Babatunde Raji Fashola, Governor of Lagos state, 46, is The Guardian's Man of the Year. In a country where leadership is considered an opportunity for vainglorious indolence, Fashola since his assumption of office in 2007 has shown that it is possible in the midst of so much rot to provide leadership, to act with a sense of purpose in official corridors, and to bring to the task of governance such transparency that inspires and attracts admiration. It is refreshing to find in the midst of so much mediocrity an example that is worthy of celebration. Deciding on Fashola however was no easy task. There were questions as to whether or not he showed up on the short list for this year because of the proximity of his seat of government to the media in Lagos.

Afterall, Governors in other parts of the country also appear to be making an effort. Members of the opposition have also claimed elsewhere that Fashola's government appears productive because Lagos state enjoys a high revenue profile. To this may be added the observation that generally many state governors tend to do well in their first two years or first term, only to falter woefully when they win election for a second term in office. In Fashola's case, it would appear that his troubles may have just started in the face of cynical statements about him by the leadership of the State House of Assembly and controversies as to who between him and his predecessor in office is "the better administrator." This is a needless comparison that has occasioned curious newspaper advertorials. How he manages the challenges would in the long run determine the final shape of his stewardship.

Read More Below:

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/news/article00//indexn2_html?pdate=010110&ptitle=Man%20of%20the%20Year

Is he deserving of this award?

So? Does that put food in the stomach of the over-taxed Lagosians? Puuulliissseee!

He deserves It

AKINGBOLA EMERGES CHAMPION BANKER OF THE YEARFrontline banker and one of Nigeria’s leading technocrats, Dr. Erastus Akingbola has emerged the Champion Banker of the Year 2009.
Dr. Akingbola, the Group Chief Executive, Intercontinental Bank and President, Nigerian Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), was among distinguished Nigerians honoured by one of the country’s oldest privately owned newspaper, Champion Newspapers Limited, to commemorate its 20th anniversary.Presenting the award, the founder of the newspaper, and foremost politician, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said the organisation decided to confer the award of excellence on Dr. Akingbola because of his “drive, commitment and enormous contributions to the growth and development of the nation’s financial sector and most importantly the astronomical growth and transformation of Intercontinental bank”

For a man who has put in, uninterruptedly, 39 of his 58 years on earth into the banking practice, winning honours and awards now appears a pastime. This year alone, the seasoned banker and administrator, has received several coveted awards from across the country. Early in February, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) honoured him with the honorary Doctor of Management Technology. This was followed by the Award of Sardauna Outstanding CEO Award of the Year by the Sardauna Magazine in April.
The award which honours exceptional Nigerians, who have contributed in no small measure towards nation building and national integration, was instituted in 2006 by the The Sarduana, a fast rising publishing outfit in the North to immortalise the life and times of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, one of Nigeria’s most respected statesmen.

In the same April Dr. Akingbola was named Financial Standard Man of The Year 2007 for successfully steering Intercontinental Bank to become the first Nigerian bank to be listed among the world’s top 500 banks and the first to cross the $1billion capital base.
Dr Akingbola has successfully steered the Intercontinental Bank from its humble background in 1989 as a merchant bank to become one of the largest, most capitalised and diversified financial services institutions in Nigeria today, with thriving interests in banking, insurance, finance, discount house operations and real estate.

Dr Akingbola has employed his vast wealth of knowledge and experience to contribute to spheres of Nigeria’s socio-economic development. His numerous and incisive commentaries on the banking industry and other national economic issues, have won him commendations and awards from leading institutions and professional groups in the public and private sectors including, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, University of Lagos, Institute of Directors, Lagos Business School (LBS) and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

His remarkable leadership skills have also been brought to bear on the Lagos Business School Alumni Association (LBSAA) where he served as President and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, where he also served as president.

In 2001, Dr Akingbola was honoured with the National Merit Award of the Member of The Order of the Niger (MON) by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as a testimony to his invaluable contributions to the advancement of the Banking profession in the country.

The highly respected banker has been repeatedly honoured by many Universities in the Country. Among such well-deserved laurels are the Honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc) in Banking and Finance from the University of Calabar (2002); Honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc) of the University of Benin (2006); Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba (2007); plus a Distinguished Alumnus Award of the University of Lagos.

Other positive recognitions garnered by Dr. Akingbola include his choice for the Excellence Award of the Institute of Directors (1998), Merit Award of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (1999), Diamond Award of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (Ondo State Chapter) (2000); Zik Prize (of the PPRAC) for Leadership in the Banking Industry (2004); Kwame Nkrumah African Leadership Award (2004) and Banker of the Year Award of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (Akure Chapter) (2006).

debosky:

Is he deserving of this award?

Absolutely !!! No one else deserves it more !!! The truth is that we need more leaders like Fashola if Nigeria is to enjoy enjoy sustainable progress.

An award from Guardian is fraudulent. Guardian belongs to the thieving Ibru family+ Reuben Abati (Abuja land grabber) connection. There you have it.

The two important state in nigeria were the governorship is difficult is oyo and lagos.

Mekusxyz:

An award from Guardian is fraudulent. Guardian belongs to the thieving Ibru family+ Reuben Abati (Abuja land grabber) connection. There you have it.

Forget who owns The Guardian newspaper for a second. The newspaper is being steered by a very capable an honest man who has an independent mind and is not being influenced unduely.
His analysis of the different Nigerian situations is funny, witty and very objective.

debosky:


Is he deserving of this award?

Fashola being awarded the Guardian man of the year is in order. despite that there are other governors deserving of this award, but Uncle Fash is BEST of them all.

