The Director General of South West Initiative (SWI), Razaq Olokooba, has extended warm birthday wishes to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, describing his life as ‘fulfilling and well spent’ on the occasion of his 60th birthday celebrated on June 25, 2025.

Olokooba issued a tribute on Wednesday, praising the governor’s exceptional leadership and describing his six-year tenure as a blueprint for progressive governance and sustainable development.

He noted that Governor Sanwo-Olu has remained steadfast in delivering people-centered programmes and driving the state towards Eldorado with results evident to everyone.

Highlighting the administration’s achievements, Olokooba commended Sanwo-Olu’s focus on infrastructure, education, environment, youth empowerment, entertainment, agriculture, and food security, all of which have contributed significantly to improving the quality of life for Lagosians.

He emphasized that The THEMES+ agenda under Sanwo-Olu in Lagos state has become a symbol of disciplined and visionary governance, adding that efforts of the Lagos government in the last six years have transformed Lagos into a 21st-century economy, making it a model state for others to emulate.”

Part of his goodwill message reads: ‘’Today, we specially celebrate our darling Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for a quality life of service, and a life well spent in service for humanity.

“We have all been touched and impacted by your vibrant leadership, your people-oriented programmes, and your disciplined adherence to the progressive principles of the THEMES+ agenda. Without a doubt, the center of excellence has been propelled to a greater and more prosperous height under your watch in the last six years. 

“Your massive impact within the agricultural and food systems sector, particularly the Logistics Food Hub Projects and the Middle-Level Markets (MLM), is already setting standards, not just in Nigeria, but across Africa.

“Your unwavering commitment to public service and the advancement of our great nation remains a pillar of strength in our collective pursuit of national renewal and prosperity.”

Olokooba speaking on some of the governor’s main six years of developmental achievements in Nigeria’s commercial capital had these to add: “We commend Sanwo-Olu for the transformation of Lagos’ transport infrastructure by giving us the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project—a 37-kilometer rail line, with 27 kilometers now operational from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in central Lagos.

“The Red Line’s rollout was complemented by five new flyovers in Yaba, Oyingbo, Agege, Mushin, and Ikeja. Sanwo-Olu also expanded marine transport by commissioning 15 locally built ferries, each with a 40-passenger capacity, to improve access to Lagos’s waterways. This initiative underscores the state’s push for a multi-modal transport ecosystem—rail, road, and sea.

“Similar to the rail, road infrastructure has seen significant investment. By mid-2024, the state had completed and commissioned 172 roads covering nearly 178 kilometres. An additional 253 projects, amounting to over 298 kilometres of roads and 5.64 kilometres of bridges, were under various stages of completion.

“Following Lagos state’s launch of Economic Development Update, revealing a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $259bn making it the second-largest city economy in Africa after Cairo. Recall that in the first half of 2024 alone, the Lagos economy grew from N19.65tn to N27.38tn —demonstrating resilience in the face of national economic headwinds.

“Sanwo-Olu’s initiative of structural reforms by converting the Lagos State Polytechnic into the Lagos State University of Science and Technology and merging two colleges of education into the Lagos State University of Education enhanced the capacity and streamlined academic governance.

We at South West Initiative as a pro-democracy and good governance organisation are happy to have been supportive all the way, and as our amiable Governor Sanwo-Olu marks this Diamond milestone, we join your family, associates, and the good people of Lagos State and Nigeria in honouring your achievements and legacy of service. May the years ahead bring continued health, joy, and enduring peace,” Olokooba further asserted.