Retired Lagos Civil Servant Michael Odesanya Speaks on Delayed Pension, Gratuity and Life After 30 Years of Service
Retired Lagos Civil Servant Michael Odesanya Speaks on Delayed Pension, Gratuity and Life After 30 Years of Service
Retired Lagos civil servant Michael Odesanya says delays in receiving his pension and gratuity have plunged him into financial hardship after 30 years of public service.
After 30 Years of Service, Retired Lagos Officer Says Delayed Benefits Have Become a Daily Struggle
For many workers, retirement is expected to mark the beginning of a quieter and more comfortable chapter of life after decades of dedicated service.
For Michael Odesanya, however, retirement from the Lagos State civil service has brought an unexpected financial struggle.
Odesanya, a physically challenged former Head of Administration and Human Resources at Kosofe Local Government, retired on March 13, 2026, after spending three decades in government service.
Rather than settling into retirement with the financial security he expected, he says he has been forced to depend on the assistance of friends and relatives while waiting for his retirement benefits.
Speaking about his experience, Odesanya said the delay in processing his retirement benefits has placed significant pressure on his family and made everyday expenses increasingly difficult to manage.
His story also highlights the challenges that retirees can face when administrative delays occur after decades of public service.
Who Is Michael Odesanya?
Odesanya joined the Lagos State Civil Service on July 4, 1996.
Born in 1966, he is married and has four children. He lives with his family in Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Before retiring, he served as the Head of Administration and Human Resources at Kosofe Local Government. His substantive position was Chief Administrative Officer on Grade Level 14.
Over the course of his career, he worked in several local government administrations, including Somolu Local Government, Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area, Ikorodu West LCDA and Kosofe Local Government.
After 30 years of service, he expected retirement to provide an opportunity to rest while remaining active and useful to society.
Instead, he says the period following his retirement has become one of uncertainty.
A Retirement Ceremony Filled With Appreciation
Odesanya recalled that his retirement ceremony was a memorable occasion.
The event was organised by the leadership and staff of Kosofe Local Government and coincided with his 60th birthday.
He specifically acknowledged the Chairman of Kosofe Local Government, Moyosore Ogunlewe, the Council Manager, Mosunmola Okoka, and other members of staff for making the occasion memorable.
According to Odesanya, the celebration made him feel appreciated after years of service.
However, he said one disappointment was that a promise concerning official vehicles for some retiring senior officers, including himself, was not fulfilled.
At the time, he did not expect that his bigger challenge would come after leaving office.
How Odesanya Became Physically Challenged
Odesanya said he was born healthy and began walking at about seven months old.
According to him, his disability resulted from polio, which he contracted when he was about two years and 10 months old.
He recalled that his family initially believed he was suffering from malaria. However, his condition deteriorated, and his limbs gradually stopped functioning normally.
After he was taken to hospital, doctors reportedly diagnosed him with polio.
His parents pursued treatment for him, including surgery performed by the late Dr Atunrase.
Eventually, his family focused strongly on his education, helping him overcome the limitations created by his disability.
His educational journey eventually opened the door to government employment.
How He Joined the Lagos State Civil Service
After graduating, Odesanya benefited from a policy introduced during the administration of former military administrator Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
He said the policy encouraged the employment of physically challenged graduates.
That opportunity eventually led to his employment in the Lagos State Civil Service several years after graduation.
From there, he built a career spanning three decades.
Despite the physical challenges associated with his condition, Odesanya continued to work and eventually rose to a senior administrative position.
Challenges Faced by Persons With Disabilities at Work
Odesanya said one of the biggest difficulties he encountered during his career was inadequate accessibility in public buildings.
He recalled having to navigate staircases and offices that were not designed with people living with disabilities in mind.
However, he said his experience with local government chairmen was generally positive.
According to him, several of the chairmen he worked with understood his condition and ensured that trained aides were employed to assist him with mobility and other physical challenges.
He expressed appreciation to those officials, saying their support made it possible for him to perform his responsibilities despite the infrastructural limitations.
The Retirement Benefits Problem
Odesanya's major concern began after his retirement.
Ironically, he had considerable knowledge of the retirement process because he worked in human resources and was responsible for staff records.
He explained that retirement files routinely passed through his office while he was still in active service.
As a result, he personally prepared his retirement documentation and ensured that the required documents were submitted through the appropriate channels.
According to him, the expectation was that his file would proceed from the Local Government Service Commission to the Lagos State Pension Commission.
However, he said several months later, officials at Kosofe Local Government informed him that his retirement file, alongside those of other retirees, had been returned without being processed.
He said retirees were subsequently asked to submit additional documents, including Pension Fund Administrator statements and bank statements covering periods before retirement.
Odesanya said this came as a surprise because he believed relevant salary records and payment documentation had already accompanied the original retirement submissions.
Questions Over the Processing of Retirement Files
After learning about the delay, Odesanya said he began making enquiries at the Local Government Service Commission.
He said some officials attributed the problem to the absence of newly appointed commissioners.
The explanation, he said, left him concerned because retirement benefits for career civil servants should, in his view, continue to be processed regardless of changes in political or administrative leadership.
Odesanya also pointed to the departure of experienced officials who previously had responsibility for supervising the commission's work.
He believes the loss of experienced personnel may have contributed to difficulties in processing retirement files.
However, these remain his observations and concerns based on his experience with the process.
Life Without Pension and Gratuity
The financial consequences, Odesanya said, have been severe.
After three decades of receiving a regular salary, his monthly income stopped when he retired.
He said neither his pension nor his gratuity had started coming at the time of the interview.
Without those expected retirement benefits, he has had to rely partly on financial assistance from people around him.
He acknowledged support from Kosofe Local Government Chairman Moyosore Ogunlewe, as well as individuals including Abba Mohammed and Toyin Ojo.
Odesanya said some of the money he received from the chairman was used to renovate parts of his home.
While he remains grateful for the assistance, he stressed that personal goodwill cannot substitute for pension and gratuity payments.
“People Eat Every Day”
One of the central issues in Odesanya's account is the difficulty of maintaining a family after regular employment income disappears.
He has a wife and four children.
According to him, food, school expenses, utility bills and other household responsibilities continue regardless of whether a retiree is receiving pension payments.
For more than 30 years, he had been able to plan around a regular monthly salary.
Retirement removed that income, while his expected benefits had yet to arrive.
He said the situation had forced him to seek help from friends and relatives, something he finds deeply uncomfortable.
He described himself humorously as an “executive beggar” because of the circumstances surrounding his retirement.
Behind the humour, however, is a serious concern about dignity and financial independence in retirement.
A School Payment Became an Emotional Turning Point
One experience particularly affected Odesanya.
He recalled that his youngest daughter's school required parents to contribute N25,000 for an end-of-year programme.
At the time, he said he could not comfortably afford the payment.
He contacted the school principal, whom he described as a friend, and explained his financial circumstances.
The principal reportedly reduced the amount to N20,000.
Even with the reduction, Odesanya said finding the money was difficult.
Eventually, he managed to make the payment.
For him, the incident was painful because he had spent 30 years working for government but found himself struggling to meet what would ordinarily have been a manageable family expense.
Disability Makes the Situation More Difficult
Odesanya believes delayed retirement benefits can be especially challenging for retirees living with disabilities.
While some retirees may be able to take up physically demanding jobs or businesses after leaving government employment, he said his physical condition limits some of the opportunities available to him.
He mentioned farming and other physically demanding activities as examples of work he might otherwise consider.
He also pointed out that repeatedly travelling between Ikorodu and government offices in Alausa to follow up on retirement documentation can be physically demanding.
For him, efficient processing is therefore not simply an administrative issue.
It is also an accessibility and dignity issue.
Understanding the Role of LASPEC
Because of his previous human resources responsibilities, Odesanya said he understands the retirement process.
He explained that once the relevant file reaches the Lagos State Pension Commission, the process continues with notification to the retiree's Pension Fund Administrator.
His concern is that delays at an earlier stage can prevent the process from moving forward.
He therefore wants the authorities responsible for processing retirement documentation to ensure that retirees' files are handled promptly.
Odesanya Says His Experience Is Not Unique
The retired officer believes his situation is not isolated.
He said some of his former colleagues have also experienced long waits for their retirement benefits.
According to him, junior and middle-level workers can be particularly vulnerable because they may not have substantial savings or alternative sources of income after retirement.
He recalled assisting some retired colleagues financially while he was still working because they were struggling to cope.
Odesanya said the situation should encourage government to examine how retirement benefits are processed and paid.
No Direct Bribe Demand, He Says
When asked whether anyone had directly demanded money from him to facilitate his retirement benefits, Odesanya said nobody had done so.
However, he argued that prolonged administrative delays can create suspicion among retirees.
His position is that when a process takes unnecessarily long without clear explanations, people naturally begin to question what is happening behind the scenes.
He believes transparent communication would help restore confidence in public institutions.
The Emotional Impact of Delayed Retirement Benefits
The financial consequences of delayed retirement benefits can extend beyond money.
Odesanya said the uncertainty has affected him emotionally.
He acknowledged that some retirees can experience hopelessness and depression when their expected income disappears.
He said he understands why prolonged financial hardship can push vulnerable retirees into serious emotional distress.
However, he stressed that he remains determined to keep fighting for his rights.
Rather than giving up, he has chosen to speak publicly about his experience.
His Appeal to Governor Sanwo-Olu
Odesanya is appealing to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to look into the handling of retirement files.
His request is straightforward: he wants his gratuity and pension to be processed and paid.
He also wants the wider retirement system examined so that other retirees do not face similar difficulties.
According to him, workers spend decades contributing to the development of Lagos State and deserve dignity when their active service ends.
He believes retirement benefits should be treated as an entitlement earned through years of work, rather than something retirees should have to repeatedly plead for.
“I Am Not a Spent Force”
Despite his challenges, Odesanya does not consider himself finished.
He said he remains willing to contribute his knowledge and experience to society.
His years in administration, human resources and grassroots political activities have given him considerable institutional experience.
He believes the government can still benefit from the expertise of retired public servants.
For him, retirement should mean a change in professional status, not the end of his usefulness to society.
Hope Keeps Him Going
Odesanya said hope remains one of the major things sustaining him.
As a former student activist at the University of Lagos, he said he has always been involved in activities aimed at contributing to society.
That mindset, he explained, has helped him remain positive despite the difficulties he has encountered since retirement.
He does not want sympathy alone.
What he wants is action.
A Simple Request After Three Decades of Service
After 30 years in the Lagos State Civil Service, Odesanya's demand is straightforward.
He wants his retirement benefits processed and paid without further unnecessary delay.
His experience raises broader questions about the importance of efficient pension administration, timely gratuity payments and adequate support for retirees, particularly those living with disabilities.
Retirement should ideally represent the beginning of a new chapter after years of service.
For retirees who have spent decades working for government, receiving their legally earned benefits on time can make the difference between financial independence and dependence on others.
Odesanya hopes that by speaking publicly, his situation will receive attention and that the relevant authorities will review his case.
His message is ultimately about dignity.
After three decades of service, he believes retirees should not have to beg for what they have already earned.
Michael Odesanya, a retired Lagos State civil servant and former Head of Administration at Kosofe Local Government, says delayed pension and gratuity payments have left him struggling financially after 30 years of service.
Michael Odesanya, Lagos pension, Lagos retirees, gratuity payment, Lagos State civil service, retirement benefits, delayed pension, Local Government Service Commission, LASPEC, retirees in Nigeria
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