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Fashola Marks 50th Birthday

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola(SAN) on Friday marked his 50th birthday with a visit to Island Maternity where he was born and special prayer … Continue reading Fashola Marks 50th Birthday


Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola(SAN) on Friday marked his 50th birthday with a visit to Island Maternity where he was born and special prayer sessions at Lagos House, Marina residence, describing the day as one for glorification to God.

The Governor who spoke with State House Correspondents also received family, friends, political associates and leaders like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and colleague Governors like the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, and Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State saying he is truly grateful to be alive and in good health.

 “I am truly and truly grateful and happy to be among family friends, political associates and leaders who have made it a point of duty to come and share this day and that they have come to surround me and to felicitate with me. It has also been a day of reflection and I am still taking it in. There have been lots of messages within and from afar, in and out of Nigeria across the states, my brother Governors, some of them have been here and I think I have had a wonderful day thus far from midnight and the day is still on and I don’t want to encroach into somebody else’s day”, he added.

The Governor said he is just being himself with the way he decided to celebrate the birthday this year adding that if there are positive lessons from it, there must be some sense of fulfillment there and if there are negative messages from it, he is apologizing.

“Today, I didn’t go to a charity home. I was thinking which charity to go to and many of my friends who asked me, I said whatever you feel like doing instead of placing an advert for me, N300,000 or more for a page can do a lot in so many people’s lives. So many poor people out there who struggle to eke out a living. Even if it is for one day, let us make a difference. Find anybody who need care, who needs food, who needs love, go and deal with it and I think that is what has happened today. My wife has just been wonderful, I just got another surprise here, she has sent people round the various motor parks, feeding people and destitute and she is  truly a great woman”.

The Governor stated whilst he was thinking about what to do, he actually had  a dream about three months that he was in Island Maternity.

 “So and whilst this day was still a distance away I was thinking, Island Maternity, so what about it? That was where I was born. Then I did a quick calendar check and I realized that today was a Friday and I was also born on a Friday at the Island Maternity 50 years ago and I just told my wife that is where I am going”, he explained.

Governor Fashola said he went to the Island Maternity Hospital at about  2a.m on Friday and  had asked his wife(the First Lady ) to assist him to buy gifts for new born babies such as the normal clothing,  early baby things for boys and girls noting that it was a pleasant surprise to go back to where he was born.

“I went into the post natal ward, all the new born babies who had been born yesterday and early this morning and there were 54 in all. And it was an overwhelmingly majority of boys interestingly and  before i got there my wife had got there before me and she had bought new delivery beds for them too.”

The Governor stated that what he saw at Island Maternity hospital was a wakeup call to the State Government that it had more work to do adding that the doctors and nurses there are doing a great job and were all up and working.

”Only one person knew I was coming and they were attending to emergencies, women in labour, women getting ready for labour and it was connecting with the kind of work that these people do behind the scene that translates to happiness and that ward with so many babies there. They were all fresh beginning, their journey of life.

“It was a very touching moment for me that this was how I started and all I could do was to pray for all of them and pray with their parents that all the dreams and wishes that there parents have for them will materialize because in those women I saw my mother 50 years ago lying on her bed tired, just recovering from a very challenging natural event.

“So it was really momentful for me that this was where it started and after that I came back home and I was listening to music till 5a.m this morning and I was listening to Ebenezer Obey and Sunny Ade and all of the history of Nigeria was captured in that. In all of my childhood days, my grandmother used to play those music. I thank Lagosians for allowing me to do this in my own way”, the Governor explained.

Prominent among those who felicitated with The Governor were former Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the Deputy Governor, Hon Mrs) Adejoke Orelope- Adefulire, former Governor of Cross Rivers State, Mr Donald Duke, Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, the Akran of Badagry, Aholu Menu Toyi 1, members of the State Executive Council, Chairman of the Action Congress in Lagos State, Chief Henry Ajomale and several other notable party chieftains and  guests from far and near.