August 28, 2026
Retirement has left Lagos pensioner, Michael Olawale Odesanya, confronting what he describes as a painful and uncertain wait for his retirement benefits after 30 years in service.
In this interview with Damilola Ogunsakin, Odesanya speaks about the bureaucratic delays surrounding his gratuity and pension, the difficulty of meeting basic needs without a regular income, and the plight of other retirees, some of whom, according to him, have died while waiting for their entitlements.
Tell us about your career in the local government service.
I’m Michael Olawale Odesanya. I got employed into the Local Government Service Commission on July 4, 1996. So, when you add up from 1996 to 2026, that gives you 30 years. I was in the service for 30 years. I started as an Administrative Officer and ended as a Chief Administrative Officer, with various duty posts that I’ve administered. The last one being Administration and Human Resources.
