By Funsho Arogundade
Greatness, humility and servanthood. These are the three characteristics that define the personality of Hon. Ayodeji Adebayo Joseph. This genial grassroots politician is so passionate about people’s development and their well-being. That’s his essence which made him quit a thriving corporate career for a public service life. Joseph is an avid believer in the fact that young people should be in government; not as errand or corner boys but as those who could actually wield the power to implement ideas and policies. And he has been one since he won his first elective position as executive chairman of Apapa Local Government in 2008. Joseph has since gone ahead to take up further responsibilities at the national level as a Federal lawmaker.
As the ever-rising demand for affordable housing rises in Lagos, the state government has also been making efforts by being creative with policies and incentives as enablers to help people have decent roofs over their heads. To achieve this mandate, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu summoned Joseph from his national duty to assume duty as the Chief Executive Officer of Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) in November 2021.
Spotlight learnt the appointment stemmed from the governor’s confidence in the wealth of experience of Joseph and his demonstrated capacity to reposition LSDPC for the future. Indeed, Joseph, a former top banker at GTBank, came prepared as a public officer. His resume is rich and loaded. As the time passed, Joseph advanced the contribution of LSDPC to property development and management in Lagos and turned it into the real estate provider of choice in Africa. He has led LSDPC into recording remarkable achievements. The successes are too numerous to roll out, including signing an MOU with Ministry of Finance Incorporated, MOFI to transform Federal Government abandoned properties scattered across Lagos, and the recent groundbreaking ceremony of Platinum Shopping Complex, Ojo, Lagos, featuring over 1,000 retail shops, warehouses, and vibrant food courts. Joseph has been doing an amazing job at the corporation with his name ringing all over the place. Yet, the man has maintained an attitude of genuine humility, happy to let others take all the credit.