As a devout Muslim, it is only befitting that the 70th birthday of Hon. Wale Raji, the member representing Epe Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, falls on a Friday, the holiest day of the week in the Islamic calendar.
Born on December 12, 1955, Raji has lived a life defined by discipline, faith, and service. But beyond the symbolism of the day is the symbolism of the man: a politician whose rise did not begin with slogans or rallies, but with years of technocratic work, institution-building, and a deep personal understanding of what it means to serve ordinary people.
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Today, as the Epe Federal Constituency marks this milestone with prayers, goodwill messages, and celebrations, what stands out most is not his age but the imprint of his leadership. From rural schools built from the ground up to welfare schemes that dignify the elderly, and from market revivals to a bold legislative push for a parliamentary governance model, Raji has carved out a political identity rooted in compassion, competence, and measurable impact.
And for many residents who have watched his journey up close, from public-sector technocrat to three-term lawmaker and development advocate, today’s birthday celebration is less a personal milestone and more a moment to reflect on how much one individual’s work can shape the trajectory of a community.
Before Politics: A Career Built on Professional Excellence
Long before he became a three-term lawmaker, Raji was a consummate professional whose growth through Nigeria’s public and private sectors laid the foundation for the leadership he would later offer Epe. Trained as a civil engineer at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and armed with a master’s degree from City University, London, he began his career in banking, rising to Branch Manager at the National Bank of Nigeria in the 1980s.
He later became a significant force in Lagos State’s agricultural and cooperative development landscape. From Assistant Director at the Lagos State Agricultural Development Project to General Manager of the Agricultural Inputs Supply Authority, and ultimately to Permanent Secretary in ministries, including Local Government Administration and Commerce & Industry, Raji built a reputation for discipline, efficiency, and a deep understanding of how public institutions should work.
Those years in the engine-room of government prepared him for a transition into politics — one that would see him apply the same administrative rigour to improving the lives of his constituents.
Legislative Leadership and Community Impact
Raji’s decade in the House of Representatives has been defined by a development-first ethos. His work cuts across education, health, infrastructure, community security, and social welfare, areas where the impact is not abstract but deeply felt.
Just this month alone, the lawmaker has flagged off the training of 200 livestock farmers under a five-day capacity-building programme designed to enhance food production and empower local agripreneurs in Epe. He has also commissioned 360 newly constructed lock-up shops at the Ayetoro Heritage Market.
Education, especially, has become the centrepiece of his legislative legacy.
In June 2025, he announced that three newly constructed secondary schools in underserved communities — Ilege, Oko-Abe, and Owu-Ikosi — would begin full academic operations in September 2025. Each school contains two blocks of six classrooms, modern toilets, full furnishing, and facilities capable of accommodating hundreds of children who previously had no easy access to formal learning.
“This is not just a project, but a moral obligation to bring quality education to the doorsteps of children in rural and underserved areas,” Raji told the Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hon. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, during a formal briefing at Alausa.
The schools are now serving dozens of communities — from Oregun and Oguntedo to Imobido, Idasho, Owu-Ikosi, and even families of the newly relocated Oko-Baba sawmill workers seeking stability and educational opportunities for their children.
Beyond these schools, Raji is also driving major upgrades at Epe Grammar School, including a mini-stadium, two 100-bed hostels, principal lodges, a corpers’ lodge, modern dining facilities, a reconstructed heritage classroom block, improved internal road networks, and a fully equipped ICT Centre. Additional classroom blocks are rising across Temu, Pobuna, and Lofi Ogunmude in different LCDAs.
Healthcare and local commerce have also benefited from his interventions.
In November 2023, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, commissioned three Raji-facilitated projects: a fully equipped 20-bed healthcare centre in Iraye; 86 market stalls at Mojoda; and a rehabilitated one-kilometre road fitted with solar lights.
“Your decision to return me to the National Assembly is what has given me the opportunity to follow up and complete the numerous projects we started,” Raji told constituents during the commissioning ceremony.
He also assured them that more projects “are being executed and many are in the pipeline,” pledging to continue enhancing development across Epe Division.
Beyond Infrastructure
For Raji, representation has never been about concrete and asphalt alone. His Elders’ Welfare Scheme, introduced in 2020, pays ₦10,000 monthly stipend to selected senior citizens (typically aged 70 and above) across the constituency — a rare, structured support system in a country where elderly people often receive little state assistance.
The idea, according to his office, is simple: to honour those who built the community but now no longer have the strength to fend for themselves. The lawmaker has sustained the programme for the past five years and there’s no indication that he’ll stop now as he also hits the 70 mark.
Similarly, his Light Up Epe Project has revived nightlife and boosted economic activities across neighbourhoods long shrouded in darkness. At the December 2022 flag-off of its second phase, solar-powered streetlights were installed across streets in Epe, Eredo, Ikosi-Ejinrin, and riverine communities such as Ladaba and Ise-Igbogun.
“If you are conversant with our leadership style, we don’t make noise. Our approach to politics is enshrined in our works, which speak louder than propaganda,” Raji said, noting that 510 streetlights had been installed under the first phase alone.
Beyond constituency development, Raji has also distinguished himself at the national level.
In early 2024, he led a bloc of 60 lawmakers in a bold push for Nigeria to transition to a parliamentary system of government. The bill, which passed in March, signaled his ability to mobilise colleagues and build consensus around reforms aimed at reducing the cost of governance and enhancing accountability. It was another reminder that his influence extends far beyond the boundaries of Epe.
Why Epe Keeps Returning Him
Raji made history in 2023 when he became the first Epe Federal Constituency lawmaker to win a third consecutive term.
The reasons are everywhere: in the classrooms rising across rural communities, in the lit streets reviving old markets, in the elderly who feel seen, and in the health centres and roads that bring daily relief.
For many constituents, the vote for Raji has never been about party politics alone. It has been a vote for predictability, for steady governance, and for a man whose promises tend to materialise.
A Milestone Birthday, A Life of Service
As Hon. Raji turns 70, he carries with him a legacy defined by compassion, humility, and a clear sense of duty. His story is one of quiet but steady transformation — of a man who brought his administrative discipline into public office and used it to improve lives.
FURTHER READING
Today, across Epe and beyond, he is celebrated not merely as a politician reaching a milestone age, but as a leader whose work continues to inspire confidence in what public service can be. EKO HOT BLOG joins Hon. Raji’s supporters and well-wishers in wishing him a happy 70th birthday.
Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here to find daily analysis and critical insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
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