Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday immortalised the first military governor of the state, Mobolaji Johnson, with the renaming of the newly reconstructed Onikan Stadium on Lagos Island, after him. The stadium is now known as Mobolaji Olufunso Johnson Arena.
Sanwo-Olu made the declaration at a ‘Day of Honour’ event organised by the state government to celebrate Johnson, who passed away on October 30, 2019, at the age of 83 years. Johnson served as military administrator of the Federal Territory of Lagos from January 1966 to May 1967 during the brief military regime of Gen. Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguyi-Ironsi and as military governor of Lagos State at its creation in May 1967 till July 1975 during the military regime headed by Yakubu Gowon.
His regime was said to have witnessed an increase in Lagos State’s revenue from N36.7 million to N99.7 million. The increase was largely attributed to the revenue allocation formula that had just been introduced and increased revenue from crude oil, which was partly shared out to the state governments by the federal military government at the time, under Gowon.
Paying tributes to the late military governor, Sanwo-Olu, who led members of his cabinet to the former Onikan Stadium, where the event held, described Johnson as a man who saw the future and worked to achieve the Lagos of our dreams.
Sanwo-Olu said that Johnson’s selflessness in service and excellent achievements had been a source of inspiration to successive administrations in Lagos. Describing the former administrator as quintessential manager of resources and people, Sanwo-Olu said the late Johnson’s personality symbolised integrity, humility, fairness, and justice.
“In whatever role we knew him, the first and longest-serving military administrator of Lagos State stood out as a special person for his leadership and charismatic personality. If anyone was qualified to be addressed as ‘an officer and a gentleman’, it was Johnson. Despite his imposing frame, he was as gentle as a dove. He never threw his weight around, even though he was a man of power. As a man of authority, he was never authoritarian. Though a soldier, he never ruled with an iron hand; he was compassionate.”
Sanwo-Olu acknowledged Johnson to have started the construction of Ikorodu and Mushin General Hospitals. He added that the former administrator also modernised the Lagos Island General Hospital, expanding the facilities of the hospital.
He also built a maternity annex at Onikan Health Centre and an additional ward at Igbobi Orthopedic Hospital, and also established five new government colleges in each of the five divisions of the state.
Also speaking, Bola Tinubu, national leader of the APC, described Johnson as “a servant leader and a man of incorruptible character”. Tinubu, also a former governor of Lagos State, said the late Johnson, despite being a military administrator, put the people at the cornerstone of his administration and economic policies.
“I salute a courageous officer who never compromised the rules of the military despite becoming a State administrator at a younger age. He put the people at the cornerstone of his administration and economic policies. Having met 10,000 Pounds in the treasury of the State when he assumed office, the late Johnson deployed his ingenuity and talent to set the pace for the State’s modernisation and development. Just as he had great exploits in the army, his retirement was also solid. He lived a life of principle and contentment. He ran a clean and honest administration.”
Also, former Lagos State military administrator, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd), observed that the late Johnson maintained the dignity of his profession and the office he occupied during his tenure.
Former Ogun State governor, Olusegun Osoba, in his tribute, said all the late Johnson’s children attended public schools and rode in public transport despite their father being the reigning military administrator.
The first son of the deceased, Seyi Johnson, who led family members to the event, thanked the Lagos Government for the honour done to his father.
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