Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, sent audience laughing at the launch of Africa Rise and Shine, a book by Zenith Bank Chairman, Jim Ovia, in Lagos on Monday.
The launch held at Eko Hotel & Suites attracted heavyweights from politics and business.
Among speakers at the event was Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Lagos, whose reported rift with Ambode threatens to deny the governor of a second term in office.
After Tinubu, host for the event, IK Osakioduwa, invited Ambode to deliver his speech,
After acknowledging the dignitaries present, Ambode said he was not prepared to give a speech.
“Actually, I didn’t prepare to come and say anything here… And who am I to speak after the Jagaban has spoken?” Ambode joked.
The governor proceeded to eulogise Ovia after the laughter from the audience had subsided.
“The truth is, there is no person that has actually gone through the profession of accountancy that would not have had anything to do with Uncle Jim, and that is the truth,” Ambode sad.
Ambode, Tinubu and other guests later posed for pictures together.
Among those present at the book launch were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa; River State Governor, Ben Ayade; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele; Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Christopher Kolade; UBA Chairman, Tony Elumelu; former Access Bank Managing Director, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; doyen of accounting, Akintola Williams, Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers Sam Amuka-Pemu.
