Babajide Sanwo-Olu And The Human Face

MICHAEL AKINOLA

 

Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, beyond being the Executive Governor of the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, has within a short period shown that aside possessing executive powers that he also has a human face.

Many, like yours sincerely, had thought that going by the way he started with executive orders on waste, traffic and a few other areas, that he might be dictatorial and run his T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda without a human face. But few of his strides so far seem to douse our fears.

On Sunday 6th October, 2019, in line with his promise to ensure adequate and sustainable healthcare for Lagosians, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu paid an unscheduled visit to the General Hospital, Marina, Lagos, to have a first-hand appraisal of situation at the medical facility. He surprised everyone including patients and personnel in the hospital; went round different wards and stopped at intervals to interact with patients, advising them to follow medical direction given by the doctors and other personnel.

 

He equally paid up medical bills of some patients in the emergency care units to the excitement and admiration of all present. This visit for me is unlike the ceremonial visits we often see public officials embark on in their pseudo show of concern for the citizenry. It is unimaginable the impression he had left on the minds of the patients, hospital personnel and relatives of the patients.

Before he left that health facility on Sunday, Mr. Sanwo-Olu also pledged his government’s continued support for the health sector, saying his administration will not rest until it achieved the universal health coverage even before the set date of 2025.

He caught my attention once again on Monday 7th October, when he honoured SP Celestina Kalu, the Police officer, who went out of her way and used her personal resources to save a robbery victim. The Police authorities may have been beaten to it as Sanwo-Olu showed his human face before they could reward their own for the image rebranding the act of the female officer has brought to the Force.

Sanwo-Olu described SP Celestina Kalu, as “a humane police officer”, saying her decision to save the life of an orphan, Friday Ajabor, shot by a two-man robbery gang in Ojota, was a “matchless trait of compassion”.

The DPO’s act of kindness caught Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s attention after it went viral on social media, prompting the Governor to reach out to the policewoman and the victim.

While honouring the DPO, Sanwo-Olu said that Mrs. Kalu went beyond the limit of her official duty to save the life of the robbery victim, stressing that the policewoman’s effort was “the essence of public service” and “a true spirit of Lagos”.

The Governor said the policewoman demonstrated a rare example that should be emulated by every Lagosian, urging security operatives not to fall short of such act of kindness in the discharge of their duties to the citizens.

Sanwo-Olu said, “I am personally amazed by this rare act of kindness displayed by Mrs. Celestina Kalu, who went beyond the official call of duty to save the life of a citizen using her personal resources. This is one of the essences of governance and public service when you have public officers going beyond the call of duty to render a helping hand to a fellow citizen”.

“This is a rare trait of compassion by the DPO. We usually don’t get to witness such act of kindness, because everyone of us is too overwhelmed by myriad of personal challenges. When we see law enforcement officers giving us reasons to be kind, we need to appreciate and recognise such action. This is why we are honouring Mrs. Kalu this morning as our role model. This will encourage others to emulate this act of kindness.”

“Not only that she stopped to help the victim at the point of death, she also went ahead to make financial commitment that ensured immediate treatment of the victim at the hospital. We are happy that this effort paid off, because the victim is alive and he is recuperating well.”

Sanwo-Olu thereafter presented a special plaque bearing the official seal of the Lagos State Government to honour the DPO, while also taking over the cost of Ajabor’s surgery.

While highlighting this, I do believe that it is time for public officials across board to learn a thing or two from Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and show their human faces. Policies of government are often perceived by the citizenry as sheer wickedness when they are devoid of human face. I can only wish to see more of these good gestures and noble policies from Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu as the Latin people said “Nemo dat quod non habet”.