Chief Obafemi Awolowo SAN GCFR spent his time away from direct politics and public office in his legal chambers attending to his clients; one of the greatest politician out of Nigeria, showed the path of conduct for those who wear the badge of politics as a part of their daily apparel. Awolowo once submitted that a "productive public office holder can be rest assured that his deliveries will continue to speak for him in or out of office"

This rings true for the immediate past Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Akinwunmi Ambode FCA. Twenty months after his four-year tenure, his brilliant public service deliveries continue to elicit unforced positive testimony and bring comfort to residents and businesses in Lagos State. The Ambode administration interventions in public transportation service, has birthed a pan Lagos State bus rapid transit system, with the acquisition and smart deployment of hundreds of high-tech mass transit buses and smart bus parks.

The Ambode administration investment in public road construction and reconstruction, coupled with smart institution of road transport facilities, such as modern lay-byes, bus parks, street lights, link bridges had greatly eased commuting in Lagos. The attention paid by his administration to road transportation was complimented by water transportation with the construction of over seven modern jetties and acquisition of modern ferries which are presently in use. Not done, critical aspects of the Lagos light-rail project was driven to completion in his tenure, while the plans for full activation of coaches and substations to be powered by Alstom a major French Company was unveiled by him.

The administration’s legacies of excellent deliveries cuts across all areas of public services from health to education, employment to empowerment, waste management to agriculture, International affiliations, to regional and sister state collaborations, partnership with corporate Lagos that birthed Lake Rice, got Lagos shares in Oodua Group, got Lagos State University a United Nations centre, the establishment of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Lagos Theaters, One Lagos Fiesta, Ready Set Work program, Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corp, Lagos Marathon just to mention a few.

A few misguided, mischievous and misinformed individuals, who rate politically exposed persons' worth, on the basis of the string of public offices they perennially occupy, have gone to town boasting that Ambode no longer has political relevance. Despite these rantings Ambode has maintained a dignified silence out of public yet they cannot stop thinking, talking and throwing tantrums once his name comes up or is conjured in their dreams.

Ambode out of office, has continued to attract vicious campaigns of calumny, by sponsored elements whose pay masters are in severe pains, that everywhere they turn to in Lagos State, Ambode's signatures of public service continue to loom large. They would love to erase that legacy but surely the performance is already ingrained in the hearts and minds of Lagosians. The man with no political relevance was the conceptualizer of the soon to be commissioned Agege Pen Cinema Bridge and the commissioned Oshodi to Abule Egba road reconstruction and the BRT corridor. The thousands of party members, who were employed into various state outfits know under whose administration they got these jobs and what being economically relevant meant.

It has been articulated that the often-crass desperation of some political actors and their lackeys is due to the fact that they do not possess a second address and are even prepared to subvert the people’s will in order to maintain political relevance.
Akinwunmi Ambode’s has a second address and his experience and performance will continue to speak for him in and outside office as he will continue to remain a benchmark for good governance and performance irrespective of disgruntled naysayers.

Idowu Aborishade
Alimosho, Lagos

Everything you said are right. We really miss Ambode leadership.