01/04/2026
This is Michael Otedola, the father of popular billionaire Mr. Femi Otedola.
In 1991, Michael Odedola was elected as the governor of Lagos State. He then took office in January 1992. But he only served as governor for just 22 months before he was removed from office.
Why and what happened? As some of us know, during that time, Nigeria was under military rule and the government was headed by General Ibrahim Babangida. However, in 1991, Babangida's administration introduced a transition program in order to return the country to civilian rule.
So, as part of this program, governorship elections were held in 1991. That was when Michael Otedola was elected as the governor of Lagos State.
But, fast forward to 1993, On 27 August precisely, General Ibrahim Babagida handed over power to an interim civilian government which was supposed to mark the end of military rule. Power was then given to Ernest Shonekan as the head of the interim national government.
Mind you all this time Michael Otedola was still the civilian governor of Lagos state, But Shonekan’s tenure was later cut short after just three months in office when General Sani Abacha seized power on the 17th of November that same year, and now became the new head of state.
When Abacha came to power, the first thing he did was to dissolve all democratic institutions, including the state government.
Abacha’s speech: The state executive councils are dissolved, the brigade commanders are to take over from the governors in their states, until administrators are appointed, where there are no brigade commanders, the commissioners in the states are to take over.
After this announcement, Michael Otedola had no option than to step down as the governor of Lagos State. Then Colonel Olagunsoye Oyinlola was appointed as the military administrator of Lagos State by General Sani Abacha. Unfortunately, Michael Otedola died on the 5th of May, 2014, at the age of 87.