We are about a week to the gubernatorial elections and I can't help but cast my mind back to same period before the 2007 elections.

In Lagos, the major contenders included Babatunde Fashola (AC), Jimi Agbaje (DPA), Musiliu Obanikoro (PDP), Femi Pedro (LP) and Tokunbo Afikuyomi (ANPP).

Agbaje, Pedro and Afikuyomi had all attempted to get the AC ticket which was selectively given to Fashola leading to their exit from AC.

Afikuyomi stepped down for Fashola at the last minute.

Agabaje managed to come in third behind 'Koro in the race despite the fact that his picture did not feature on the ballot paper, an omission he contended worked against him in the elections and challenged in court.

Agbaje brought introduced such innovations as social media (youtube), text messaging and and e-mail to campaign in Lagos.

Inspired by the Web 2.0 campaign web sites launched by United States Presidential candidates like Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and Barack Obama, he launched his own   (jimiagbaje.com, now rested) which allowed his supporters to create profiles, network, and create their own campaigns on-line.

His campaign had the pay-off: caring. thinking. working.   which reminds me of "Fashola is working, Lagos is working"

Agbaje took off from 'Idile,' a group of promising minds bubbling with innovative programmes. He had served as a treasurer of Afenifere, the umbrella Yoruba socio-political group. His activities earned him a cabinet position in the Tinubu administration after the 2003 general elections, but declined the offer, on the basis of principles.

Fast forward to 2011 and what do we have?

Babatunde Fashola (Incumbent and candidate of AC[N])
Musiliu Obanikoro (PDP, now Nigeria's High Commissioner to Ghana) 
Femi Pedro (Now in PDP, unsuccessful in attempt to contest 2011 elections for governor on the platform of PDP, lost to Ade Dosunmu)
Tokunbo Afikuyomi  (Now in ACN is a commissioner in the government of Fashola)

Now, where is Jimi Agbaje? Where is DPA?

One interesting thing about his campaign is that it was quite popular with professionals and youths including some Nairalanders who assumed that his "popularity"would get him the ticket to the office.

I hope the case of some candidates being bandied around on the web (including Nairaland) today would not be like that of Agbaje who I am still asking the questions about : Where is Jimi Agbaje?

Another interesting parallel I can draw with 2007 elections is the campaign of Agbaje and that of Bashorun J.K. Randle. Both of them are scions of the upper crust of Lagos society of "old". Old money, if you know what I mean. While Randle attended Kings College and would constantly remind you of that fact, Agbaje is a product of St. Gregory's Obalende. Seems to me that they both crave a return to the Lagos of old where everything worked. Agbaje fell to "new money" like I see Randle also doing now.

Before you chop my head off, I actually voted for Agbaje in 2007!

Where is Jimi Agbaje?

Jimi Agbaje

He is hale and Hearty

Yes. I am sure he is hale and hearty.

Question is "where is he politically?"

Like I posited earlier, I hope some of our "popular" 2011 candidates will not go into political oblivion after the elections.

I am wondering myself. Jimi has maybe retired from active politics , otherwise i see no reason why he did not contest for a senatorial position.