Politics
Obasa, The Making of Agege’s Political Leader
It is no gainsaying the fact that Lagos State Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudasiru Ajayi Obasa is the dominant name in the sphere of politics in Agege. In banners, posters and signposts, different faces of the Speaker straddle the township. His acceptance as the leader of all political groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Agege Federal Constituency is unassailable. And many still strive to team up with him, even from outside the APC enclave. Daily, the quintessential politician receives droves of decampees from other parties across the political divides in Agege.
That the Speaker will be returned by the people of his constituency for another term as their representative is no longer the issue, as both his party and the entire populace are resolute on that, what with many benefits that have accrued to the community upon his ascending the speakership seat.
The issue is maintaining our current status as a stakeholder in the affairs of our exemplary state, Lagos. This is because, for a long time Agege has lagged firmly behind in terms of physical and human development until the current ascendancy of Mr Speaker.
That his speakership position has benefited us immensely is an understatement. Hardly has any other community benefitted so much from the speakership position at any time in the history of Lagos State than our own humble Agege. The cornucopia of this position is felt by almost all inhabitants of the entire Agege kingdom. And to add to all these is the enigmatic personality of the Speaker himself. Affable, humble, attentive, focused, hardworking, intelligent, experienced, dynamic and above all, pious, Rt. Hon. Mudasiru Obasa is a shining example to many aspiring youths in whatever vocation they find themselves.
Many are born into leadership, many work their ways to leadership while many grow up to attain leadership, in the case of Obasa, for those of us who have been with him right from the beginning of his legislative career, the man had been dogged in his pursuit of the apex of his career. And it has not been easy, what with weathering many political storms that fill the paths of Nigerian politicians who manage to clinch their choice positions.
As an astute politician, Obasa’s mind is recondite and impenetrable. Not given to too many words, the prayerful legislator operates with a fiery tenacity in the pursuit of his goals which he has achieved for himself and many of his followers who have benefited immensely from his political endeavors.
Initially wrongly perceived by many as arrogant, inattentive and unresponsive, many have now learned that he is actually humble, simple and easy to work with if only you recognize his forthright, truthful and upright dispositions. He has been benevolent to many who needed assistance not only within Agege but all over the state, but he won’t make noise about it. These assertions are verifiable by anyone in doubt as the Speaker operates an open door policy both at his constituency office and his office at LAHA complex.
Another important aspect of the Mudasiru Obasa narrative is the glamour, charm, candor and prestige that his personality has attracted to the seat. By operating with panache, grace and amity among his colleagues at the house, the state governor Mr. Akinwumi Ambode and our great leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he has been able to gain their confidence and friendship much to the chagrin of his detractors. Without mincing words, it would be difficult for his successors to fill his shoes upon leaving office. His popularity across the entire nation is unprecedented and this should be a source of glory and pride to us back home in Agege, a town relegated and unrecognized, perceived by many as lowdown township of peasants and riffraffs now respected by many as Lagos State’s speaker’s home base. If we could produce a speaker why not a governor in the nearest future?
As a versatile, ebullient and proficient Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudasiru Obasa has led the Lagos House of Assembly to be the most productive assembly in Africa. One of the major impact this proficiency has on the assembly is the adoption, by the house, of the native language of Lagos State, Yoruba, as a language of proceedings. This bold step aimed at resuscitating our dying language further bore upon the Lagos State Government into making Yoruba a compulsory subject in all basic and secondary schools in the state.
Indeed, by the landmark achievements that the Speaker has recorded in his first term, we are rest assured that his second term would be more eventful and equally scandal free. This is because Obasa has learnt the ropes and garnered requisite experiences over the years at the Assembly.
It gladdens my heart that we’re speaking with one voice again after so much rancor, resentments and bitterness elicited by last year’s contests. All along, the Speaker, as I was aware then, was all for peaceful resolution of the issues that generated back then but some misconstrued his intentions for attempt at domination and all hell broke loose. Now, almost everyone is coming back to their senses: the hen is coming home to roost.
And having rallied all political gladiators and political office holders in Agege together, from my humble self, to the two council chairmen: in the persons of Hon. J.S. Babatunde and Hon. Ganiyu Egunlobi; member, Lagos State House of Assembly representing constituency 02, Hon. Olayinka Ogundimu; state Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure, Hon. S.B. Adejare; member of the House of Representatives representing Agege Federal Constituency, Hon. Taofeek Adaranijo; former member, House of Representatives, Hon. Amunikoro; former member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Asimiyu; among many others, Obasa successfully united all political forces in the community and this impacted heavily on the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) ward congresses that took place in all political wards in both Orile Agege and Agege on Saturday, 5 May, 2018.
The APC being almost about the only party in Agege, people from all walks of life trooped out to participate in the congresses. And, speaking with one voice in the presentation of party excos, the congresses held all over in the thirteen wards in peaceful atmosphere, without any incidence whatsoever.
I must at this juncture commend the Rt. Hon. for taking it upon himself to settle all scores and balancing the political equations in Agege, so that together, we may move forward. We must realize the need to speak with one voice, spoken through the Speaker, whom the Almighty has ordained to lead us to the promised land. We thank all those who understood our plight and listened to our wisdom and followed the moving train. We urge the fractional minority still nursing one animosity or the other to come with us under the umbrella of Mudasiru Obasa leadership. As he himself has said, there’s enough to go round.
Afolabi Ayantayo, former Secretary to the Local Government (SLG), Orile Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), writes from Agege.
Governor Dauda Lawal Named Part of Presidential Delegation for Historic UK State Visit
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has been named as a member of the presidential entourage that will accompany President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu on a historic two-day State Visit to the United Kingdom.
According to a statement from the Zamfara State Government House on Monday, the Governor will depart Abuja for the UK on Tuesday for the visit, which is scheduled to take place on March 18 and 19 at the invitation of the British Royal Family.
During the visit, King Charles III will host President Tinubu, the First Lady, and the Nigerian delegation at Windsor Castle, where they will view a special exhibition of Royal Collection items related to Nigeria. The Royal Family will also host a State Banquet in honour of the Nigerian guests on the evening of Wednesday, March 18.
The presidency has outlined that the purpose of the visit is to strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. President Tinubu is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, which are expected to lead to expanded bilateral discussions and the signing of Memorandums of Understanding covering trade, investment, defence, and cultural cooperation.
The President will also serve as the guest of honour at the Nigerian Modernism exhibition, which showcases contemporary art and culture, and will participate in a reception with Nigerian and British business leaders as well as members of the diaspora community.
The Zamfara State Government expressed confidence that Governor Lawal’s participation in the high-level delegation will provide valuable networking opportunities, opening significant prospects for investment and economic benefits for Zamfara State. The visit will also see Governor Lawal display his repertoire of knowledge on global policy and corporate governance and also pitch the Mineral and Farming rich state to potential investors during the bilateral meeting with the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.
Politics
LPDC Verdict: CRG Hails Decision Clearing Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Condemns Political Witch-Hunt
LPDC Verdict: CRG Hails Decision Clearing Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Condemns Political Witch-Hunt
The Centre for Responsible Governance (CRG) has welcomed the decision of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) dismissing the complaint filed against the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, describing the ruling as a clear affirmation of due process and institutional integrity.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, the spokesman of the Centre, Obande George, said the verdict of the disciplinary body has once again vindicated the Deputy Speaker and reaffirmed the position earlier taken by CRG that the allegations against him lacked merit.
The LPDC, in its ruling referenced BB/LPDC/1954/2026, held that no prima facie case had been established against the Deputy Speaker and dismissed the complaint in its entirety.
According to George, the decision demonstrates the importance of allowing competent institutions to examine allegations objectively rather than rushing to judgment in the court of public opinion.
“From the onset, the Centre for Responsible Governance maintained that justice must take its course. We insisted that competent institutions should be allowed to examine the issues without political pressure or sensationalism. The LPDC’s ruling has now clearly shown that the allegations had no foundation,” he said.
The CRG spokesman further stated that the decision reinforces the sterling reputation of the Deputy Speaker, who has over the years built a distinguished profile both as a legal practitioner and as a legislator.
“Honourable Benjamin Kalu is a respected member of the Nigerian Bar and an accomplished lawmaker. Attempts by some individuals to impugn his reputation through unfounded allegations were unfortunate and unnecessary.”
CRG also condemned the actions of certain civil society groups that were quick to demand that the Deputy Speaker step aside from office even before any formal determination had been made by the relevant authorities.
George described such calls as premature and irresponsible, noting that they contributed to the politicisation of a matter that required sober institutional review.
“It is disappointing that some civil society organisations rushed to demand that the Deputy Speaker step aside without allowing due process to run its course. Advocacy for accountability must be guided by facts and fairness, not by sensational pressure.”
The organisation also criticised what it described as the role played by some political actors from the South East who allegedly sought to exploit the controversy for narrow political interests.
According to CRG, it is troubling that certain politicians would attempt to undermine one of their own for short-term political advantage.
“It is even more disturbing that some political actors from the South East appeared eager to weaponise this matter in an attempt to bring down one of their own for cheap political gain. Such actions weaken collective political progress and erode the spirit of solidarity required for national development.”
CRG therefore called on Nigerians to learn from the episode and reaffirm respect for institutional processes and the rule of law.
The organisation stressed that public discourse must be guided by evidence, fairness and responsible engagement rather than rumours or politically motivated campaigns.
“The lesson here is simple: allegations must be tested by competent institutions before conclusions are drawn. Nigeria’s democracy will only grow stronger when due process is respected and reputations are not casually destroyed.”
CRG concluded by congratulating the Deputy Speaker for maintaining calm and dignity throughout the controversy, noting that his composure reflected confidence in the justice system.
@The Centre for Responsible Governance, Email: [email protected], Instagram: crgngo6, Twitter: crgng06, Threads: crgngo6
Obasa Appointed to CPA African Executive Committee
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has been appointed as a Sub-National Representative to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) African Executive Committee.
The announcement was formally conveyed through a letter from the CPA Africa Region, which was read on the floor of the Assembly by the Clerk, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, on Tuesday, March 10. The appointment confirms Speaker Obasa’s three-year tenure, spanning 2026 to 2029.
Lawmakers took turns to congratulate Speaker Obasa, praising his devotion to parliamentary service and his consistent efforts to strengthen legislative practice. They described his appointment as a recognition of his hard work and a reflection of Lagos State’s growing influence within the Commonwealth. Members noted that his achievements continue to bring pride not only to Lagos but to Nigeria as a whole.
In his remarks, Speaker Obasa expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their support, urging them to remain steadfast in prioritizing the progress of the Assembly and to continue working collectively to advance the legislature. He further directed the Clerk to send a formal letter of appreciation to the CPA African Region for the honour bestowed upon him. “Let us always put the House of Assembly first and never relent in our efforts to move the legislature forward, ” Obasa concluded.
The CPA African Region plays a pivotal role in advancing the interests of African parliaments within the Commonwealth. It is widely recognized for promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, respect for human rights, democracy, and good governance across member nations.
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