For Arulai Olatunji Folami, dignity, commitment, perseverance and loyalty are vital ingredients of not only making it in politics but also in life.
“Anything I’m involved in, my philosophy has always been to maintain my dignity by through perseverance, commitment and loyalty to the cause,” he once told this reporter.
According to him, these attributes have been his guiding lights since his sojourn into politics and these qualities have been responsible for his rise.
“These are the vital ingredients imbued in me that made pitch my tent with politicians of the Progressives creed,” he said.
Thus for over 40 years, Aru, as he is popularly called, has been championing the progressive ideals and ethos under various progressive parties such as: the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN); the Social Democratic Party (SDP); the Alliance for Democracy (AD); the Action Congress (AC); the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); and now the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“He has never waiver in his beliefs in the progressive principles, unlike some politicians who have formed the habit of cross carpeting, from the progressive party to the conservative and back to the progressive party,” a top member of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), most powerful decision-making body in Lagos told our correspondent.
Indeed, Aru has proven a loyal and committed party man over and over again whether leaders’ decision favours him or not.
In 2003, Aru was arguably the leading contender for the chairmanship seat of the oldest local government in Nigeria, Lagos Island Local Government. However when the leaders decided that he would not be given the ticket, Aru took the decision in his strides despites huge resources he expended on the project. Today, his feet are still firmly rooted in the Progressives, he did not complain, he did not waiver.
He is not a man without experience in party duties and assignments. Olatunji Arulai Folami has thus worked, toiled and served the Progressives in various capacities for many years carrying out one assignment or the other.
These include:
Assistant Zonal Secretary, UPN, Ward B2, Lagos Island, 1983.
Apex Leadership Member, Social Democratic Party (SDP) 1992 – 1993
Vice Chairman, All People’s Party, Lagos Island, 1999.
Apex Leadership Member, Alliance For Democracy, Lagos Island, 2000.
Lagos Island Local Government Chairmanship Aspirant, Alliance for Democracy (AD), 2002.
Lagos State Director of Research and Strategy (ICG) for the election of Governor Raji Fashola in 2007 & 2011.
House of Assembly Aspirant in 2014 under the APC All Progressive Congress (APC).
Lagos State Coordinator, for the Riverine Area Campaign Committee (ICG) for the election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu (2019).
Lagos State Director of Research and Strategy, All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Support Group for the election of President Buhari (2019).
Publicity Secretary of All Progressive Congress (APC) Lagos Island Local Government (2019- to date)
Secretary, Lagos State Election Planing Committee (EPPC) for All Progressive Congress (APC) 2023 Re-election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu.
Chairman, Lagos State Polling Unit Committee for All Progressive Congress (APC) at the 2023 Governorship and Presidential Election (Coordinating over 13,325 Polling Units in Lagos State).
Lagos State Deputy Director of All Progressive Congress (APC) Campaign Committee for 2023 election.
Over the years, he has proven to be an astute politician, well mentored with the experience and exposure needed to promote the party ideals and inculcate those progressive ideals in the upcoming young politicians.
Indeed, he is a bridge builder with vast political and managerial experience suitable to occupy the position of the chairmanship of Lagos Island Local Government.
