personal wealth, a gallant officer who did not compromise military ethics and left office as governor with a good legacy in public service.
“Government under his able leadership fought the infrastructure battle. The governor constructed the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. He named the expressway ‘Route Achievement’ and placed huge signboards at the beginning and at the end of the highway, which read: ‘Route Achievement-57km of Nigeria’s first ultra modern highway built with the Lagos State taxpayers’ money. Pay your tax, more can be achieved.”
Osoba described the late Johnson as austere, frugal and a disciplinarian, “even as a governor his children attended public schools in public transportation, his humility rubbed off on his wife and children”.
Former military governors of the state all paid glowing tributes to the departed General.
Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (retd) said: “He was a quintessential officer, a first-class administrator whose interest was to better the lives of the general public during his tenure.
Brigadier-General Raji Razaq (retd) said: “He was an officer and a gentleman as governor, he was a soldier of all soldiers, very nice to his junior, as junior officers under him we learnt simplicity, even as his juniors we go to party together and even as a governor he did not discriminate, he was more of a soldier than a civilian.”
While Brigadier-General (retd) Olagunsoye Oyinlola said, I thank God for the late Johnson’s life. I was marvelled by the kind of humility that was being exhibited by him, I learnt a lot from him that helped me as a governor. There is nothing else to give than to honour an untainted soldier, governor and corporate world operator,” he said.
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