Kunle Adelabu
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, on Thursday, December 14, 2017, effected a minor cabinet reshuffle.
Although, there has not been any official announcement by the state government regarding the latest reshuffle, there are indications that Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola, former acting Commissioner for Tourism/Special Adviser for Arts & Culture, has been moved to the Ministry of Housing as Special Adviser.
She swapped position with Mrs Aramide Giwanson, who, until her posting to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture as Special Adviser, was the Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing.
The news, which started as a rumour on Thursday (December 14), became apparent when Mrs Giwanson turned-up at the 2017 One Lagos Fiesta Press Conference held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press conference in Alausa on the same day to address the press as the Special Adviser for Tourism, Arts & Culture.
Hon.Adebimpe Akinsola,who is an indigene of Igbogbo in Ikorodu division, was appointed as the Special Adviser for Arts & Culture, in October 2015 and was made acting Commissioner for Tourism in October 2016, a position she combined with her Special Adviser role until her redeployment on December 14.
She was elected to represent Ikorodu Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2011, where she served as Vice Chairman, House Committee on the Environment, and member, House Committee on Education, Budget and Planning.
She is an honourary traditional title holder of Olu-Omo of Igbogbo kingdom.
While incharge of the ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Hon. Akinsola pursued the tourism development agenda of Gov. Ambode with vigour and dedication.
Also under her watch, several monuments were erected and commissioned across the state to add to the aesthetic value of the state.
Many cultural festivals across the State were also given State government recognition while there was exponential increase in tourist visits to the State due to many activities introduced by the ministry under her leadership.
To her credit, One Lagos Fiesta and Lagos Carnival were rebranded and were made to be celebrated simultaneously in the five divisions of the State.
Speaking on phone with THE IMPACT on the redeployment of Hon. Akinsola, a senior government functionary stated:
“I can’t believe that she could be moved because she has been very active in that ministry. She brought life and bite into the ministry of Tourism and Ikorodu benefitted immensely from her. She played a very prominent role in the IREP-Ikorodu Division Rebirth Foundation’s staging of Asa festival and the revival of so many cultures too. It was as if that ministry was made for her.”
“She introduced new ideas which helped in great measure in the execution of Governor Ambode’s project T.H.E.S.E. There is little or nothing we could do since it is an appointive position. The person who is hired can be fired or moved to another ministry but I expect her to also bring her dynamism to her new duty post”, he stated.
In a statement also signed by the Otunba Dare Odufowokan and Kunle Adelabu, Co-Chairmen of IREP – Ikorodu Division Rebirth Foundation, the socio-cultural and research group also commended the efforts of the former acting Commissioner for Tourism in reviving dying culture and placement of Lagos on the global tourism map.
