Here is an updated list of past governors in Lagos State.
Eko which is the present-day Lagos is the one-time federal capital territory of Nigeria, having experienced the heat of Nigeria’s colonization and the center of the slave trade.
Lagos state was formed on the 27th of May 1967 from colony province and Lagos federal territory.
About Past Lagos State Governors
The office of the governor is one of the executive arms of government and is the first citizen of the state. The governor holds the executive responsibilities of leadership.
Here is a list of the past governors of Lagos state until date:
Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson
He is the one-time governor of Lagos state and took office from the 27th of May 1967 to July 1975.
He was a Nigerian Brigadier and served as the military administrator of the Lagos capital territory from January 1966 to 1977 during the Aguinyi Ironsi regime and became governor of Lagos state during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon.
One thing that stood out for the tenure of Mobolaji was the supervision of the demolition of Ajele cemetery where the likes of Samuel Ajayi Crowther were buried. He also developed the civil service in Lagos state.
He was one of the two governors not guilty of corruption by the probe of General Murtala Mohammed’s administration.
He later retired to private business and one-time director of construction of the Julius Berger Nigeria and chairman executive council of Lagos state university development foundation.
Adekunle Lawal
Admiral Adekunle Shamsudeen Lawal born on February 8th and died November 27th, 1980 served as military governor of Lagos state from 1975 to 1978.
The coup that brought gen. Murtala Mohammed to power got him appointed into office.
He voluntarily retired from the Nigerian Navy in 1979 and died of a brief illness in 1980. One of the major problems his administration faced was the traffic management of the traffic issues in the state knowing how populated it is.
He implemented an odd-even traffic rationing system to ease congestion. Most of his life was in active service to nether Nigerian navy.
Ndubuisi Kanu
He was appointed the military governor of Imo state by the military administration of the Olusegun Obasanjo regime. He was in office from 1977-July 1978. The Ndubuisi Kanu Park was named in memorial of him.
Ebitu Okoh Ukiwe
He is a retired commodore in the Nigeria Navy and served as a de facto vice president of Nigeria from 1985-1986. He became the governor of Lagos state from July 1978 to October 1979.
He fought in the Biafran war from 1967- 1970.
Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande
A one-time Nigerian journalist and became the governor of Lagos State in the year 1979-1983. He later became the minister of work under Sani Abacha.
He died on February 11, 2021. He started a career in journalism with the daily service. He became the governor of Lagos state when he ran for elections under the unity party of Nigeria.
His government constructed over 30,000 housing units. His administration was effective and implemented the cardinal policies of his party.
He established the Lagos state university and was also the first chairman of the Action Party of Nigeria.
Air commandore Gbolahan Mudasiru
He was a Nigerian air officer and later appointed Lagos state governor between 1984 and 1986. He continued the work of his predecessor Alhaji Lateef in improving educational infrastructure and the teaching sector.
He unsuccessfully attempted to ban street trading. He took his last breath in London and was buried there due to a fuse between the Nigerian air force and the Lagos Government on burial arrangement.
Raji Rasaki Alagbe
known as Raji Rasak was the military governor of Lagos state between 1986 and 1991 alongside Ogun state and Ondo state. He began a massive demolition of the city center’s illegal structure and it led to the revival of Lagos state and a boom in the city’s real estate.
He gained prominence during the unsuccessful coup against Babangida’s regime.
Sir Michael Otedola
He is the former governor of Lagos state and one of Nigeria’s top politicians. He assumed office from January 1992 to November 1993. he is a graduate of journalism from Regent Street polytechnic on scholarship.
He was sent out of office by Gen. Sani Abacha’s regime. He returned to his writing career after leaving office His son Femi Otedola became the richest oil giant.
Olagunsoye Oyinlola
He was the governor of Osun state and an administrator to Lagos state from December 1993 to August 1996 under the people’s Democratic Party and defected to the All progressive congress before the 2014 election.
He was part of the launch of the Coalition for Nigeria movement meant to check the APC failings. He is the former chairman of NIMC on resignation.
Mohammad Buba Marwa
He is the current chairman of the NDLEA, a retired army, and the governor of Lagos state during the military regime from 1966-1999.
He became respected for helping Lagos state reduce the crime rate via the operation ‘sweep’ joint police and military.
Mr. Bola Tinubu
He is the leader of the APC. He was a governor of Lagos state from 1999-2007.
He made investments in Lagos state and also the roads to curb the issues of congestion. He was brought before the code of conduct bureau for operating 16 separate accounts and was later cleared by the EFCC.
Akinwumi Ambode
A civil servant for 27years and a financial consultant. He is a political humanitarian and served Lagos state from 2015-2019
Babajide Sanwo-Olu
He is the sitting governor of Lagos state. Before politics, he was the CEO of Lagos state property Development Corporation.
He assumed office in May 2019 under the APC, has been working on various development activities as well as road constructions. He was reported to have mismanaged funds set for the covid 19 relief material.
Another controversy was during the END SARs protests when he imposed a 24-hour curfew and the shooting of unarmed protesters by the military at the Lekki toll gate was reported killing an unconfirmed number of protesters.
These are past governors of Lagos State, Nigeria.