A renowned prose stylist and biographer, Dr Lanre Alfred, has released a seminal new work titled “The Man Who Carried a City,” a richly layered literary biography of Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.

The release of the book marks a heartfelt tribute to the governor’s 60th birthday, which comes up on June 25, 2025.

Alfred, often hailed as the “Doctor of Letters” for his lyrical style and meticulous documentation of contemporary Nigerian history, has once again delivered a compelling account of leadership forged in adversity and refined by vision.

This new title, which stands as his eighth book, joins a distinguished collection of works, such as Titans…The Amazing Exploits of Nigeria’s Greatest Achievers, Pacemaker – Triumphs of Igho Sanomi at 40, and Dapo Abiodun: The State House As His Pulpit.

In “The Man Who Carried a City,” Alfred meticulously captures the evolution of Sanwo-Olu’s public life, from his formative years to his emergence as the governor of Nigeria’s most complex metropolis. Published by Old English Partners, the all-colour, all-gloss coffee table book spans 14 chapters and over 250 pages, adorned with high-resolution photography and rendered in Alfred’s signature poetic prose.

The book opens with the chapter titled “The Clockmaker’s Spawn,” which traces Sanwo-Olu’s upbringing and early influences, drawing metaphoric lines between timekeeping and his approach to governance: precise, anticipatory, and deeply structured. Another standout chapter, “Lagos in His Lungs,” explores how Sanwo-Olu’s entire being is fused with the soul of the city, and how his professional, spiritual, and civic sensibilities breathe in rhythm with Lagos’ heartbeat.

In “The Politics of Listening,” Alfred paints Sanwo-Olu not as a man merely issuing directives but also as a public servant deeply attuned to the pulse of his people, translating citizens’ voices into state policy. Other powerful chapters include “His Tailored Creed,” which explores how his fashion reflects governance philosophy; “2020… The Year Lagos Trembled,” a haunting portrait of Sanwo-Olu’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and #EndSARS crisis; and “Legacy as a Living Covenant,” a visionary meditation on Lagos’ future under his stewardship.

Alfred said that the decision to write “The Man Who Carried a City” was not merely a literary endeavour, but a heartfelt tribute to a man whose governance defies the noisy theatrics of politics and replaces it with quiet, consistent devotion to the people.

Sanwo-Olu, he noted, “is not simply a public servant, he is a civic artisan, meticulous, selfless, and deeply humane. He governs with empathy, listening more than he speaks, and building more than he boasts.”

“We all know that these days, governance has been reduced to soundbites and spectacle, but Sanwo-Olu has shown that power can be wielded with grace, and leadership can thrive on humility. He has mastered the difficult art of presence; of being visibly committed to the people without being performative. This book is my way of preserving that rare philosophy of service,” he said.

Besides, he said that the governor’s legacy was not just brick and mortar, rails and bridges, it is the quiet strength of a man who bore the weight of Lagos with uncommon composure, from the darkest moments of 2020 to the enduring pressures of rebuilding a megacity.