By Peter Dansu It was an outpouring of love, gratitude, and celebration on Monday, July 7, 2025, as staff of the Olorunda Local Council De...
By Peter Dansu
It was an outpouring of love, gratitude, and celebration on Monday, July 7, 2025, as staff of the Olorunda Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State showered encomiums on their outgoing Executive Chairman, Hon. Samson Folorunso Olatunde, fondly known as Samola, during a special valedictory forum.
Organized by the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Olorunda chapter, the event was held as part of the Second Quarter Workers’ Forum but was specially dedicated to honour the two-term Chairman for what many described as eight years of remarkable transformation and dedicated service.
In his heartfelt address, Comrade Rasheed Ogunyemi, the NULGE Chairman in Olorunda LCDA, commended Hon. Olatunde for his visionary leadership and outstanding developmental strides. He reeled out a long list of projects executed under the Samola administration, including the construction of a befitting council secretariat, a new legislative chamber and annex, a Christian chapel for council staff, and the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Multi-Purpose Hall.
The NULGE boss also praised the Chairman’s investment in critical infrastructure such as roads, school buildings, and Primary Health Care Centres across the LCDA. On staff welfare, Ogunyemi highlighted the Chairman's commitment, noting that the monthly staff welfare allocation was increased from ₦250,000 to ₦500,000 — a move that greatly boosted staff morale and productivity.
Echoing the sentiments, the Lagos State NULGE Chairman, Comrade Sunday Sewanu Ogunfowora, described Hon. Olatunde as a pillar of support whose generosity and encouragement played a crucial role in his rise to leadership at the state level.
"I make bold to say that every kobo spent during my campaign came from Hon. Samola. His financial and moral backing were unwavering,” Ogunfowora revealed to the admiration of all present.
Members of the council's management, directors, treasurers, staff, and politicians also took turns to praise the Chairman for his inclusive leadership style, transparency, and love for his team.
One of the high points of the day was the conferment of Fellowship Awards by the Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration of Nigeria. Hon. Olatunde, Comrade Ogunfowora, and several top management staff of the council were honoured for their outstanding contributions to grassroots governance in Lagos.
In a surprise gesture that further endeared him to the workforce, Hon. Olatunde gifted a brand-new staff bus to the union for easier staff transportation and presented cash gifts to select outstanding workers in appreciation of their service.
Before the start of the forum, the outgoing Chairman led a commissioning tour of nine newly completed projects — including roads, school blocks, and health facilities — scattered across the council area.
In his remarks, Hon. Olatunde expressed gratitude for the honour and support he received throughout his tenure. “This journey was never about me alone. It was about the people, the team, and the legacy we all worked hard to build,” he said.
As the curtain falls on his administration, the mood at the forum clearly showed that the legacy of Samola will be remembered not just in structures built, but in lives touched and inspired.
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