Otunba (Dr) Fatai Olajide Olukoga, former Special Adviser on Education who oversaw the activities of tertiary institutions across Lagos State, retired Permanent Secretary, an author and currently, Criminal Officer,Texas State, United States of America (USA), in-charge of criminal law with mandate to organize training for prisoners and ensure that they are reintegrated back into the society after serving their terms. He is also part of the team that recommended parole for such offenders.
He was appointed as the Chairman, Ojo Local Government during the transmission of the military rule to the civilian administration and was among the council administrators that transferred power to elected civilian administration at the Local Government level.
Otunba Olukoga was also a former aspirant for the Ikorodu Federal House of Representatives seat in 2014 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In an interview with Kunle Adelabu, Publisher/Reporter – in – Chief, THE IMPACT newspaper, Dr Olukoga, who was also a former Chairman, Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS), spoke about the movement of the Lagos State Polytechnic from Isolo to Ikorodu, how the Polytechnic transmuted into a University and what the new Lagos State University of Science and Technology should be doing.
Dr Olukoga was also a former member, Governor’s Advisory Committee (GAC) for Governor Babatunde Fashola and former member, Lagos State Electoral Law Review Committee.
He also spoke about lKODASS and how he extended the number of days for the annual celebration from three to seven days; new programmes and sponsor. And while commending his successors, Otunba Olukoga also expressed his displeasure.
Other issues that the former Special Adviser also spoke about were the new lkorodu Division security architecture, performances of the Council Chairmen, life after government work and reforming the criminal justice system in Lagos State. Excerpts:
THE IMPACT: Let’s go back to your days as Special Adviser on Education to the former Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. After your exit, former Lagos State Polytechnic has been successfully transmuted into the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), what can you say about this?
Otunba Olukoga: Throughout my career, I was never posted to the Ministry of Education, in fact, the day I was appointed as a Special Adviser, I had a feeling of ‘what am I going there to do? Though, during one of my postings, I was to go there as Director of Personnel but that was later changed by Buba Marwa (then Colonel and the Military Governor of Lagos State), and I was posted to the Internal Revenue, even though I was not a tax man but I went there and became a tax man. Today, I am a fellow of the Institute of Taxation and I was very involved in the membership drive. I was part of those that built the institute of Taxation in Ikeja. We moved from Onigbongbo to Ikeja.
When I was a Director, I worked at Arts and Culture, Parastatal Monitoring Office and it was at the Parastatal Monitoring office that we muted the idea of moving LASPOTECH to Ikorodu. We had this piece of land in Ikorodu that was just lying fallow and we thought that that would be enough space. That was how we moved them from Isolo to ikorodu. I used to lecture at Isolo then when it was Lagos State School of Technology. Then, we used to have Dr H. O. Oseni as the Rector. I used to lecturer Part – Time in Marketing and Public Administrations at night after working in the morning at the International Telephone and Telegram (ITT) owned by late MKO Abiola. I lectured at Isolo then with Mr Kolajo Oseni, the then Director of UPN.
I was also appointed as the Chairman, Ojo Local Government, during the transmission of the military rule to the civilian administration. I was one of the lucky guys that handed over to the civilian administration. So, if you are writing the history of Nigeria as it relates to the transfer of power to the civilian administration in Nigeria, I think that I will have a mention too because you will have to talk about the local governments in the state and other parts of the country. At that time, they (government) thought I lived in Surulere but unknown to them, I had moved to Ikorodu few months before the appointment came. It was a far journey for me administering Ojo from Ikorodu but I was posted there because they did not know that I was no longer living in Surulere. That was how I was posted to Ojo LG but I liked it because it was a divine posting which I really enjoyed and l was able to give my best to the Council. The Lagos State University, Ojo, and Ojo Military Cantonment and others were under my Council then. At that time, if you moved from Amuwo Odofin to the tail end of Ijanikin, you would see that it was always clean, that was why I was given the Primetime award for cleanest environment in Lagos State.
