Mobolaji Johnson

Mobolaji Ohofunso Johnson was born on 9 February 1936 in Lagos, Nigeria.^[1] He was military Governor of Lagos State from May 1967 to July 1975 during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon.^[2]

Early education

Mobolaji Johnson started his education at Reagean Memorial Baptist School, Yaba, Methodist School in 1941. He then attended Hussey College, Warri, 1954. And in 1959 Mobolaji attended the Officer Cadet Training School in Ghana. Mobolaji Johnson also attended the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, United Kingdom, between 1960-1961.

Military career

• Zaria Military Depot, 1958-1959.
• United Nations Peace Keeping Troops, Congo
• He was promoted a 2nd Lieutenant, Nigeria Army, 1961.
• Lieutenant, 1962, Captain, October 1962.
• Appointed Deputy Commander, Federal Guards, 1964.
• Commander, Federal Guards, 1964.
• Deputy Adjutant and
• Quartermaster-General Headquarters, 2nd Brigade, Apapa, Lagos, 1964.
• Major, February 1966;
• Second in command, 4th Battalion, Ibadan.
• Station Commander, Benin, Midwest (old Bendel State).

Biafra War

At the end of the famed Biafra war, Mobolaji Johnson was amongst the federal delegates at the end of the war ceremony. In 1966, after the abortive coup d'etat that put paid to the first Nigerian civilian administration, he became Military Administrator of Lagos State. In 1967 he became the First Governor of Lagos State. Mobolaji's tenure as Military Governor of Lagos State saw the building of major infrastructure in Lagos State.

Building Lagos

• 60.7 kilometre international Express road( Lagos-Badagry Expressway) linking Nigeria with the neighbouring countries Benin, Ghana and Togo^[3].
• Hoikin Bridge to link Epe to Ikorodu.
• Eko Bridge
• Third Mainland Bridge
• A network of Roads and Bridges that constitutes what is Modern day Lagos
• Reclamation of the Bar Beach shoreline.

Another coup ushered in a new military government in 1975. A new administration came in, under an anti-corruption banner.

Retirement

In 1975 at the inception of the then Gen Murtala Mohammed administration Mobolaji Johnson was one of the two state Governors (along with the then Brig Oluwole Rotimi) found not guilty of corruption by the three-man panel commissioned to investigate the various allegations of corruption amongst the State Governors ^[4].

General Mobolaji Johnson retired from Nigeria Army in 1975 and went into private business. He has four children, three sons and a daughter

Later life

Mobolaji Johnson is currently the Chairman of Nigerian Conservation Foundation^[5]

He became a in Director of construction giant Julius Berger Nigeria in 1979 and its chairman in 1996. A post he held until 2009.^[6].

Mobolaji Johnson is currently the Chairman Executive Council of Lagos State University Development Foundation.^[5]

A road, an avenue, and a sports complex in Mobalaji's home state bear his name as well as a Housing Scheme at Lekki both in Lagos

References

1. ^ "General Johnson turns 75". Sunmi Smart-Cole's Photonews. http://photonews.sunmismartcole.com/?p=727#more-727. Retrieved 2011-02-27. 
2. ^ "Nigerian States". WorldStatesmen. http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Nigeria_federal_states.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-12. 
3. ^ http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=
4. ^ Africa Today, By Ralph Uwechue, African Books Limited (2nd edition 1991)
5. ^ ^{a b} http://google.com/search?q=cache:SKsrvu7roqkJ:www.ncfnigeria.org/pdf
6. ^ http://www.tribune.com.ng/12092008/features.html

Further reading

• Johnson, Mobolaji; Olutimehin, Kola (2010). Lagos State - My Life of Service with Integrity: The Making of an Icon. MakeWay Publishing Limited, Ibadan.