EX HOS, ALHAJI (BASORUN) BABATUNDE TAJUDEEN ROTINWA: GOVERNMENT CAN NOT EXIST WITHOUT TAXES ®™√ INN Nigeria ©

As a Natural Science Master’s Degree holder of the Chicago University, the Illinois United State of America, Alhaji Tajudeen Babatunde Rotinwa, who should be in the laboratory of one of the citadels of learning, ironically excelled as a Local Government Administrator who later became Head of Service (HOS) of Lagos State in September 1998. Born on June 29, 1945, in his Ikorodu hometown, Babatunde Rotinwa, after his elementary education at the Muslim Primary School (1952-1959) and Oriwu College (1960-1965) in Ikorodu, gained admission to the Chicago State University in 1971 for a B.sc Degree in Biology.

He completed the course in 1974 and advanced for a Masters’s Degree in Natural Science the same He worked briefly at a Research Library institution in 1975. Assistant (1972-1975) with the University before returning to Nigeria in 1976.

He became inspector of Education Gradel with the Lagos State Government Teaching Service, He taught Physics, Chemistry and Biology at the Epe Grammar School in 1977 and was later CommisSion posted to the Lagos State Government College, Oro where he served as Head of Science Department for the next one year. Providence, however, set-in in March 1978 resulting from the reformation of the Local Government Administration Commission in Babatunde had to transfer his State service Nigeria from Education to Local Government Commission He became Assistant Secretary at the Somolu Local Government Council, where he headed the Task Force, which improved the Counciľ’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He was also responsible for project monitoring for the Council. Due to his impactful services to the State, he was appointed as the Council-Manager to Epe Local Government Council in January 1980, during the second term in office of the late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande. At Epe he initiated the construction of the Council’s Secretariat and Staff Quarters at tamarun He also modernized the Aiyetoro Market and the construction of Aiyetoro Motor park amongst others.

He became Principal Secretary in 1981, due to his unprecedented achievements in projects executions at the Local Government. He was later posted to the Somolu Local Government as the Council-Manager in 1982 where his administration provided street lights and constructed many roads and drainages across the Local Government area. What was most pronounced about Rotinwa’s achievements in Somolu were the emergence of the Council as the Cleanest Urban Local Council in 1985 and also the generation of almost 100% IGR for the Council the same year.

He also won Local Government of the year 1986 in Lagos State, He later served in various capacities in the State including Secretary, Staff Development and Service Matters and Director of Civil Service Reforms among others, He was also one-time Administrative Secretary of the defunct National Republican Convention (ONPC) He serves as the Director for Establishment and Training at the Local Government Service Commission between 1991 and 1993.

The Climax of his service came in September when the then Military administration of Buba Marwa appointed him the Head of Service, the post he held till June when he retired from the service of the local government with over two decades of Local Government cumulative experience, Alhaji Practice in Local Government Administration Babatunde Rotinwa shared part of what he documented in his book titled: “Best Practice in Local Government Administration in Nigeria published in 2016 with Alausa Alert!

Excerpts!

Is there any dichotomy between the civil service of your time and now?

“The truth of the matter is that since 1999, Nigerian politicians have taken over civil service procedures from career Civil servants. What you are seeing now are caricatures”

“Local Government Administrators are supposed to be professional advisers after serious scientific reaches and findings – be it projects or any other management decision issues, we are supposed to advise on the right decision to be taken”

“I will give you a clear example: I was able to make a mark when I became Council-Manager in Somolu Local Government. We were able to get all the stakeholders to be accountable for all actions and inactions. There should be procedures to every decision”

“But that is almost no longer the case. Local and State Governments leadership don’t want to pursue aggressive IGR policy, they erroneously believe it might inconvenient to the people. Sadly, this has affected IGR in the States. It is only the big private organisation that now pay substantial revenue to the government. These days, individuals rarely pay taxes. The NGOs and small trader entrepreneurs don’t pay taxes at all. At the end of the day, most States and Local Governments no longer meet their annual revenue targets”

How was IGR enhanced in your time?

“During the Jakande era, we were focused on IGR. Therefore, the government was able to generate money for development projects that were reference points today”

Way out?

“The way out is to go back to the people, be frank by telling them the truth, which is that no development can take place without the citizens buying in via their taxes. All over the world, governments use tax revenues to provide jobs, build dams and roads, operate schools and hospitals, provide medical care and for hundreds of other purposes”

“Without taxes to fund its activities, the government could not exist. Taxation is used in developed countries as an important tool for maintaining the stability of a country s economy. Payment of tax, in turn, empowers citizens to demand, not beg, that government fulfil its responsibility. It makes the people more conscious in monitoring the government and holding public officers more accountable for their use of public resources”

Any role for the legislative in IGR matters?

“The legislators are to monitor the activities of the executives and make modifications where the need arises. But for them to successfully perform this function, they need to be overly independent, focused and courageous”