Gbolahan Mudasiru

Gbolahan Mudasiru
Governor of Lagos State
In office
January 1984 – August 1986
Preceded by Lateef Jakande
Succeeded by Mike Akhigbe
Personal details
Born 1945
Died 23 September 2003

Air Commodore Gbolahan Mudasiru (1945 - 23 September 2003) was a Nigerian officer who was appointed Governor of Lagos State, Nigeria, holding office between January 1984 and August 1986 during the military regimes of General Muhammadu Buhari and his successor General Ibrahim Babangida.[1]

As governor, he continued the work of his predecessor Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande in improving schools infrastructure and the standards of teaching. He also introduced improved measures to keep the streets clean and orderly.[2] He attempted to ban street traders, but without success.[3] He set up committees to review the Lagos Metro line project initiated by Jakande, which recommended going ahead with the project, but it was cancelled on the orders of the head of state, General Buhari.[4] After a major fire devastated the Oko-Baba area of Ebute Meta, Mudasiru initiated construction of a medium Income Housing Estate.[5] After he left office, construction of schools ceased and existing buildings were no longer maintained.[6]

Mudasiru died in London on 23 September 2003.[2] Due to a dispute over funeral arrangements between the Nigerian Air force and the Lagos State government, he was buried in London.[7] He left a large estate. The will was disputed, with legal battles continuing between the trustees of the estate and his widow, Mrs Foluke Madasiru and her five children as late as 2009.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Nigerian States". WorldStatesmen. http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Nigeria_federal_states.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  2. ^ a b Maureen Bakare (October 6, 2003). "Tribute to Gbolahan Mudasiru". Guardian. http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/2003/oct/06/0032.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  3. ^ "All Fingers are not Equal". Clean Foundation. 16 July 2009. http://www.cleen.org/allfingersarenotequalreport.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  4. ^ Emmanuel Oladesu (2009-07-22). "‘My participation in Abacha govt was an act of God’". The Nation. http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/11139/1/My-participation-in-Abacha-govt-was-an-act-of-God/Page1.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  5. ^ Ibrahim Sule (2004-03-13). "Flames of Fury". ThisDay. http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2004/03/13/20040313sxt01.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  6. ^ "Poultry sheds: Thirty years after". Compass. 08 DECEMBER 2009. http://www.compassnewspaper.com/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35934:poultry-sheds-thirty-years-after&catid=67:opinion&Itemid=678. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  7. ^ Innocent Anaba (December 5, 2003). "Why Gbolahan Mudasiru was buried in London, by widow". Vanguard. http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/2003/dec/05/0227.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  8. ^ Oye Ogunwale (May 12, 2009). "Blackout stalls courts’ sitting in Lagos • Suit on Mudasiru’s estate affected". Daily Sun. http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2009/may/12/national-12-05-2009-17.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
State Governors in Nigeria during the Muhammadu Buhari military regime (31 December 1983 – 27 August 1985)