When we came back, I was posted to the Parastatal Monitoring Office and Mr Akinsanya Ajose was my Permanent Secretary. Our objectives then were to make all the Parastatals fend for themselves rather than relying on the state government budget. We set out to do pure re – engineering of all the Parastatals in Lagos State by making them to be more proactive and make money for themselves. We categorised them into three – A, B and C. IBILE Holdings, LASPOTECH and LASU were part of category A because they were generating funds. At that time, we decided to move the Lagos State Polytechnic from Isolo because they didn’t have enough space like the Ikorodu campus. Thereafter, we were confronted with facility challenges that they would use and we settled for the present Library which used to be under the School of Agriculture. We used the place as the administrative office and library. That was how LASPOTECH ended up in Ikorodu and I am proud that as an indigene of Ikorodu, I was part of those that started the process which today turned the institution into a University.
Thereafter, in April 2001, I was moved to the Governor’s Office as the Director of Finance and Administration under the Chief of Staff Office. Ideally, no Director of Administration stays more than one or two years before I got there, but I stayed for five years before I was promoted to be a Permanent Secretary, reason being that, they were saying that they were enjoying my job, output and performance. By April 2007, I received another posting to go to the Arts and Culture and not up to a month, I was posted again to the Governor’s Office and at the new posting, I was working from morning till about 9pm. Due to this, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Chief of Staff, always commended me for staying late at work while other Directors usually go home around 6pm . But I always tell him that I was trying to study where we were going and how to get there. That was how we built up the Chief of Staff Office which delayed my promotion and deployment to another place because a posting should not last more than two years then. I don’t know about the situation now that people stay permanently in a Ministry which prevented them from having versatile knowledge of happenings in other Ministries. Well, as God would have it, in February 2007, I was promoted to the status of Permanent Secretary (PS) and l was posted back to the Parastatal Monitoring Office and that made me to continue from where my former PS stopped. My predecessor at the Parastatal Monitoring became the PS in the Governor’s Office, but I knew that he was still coming back for me to work with him.
After a year at the Parastatal Monitoring Office, the Governor sent for me, stating that he had a challenge of rebuilding the Teslim Balogun stadium. He told me that I would not be monitoring the project but that I would be in – charge and would be redeployed as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths, Sports and Social Development which is Grade A Ministry. I was given the mandate to rebuild the stadium within six months before the expiration of his administration. After my deployment, we first looked at the area of social developments by looking at how to deal with the street urchins. We redeveloped Majidun Rehabilitation Centre and we also had the old people’s home. There was also Rowe Park where all the parastatals had their offices. Mr Opeyemi Bamidele was my Commissioner and we worked together very well. We started work on the Teslim Balogun Stadium in August, 2006 and by May 2007, we had completed it. It was commissioned by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. I am glad that the stadium is still standing tall. It was very challenging then, because we sent many people out of the place. It was occupied by various kinds of people. There were cattle rearers, traditional nursing homes, architects, lawyers and police and others living there or using the place as offices. There were also sports men and women that were living at the stadium. It was difficult sending them away but God gave us the wisdom. It was after moving them out that the contractor moved in and we used to ensure that they were not disturbed. It was everyday job apart from office work. I am proud of the team that completed the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Thereafter, I left in 2007 when Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was leaving as the Governor of Lagos State. It was a common practice that when a Governor is leaving office, some Permanent Secretaries have to go with him. Unfortunately, I fell into that category. About 16 of us were retired along with him. But I was called back to be part of the Governor’s Advisory Committee (GAC) for Governor Babatunde Fashola who succeeded Tinubu. What we did at that time was to independently go round to monitor ongoing projects and feed him back. This prevented any shoddy deal or contractor abandoning his job.
