Babatunde Fowler
The steady and exponential growth of the internally-generated revenue of Lagos state since the return of democracy in 1999 is proof that courage will always triumph over adversary and order can conquer daunting chaos. This is provided there are men of proper competence, undeniable will and indefectible optimism focused on achieving one goal. If these people are led from the front by someone of deep vision and industry, there is hardly anything such a team cannot achieve.
The story of Lagos state becoming the only economically viable state in the nation despite its small land mass and absence of natural resources has many diverse versions. However, the common denominator in various debates remain the players that actualised and have sustained the dream. They are the visioneer Supremo himself and a national leader of the APC, Former Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the Legal Genius, Former Attorney General of Lagos State, Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo; and the Actualiser, Babatunde Fowler. The first two have gone on to leave their mark on the nation, using their gifts to positively impact the polity; the last man recently got the golden call to head the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Analysts believe the leap in tax collections from about N15 billion in 1999 to well over half a trillion in 2014 stood on a tripod of factors: a) The strategic catalyst and vicarious desire of Bola Tinubu to see Lagos become the Centre of Excellence and independent of federal government funding; 2) The legal framework constructed by Prof. Osinbajo to give the dream a foundation to stand on; and Fowler’s incredible engine, dexterity and professionalism to bring it all to life.
From the moment he was appointed the pioneer Permanent Secretary/Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue on the 24th of November 2005, …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
