By Funsho Arogundade
Two years in the saddle as the Commissioner in the Environment and Water Resources Ministry of Lagos State, Tokunbo Phillip Wahab seems to have had a full grasp of the book, chapters and verses of his core mandate. When he was given the portfolio, some considered it a tough job. But given his antecedents as a performer, many see it as a round peg in a round hole. Thus far, Wahab has proven them right and cemented his position as one of the state’s most impactful leaders and become something of a mythic figure in the city’s landscape wars.
Taking cognisance of his lines of achievements, Wahab has been attracting interests from both local and international bodies who tapped him to meet minds with other stakeholders in the climate ecosystem. Recently, Harvard Business School — a private Ivy League research university and one of the world’s most trusted sources of management education and thought leadership— beckoned on Wahab to be on the panel of its 2025 Climate Symposium. Held Saturday September 20 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, the panel session with the theme: “Rising Seas, Resilient Communities: Climate Adaptation Strategies in West Africa”, had Wahab share Lagos’ realities as a coastal megacity and the limitations as a sub-national.
The trained lawyer —with Ivy League credentials and a résumé that runs through the same Harvard Kennedy School and Aluko & Oyebode— explained how the aerial geographic information has shown Lagos’ original landmass of 3,577 sq.m has expanded to 4,050 sq.m due to the massive reclamation of wetlands and lagoon water bodies for real estate construction. He, however, stressed that the state has been exercising its legal powers to check the excesses associated with such human activity by insisting that anyone intending to embark on reclamation must obtain Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval. Wahab summarily presented the State’s clear commitment: to protect the environment, prosecute those who damage it, communicate with citizens through advocacy on safe practices, and work with regional and international partners to build a Lagos that is not just surviving climate change but leading in adaptation strategies. To thousands of participants, including those who joined the conversation virtually, Wahab’s eloquence, gait and demeanour left many awe while his composure, knowledge and mastery of the issues remain impressive.
The post Tokunbo Wahab hits international spotlight appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