Before the GAC appointment, I was appointed as part of the Electoral Review Committee for Lagos State which the Federal Government constituted. I am glad to tell you that most of our deliberations were part of what were adopted after submission to Abuja. Our committee was embraced and made to go round with the Federal committee and the general saying then was that Lagos report was better. It was after this, that the GAC was setup under the Chairmanship of Prof. Abiola Williams. I was a member, so also was Lateef Raji (now late), Kemi Nelson, the present acting VC, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Dr Olaleye and others. The setup was very diversified comprising of people from the public, civil and private sectors in the committee which made it enriched. We did that till about 2011, when I was appointed as Cabinet Member first, because you don’t know where you are going to be until the inauguration and there has been speculations that I would be appointed as the Chief of Staff, but during the inauguration, I was given the position of Special Adviser on Education to be in – charge of tertiary education in the state. This gave me another opportunity again to go round our tertiary institutions and ensure that they were better positioned. I am glad that Lagos State University (LASU) was rated highly till we left and even till date. We brought up lots of projects to enhance the quality education in the institution. As we were doing for LASU, we were also doing for the Lagos State Polytechnic, College of Education Ijanikin and College of Primary Education, Epe.
We were able to build auditoriums for their graduation ceremonies. One of the novel thing that we introduced was that students were given their certificates as they were graduating and I am sure that is still in practice. We ensured that students went home with their certificates the same day that they are graduating unlike what obtained before our time when they had to go back to their schools after graduation to search for results. I give kudos to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, for accepting that novel idea from the exco members. In LASU, after building the stadium, we also had the students’ arcade, library, LASU FM which we had Adebutu to do for us, while other things are done by the state government. Today, LASU is no longer a gloried secondary school as they used to say, but an envied University conducive for higher learning and we also eradicated cultism. In LASPOTECH, we also gave them auditorium, automotive facility for vehicles repair done in conjunction with the Nigeria Automotive Council and Hon. Abike Dabiri gave us another facility among others. My team then was headed by Mr Ajayi, and we came up with a paper on the transmutation of LASPOTECH and College of Education into Universities. The proposal was presented at the exco meeting where I had the opportunity to do the first reading but because the tenure of Gov. Fashola was rounding off then, we couldn’t do the second and the last reading. The proposal was, however, included in my hand-over note to the succeeding government, but unfortunately, the matter was not taken up during Gov. Ambode’s era, but I am happy that Gov. Sanwo – Olu is now actualising it. The Governor was part of the ‘Actualiser’s Team’, which did a lot of things in Lagos. He was a member of the Bus Services where l and others were also members. We look at our bus services which started with one bus and you can see what it is today. The same goes for our railway lines, we started it and it was constructed to Amukoko. The train was tested and we all rode in it to Iganmu end and turned back. It was not commissioned and was left for Gov. Ambode, but again, he did not believe in this project too and left it behind.
I give kudos to Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu for reviving all these projects and reforming the old plans and made them better than we thought. There has been lot of innovations.
So, I am happy that we have three Universities now in Lagos State. The reason for the merging of the Colleges of Education in Ijanikin and Noforija, is because those into teaching profession only get NCE and BSC in primary education but in other world, you can get PhD in education. That was our thought and for instance, those that will attend the College of Education (that is now University), would have the opportunity of advancing themselves by obtaining Masters and PhD in primary education. Before, the highest we see in our primary education is Masters, but now that we have University of Education, the sky is not even our limit and we will see more PhD products from Primary Education and also from Ijanikin. I am glad that we have those Universities. They are going to be good advantage for us. All the three Universities have the capabilities, capacities and human resources to perform.
THE IMPACT: What will you advice the government and the management of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology to do to achieve the aims and objectives of the institution?
