Opinion article by Duke of Shomolu, Joseph Edgar
Yesterday was ogas’ 60th, and I sent in a strong message of support and subservience.
If you know me you will know that I do not joke with Mr Ambode for the selfish reason that he was the first Executive Governor to have ever called me in this my life, the second being the amiable and gently sweet Governor of Kwara State – the handsome AbumdulRahman Abdulrasaq.
It was a bright Sunday afternoon when my phone rang, hold on for His Excellency, the Yoruba voice said.
Which Excellency o, before I knew it the voice came on the line – Duke I am coming for the drink. Ohhhh my God . It was Mr Ambode.
I had written in my column that since he was treasurer of Shomolu local Government at some point, he should meet me at Bajulaiye road for drinks.
I screamed Your Excellency, how are you and he said fine. Edgar, I have seen your proposal and like what you are doing in the entertainment industry, and as such, I have approved your request. Please see the Perm SEC Culture he will be expecting you.
I dropped the phone and immediately peed my pants. Did he just call me? Did he just say approved? I cried.
I didn’t know anybody from Adam in that Lagos State establishment. They were doing Lagos at 50, and I felt that since I was born here and lived my whole life here, let me contribute too.
I sent in my proposal to stage Isale Eko and the demons in that Alausa thrashed it. Then, started tossing me from one office to the other. It was when I got to the Surveyor General’s office that I said to myself enough.
I now wrote directly to His Excellency, seeking his understanding and the need to stage this play, reminding him that he had close affinity to Shomolu .
Took the letter to his office. Didn’t know anybody and met one policeman at the gate – Fatai.
He was nice and was on the Bomb squad. I said, “My brother, I want drop letter for the governor, and he smiled and said, “give me.” I said, “But you are in the Bomb squad, and he smiled and said, “Don’t worry.”
Three weeks later, the call from His Excellency that almost killed me came.
Ambode means a lot of things to Lagosians. He is a leader who came too early, and even his worst enemies will say he didn’t play the politics well, but none will say he didn’t do well.
He turned Lagos into a huge construction site. His push in infrastructure, transport, and the rest made him stand out.
His Achilles heel was attempting to reform the environment. Lagos was a dump site, and he brought in an international conglomerate to modernise refuse disposal. Raised a bond and brought in massive infrastructure that would not only clean up Lagos but also push towards renewable energy
This was one insult too much. He had touched the tail of the tiger. The boys and brown toothed denizens of the party could no longer ‘eat’.
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Well, all 52 local government chairmen in an uncharacteristic show of yellow livered cowardice moved against him, and the establishment went against the people and pushed at their governor.
We walked o. The whole length of Ikorodu road in protest. We landed on the grounds of his office, and we sat on the grass to listen to him speak against the forces of tyranny, but it was all too late.
The forces that had captured the state had spoken, and there was nothing ideals or vision could do to fight it.
The bellicose push of greed, self-centered politicking, and crass naked crave to hold on to power at the expense of a good man had spoken.
Luckily, this wasn’t a hot-headed guerrilla that would build an army and fight back, throwing the state into an orgy of blood, letting.
This was a civil, Harvard trained technocrat morphed into an abiding Democrat who would rather pack his bags and go back to Epe in peace.
He left but didn’t leave as he remains super popular with his landmark achievement still standing in true honor to his vision.
So yesterday when Tapa called and said, ‘ Duke, I no see you o. I say for where wetin dey happen. He said Ambode house na.
We dey do party every body dey here even Sanwo-Olu. Whey you, people dey ask for you.
I say Excellency no invite me na. He said just come, he go happy say you come.
I say I no fit do ‘mogbo moya’ at 54. The man talked to me for 1 minute, we discussed the joys of Afang and he even threatened to bust my house for Yaba and he didn’t invite me. I no come I don vex.
Tapa says ok, no problem, dem no kuku get afang, so no worry.
I say na dat Yoruba stew with all the pepper go give una pile for this thing wey una do me so.
Anyway, Ambode remains a very strong and forthright leader. As he told me, Edgar, you and Bolanle are taking the entertainment space to another level. If only we could see the invisible contributions to the GDP you all are making….
Excellency na GDP you dey tell me while Tapa dey chop rice for you house. It’s ok.
If I talk now, you go say I get bad belle… Ok I no vex o.
Happy birthday, sir
*Duke of Shomolu*
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