FROM LAGOS TO ABUJA ... TUNJI OLOWOLAFE SEEKS FOR AN ENCORE...
They looked at the doors closing on him and taunted him; they failed to see the ones opening ahead. But by the time the dust settled on the derision incited by Dr. Tunji Olowolafe’s detractors against him, they came to the irrefutable realisation that life is short, judgment is difficult and power is transient yet reclaimable amid the humbling intrigues of unforgiving time. It would be recalled that critics and foes of the Chairman of Deux Projects mocked him and rejoiced at what they considered his misfortune when his bosom friend and former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, fell out of favour with his estranged political godfather and benefactor, BolaTinubu; detractors of Olowolafe speculated that he was also estranged from Tinubu and thus persona non grata in political and socioeconomic circuits. But to their consternation, Olowolafe emerged as part of the entourage of Tinubu as he arrived the venue of Pastor Tunde Bakare’s glamourous wedding of his daughter months ago. And while foes of Olowolafe gloried in the likelihood of his diminishing influence and relevance in political and business circuits, providence handed a shocker to them as Olowolafe’s bosom friend, Fashola, recently got appointed as minister of Power, Works and Housing. This to the chagrin of Olowolafe’s detractors, translates to instant wealth and status elevation for the Deux Projects head honcho. While Fashola served as two- time governor of Lagos, Olowolafe allegedly profited from lucrative contracts handed to him on a platter of gold by his bosom friend, Fashola. Olowolafe was subsequently fingered in the impasse and political intrigues between Fashola and Tinubu, and his company, Deux Projects, was named in certain controversial transactions that allegedly tarnished the government and hard- earned reputation of Fashola as a maverick governor and positive change agent.