Otunba Olukoga: Let me be honest with you, I know that they have the capacity in the area of technology, but I will be advising them to shelve the focus of admitting students for accounting, administration and personnel courses among others. They should leave those for the LASU, ditto, LASU should leave educational courses for the University of Education to handled, so that they too can concentrate on Medicine, Law, Transportation, because LASU is the best in Transportation. Their first set of students went to the United States of America for their internship under Prof. Bawa Allah and they really did well. I remember this because I was the Special Adviser that prepared all their papers. These people should be used in teaching Transportation and also allow them to handle Transportation management in Lagos.
I want to see Lagos State University of Science and Technology coming up with innovations for instance solar energy and vehicle fabrication among others. They were actually doing something about solar energy before and during an exhibition sometime ago, they came up with water generator and it was that idea that made us to discuss at the State ExecutIve meeting and made fund available for the purpose. The fund was called Research and Technology Fund. It was headed by Prof. Baniro from the University of Ibadan with the Commissioner for Establishment then and others as members. It is now an opportunity for the institution to concentrate on science and technology and access the fund for advancement and make Lagos the hub of technological development.
THE IMPACT: Sir, you are once Chairman of the Ikorodu Oga Development Association (IKODASS), and during your tenure, the socio – cultural and developmental organization was rebranded and also got MTN endorsement. Now, it’s been years since you left the place, how would you describe IKODASS now and is the body still relevant?
Otunba Olukoga: Let me give kudos to those that came after me. When I took the mantle of leadership of IKODASS, I realised that Ikorodu Oga Day was a three-day activities: ‘Woro’, Market and the Grand Finale which is usually held at the palace with fanfare and homage to Kabiyesi. When I came in, I felt IKODASS should be more than that and that was why it was extended to seven days and when I did that, MTN became interested and as at that time, we had Ikorodu Oga anthem as ringing tone on MTN lines ‘Ilu mi Ilu ‘Korodu, o da ra, o le wa…(singing the anthem). Unfortunately, that has stopped. I told my predecessor that they should keep the collaboration with MTN. That’s the only area l am dissatisfied with what is going on in IKODASS but in other areas, they have been following the programmes and also brought in innovations like Business Forum and other things that were done by Abiru (Otunba Ganiyu Abiru) and others. During that time, we usually have ‘Woro’ on the first day, Oga Nite, Market day and so on. We usually held the Artistes and Artisans Day on the fifth day. It is on this day that we usually gather Ikorodu indigenes who are musicians and artistes to come together and showcase their talents. I am happy today that one of those that I brought in, Adeola, is doing well. Also, Atawewe and others.
Another important aspect of the Ikorodu Oga Day celebrations is the Public Service and Networking Day which usually comes up on Fridays. It was initiated to bring our people who are working in the private and public sectors together to know themselves and to also create opportunities for courtship and possible marriage. It was Erogbogbo (Mr Rotimi Erogbogbo, the current IKODASS chairman) and Kehinde (Comrade Kehinde Okeowo, the Special Adviser on Community Affairs) that I asked to be in – charge and that gave them the idea of how IKODASS should be. That also gave the current chairman, Erogbogbo, the inkling that he must serve and I am glad that he’s also there to serve. We don’t just want anybody there who does not know his left from right. We created a mission statement setting out our goals. It was during my tenure that we renovated the Home Economics School opposite the town hall and we laid the foundation on our own land which was done by the former Kabiyesi. If we can achieve the construction of the civic center, Ikorodu Oga will be at very advantageous position to achieve its aim and I hope that the current chairman will pick it up. The close where we have the land is named after Ikorodu Oga. It is important for the present administration to realise the dream of completing the edifice and the day that is done, it will gladdens my heart. It was the administration of Otunba Ekiyoyo that actually got the land, but during my own tenure, we fenced the land and laid the foundation for the civic center.
Erogbogbo have started well, but he also needs to do more. I know that he is a man that believes in youth activities and development. I remember that he used to have a school where out youths are being trained in vocational skills and I am expecting him to bring that into use as IKODASS chairman. We can use part of the IKODASS land for vocational centre to help develop our youths.
To be continued……
