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Former LAGOS Deputy Gov, Otunba FEMI PEDRO
Otunba Femi Pedro is a name that resonates very loudly among Lagosians. Many will remember him as that good looking, glittering ebony complexioned gentleman who was deputy governor of Lagos State alongside Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was governor at the time. He was always dressed in his signature impeccably white traditional outfits and at other times, he was dressed in suit which often sat well on him. Lagosians will remember his brilliance and the fact he complemented his then boss, Asiwaju, pretty well, though he did not do two full terms with him.
He was Deputy Governor from 2003 to 2007 and he and the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have maintained a very close relationship eversince. He has gone on to take up appointments such as the chairman of the APC Registration Exercise Committee in February 2014 in Ondo State. In 2018, he was appointed the pioneer chairmanm of the Lagos Sports Trust Fund and in same 2018, he was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari as the chirman of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). Today, he is a valued member of the highest decision making body of the ruling party, APC, in Lagos called the Governance Advisory Council (GAC).
Not a few know that he is very, very close to Mr. President. Indeed, those who know will tell you they are a lot closer than many know. This is because President Bola Tinubu, having worked closely with Otunba Femi Pedro, knows first hand the depth of his intelligence and his quick thinking ability, being an accomplished banker before venturing into politcs. The President respects this about him and this is one of the reasons why he does not joke with Femi Pedro.
Many will recall that their relationship once went awry but they have since put that behind them and moved on together, sustaining their friendship and building it into something much stronger than it ever was. Today, several years after their friendship got severely strained, Otunba Femi Pedro has become one of the privileged few who have the ears of the President.
The very likeable gentleman who celebrated his 70th birthday earlier in the year, spoke to City People about his optimism that the Tinubu administration will turn the economic situation in the country around. He also explained why some people simply envy the president.
We asked him to share his thoughts on the performance of the current Lagos governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, being a former Deputy Governor himself. And he expressed his delight the great strides of the governor. “I am very proud of the Governor of Lagos State- H.E. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who has recorded significant achievements at the helms of affairs. I am optimistic that by the end of his tenure in 2027, he would have fulfilled most of the promises he made to the people of Lagos. You have to give it to him, he has done reasonably well.”
“Lagos has always been a beacon of economic progress, and its growth over the years is commendable. The state has managed to maintain its position as the hub of commerce and innovation in Nigeria.”
But does he share same optimism of the Tinubu led administration? What does he think about the economic situation in the country? “It is all a phase that will go away with time, considering that the government is working round the clock to make things better. We thank God that Nigeria is in the hands of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He is methodical, he understands the problems and he is attacking them from their roots. All I ask for is that Nigerians should be patient enough, knowing full well that the country is in good hands. The pilot, which in this case is the president, is flying the plane of Nigeria, so passengers should fasten their belts and sit quietly. We are going through turbulence now, after sometime, there will be clear sky and steady flight. That steady flight is what we are waiting for and we will surely get there. People are complaining that Nigeria is hard, things are expensive, yes, we know that, and the president also knows that and he is workinhg tirelessly, day and night, to ensure that Nigerians are relieved of the hardships. And sooner than later, very soon, we shall see clear sky. In no distant time from now, the turbulence will be over.”
Otunba Femi Pedro is one of those who know the President inside out, how does he feel when he sees people express so much hatred and dislike for the man they barely know? “It no longer surprises me anymore and I’m sure it no longer bothers the President anymore. It’s obvious to me that the hatred of him by some people is borne out of frustration and envy, while some people genuinely feel it is immoral, and unethical for one person to wield so much power in determining who gets what in the politics of Lagos and now as president of the country. Some peope just can’t take it because he has achieved all that they could only dream of.”
“I advice such people to use the information at their disposal to fight him at the ballot box rather than hide under the guise of protest to unleash mayhem on his perceived properties like they did the other time during the Endsars crisis.”
So, does he think Asiwaju has been grossly misunderstood and wrongly accussed sometimes? He answered in the affirmative. “Of course, yes. For instance, a lot of times you hear people say he owns a lot of properties in Lagos, many of the assets linked with him actually don’t belong to him. I know this for a fact. Second, it is not correct that the state belongs to him whether politically or economically. The state is too big for one person to control wholly. Political power is widely decentralized. I know this for a fact.”
“Thirdly. President Tinubu has been a great asset to we Lagosians, the South west and the nation in general. Before emerging president, for many decades now, he was the only leader who brought Lagos close to federal power and empowered us to participate in governance at the federal level.”
Fourth I was his Deputy at a most challenging period and despite this, we brought significant changes to Lagos. Pls rewind back to the sorry state of dirty, infested and slum Lagos prior to 1999. It was our govt that opened up Lekki, built new areas, new roads and bridges, security infrastructure, education etc. Fifth, thanks to him politics of succession has been more positive for Lagos than other parts of the country.”
How does he think the President can turn things around? What is his trongest attribute that will help him navigate through the murky waters of governance? There is something about him many people do not know. I knew this about him a long time ago. The man is clairvoyant. He sees ahead what we are not seeing and then he positions himself. Even the way he is running the economy, another president would’ve come in and try to play safe. President Tinubu knows that this is what should be done now and he has done it. And in a few months time, we will start seeing the gains of these policies. That’s what makes him different from any other person. He is clairvoyant, he can see ahead what many others cannot see. President Tinubu will look at a situation and tell you how things will turn out in two years time. He has the ability to tell you what will work and what will not work. The man is clairvoyant, he can see ahead. And the president is also a workaholic. When he is determined to achieve something, he won’t rest until he achieves most of the things he has set out to achieve. He has tremendous capacity for work and he will put in a lot to make sure he and his team get it right.”
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a visionary and transformative leader, and he has shown the country his transformative ideals since he assumed office in 2023. President Tinubu’s administration is already delivering significant reforms, and the positive effects of his policies in areas like economic growth, job creation and infrastructure development are already manifesting. I am very optimistic that by the end of this year, Nigerians will begin to feel the positive changes in their lives.”
– Wale Lawal
