For Folorunsho Folarin Coker, last Monday will go down as most memorable, as he glided graciously into the Golden age plus five before the eyes of his loved ones. The Lagos big boy, and Director General, National Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), was celebrated to high heavens recently when he turned 55 by family, friends and wellwishers.
The day was laced with fun-filled activities for the amiable upward mobile dude, whose popularity and influence has astronomically risen in recent times with enviable pedigree.
Undoubtedly, the former Lagos commissioner for Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, is a well popular man with charisma and grand opulence around him. Long before he became commissioner under Governor Akinwumni Ambode, the man-about-town and top socialite has been a lovable man admired and adored by all sundry for his uncommon sagacity and milk of kindness.
CITYSPY gathered that Folly Coker, as he is fondly called, still commands enormous respect among politicians, government officials as well as captains of industry. The Lacasa Lagos boss is also said to have brokered several deals among top businessmen and government of Lagos State in the past, a situation that attests to his relevance in the corridors of power not only in the state, but also across the South Western States of Nigeria.
It will be recalled that at the twilight of the Babatunde Raji Fashola-led administration, he was appointed Special Adviser on Central Business District, taking over from Derin Disu, a Lagos society woman and daughter of Chief Braithwaite. Before then, he had been Managing Director of Lagos State Number Plate Production Authority.
When Folarin-Coker, was appointed by Muhammadu Buhari as DG, NTDC it was one appointment that many applause as they did not doubt the capacity of the man that raised the bar at the Lagos State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism.
Since his appointment, Coker initiated a lot of programmes that have further made the agency more attractive to the stakeholders.
He has further put the country in the global map in the area of tourism which was formerly non existing. Since his take over, the industry which was in the state of comatose has experienced a tramendious turnaround.
