Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has renamed the Onikan Stadium after the Late Mobolaji Olufunsho Johnson.
The governor kicking off the funeral rites of former governor of Lagos State, Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson, whom he described as an astute politician, a gallant soldier and most importantly, elderly statesman, said the Onikan Stadium will henceforth be called Mobolaji Olufunsho Johnson stadium.
Brig. Gen. Mobolaji Johnson died at the age of 83, his son, Deji, confirmed the passing of the retired soldier.
Mobolaji Johnson was born on February 9, 1936, to the family of Joshua Motola Johnson and his wife, Gbemisola Johnson (née Dudley-Coker), his father was of the Egba heritage and was a member of the Royal West African Frontier Force during World War II. His grandfather’s last name was previously Osholero but he changed it to Johnson after the priest who converted him to Christianity.
The Mobolaji Johnson family moved to Lagos during the early parts of the twentieth century. Johnson had five other siblings including his brother, Femi Johnson, founder of Femi Johnson and Company of Ibadan. Mobolaji Johnson started his education at Reagan Memorial Baptist School, Yaba, Methodist School in 1941.
He then attended Hussey College, Warri, 1954. In 1955, he moved to Methodist Boys High School Lagos, the school his father attended, where he finished his secondary education in 1957.
While in MBHS, Lagos, Mobolaji was a good all-round sportsman.
In 1959 Mobolaji attended the Officer Cadet Training School in Ghana. Mobolaji Johnson also attended the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, United Kingdom, between 1960-1961.
The late Mobolaji Johnson was first appointed the Administrator of the Federal Territory of Lagos on January 15, 1966, and later as Military Governor at the creation of the State on May 27, 1967. His regime witnessed an increase in the state’s revenue from N36.7m to N99.7m.
Under his leadership, the state government generated a larger proportion of its earnings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
According to the government then, the IGR was known as “sources under the control of the Lagos State Government”. The Mobolaji Johnson administration began the construction of Ikorodu and Mushin General Hospitals. It modernized the General Hospital, Lagos, by building the new mortuary block, physical medicine department, sewage treatment plant and installation of a standby generator.
His administration commissioned the nurses hostel, doctors flat at Marina, Isolo, Harvey Road Health Centres and also built the maternity annex at Onikan Health Centre and an additional ward at Igbobi Orthopedic Hospital.
It equally opened five new Government Colleges in each of the five divisions of the state.
The Gen. Johnson administration introduced the harmonized teachers’ salaries and conditions of service to enhance the status of the profession and commenced the implementation of the Universal Primary Education (UPE). It also completed projects under the Lagos Water Supply Phase 1 Expansion Programme and designed the Owo Water Works as an alternative to Iju Water Works to serve Ojo and environs. Other strides of the administration are Construction of the Victoria Island Sewage Scheme for Ikoyi, Lagos Island etc.; introduction of the regulations for motorcyclists to wear crash helmets; introduction of Traffic Courts; establishment of Agricultural Extension Works Stations; construction and commissioning of the Government Printing Press at Isheri road in Ikeja.
The event which took place on Tuesday, 3rd December 2019, was well attended by prominent sons and daughters of Lagos State, and the National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other politicians.