By Chief Mike Cerutti O
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” — Mother Teresa.
That quote has quietly defined Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s approach to governance since he took office. At 61, he marks another year not just as a political leader, but as a man whose calendar is filled more with people than with politics. For Lagosians, his age is less a number and more a record of consistent, human-centered interventions.
Long before the gubernatorial seat, Sanwo-Olu built a reputation in banking, health, and public administration. As Commissioner for Commerce and later for Establishments, Training & Pensions, he focused on welfare reforms that put civil servants first. Colleagues recall him as the official who remembered names, attended funerals, and pushed for pensioners’ payments to be cleared faster. The DNA of service was set early, and it has followed him into the State House.
2020 tested every leader. As Incident Commander during COVID-19, Sanwo-Olu chose transparency and empathy over panic. Daily briefings, food palliatives for millions, and free treatment centers showed a governor who felt the pain of the people. He slept in the bunker, visited isolation centers, and took the vaccine publicly to build trust. Lagos survived the peak because leadership was present, not distant, and Lagosians felt that presence.
After the 2020 #EndSARS protests, he didn’t hide. Sanwo-Olu visited victims, set up the Judicial Panel of Inquiry, and personally paid hospital bills for the injured. The “Lagos Cares” social intervention that followed was aimed at rebuilding lives and livelihoods. Whether you agree with every step or not, Lagosians saw a governor willing to sit with grief instead of managing it from afar. That willingness to face pain head-on earned quiet respect across the state.
Health has remained central to his story. From free surgeries under the “Ilera Eko” health insurance scheme, to cancer screening outreaches, to dialysis support for indigent patients, his administration has pushed health as a right, not a privilege. The Maternal and Childcare interventions reduced mortality rates in public hospitals. At 61, he still shows up unannounced in PHCs to check drug availability and staff attitude, because he believes care begins at the last mile.
Education and youth development carry the same imprint. Bursaries, scholarships, and the Lagos STEM programs reflect a belief that human capital is Lagos’ real oil. School renovations, teacher training, and tech hubs like the Lagos Innovation District have opened doors for thousands. Young people trained in coding, digital skills, and entrepreneurship are now building startups and careers. It’s proof that investing in futures pays dividends a governor may never personally collect.
The vulnerable have not been left out. Sanwo-Olu’s government expanded support for the elderly, persons with disabilities, and widows. The “Sanwo-Olu Listens” initiative and monthly food outreach became familiar in communities. During economic hardship, his administration doubled down on subsidized food markets and transport palliatives. The goal was simple: no one should be forgotten because they have no voice or influence.
Infrastructure under his watch carries a human face. Roads and bridges are not just concrete; they are time saved for mothers, access for patients, and safety for children. The Blue and Red Rail lines, completed hospitals, and rehabilitated schools all reflect a design philosophy: projects must serve how people actually live. He often says infrastructure must serve humanity, not the other way around, and Lagosians experience that daily in shorter commutes and better facilities.
Lagos is a city that remembers presence. Sanwo-Olu’s 61 years are marked by showing up — at disaster sites, in traffic, in hospitals at midnight. He turned governance into a human service. Even critics admit he made Lagosians feel seen. In a megacity that can swallow people, he insisted on a personal touch. That is why his name resonates beyond policy papers and press releases.
At 61, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu offers Lagos a case study in endless humanitarian endeavors. His timeline of deeds — from COVID response to Ilera Eko, from youth tech training to welfare outreach — forms a single thread: people first. Lagos will not forget him in a hurry because he treated the state like a family, not a project. As Mother Teresa said, he chose small things done with great love — and in Lagos, small things multiplied into a legacy.
Happy birthday to the total gentleman Governor Sanwo-Olu, long life and peace of the River always
* The Cerutti,a professional wordsmith & recently voted as Africa’s most outstanding humanitarian writer of the year sent this piece from his Ikoyi lagos base.
He can be contacted via chiefcerrutti@gmail.com or SMS WhatsApp network+234 7042631895
