LAULAU SPENDING

"Laulau" is a Yoruba word for recklessness; it is associated with wasteful spending of money, commodity, services and other material possession. When you are referred to as a Laulau spending, it simply means you a reckless spender with no reasonable reason for spending money and material possessions. Lately, the governor of Lagos state Mr. Babatunde Fasola was described as a “Laulau spender” by an organization called “The True Face of Lagos”. A paid advertorial report in a major Nigerian Newspaper showed contract awarded by the Lagos state governor and inflated cost of the projects. The advertorial contains allegation of financial recklessness against the state government and the legislature. The state government came out to defend itself and moved on with the state business but the legislative took a rather different view of the allegations. The legislative arm of the state led by Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji moved to set up a panel to investigate the allegations against the Fasola led state government, an action which pitched the party followers against the legislators sensing that the panel is an avenue by the ambitious Speaker to impeach the governor who is also in the bad book of the states Kingmakers. The issue degenerated into a protest by the followers of the governor, they lay siege at the states assembly to display their displeasure with the legislator about their purported plan to impeach the “peoples governor”. All this happened when the state’s governor was alleged to be in a face-off with his godfather Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the pressure from the assembly was connected to this feud. The origin of the group that made the advertorial alleging the state of reckless spending has not been known, it is believed to be a faceless group created by the governor’s enemy to bring him down. The Speaker while inaugurating the committee charged them with the responsibility of looking into the allegations of financial impropriety “Laulau spending”, abuse of due process and the rule of law as well as violation of several sections of the “1999” constitution.


The governor might survive the financial reckless charge due to the truce between him and Tinubu, but he will fight hard to win the case of abuse of due process against the legislators who felt left out by the Fasola led Government in running of the state. The legislative arm led by Ikuforiji has long been drawn into battle with the state government over its boycott of the legislative arm in states business, the Speaker is quick to allege the state governor of running a one man show and he called him to order during the presentation of the 2010 budget in the legislative chamber. The governor was accused of letting praise singing get into his head and this has led to his decision to cut aside all Asiwaju’s loyalist in the state portfolio and replace them with professionals. The issue surrounding the face off between the Asiwaju of Lagos is claimed to the governors decision to remove Asiwaju’s interest in the states governance, certain organization belonging to Asiwaju are said to be loosing favour with Governor Fasola and a major financial institution that keeps the book of the state is said to have totally lost favour with the states chief executive. It took a television appearance by all party involved in the battle to temporary calm their followers to embrace peace and be orderly. Politics is fast overtaking the allegations by the group on the state government; since the godfather got re-united with his son the issue seems calm. Is it then ok to say that the issue is more political than a disorder? The issues raised in the advertorial by the group are logical and certain allegations raises eyebrows because the circumstances surrounding them are very suspicious. Is the governor really a “Laulau spender”? Did he operate without the knowledge of the legislature arm as alleged by rumored governorship candidate incumbent speaker of the State? If the report comes back indicting the governor, will it be a surprise? The recent rating of Lagos as the 9th WORST PLACE TO LIVE is not in anyway a good development for the restless governor. Is this rating an insight into the efficiency of the governor? Or is a backlog of the inefficiency and playing to gallery of Fasola’s predecessor? Asiwaju’s reign has seen more praise singing than meaningful development, and for a state which have enjoyed federal capital status for more than 30years, development should come at ease. The incumbent governor is putting finishing touch to all projects Asiwaju started, projects like the BRT, City Mall, General hospitals, lekki-epe express way, railway project were all initiated by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and never saw any meaning commitment except the contract award ceremonies and maybe project fees were exchanged. These are big money projects that the incumbent governor inherited and commissioned with the godfathers interest in the projects well protected. These same projects are included in the governors Laulau spending saga. Governors Fasola’s preference of implementing people oriented programs like the recent 2 million litres of water daily in all district of the state is the different between him and his predecessor, his recent preference of repairing bad roads in Agege an Surulere rather than turning boudillon into Sunset avenue is among his crime against the fame seeking state legislators. Looking back to the rating of Lagos as THE 9TH WORST CITY IN THE WORLD cast ones mind back to the publication of reckless spending by the state government and brings back to mind the issue of corruption in Nigeria. Is the widely acclaimed best governor in Nigeria another fox in sheep’s skin? Has Gov. Fasola been cheating his haring the state largesse? Is the committee set up by the legislative arm of the government credible enough to bring out a true report? Is the cabal running Lagos not different to those that exist in the godfatherism scenario in the east part of our lawless country? With reports of financial reckless in the state, s it possible for the committee not to investigate the past governor about his role in the contracts as it is believed that his interest are all represented in the contracts. It’s a funny development and another serial movie in POLIWOOD? Lagosians are noted to be bench warmers when it comes to politics and it is evident in their governance been dominated by outsiders. The results of the inquiry committee on the alleged financial recklessness of the state government are patiently expected and let’s hope the resent truce between the warring factors won’t sweep the matter under the carpet. The governors is temporarily in the good books of his godfathers and let’s hope this development does not over shadow the true nature of the financial status of our sear Lagos. The 9TH worst city in the world is governed by the adjudged best governor in the country, is this not a strange development? And what is the true nature of governance in Lagos and who is really in charge. The outcome of the committee reports will not give answer to this issue and I urge all Lagosians to be more vigilant and sensitive to governance rather than praise singing for there rights been afforded them by the elected/selected representatives and leaders. Laulau sending will only bring Laulau problems, and if all this Laulau leaders are note cautioned and monitored we may end up in a Laulau situation.Lets come together as truly tell them that; “Eko ni baje”- “ju bayilo”.