Opinion: Dr. Olowo Rabiu Onaolapo: Deploying private sector driven template to development of Lagos State

By Abubakar Yusuf- Momony

In pace setting towards both public and private initiatives, Lagos State is rated to be at the forefront of all activities, this was in line with the appointement of a meticulous, articulate, reserved, hard working and intelligent private driven personalty, Dr Rabiu Onaolapo Olowos achievements to the economic development of Nigeria, in the last one decade and across the globe, trascends mere rhetorics, but on ground for public benefits.

Soon after the swearing in of the new administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos State by May 29 2019, the desire to engage people with high level intelligent quotient, to assist in driving the socio-economic development of the new Lagos State, became germane, hence the assemblage of a well groomed professionals in various fields, saw the new Finance Commissioner for Lagos state, as one of the best hands purely selected on merit, devoid of political undertone, but based on perfomance indices from the private sector, to assist in redirection of the cosmopolitan Lagos economy, likened to a mini Nigeria in the next four years.

DR Rabiu Onaolapo Olowo who is 35 years, emerged as the youngest commissioners among other members of the state executive council, along with an intimidating resume exceptionally distinct from the previous order, that got the blessings of the political leaders of Lagos State and by extension Nigeria .

Dr RABIU at his youthful age, had already garnered a robust working experience at the top echelon of Banks, productuon, pharmaceuticals, and other financial institutions at the top level, that led to his establishment of a wholly private training school, Rablo Woods CFLC, sole ACF trainer in Nigeria and Ghana, likened to Lagos Business School, whose scope had gone beyond the areas of human capital developement, trainings and re-trainings of top, middle and high level private and public establishments, geared towards improving their productivity and professional stead in crime and fraud management, both in public and private private sectors, with a potential qualification and proficiency certificate as Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), on graduation.

Dr Olowo’s strides in this area saw him as a Finance strategy leader, certified fraud examiner, conference speaker, and venture capitalist whose in-depth training is being deployed to manage a robust Nigeria economies in Finance Management, payments and assist the anti graft agencies, to reduce fraud, control a seamless and transparent accounting system in Nigeria.

A graduate of first class in Accounting from Kogi state University KSU, Anyigba, chattered accountant with ICAN in his early days of graduation in 2007, post graduate program (MSC), at the University of Lagos, and bagged his PhD in his early 30’s from the same institution.

A public speaker both within and outside the shores of Nigeria which included Ghana, Johannesburg in South Africa and other foreign countries.

His involvement in the current administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has taken the state to another level of developement in Agriculture, Education, Health, Infrastructural developement and Social services, as the state government response to emergencies is unprecedented in the current dispensation.

As Finance Commissioner, Dr Olowo has engaged both private and public sector as well as mobilise chunk of funds from the stock market, through bond arrangement, to trigger more developement in all facets of Lagos State and its environs, payable at ease for years, with less pressure on governance and stress free.

At the build up to the current global emergency of COVID-19, the Commissioner did not hesitate in mobilising funds on daily basis, to meet the ever growing expectations of the people on the unforseen circumstances, that occassioned the unprovisioned situation on the state budget.

In line with the state Governor’s directives, he was deeply involved in both provision of Finance and logistics, to address the novel pandemic that reduced to the barest minimum, the effects of the scourge.

The Finance Commissioner in conjunction with his colleagues were deeply engaged in the day to day media briefing, and also provided for emergency situation, that reduced drastically, the spread of the disease.

As Dr Olowo Rabiu Onaolapo mark an additional year, it is my belief that his decision to pitch tent with the public sector, will be an opportunity to develop another strides towards fiscal and economic discipline, to the cosmopolitan state of Lagos in the next few years, and by extension Nigeria at large.

Accept my Congratulations,and Happy Birthday.

Wishing you many more years on the surface of the earth, and in the services to your father land.

Abubakar Yusuf- Momony is a Media Consultant, writes from Abuja.