By Demilade Adeniyi
At exactly 11.25, President Muhammadu Buhari officially inaugurated the 157km double track Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge.
The occasion was witnessed by a galaxy of very eminent personalities among them Ministers of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, his Youths and Sport Development colleague, Sunday Dare, Minister of Works and Housing Mr Babatunde Fashola, Minister of State for Transportation Gbemisola Saraki, and her Health counterpart Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, and the Speaker, House of Representatives Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Others are the Chairman of Governors Forum and Governor of Ekiti State Dr Kayode Fayemi, his colleagues from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor Seyi Makinde and Governor Dapo Abiodun. Royal fathers led by the representatives of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, the Lake of Egbaland, Oba Gbadebo.
Others are the wife of the National Leader of the All Progressives Party Senator Oluremi Tinubu and top government functionaries and eminent personalities among them Africa’s first Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, captains of industries and members of the civil society.
It was Buhari’s first state visit to Lagos is six years and a major major milestone project which linked the nation’s economic capital to Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State and political capital of the Southwest.
Buhari entered the ornately decorated venue, which was the Mobolaji Johnson Railway Station at exactly 10.25am, decked in a blue flowing gown and a blue cap to match. Addressing Nigerians, Buhari happiness that the project which was greeted with pessimism is being inaugurated in the life time of the administration. He expressed commitment to the ongoing massive infrastructural development across the country.