‘Exemplary public servant, prominent chieftain of the APC in Lagos’ secrets Sanwo-Olu, Fashola, Adebule, others revealed about Hon. Dr. Akinsanya Sunny Ajose during public presentation of The 200-page book authored by The Nation’s Olatunji Ololade
Lagos stood still in solemn grandeur as political heavyweights, statesmen, and admirers converged for the public presentation of The Sunny Side of Ajose: Triumphs and Legacies of Hon. Dr. Akinsanya Sunny Ajose.
The event, a fusion of tribute and literary celebration, sought to immortalize a man whose life epitomized integrity, governance, and service.
The book launch was part of the burial activities for Ajose, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, who died on Thursday, January 16. He was 78.
The book, written by a multiple-award winning journalist, Olatunji Ololade, who just bagged his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), was meant to commemorate Ajose’s next birthday before his demise.
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It offers a comprehensive insight into Ajose’s distinguished career as a seasoned administrator and grassroots politician; his inspirational biography of how he left an indelible mark on Lagos State Public Service. Ololade wove a masterful narrative, capturing Ajose’s illustrious journey from childhood to his final days as a revered statesman.
Dignitaries graced the event in their numbers, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; former Lagos State governor and ex-Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola; and Senator Idiat Adebule.
Among the attendees were political juggernauts such as Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Lagos State Commissioner for Information Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Home Affairs Ibrahim Layode, and Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa.
Also present were Ajose’s widow, Mrs. Arinola Ajose, his children, kinsmen from Badagry, and a distinguished assembly of Lagos State civil servants and political elites.
Sanwo-Olu extolled Ajose’s unwavering dedication to Lagos, describing him as “a committed family man, civil servant, and community leader. He was a workaholic like me, a custodian of old and new ideas, and an unwavering pillar of positive encouragement.”
Fashola, who penned the book’s foreword, reminisced about Ajose’s influence on his career.
Speaking through his Chief of Staff, Oladimeji Sofowora, he remarked: “My public service experience has been positively impacted by the generosity of those who served before me. Mr. Ajose was instrumental in my early days in Lagos public service and my journey in governance. His work ethic, devotion, and passion for service left an indelible mark on the administration.”
At the heart of The Sunny Side of Ajose is the story of a man whose tenure as Lagos State Head of Service redefined governance. From navigating the labyrinth of bureaucracy to orchestrating reforms that rejuvenated public institutions, Ajose’s contributions are meticulously chronicled in Ololade’s poetic yet incisive prose.
The book’s 200 pages unfurl the odyssey of a technocrat who saw public service not as a career but as a calling.
Speaking at the launch, Ololade reflected on the irony of celebrating a man who, though alive when the book was conceived, did not live to see its unveiling. “It is an irony both cruel and profound that the statesman whose wisdom illuminated the corridors of power did not live to witness this unveiling. What should have been a moment of shared joy has instead become a solemn tribute to a life well-lived and a legacy that endures.”
He continued: “But this book is no mere chronicle of public service. It is the portrait of a man whose humanity was as towering as his intellect, whose generosity was a wellspring that nourished all who drank from it. He was a bridge across generations, a mentor whose words uplifted, and a leader whose principles redefined governance.”
Former Lagos State University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, in his review of the book, lauded its literary depth, describing it as “a compelling narrative of principled leadership, governance ethics, and the burdens of public service.”
He emphasized that Ajose’s impact will echo through generations, serving as both an inspiration and a guidepost for aspiring civil servants.
Josephine Oluseyi Williams, Chairman of the occasion, hailed the biography as “not just a book, but a compendium of achievement, a repository of excellence, and a testimony to the nobility of public service.” She noted that Ajose’s commitment to Lagos was unwavering and that his work should serve as a blueprint for ethical governance.
Through Ololade’s lens, Ajose’s journey becomes an epic, filled with the triumphs and trials of a man who reshaped Lagos’s administrative framework. The biography does not shy away from the turbulence of his tenure, delving into the power struggles, political resistance, and moral dilemmas he encountered in his mission to cleanse the civil service of inefficiency.
Ololade, known for his literary brilliance, elevates the narrative beyond a mere biography. His prose is both evocative and authoritative, presenting Ajose as “a chisel carving order out of chaos,” his reforms likened to “the quiet forging of a steel spine for the Lagos State Civil Service.”
The book, as Ololade put it, “stands as both a testament and a torch—a lighthouse for those who would walk the noble path of public service with integrity, vision, and unflinching dedication.”
In the pages of The Sunny Side of Ajose, said Ololade his ideals, his battles, and his triumphs live on, urging generations yet unborn to embrace the nobility of service, the virtue of integrity, and the power of visionary leadership.
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