Former governor of Lagos State, Sir Michael Otedola is dead. He reported passed away around 9 a.m today at his Odoragushin residence in Epe area of Lagos state. He was aged 87.
Family sources revealed that the former governor had returned from overseas in January where he went for medical check up.
Lagos state Governor Babatunde Fashola while mourning the ex-governor declared declares 7-day mourning period in his honour.Otedola, who governed the state from 1992 to 1993, died early on Monday at 87.
Fashola who declared this in Ikeja today directed that flags in all state government offices and institutions should fly at half mast during the period to honour the deceased.
The governor described Otedola’s death as a great loss to the state and noted that the former governor’s administration was characterised by great achievements.
“His indelible record of service is still there. The centre for excellence that we proudly proclaim today was his choice when he was invited among other governors to choose a sobriquet for Lagos.
“And that, and some other impactful projects he executed as governor are still visible and will remain evergreen in our memory,” he said.
While praying for the peaceful repose of the deceased’s soul, Fashola asked God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
Otedola was born on 16 July 1926 into a Muslim family at Odoragunsin, Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State. After moving to Lagos to pursue his education, he won a scholarship to study Journalism at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London where he graduated in 1958.
He began his career as a teacher before working as a reporter at the St. Pancras Chronicle, then as a reporter and later sub-editor at The Guardian and The Times in England.
On his return to Nigeria in 1959 he became an Information Officer in the Western Nigeria government, and while in this post he was appointed the Editor of the Western Nigeria Illustrated.
In 1961 he moved into public relations, working for Western Nigeria Television/Western Broadcasting Service (1961-1964) and Mobil Oil Group of Companies (1964-1977), continuing as a consultant to Mobil after leaving the company.
He was elected governor of Lagos State from 1992 to 1993 on the platform of the National Republican Convention (NRC), leaving office when General Sani Abacha came to power. His administration facilitated establishing the Yaba College of Technology campus in Epe, his home town.
After leaving office, he continued his career as a writer, a consultant holding positions on the boards various businesses, and a philanthropist. In February 2010 ThisDay newspaper announced that he was among 15 eminent Nigerians who had won Lifetime Achievement Awards.
