By Debbie Eremen
For Aru’Lahi Folami, Lagos Island in particular and Lagos State and Nigeria in general is a passion, a passion developed to contribute his quota to the development and growth of the local government, state and country.
“Lagos Island is where I was born and I grew up, Lagos is my state, and Nigeria is my country. I’m passionate about the three and my passion is anchored on contributing my quota to their development and growth,” he told thegazellenews.com during a one-on-one exclusive interview in Lagos.
Sitting with a team from thegazellenews.com on Friday, 18 October, 2024, at a serene location in Lagos, the man popularly called Aruu Folami by friends and associates was in a very relaxed mood.
“I just came back from an inspection of a project we are working on but I have to keep this appointment because I hold your platform in a very high esteem,” he told the team from thegazellenews.com.
Aruu has passion for regeneration of Lagos Island hence his decision to aspire to become the next Chairman of the local government.
For him, he is going to draw inspiration from the solid foundation laid by the present administration in the local government which he noted has put the premier local government in Nigeria on a sound footing for incoming administration.
“The Toyese Olusi adminstration has done remarkably well, likewise previous administrations before him. My plan therefore is to build solid structure on the foundation they have laid,” he told thegazellenews.com team.
His aim is to regenerate Lagos Island Local Government on all spheres anchored on the Lagos Model City Plan of the Babajide administration.
“Our regeneration plan will cover all spheres of sectors: traffic management, environment regeneration, market upgrading, general infrastructure and transportation among others,” he said.
Aruu can definitely talk about regeneration of his local government, he has the requisite knowledge to do so. He is a cost, project and facility engineering professional and he is bringing lots of his experience in this profession to bear if he eventually becomes the next Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government.
“I’m a cost, project and facility engineering professional. I have been involved in many project and facilities management the experience of which I intend to bring to bear if I eventually become the Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government,” he said.
Aruu indeed knows what he is talking about. He is well educated in his field and has become a proven professional outside the classrooms.
He has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree from the Delta State University; has an Advanced Diploma in Management certificate from the prestigious University of Lagos; and has Higher National Diploma (HND) in Quantity Surveying from the equally prestigious Yaba College of Technology.
He is equally a member of proven professional bodies: Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyor (NIQT); Quantity Surveyors Registration Board; and the Association for Project Management (APM) of the United Kingdom.
These professional qualifications prepared him for major projects across the Nigerian landscape.
He was involved in the design and pre-contract service of the proposed 200-bed hotel in Calabar, Cross River State which costs N2.8 billion; construction of Alaba Model Market for Jubilee Life Mortgage Bank/Belladensaim Limited which costs N1.6 billion and being the project coordinator for construction of campuses for Kwara State University at Ilorin, Osi and Ilesa Baruba which costs N3.9 billion.
Equally, Aruu is project and facility manager for the construction of 1,200 housing units and infrastructure at Igando for the Lagos Building Investment Company (LBIC) which costs N4 billion. He has been involved in the construction of 8km road at Maiganga in Gombe State for Lafarge which costs N1 billion; involved in the construction of Ogba Shipping Complex which cost N2.7 billion and the construction of Eric Moore group of school project.
Administratively, Aruu has been Chairman of Atlanta-Lagos Sister Cities Commission, a twin sister relations between Lagos and Atlanta; Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Red Cross Society and member of the Board of Directors, Lagos State Films and Video Censors Board.
Politically, Aruu is not found wanting. He was the Secretary of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Project Planning Committee; member of the APC Presidential and Governorship Election Campaign Committee and was the Deputy Director of the Lagos State Campaign Committee and was the Chairman of the Lagos APC Polling Units Committee to mention a few of his political activities.
Socially, he is a member of: Island Club, Golden Pacesetters Club and Nigerian Red Cross Society; he is also Otun Oba of Shangisha and Mogaji Adinni of Oregun Central Mosque.
Indeed, Aru’Lahi Issa Olatunji Folami is ready and well prepared to engineer the total regeneration of the Lagos Island Local Government Area of Lagos
