Press Releases

Fashola Mourns Lagos State’s First Public Servant, Adeyemi-Bero

Aug 17, 2008 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has described the first public servant to be employed in Lagos State , Mr. Joseph Omotosho Adeyemi-Bero, who died at the age of 83 on Saturday, as an illustrious pioneer whose contributions to the development of the State’s public service shall remain indelible.

In a Press Release on Sunday signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello, Governor Fashola said as one of the first four principal officers to be appointed by the then Military Governor, Lieutenant Colonel (now Brig. Gen.rtd) Mobolaji Johnson, on the creation of the State on May 27, 1967, Mr. Adeyemi-Bero could be rightly described as one of the founding fathers of the State’s Public Service.

According to Governor Fashola, it was on the shoulders of Mr. Adeyemi-Bero as Acting Administrative Secretary along side three others – Mr. Arthur Edward Houston-Wright (Acting Secretary to the Government ), Mr. F.C.O Coker (Acting Financial Secretary) and Mr. J.O Agoro (Legal Secretary) that the Military Governor, placed the enormous task of building the most populous state in the Federation.

Continuing, Governor Fashola said generations of Lagosians yet unborn would forever be grateful for the unwavering commitment, dedication, patriotism and hard work of Mr. Adeyemi-Bero and the three others known as “the Four Musketeers” which gave Lagos a solid administrative and financial footing.

“That Lagos is known today as the Centre of Excellence is traceable, in more ways than one, to the pioneering exertions of Mr. Adeyemi-Bero and his colleagues in those formative years,” Governor Fashola said.

Recalling that Mr. Adeyemi-Bero served with distinction as Principal Secretary to the Military Governor of Lagos State from 1967, Governor Fashola said the deceased demonstrated the zeal, vision and steadfastness of a pioneer in various other capacities when he served as Deputy Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance and later the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Sports and Social Development.

According to the Governor, it was in recognition of the late accomplished administrator’s invaluable contributions that the former Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu renamed the State auditorium Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium.

While praying to God to grant the soul of the departed sweet repose, Governor Fashola urged the loved ones left behind to take solace in the honourable legacy of service and integrity left by their father, adding that the life and times of Pa Adeyemi-Bero should serve as inspiration to those coming behind.