One year after Sontonwa/ Animasaun family, Onafowokan family and other families had settled out of court over a seventeen year Obaship tussle in Ebute – Ipakodo in Ikorodu division, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has finally given approval for the installation of Prince Bashir Sotonwa, an Electrical Engineer, as Oba Elect during the State Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday, December 20, 2017.
It would be recalled that in our December 2016 edition, we speculated that there were moves by both families to approve the choice of Prince Bashir as Oba Elect.
Ever since then, files have been moving from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to Ministry of Justice in a bid to get Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s approval.
However, Governor Ambode took his time in looking at all the papers before giving his approval.
Barring any hitch, Prince Bashir would move to Ipebi anytime from now.
Meanwhile, residents of Ebute – Ipakodo are worried about where their Oba would stay after completing the two month seclusion rites in Ipebi because presently the palace is inhabitable.
When Oriwu Sun visited the palace on Wednesday, December 27, 2017, we met the entire building dilapidated as the sitting rooms, conference room, bedrooms, Oba’s inner chamber, and toilets have all been infested by rats, bed bugs, cockroaches and lizards.
Most of the buildings within the palace premises are crying for rehabilitation and unless urgent steps are taken by Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) before Governor Ambode build another palace, there is no doubt that the new Oba would operate from his private residence which is nearing completion but almost five hundred (500) meters away from the palace.
Meanwhile, the family has commenced preparations for the coronation proper coming up after the kabiyesi comes out of Ipebi.
Engr. Basiru Aremu Sotinwa, BSC (HON) FNSE, was born on February 7, 1942, at Ijomu, Ikorodu, to the Sotonwa royal family of Ebute-Ipakodo in Ikorodu West LCDA.
He attended St. Judes School, Ebute Metta, Lagos, between 1984 and 1954 for his primary education after which he attended Oriwu College, Ikorodu, and Ahmadiyya College, Agege (now Anwal-ul-Islam College, Agege) between 1955 and 1957 and 1958 and 1960 respectively for his secondary education.
For his tertiary education, Engr. Sotonwa attended City of Gloucester Technical College, England, between 1964 and 1967 and University of Bath Sommset, England, between 1967 and 1971.
His impressive academic qualifications include: first school leaving certificate (1954), West African school certificate (1960) national certificate in engineering (Electrical) 1967, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc (Hons) electrical/electronics (1971), member – Institute of electrical engineers, England, (1971), member – Nigerian Society of Engineers (1988), Fellow Nigerian Society of Engineers (1998) and Registered Engineer (COREN (1990).
He worked in several public and privately owned organisations where he honed his knowledge and gathered immense experience in engineering profession. Among these organisations and positions held are advance electronics, Bishop Storford, England, as research/development engineer (1971-1973) maiden electronics, 376, Ikorodu Road, Maryland, Lagos, as development engineer (1973 – 1976), Lagos State Ministry of Work and Planning, Ikeja (Old Secretariat) as executive engineer, GD. 1 (1976), Lagos State Electricity Board, Ikeja, as chief engineer (1981), Lagos State Electricity Board, Ikeja, as General Manager (1985 – 1993), Lagos State Ministry of Works, Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, as Director, Jubilee Housing Scheme. (1993 – 1997) and Lagos State Ministry of Works, Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, as Director, Electrical services (1997 -2002)
His involvement in project execution while in the service of the Lagos State Government between 1976 and 2002 include provision of Electricity to all the low income housing scheme in Lagos State; installation and maintenance of over four hundred (400) street lighting project all over Lagos State, rural electrification project to over sixty (60) communities in Lagos State, installation and maintenance of various capacities of generators, supervision of Lagos State Power Project i.e. generation of 270MW into the National Grid by AERON/AES Bargers Ltd, telecommunication services for Lagos State Government at Alausa, Ikeja and supervision of the building of over two hundred (200) Low Income Houses in Lagos State.
Engr. Sotonwa retired from the Lagos State Government service in February, 2002 after which he assumed the position of the managing director/Chief Executive Officer of BASOT Ltd and BASOT Engineering Works, both consulting and contracting Engineering companies respectively.
The projects executed by these companies from 2002 to date are: Installation of street light at Bajulaiye street, Shomolu (Client/Date: Lagos State Ministry of Works, 2002), installation of 500KVA transformer at Igando in Alimosho local government (Client: Lagos State Ministry of Works), Construction of additional source of 33kv supply at new Yaba injection S/Station (client: NEPA, Lagos). Installation street light at Wemco Road, Ogba (Client: Lagos State Ministry of Works), Rehabilitation of Street Light at Eko Bridge (Sub-Contractor to SRABOL NIG LTD – F.G), installation of street light from Efurun Round About to PT1 Junction, Warri, Edo State (Sub-contractor to REMWAS Nig. Ltd – F.G), Agency Approach Maintenance in Lagos state (Client, Lagos State Ministry of Works), Procurement of Furniture to SUBEB, Ikeja, (Client: SUBEB, Ikeja), provision of Solar Power Street light/Water Pump (Client: Lagos State Ministry of Rural Development, Ikeja), rural electrification in Ebute Ajebo, Imota (Client: F.G/REA) and Rehabilitation of classrooms at Ikeja (Client: SUBEB).