Hakeem Muri-okunola warms up

When the mercur i a l Hakeem Muri- Okunola was tipped to succeed the former Head of Service, he knew he had been thrust into the vortex of history. More importantly, he understood that finally, the ides of fate had called on him to ride and tame the excesses and subtle machinations of time. No doubt, Hakeem, the dark- hued dude has climbed to the top of the greasy pole like a Bengali bride; he has become the object of lust and high affection of every element and juggernaut prowling the cut-throat halls of the Lagos civil service. Prominent civil servants in the State lusting for wealth and perks of high office have re-strategized their blueprint for progress and achieving their heartfelt dreams; as you read, they are milling around Hakeem and singing his praises to high heavens. By this ap- pointment, HMO, as he is popularly known, becomes the youngest ever person to occupy such an exalted position in the history of the Nigerian civil service. He also becomes the most powerful civil servant in the state. An alumnus of the University of Lagos where he read law and the University of London where he got his Masters in Business Law, HMO was employed as Company Secretary at the stateowned Ibile Holdings before he was headhunted by former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who made him his Personal Assistant. He was later moved to the Ministry of Lands as Executive Secretary and later upgraded to Permanent Secretary. It was in this position he came into social, financial and political renown. His financial liquidity became a hot-button issue among bona fide money-men.