Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has warned the immediate past chairmen of local governments and local council development areas in the state to release their stranglehold on their successors and allow them to work unencumbered.
The Speaker issued this warning at a meeting with newly elected chairmen (the second in one month) held inside the Lateef Jakande auditorium of the Assembly Complex on Tuesday, September 23.
Speaker Obasa did not hold back in his outright condemnation of the immediate past chairmen who are reportedly still exerting undue influence on their successors. In the worst cases, according to him, many of them are still signing cheques in collusion with council treasurers and managers.
Obasa asked the new chairmen pointedly, “How can you be answerable to your predecessors? What you owe them is honour, not to allow them to control you. They have done their bit, and everybody is grateful; you are the ones in the saddle now. So, take charge.” Sounding a note of warning to the overbearing past chairmen in absentia, Obasa said, “Let the new chairmen breathe. Let the public see that there are new sheriffs in town and that they are doing a good job. Let their work show. Don’t take their shine. Remove your grip on their necks
.” The Speaker frowned at the ex-chairmen for mounting pressure on their incumbents to start paying for loans while in office, without giving them any room for due diligence or to settle down.
He warned, “Before you start paying loans, ask questions. Where you are unsure of what the loan was used for, ask questions and look through the books. If you can renegotiate or restructure the terms of the loans, do so for the betterment of your constituents.
” Further, the Speaker said, “Four years is not a long time in politics. So, if the public does not see what you are doing in four months (of being in office), you have created a wrong impression. As politicians, we manage so many interests, but it should not be at the detriment of the council and the people.’
Then, he harped on the spate of deaths in councils across the state, saying that this was the first time such a thing was happening in the state and that it did not bode well for the party. He reminded his guests of the importance of taking their health seriously by doing periodic checks and admonished them to ensure they prioritize the well-being of their people.
Earlier in the day at plenary, members of the House of Assembly took turns to celebrate the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who marked her 65th birthday on Sunday,September 21. Hon. Oladipo Ajomale (Oshodi/Isolo Constituency II) started the plethora of plaudits and paeans. He described Senator Oluremi as a mother who has done so well for the nation, commended her for making life better for Nigerians, especially the underprivileged, and wished her great health and a long life.
Hon. Stephen Ogundipe (Oshodi Constituency 1) recalled that he was privileged to work with her during the second term of then-Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu and highlighted her loyalty and steadfast support for the President. He commended her selfless service to humanity, stating, “She is not just a pillar behind the President, but a woman whose actions reflect her genuine desire to uplift lives.”
Princess Lara Oyekan-Olumegbon (Lagos Island Constituency 1) said that Mrs Tinubu is worthy of celebration for her empowerment initiatives. She prayed, “On behalf of all the White Cap Chiefs of Lagos and my constituents, we pray that God will continue to guide her for being a worthy partner to our father.”
Other members also recognised the First Lady’s lifelong contributions to national development, humanitarian causes, and exemplary public service. They extolled her distinguished service as a Senator and her continued advocacy for the marginalised, the less privileged, and vulnerable in society, describing her as “the most impactful senator in Nigeria’s recent history.”
The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Mojisola Meranda, also noted that Senator Oluremi Tinubu is the “mother of the nation”. She prayed for her to finish well just as she had started well. Speaker Obasa, who presided over the session, thanked his colleagues for their eulogies, concurring that indeed, the ‘Birthday Girl’ was exceptional as a first lady. He noted that, unlike other First Ladies who would have discarded their successor’s pet project in favour of theirs, Mrs Tinubu, as First Lady of Lagos State, sustained the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) initiative, which has continued to impact lives meaningfully across the state and beyond.
“She is a woman with so many qualities. As a Senator, she served her senatorial district with passion, dedication, high commitment, and loyalty, which no one has been able to do. We congratulate her and pray that the Almighty will continue to be with her.” The Speaker asked the clerk to send the First Lady a congratulatory letter.
