Good Night, Engr Lash

Business and political associates, friends and well wishers as well as family  members last week gathered in their hundreds to bid farewell to Engineer Bolanle  Lashengbe, a.k.a Engineer Lash who died 13 October, 2010 at the age of 59.

Both at the Christian wake on 28 October and the funeral service held at Anglican  Church of the Ascension, Omodara Street, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, the crowd was  a clear testimony to a life, though short, was not only eventful but fulfilled.

Born on 22 November, 1951 to the family of Jon Olashengbe Ehinmitan of Ode Yare  quarters in Akare Akoko, Ondo State, Engr. Lash was an alumni of both the Obafemi  Awolowo University, Ile Ife, where he studied Food Technology and later the  University of Ilorin where he read Civil Engineering.

He was a pupil engineer at the former Nigerian Airports Authority, NAA, now Federal  Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, during his National Youth Service Corps, NYSC  programme in 1984.  He later worked with different companies including Bouygas and  the defunct National Oil and Chemical Company.

An accomplished professional, Engr. Lash until his death was the Chief Executive  Officer of his own companies, GCN Limited, Westover Agencies Limited, Maboni  Investments Limited and Technique Duex Mille.

During the eight year period that Engr. Rauf Aregbesola was Commissioner for Works  in Lagos State, Engr. Lash was his Special Assistant and utilized his professional  competence and experience to ensure the success of his boss.

As a committed and highly dedicated member of Aregbesola’s political family, the  Oramiyan Group, Engr. Lash was reported to be a close friend and confidant to Engr.  Aregbesola.  Since the latter left office as Commissioner for Works, Lash had been  associated with his political ambition to emerge the governor of Osun State. Until  death came calling 13 October, after a protracted battle with asthma, he was  Aregbesola’s Chief of Staff and a staunch member of the Action Congress of Nigeria,  ACN, in Osun State.

In a tribute, The Osun Defender, in an editorial on 19 October, quote William  Shakespeare: “All the world is a stage and all the men and women are merely players,  we all have our exits and our entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts.”   The newspaper noted that Engr. Lash played his own part and he indeed played it very  well pointing to his hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to the ideals of  justice, fairness, democracy and good governance which he upheld strongly while  alive.

An avalanche of tributes rained during the burial programmes.  His first and only  daughter Mrs. Oluwabunmi Lars, a Barrister at law wrote: “Daddy, it is very  difficult to write this tribute because your departure is still a shock to me. If  given a different circumstance, I could write a book about you.” Concluding a long  trestle she wrote, “Daddy, your departure hurts me deeply but I am consoled that you  are resting in the bosom of our Lord. I love you, in my heart you are not dead but  rather you live on. Rest in peace, my beloved daddy.  Adieu.”

Chairman of Amuwo Odofin LGA, Comrade Ayodele Adewale and Prince Bisi Yusuf,  chairman, Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, both of Lagos state described the late Engr. Lash as a  dependable ally who had remained unshaken in his belief in democratic principles.

Others who paid glowing tributes to Engr. Lash include Prince Rotimi Agunsoye,  Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lagos State, Otunba Mrs.  Yetunde Arobieke, Chairman, Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area and of course  Engr. Rauf Aregbesola.

The summary of the tributes and mourning summarized their heart felt wishes which is  Engr. Lash, Good Night.’

—Moyo Fabiyi

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