•New Baba Eto Of ILARA
His real name is Folorunsho Folarin-Coker, but he is popularly known as ‘Foli Coker’. He is a renowned Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneur with years of experience in public administration. He is currently serving a 2nd term as the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).
As
DG, he has conceived the ‘Tour Nigeria’ brand to drive domestic consumption of
tourism assets and products in Nigeria, create new channels of expression,
commercialize tourism and generate employment. He has also partnered with
digital powerhouses like Google, Facebook and Wikipedia to leverage their
platforms and digital reach, to drive Domestic Tourism awareness and promote
the best of Nigeria locally and internationally.
He
is a household name in social and government circles. His father was a Lagos
High Chief. Late Elder statesman Chief Folarin Coker (Saba Eto of Lagos) was a
highly regarded personality and a famous socialite.
Being
the owner of the famous LACASA brand, Folorunsho Coker was a very successful
business entrepreneur before his Public Service Career began in 1999. Prior to
his present appointment, he served Lagos State Government in various capacities
including: as Principal Aide to His Excellency, Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed
Tinubu as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor. He also served as the
founding Chief Executive Officer to the Lagos State Number Plate Production
Authority and as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business
Districts.
As
the Lagos State Commissioner of Tourism, Arts and Culture, he established a
tourism roadmap for the state, which aimed to re-tell the story of Lagos
through the “ONE LAGOS” brand.
Born
on 27th July 1965 to the Lagos families of Coker of Olowogbowo and Agoro of
Idumota, Foli Coker attended “Corona School” and “St Gregory’s College, Lagos
for primary and secondary school education respectively. He studied for
A-Levels at St Bees School in Cumbria. England and graduated from Manchester
University with a B.A. Hons in Combined Studies. Thereafter, he obtained a
Postgraduate Diploma from the University of West Minister in London.
Folorunsho
Coker likes to spend quality family time at home or travelling with his family.
He is a member of several social clubs in Lagos (Island Club, Yoruba Tennis
Club, Metropolitan Club, Polo Club, etc). He is passionate about water sports
and spends quality time boating.
On
Thursday, August 19, 2021, DAMILARE SALAMI
08155134152 had a chat with this ever-busy Lagosian where he revealed how he
felt about stepping into his father’s shoes. Below are excerpts from the chat,
enjoy.
Congratulations
sir. You have just been named the Baba Eto of Ilara Kingdom. What does that
title mean to you?
Thank
you so much. I feel so honoured, being the Baba Eto of Ilara means a lot to me.
Kabiyesi and I have been friends for a while. I really cannot describe the
honour of him giving me a title in Ilara and particularly, my father’s title in
Ilara. And the pronouncement that it is not just Ilara but also in the source,
which is Ile Ile, that is Osun State. It means that the Oni himself is
conferring this title on me; sp I am deeply honoured. I have lived and my
father passed on last year and I saw him as the Baba Eto of Yorubaland for the
better part of my life. To now begin that journey after service to my state and
country, now service to my people in the footstep of my father, I cannot
quantify the honour. I am deeply, deeply grateful to kabiyesi for starting the
process and deeply grateful to the Ooni for announcing through his
representative that I will become the Baba Eto of the source.
Very
briefly sir, how do you intend to use your new office to promote the people of
Ilara and the Yoruba culture at large?
With
my office, I am taking this title as a promotion of the Yoruba culture already.
With the individuals that I know who are the kings in Yorubaland that have
honoured me today, the Alara and the Ooni, I know them well, I know that they
are people who are not about their titles; they are people who care about their
people. If you look at what has happened in the source, there’s commerce, there
are jobs, there a taxable jobs and income for the people. So I am going to use
my 21 years in government from 1999 till today to advise, to support, to
contribute and make sure that the kings that honoured me with this title are
not disappointed. May they live long to see the kind of transformation the
opportunity accorded me will bring to our land.
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