2 all you haters put a suck in your mouths he deserves it

puskin:

Forget who owns The Guardian newspaper for a second. The newspaper is being steered by a very capable an honest man who has an independent mind and is not being influenced unduely.
His analysis of the different Nigerian situations is funny, witty and very objective.

Fashola being awarded the Guardian man of the year is in order. despite that there are other governors deserving of this award, but Uncle Fash is BEST of them all.

You are very naive. How can you, for e.g., forget Alqeida (sp) and blame Farouk for the failed bombing attempt? They both must go together. Pray tell, who is steering The Guardian and where does he get his brief from?

Becomrich? Are you comparing maps of cities in a state with map of the whole of Lagos state? You be moro
Lagos state is the smallest state in Nigeria in terms of Land mass.

I feel he's the most active governor in Nigeria.

slimes:

I [b]fee[/b]l he's the most active governor in Nigeria.

There's no need for feeling here, he actually is.

With rail transport coming in about 2- 3 years, in addition to the BRT buses and Eko Atlantic he is definitely the man.
I would have said Akala should take it. joke

Fashola deserved it given his acheivements in Lagos state. I only hope that other state governors will emulate Fashola by striving to develop their own states and reduce the amount of public fund which they either embezzle or spend lavishly on unproductive ventures.

Well deserved award irrespective of who gave it to him.If any guv'nor fared better,let he/she come out now or forever remain silent.

slimes:

I feel he's the most active governor in Nigeria.

pls dnt feel,he is our man

aieromon:

Well deserved award irrespective of who gave it to him.If any guv'nor fared better,let he/she come out now or forever remain silent.

who da hell will come out

he surely deserved it.

nethacker:

who da hell will come out

Maybe, Yar'Adull.

I hope that other state governors do not see the award to Fashola as a reason for them to be jealous or angry. They should just see it as a calling for them to stop the culture of corruption and actually do work for the people of their state.

I have faith in Fashola that he will not just turn bad after his first term because he seems like someone who has a vision and wants to get things done.  He is one of the few governors that you actually see talking about what needs to be done for Nigeria and Lagos in various interview. He is also not part of the old political families (i.e. Yar'Adua, Madueke, Mark, Lukman etc) that have decided to not let Nigeria move on.

If Fashola continues his good work and can win a secon term and continue doing good, I believe he will be a well respected man in Lagos even after he is no longer governor. Even though there is a lot of corruption in Nigeria, people known good things when they see it.

Fashola's work in Lagos is a ray of hope that Nigeria can still function as one country. If you look at Fashola's administration, it is multiethnic and everyone is working together in order to improve Lagos State. Lagos is pretty much a smaller version of Nigeria because of its diversity. In that light, it is possible for Nigeria to function as one nation. We just have to get rid of the people in power that perpetuate tribal politics  for  their own selfish gains.

The drumbeat is getting louder. Eko o ni baje o, O baje tiii.

Eko o ni baje lai lai,

well i really think He deserves it considering how he changed the fortune of Lagos state and his prompt response to the fire that gotted AIT Lagos station and all his effort to see that Lagos is much more better for it , kudos sir

how i wish Gov Fashola can organize a training for the other governors?

For all those who have decided to commend Fashola on this forum I say may the Good Lord who brings good things bring you good tidings this year. I'm surprised that people are beginning to think right. I have always prayed that Nigerians will begin to detest corruption and embrace truth righteousness and transparency. This man has dared the wicked ones and has decided to do all odds to get Nigerians especially the people of Lagos on the train to a revived Nation. For those still castigating him. I know they are the PDP members who do not like to see Nigerians survive in any way. They are jealous of his good works and they will definitely fall by the way in 2010. My brother and sisters on this forum, Nigerians have suffered in time past and I have experienced the tyrrany of bad governernance. I do not pray for this again.

Ride on Fasola

A well deserved honour, congrats BRF. Lets also pray that that 1mbecile that calls himself Tinubu would stop constituting himsef as a nuisance in the running of Lagos and stealing our funds via ABC & Hitech amongst several other front companies.

man smith:

how i wish Gov Fashola can organize a training for the other governors?

lol,          

I think somebody has done something like Fasola before but he was killed (Navy Onyarugbulem). He did great for ondo state people before he left for Benin city where he died. I pray they dont kill Fasola cause our people like to kill good people.

Fashola deserves even more. Dat man's an icon of leadership. D only politician wit a sound mind. I'm a big fan of him. Congrats n keep it up

I think Fasola is very transparent, thats why I and people likes him. Not like all this Governor that will be stealling money and still be fronting.

Na God go help us o.

Foshola deserves the award. While his handiwork has been his mouthpiece, other governors spend the hard earned tax payers mill on cheap popularity through the media, the height of idiosyncrasy, stupidity, idiocy and naivety.

Most governors you read about their achievements on magazines, dailies and other advertorials are all noisemakers.Their list is endless,

On my recent trip to Lagos, where I was to board a taxi to Gbagada from Oshodi, I had to ask a passerby how to get to Oshodi and behold he shocked me when he said, "You appear not to have been to Lagos recently? You are already in Oshodi, sir, "he retorted.

What a marvel? He deserves the award as testimony to others.

On the reliability of The Guardian Newspaper, I must commend the entire crew members, It is one sure paper I have very HIGH regards for even with my indifference to Ibru "Enterprise" Did you notice any difference from the way they reported the MAMA Oceanic case? I started doubting if Ibru still owned the print Coy. Kudos to the Editorial Board!!

Anybody who disagrees with this is a nitwit. Fashola jor!!