 Hello everyone. It's such a joy to join you all in celebrating my great brother and friend, Senator Adeliki Olorumnibi Mamora, who turns 70 today. I met the much younger Dr. Mamora in 1999 upon his election as a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly. He had been subsequently nominated as Speaker of the House, but a faction of the House of Assembly at the time were opposed to his nomination on the day of the proclamation of the Assembly, which was also the first session of the Assembly. As the then Governor Bola Tinobu tried to announce the inauguration of the Speaker, from nowhere the opposing factions started throwing chairs all over the hallowed chambers and physical encounters ensued between some of the members. The Governor was taken out of the scene to his office, but barely an hour later, the Governor returned to the House of Assembly and the Mamora faction, who were in the majority, witnessed the inauguration of the House and the installation of Dr. Olorumnibi Mamora as the right Honorable Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. In the heat of the violence and the entirely rancorous process, Mamora was cool, calm and collected, as since learned that to be his natural mean and disposition. But he quickly thereafter accommodated the opposing faction and brought all together in the spirit of no victor, no vanquished. Throughout his tenure, until this day, there has never again been a single violent clash in the Lagos State House of Assembly. Mamora crafted a style that was all his own. Right through the countless crises he had to handle in the Lagos House of Assembly, some involving the Executive directly in the early stages of our administration, and others in the in executive and legislative disputes. Dr. Mamora was always that calm voice of reason and a smooth conciliator amidst the dean of discordant voices. It's no wonder then that Dr. Mamora so moved up on the legislative ladder, being elected as Senator of the Federal Republic. Our party, the AC, then ACN, was then in opposition and remained the same principled but fair-minded interlocutor that both the Majority Party and his Minority Party could trust in the resolution of multiple issues or potential conflict which often confronted the National Assembly. His actions were always guided by a resolve to do the right thing, to respect the views and feelings of others and to act in the best interest of the people. This shown through so brightly when the third term issue came up, many of us remember the third term in Broglie, and it almost upset the peace and constitutional balance of the country. Despite the pressures of the moment and the lure of sudden wealth, Senator Mamora refused to be induced against his own conscience. He rallied many of the party's senators to refuse the inducements offered by some members of the ruling party. Eventually, the third term bid failed. It was during that series of events when his personal courage, integrity and commitment to the sanctity of the Constitution showed so clearly that I started calling him the most distinguished of them all, a nickname that I still use as a prefix to his name to this day. Of course, when the all-progressive Congress was formed, and we made a bid for the presidency under the leadership of His Excellency President Mohamed Buhari, Senator Mamora participated most vigorously, serving as Deputy Director of Operations on the Campaign Council and assisting virtually all campaign committees. He has since served this administration as Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Agency, NEWA, Minister of State Health, and now Minister of Science and Technology. The common denominator of his tenure at these various posts is his trademark of integrity and accountability, as well as his people-centered approach to public service. My brother is the most distinguished of them all. On your 70th birthday, I want to thank you personally for your exemplary service to our state and our nation, but more importantly for demonstrating practically that you can be a politician, serve in various positions at the highest levels of public service in Nigeria, and still maintain your personal integrity, be loyal to your friends and colleagues, work hard for a great party, and still be a kind, decent, and God-faring family man. You're now only just approaching the fullness of your potentials, so there is no retirement for you. It's time now for your deep knowledge, maturity, and wisdom to further benefit our nation and the global community in more important positions of service. Today I pray for you that as your day so shall your strength, so shall your wisdom, and favor with the Almighty God. Amen. Happy 70th birthday, my dear brother.