- L-R: First Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Chief Folarin Coker, Commissioner for Information and Strategy , Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba and the current Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Oluranti Odutola during a courtesy visit to the Ministry by Chief Coker, as part of activities marking his 90th birthday
Pioneer permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Lagos State, Chief Folarin Coker, also known as Baba Eto of Lagos, who is now 90 years has availed the secret of longevity.
He gave the secret when he paid a courtesy call to Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Remi Ibirogba, in Lagos. Coker who served as the first permanent secretary of the ministry in 1973 said the Ministry of Information, Tourism and Culture, as it was designated during his time, was the heart-beat of government and was tasked with the onerous responsibility of projecting the government and serving as its image maker.
He said the visit was part of activities to mark his 90th Birthday slated for Monday, July 22nd, explaining that the thought of the ministry came to his mind as one of the few places he had fond memories for. He called on the present leadership and the entire staff not to rest on their oars, but work hard to continue to portray the image of the state government.
He advised staff of the ministry to eat rightly, rest well even in their busy schedule and trust in God, these he said are the major recipe for longevity. In his response, Ibirogba, who congratulated the visitor for turning 90 years, said he and his team are doing everything possible to build on the foundation laid by the founding fathers.
He disclosed that in order to preserve history, including efforts of the likes of Chief Coker, the state government established the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB ), under the supervision of the ministry for documenting archival materials that tell the story of Lagos, stating that LASRAB had become the reference point in archiving in the country.
Permanent Secretary, Mrs Oluranti Odutola, thanked God for sparing the life of Chief Coker to attain the ripe age of 90. She said the ministry had grown in leaps and bound as the state government’s mouth piece and image maker.
She explained that “Strategy’’ was added in 1999 under the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in line with the administration’s desire to be ahead of its peers and critics, stressing that information and strategy are essential for good governance.
Mrs Odutola said the journey had been fruitful and wonderful and thanked Chief Folarin Coker and his team for laying the solid foundation which the present management and staff are building upon. Send us your press releases, stories through [email protected]
