An African proverb did say that “if you’re a good person even after death your grave is loved” and such can be said of Pa. Simeon Kiki Whenu – the 16th Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Lagos.
Pa Simeon Kiki Whenu breathed his last in the dying hours of Monday, 23rd September 2019 in his countryhome, Badagry at an old age of 82.
As series of condolence messages started pouring in, the Executive Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Hon. Onilude Segun Adeniran noted that he is convinced that the insightful lessons, thoughts, resourcefulness and patriotism of Pa. Kiki will be irreplaceably missed especially on the frontline of politics and morality.
Also Hon. Samson Folorunso Olatunde, the Chairman of Olorunda LCDA noted that Pa. Kiki Whenu is a leader per excellence while others such as the former House of Assembly member, Constituency 2, Suru Hodewu Avoseh, High Chief Mobee of Badagry among other dignitaries are paying their respect.
The Special Adviser for Arts and Culture, Bonu Solomon, recalled that the former chairman initiated the current Badagry Roundabout and Garage which is a commercial nerve centre of the city now.
Pa Kiki Whenu was born on Thursday, 8th April 1937. He attended Methodist Primary School, Badagry from 1946 to 1948 before proceeding to Baptist Primary School, Zaria in 1949.
From 1950 to 1951, he was schooled at Anglican Primary School,
Ogwachukwu in the then Mid-Western Region and obtained his First School Leaving Certificate from Methodist Primary School, Badagry in 1954.
He also holds a Diploma in Building Construction from the Blaze Memorial Institute in Abeokuta from 1958 to 1962 as well as a Full Technological Certificate in Building Craft and Intermediate (1969) and Advanced City and Guild Certificate (1966 – 1968) from Tottenham Technical College, London.
Mayor Emeritus of the Badagry City as Pa. Kiki Whenu is fondly called started his career as a teacher at the Methodist Primary School, Owo, Ado Odo in Ogun State from 1955 to 1957 before being appointed as the Works Supretendent from 1962 to 1965 at the University of Ibadan after which he joined the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Transport in 1969.
Up until his demise, Kiki Whenu was the Chairman/CEO of Kiki Construction Nigeria Limited which he started in 1981. He was also the Chairman of Badagry Local Government from 1991 to 1993.
He was also in charge of the former Lagos State Governor, Lateef Jakande’s prototype classrooms in Lagos State in 1979 as the building manager at the Lagos State Ministry of Works, Work Management Board.
Mayor Emeritus held several appointments such as Board Member, Baker Nigeria Limited (1987 – 1989); Member, Governing Council, Lagos Technical College, Ado Soba; Member, Lagos State Waste Disposal Board (1991 – 1993) and Commissioner, Lagos State Civil Service (2000 – 2005).
“No one indeed wants to die even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there, yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it and that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life” Steve Jobs.
Adieu Pa Simeon Kiki Whenu
