The Day I Met the Governor

With the Eko 2012 games around the corner, the advertising awareness campaign had kicked off; our company was responsible for shooting the TV commercial and creating the print ads for the mediums requiring print for the event.

We had finished work on all these when we got another urgent brief that required us to film the governor welcoming people and participants to the event.

I left the office with Muyiwa, my colleague who was the Management personnel in charge of the account. We arrived at Teslim Balogun stadium where we met with top personnel of the organizing committee. We joined them in their bus, a Toyota Hiace branded in Eko 2012 games colors and headed for the State House where the Governor lived in Victoria Island.

Meanwhile, the film crew, DvWorx led by Mr. Femi Odugbemi, had already been informed to meet us there so they were on their way to the State House.

After being checked by the security, we were allowed into the big compound with well manicured lawns and neat white buildings. I dared not take any pictures because of the security guys checking on us intently from time to time.

Eventually, we were led to the building where the shoot would take place; it was a block of lounges or parlours which were sparsely furnitured. An area had been cleared for us and we set up with the film crew. Props of the Nigerian and Lagos State flag along with the Lagos coat of arms were brought in to be placed where the governor would sit.

A crew member sets the lights for the shoot

A thick short man in suit with a walkie talkie came to check out our arrangement and the script of what the governor was going to say. We discovered that he was the special adviser on media to the governor (I can’t remember his name). We had typed everything and loaded it on a teleprompter in readiness, I had also made the necessary corrections before the man cross-checked it to ascertain everything’s in place. Also we were required not to be more than seven people in the room.

Also, all phones, ipads were collected and handed over to security before shooting commenced but at least I was able to snap the location before we started.

Then the Media Adviser informed us that we would only be allowed to do one take.

The Director, Mr. Odugbemi didn’t like the idea. We were hoping to do three takes for editing purposes. Mr. Bashir from the organizing committee told us not to worry, that we’d get at least two takes.

We waited for almost an hour before Governor Babatunde Fashola finally walked in.

He was corporately dressed in crisp navy blue suit. Compared to what I’d seen of him on TV and press, he looked fresh, robust and quite tall; he reminded me of my Dad. Though he wore a skin cut, you could still see follicles of grey on his head. We all stood up and greeted him.

He stopped for a minute and took in all we had set up, a slight frown on his face.

‘Is this how you want to do it? I’m not standing?’ the governor asked.

He was referring to the fact that we had set up for him to sit down and not stand up to give the address.

‘No sir, you’ll be sitting’, Mr. Odugbemi the director replied.

The governor shrugged and sat down.

His lapel microphone had already been fixed before he came in so he was set to go.

When we started shooting, the teleprompter was at first too fast for him so we slowed it down.

Eventually we got two takes and two bloopers.

The governor then stood up with a smile to shake us all for a job well done. He didn't say much except thank us for what we were doing. His handshake was firm yet friendly. I guess he was impressed at how snappy and simple we did everything since he was a very busy man (which was the reason why the Adviser did not want more than one take).

I’ve always wondered how the governor was in person and from this brief meeting I could say he was certainly a simple gentleman.

Its not everyday you come face to face with a man that's making serious impact where others have failed.

Click this link to see the final video: