Sanwo-Olu’s Lens of Lagos: Against All Odds, A City’s Soul in Pictures
By Gboyega Akosile
The grand ballroom of Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, became a living canvas of Lagos’ story as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu unveiled Against All Odds, a photographic chronicle of his administration’s journey through some of the state’s defining moments in his first term and part of the second term. The atmosphere carried a symbolism that words could scarcely capture. White-cap chiefs and Lagos monarchs, resplendent in flowing white regalia, gave the evening the splendour of an Eyo procession, as though history, tradition and governance had converged to celebrate the enduring spirit of Africa’s largest city.
The occasion drew an impressive cross-section of Nigeria’s political, business and cultural leadership, once again reflecting Lagos’ place at the centre of the nation’s public life. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, joined Governors Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and Babagana Zulum of Borno State. Also in attendance were Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, diplomats, captains of industry, traditional rulers and leading figures from across the country.
For Governor Sanwo-Olu, the evening was not simply about the unveiling of a book. It was about preserving the story of a city whose greatest strength lies in the resilience of its people.
“Books about leaders are usually written when the story has ended. This one is different,” he said. “The true subject is Lagos itself—the market woman rebuilding her store, the nurse who had not seen her family for weeks during the pandemic, the young person demanding to be heard, the engineer on a bridge project, the school child walking into a classroom that did not exist a year before.”
Authored by the Governor’s official photographer, Ademola Olaniran, Against All Odds traces some of the most defining chapters in Lagos’s recent history. Its pages revisit the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges of the EndSARS protests, the Abule-Ado explosion and tragic building collapses that tested the resolve of both government and citizens. They also celebrate milestones that have altered the state’s landscape, from the Blue and Red Rail Lines to the Lekki Deep Sea Port, alongside significant investments in housing, healthcare, education and food security.
That central message of resilience echoed through the goodwill messages delivered by guests.
Representing Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin described Against All Odds as far more than a collection of photographs. In his view, it is a visual record of governance under extraordinary circumstances and a lasting tribute to the determination of Lagos and its people.
He observed that while the photographs capture landmark projects and physical development, they also preserve the human stories behind them—stories of courage, sacrifice and hope. According to him, Governor Sanwo-Olu’s leadership had shown courage in moments of crisis and foresight when opportunities for transformation emerged.
“This book is more than photographs; it is a testimony of governance under pressure, of decisions taken at critical times, and of a city that continues to rise above challenges,” Barau said. He noted that future generations would find in its pages not merely a record of projects completed but a faithful account of how Lagos navigated one of the most demanding periods in its history.
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, who is also part of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s experience, reinforced that sentiment, reminding guests that photographs possess a unique ability to preserve history beyond words.
“History is not only written in words; it is also captured through the lens. This work reminds us that leadership is not merely about policies and projects but about the people whose lives are touched by those decisions,” he said.
Guests moved through an exhibition drawn from the book. The images required little explanation. Healthcare workers wrapped in protective equipment during the pandemic stood alongside young Nigerians demanding justice during the EndSARS protests. Engineers watched over the rise of new rail infrastructure, while communities scarred by tragedy reflected the resilience for which Lagos has become known.
One photograph, however, drew particular attention. It showed four Lagos governors jointly holding a model train, an image that captured the continuity of vision that has shaped the state’s development across successive administrations.
Reflecting on that journey, Sanwo-Olu said: “Trial upon trial, grief upon grief, yet Lagos never stopped building. Lagos never stopped moving forward.”
He paid tribute to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Governors Babatunde Raji Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, describing them as architects of modern Lagos. Lasting progress, he said, depends on each administration building on the work of its predecessors rather than dismantling it.
“In this state, we do not tear down what our predecessors built; we build upon it. I inherited dreams, and I have laboured to hand over the foundations,” Governor Sanwo-Olu declared.
For Ademola Olaniran, whose camera has documented many of those defining moments, the publication represents the preservation of a shared history.
He said during his remarks that “some leaders are blessed with great stories, while others find great storytellers. This is a great story, and I believe it deserves to be preserved.”
The presence of Lagos’ traditional rulers lent another layer of meaning to the occasion. Their white regalia and quiet dignity reflected the enduring partnership between tradition and modern governance, reminding guests that while Lagos continues to evolve, it remains firmly rooted in its heritage.
As photographs from the book illuminated giant screens across the ballroom, one message became unmistakably clear. Governance in Lagos is not an abstract exercise of policies and statistics. It is found in the determination of families rebuilding after loss, the dedication of healthcare workers, the ambition of young people and the daily enterprise of millions who keep the city moving.
Like many defining moments in Lagos’ public life, the unveiling of “Sanwo-Olu: Against All Odds” reached beyond ceremony. It brought together government, traditional institutions, business leaders, development partners and citizens in a collective reflection on where the state has been and where it is headed. By the close of the evening, the book had become more than a photographic record. It had emerged as Ademola “Demo” Olaniran and his team of photographers envisioned, a portrait of a city that has endured adversity, embraced change and continues to write its story with confidence and purpose.
…Akosile is Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Fawumi Kayode Abiodun
Political Analyst | CEO, Ekocity Media | Publisher, Ekocity Magazine and The Capitol Post
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