Lagos@50: Pictures from the gala night
By Muyiwa Olayinka
Lagos State has been celebrating its 50 years of its existence and there have been series of activities lined up that culminated on the 27th of May 2017.
Lagos state was created by General Yakubu Gowon on May 27, 1967. Unfortunately, three days after, the Eastern region led by then Colonel Odimegwu Ojukwu (rtd) declared Biafra. The Eastern region declared seccession from Nigeria but the 20 months old civil war put a stop to this misadventure.
Nigeria had put this sordid past behind, so it seems, to celebrate 50 years of Lagos’ excellence.
Lagos has always been a melting and rallying point for almost all Nigerians because it is the commercial nerve center of Nigerian economy.
The Acting President Professor Yemi Osibajo was a former attorney general and former commissioner of justice in Lagos state. He flew from Italy where he attended the G7 summit to be part of the gala night.
The gala night joined political foes together in a frenzy season of camaradiere. We saw Governor Fayose of Ekiti, a stormy petrel sharing laughters and banters with Asiwaju Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state. So also a chieftain of PDP, Chief Olabode George sharing the limelight with Tinubu.
Aside the state first civilian Governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, and Tinubu, the gala night was attended by former military Governors of the state namely Brig.-Gen. Mobolaji Johnson; Brig.-Gen. Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa and Rear-Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu.
The serving state governors in attendance included Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki Edo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State graced the grand finale of the anniversary.
Apart from the serving governors, former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George; the PDP governorship candidate in 2015, Mr. Jimi Agbaje; President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and CEO of Forte Oil, Mr. Femi Otedola, also attended the event.
