Do Lagosians know that the one of the men, who solely drove the One Lagos Fiesta train with his boss, Governor Ambode and his Special Adviser on Tourism, Mrs. Giwason was Mr. Fola Adeyemi, who until the January 2018 cabinet reshuffle was the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information? The brilliant young Permanent Secretary became the field man in November/December, 2018 to make the One Lagos Fiesta a success until the Governor appointed another Special Adviser for Tourism to replace Hon. Bimpe Adesola, who had been moved to the Housing Ministry.
The Publisher of Oriwu Sun, Chief Monzor Olowosago has been working with this man, Fola, for the past fifteen (15) years, right from the time he was a practicing Journalist in the Ministry of Information to the time he became Director in the Environment Ministry, moving round to ensure that the Governor’s activities were not only well covered but well-presented and publicized. This writer had always seen Fola as a potential Permanent Secretary and a future Head of Service because of his brilliance, his commitment and his loyalty to the State.
Fola Adeyemi did not only do well as Permanent Secretary in Information Ministry, he performed outstandingly to make the 2017 One Lagos Fiesta a huge success with his boss, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, Commissioner for Information. Together with Governor Ambode, who chaired the Committee for One Lagos Fiesta, his Special Adviser on Tourism (Mrs. Giwason), Fola and Steve made history during the fiesta. Mr. Adeyemi was at every venue ensuring the event went well. Twice, he was in Ikorodu and stayed in one visit late into midnight, making sure, with the Special Adviser, that all went well. The outcome was a resounding successful One Lagos Fiesta, which ended at Eko Atlantic City.
Governor Ambode must have seen the potentials of this brilliant man; hence, he uprooted him and his boss, Steve Ayorinde, to drive the Tourism Ministry, from where the State hopes to rake the billions of money in tourism. Ambode has always seen Tourism as the future “oil and gold of this State; hence, he positioned two capable hands to drive this Ministry. Some thought it was a demotion for Fola and Steve but it is a promotion for them. Many people agree that Fola is a potential Head of Service because of his humility and credibility. He does not take bribe; he is kind, accessible and dedicated to his job.
When he gathered his officers for a valedictory get together to mark his movement from Information to Tourism, it was encomium galore. He reassured his subjects that his redeployment was not punitive but was a show of confidence by the Governor. As Fola starts to dig the new gold for Lagos State in Tourism, with Steve Ayorinde’s added brilliance and expertise, Oriwu Sun wishes them a huge success in office.