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Lagos lawmakers in the eyes of legislative officers and journalists – What they will miss about them

OUT of the 40 members of 7th Lagos House of Assembly, 20 of them are not returning.  Amongst these 20 are those who have been members for four years to 16 years.

ENCOMIUM Weekly spoke with five legislative staff and media correspondents in the Assembly on what they are going to miss about these former members of the assembly.  They spoke to us under the conditions of anonymity. Therefore, we are just going to aggregate their opinions on each of the 20 members.

 

HON. ADEYEMI SABIT IKUFORIJI, the former Speaker. He became a member of the Assembly in 2003 and the Speaker

Ikuforiji
Ikuforiji

in 2005. He was the Speaker till June 2015.

Virtually, all the 10 people we spoke to agreed that they will miss the former Speaker’s resourcefulness, innovativeness, sense of humour which he used to douse tension on the floor of the Assembly and his mastery of Yoruba during Thursdays deliberations on the floor of the House.

Not a few of our respondents too will miss his lack of time management, arrogance (towards the end of his tenure) and his nepotism towards his favourite members and staff of the Assembly.

 

HON. KOLAWOLE TAIWO, the Deputy Speaker. He became a member of the Assembly in 1999 and won re-election three

KOLAWOLE TAIWO
KOLAWOLE TAIWO

times again till he lost re-election bid in 2015.

All our respondents agreed that they will miss Hon. Kolawole Taiwo’s repository of legislative knowledge, his wizardry of the state budget, his humility and accessibility to virtually everybody within the Assembly complex.

They will also miss the fact that he did not return to become the Speaker which many of them have looked forward to before the general elections.  Just a few of them will not miss his triviality of serious issues on the floor of the Assembly.

 

HON. DR. AJIBAYO ADEYEYE, the Majority Leader.  He became a member in 2007 and won re-election in 2011.

HON. DR. AJIBAYO ADEYEYE
HON. DR. AJIBAYO ADEYEYE

He is a young medical doctor that brought finesse and panache to the office of majority leader.  That is certainly what many of our respondents will miss about the medical doctor turned politician.

They will, however, not miss his arrogance and stand-offishness.

 

 

HON. DR. ABDULRAZAQ BALOGUN, the Chief Whip.  He became a member in 2003, was returned in 2007 and 2011. He

ABDULRAZAQ BALOGUN
ABDULRAZAQ BALOGUN

lost in the primary for his fourth term bid.

A medical doctor and a consummate legislator for the 12 years he was a member of the Assembly.  Many loved him for his candour and independent mind.  They also admired his neatness and good dress sense.  But he, however, left a sour taste in the mouth of most of his admirers because of his arrogance and lack of compassion for both his staff and Assembly staffers.

Not a few of these staffers jubilated when the news of his loss at the primary elections that put paid to his fourth term bid filtered into the Assembly.

 

HON. (MRS.) LOLA AKANDE, the Deputy Majority Leader.  She became a member in 2007 and was returned in 2011.  On

Hon.-Lola-Akande
Hon.-Lola-Akande

the two terms she came to the House, she was a principal officer.  Those who will miss her most are her personal aides.

The woman of elegance took care of them very well.  She bought cars and took virtually all of them abroad during her foreign trips.  She will also be missed for her contributions on the floor of the House particularly in the areas of education in which she is so passionate about.  Many will, however, not miss her aloofness and her inability to mix with a lot of people except her only friend in the House, Hon. Omowunmi Olatunji-Edet.

The journalists are of the opinion that her aloofness was probably borne out of fear of being scandalized than arrogance.

 

HON. ABDOULBAQ BALOGUN was in the House of Assembly for just one term.  Though very intelligent, he would probably

Abdoulbaq Balogun
Abdoulbaq Balogun

not be missed because of his lukewarm attitude to most issues on the floor of the chamber.  Those who will miss him most are probably the people of his Ajeromi/Ifelodun Constituency II, who he spent most of his time taking care of through poverty alleviation programmes.  He would also be missed by the Muslim brothers and sisters of the Assembly.

If there is anybody who will miss him most, it is Hon. Funmilayo Tejusho, his alter-ego throughout his sojourn in the Assembly.

 

HON. SULTAN ADENIJI ADELE became a member in 2011 and failed in his second term bid in

HON. SULTAN ADENIJI ADELE
HON. SULTAN ADENIJI ADELE

2015.  This is one member all our respondents were unanimous in their assessment.  According to them, he would not be missed for anything.  To them he was a big disappointment.  Aside the fact that he was the youngest member of the legislative body, he is also a lawyer that much was expected of him.

In the words of one of our respondents, Hon. Sultan Adeniji-Adele was a chronic siddon look (euphemism for a bench warmer). He did not argue or sponsor any motion or bill.  He did not argue in favour or against any bill.  All he did was just to second a motion for adjournment and that was on one or two occasions.

 

HON. RAMOTALLAHI AKINLOLA-HASSAN.  She became a member in 2011 and lost her bid to become a member in

HON. RAMOTALLAHI AKINLOLA-HASSAN
HON. RAMOTALLAHI AKINLOLA-HASSAN

2015, another member that our respondents were unanimous in their assessment.  She was a social butterfly and jolly good fellow that related with virtually everybody irrespective of your class, colour or creed.

Yes, they all agreed too that she might not be known for her robust contributions to issues on the floor of the House, she is well known for her gregariousness and affability.

 

HON. MUFUTAU EGBERONGBE became a member in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011.  But he failed in 2014 to get the

HON. MUFUTAU EGBERONGBE
HON. MUFUTAU EGBERONGBE

party’s ticket for third term in the Assembly.  A very intelligent member who though did not speak often, when he chose to speak, speaks intelligently.  He will certainly be missed for his wise jokes with his ‘partner’, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King.

Those who will miss him most are probably two of his personal aides who started working with him without a WASCE but are now leaving with university degrees courtesy of his sponsorship.  He is another member who is very gregarious and does not discriminate in his relationships with members, staff and non-staff alike.

 

HON. HODEWU AVOSEH came on the platform of PDP in 2007. He was then the Minority Leader.  But before the end of his

HON. HODEWU AVOSEH
HON. HODEWU AVOSEH

first term in 2011, he had crossed over to ACN.  He came back to the Assembly in 2011, on the platform of ACN but lost his bid for third term at the primary in December 2014.  Hon. Avoseh will be missed by a lot of people he assisted medically by virtue of his position as the Chairman, House Committee on Health.

Though he was an average contributor to issues on the floor of the Assembly, he is not the type that will shy away from saying whatever is on his mind.

 

HON. IPOOLA AHMED OMISORE became a member in 2007 and was returned in 2011.  He lost his third term bid at the party primaries in December 2014.  As at the time he left on June 4, 2015, he

IPOOLA AHMED OMISORE
IPOOLA AHMED OMISORE

was the oldest member of the 7th Assembly at 66.

He would be missed for his elderly and statemanly role in times of crisis in the 6th and 7th Assembly.  He would also be missed for his intelligent and often humorous contributions to issues on the floor.  His affableness and youthfulness, despite his old age would also be missed by all.

 

HON. ADEBIMPE AKINSOLA
HON. ADEBIMPE AKINSOLA

HON. ADEBIMPE AKINSOLA became a member in 2011 and lost her bid for second term.  Many said they will miss her fluency and mastery of English despite being a French teacher before joining the Assembly.  Her motherly disposition towards the few that came her way would also be missed.

 

 

HON. PRINCE HAKEEM AGBOOLA-MASHA became a member in 2011 and

Hakeem-Masha
Hakeem-Masha

lost his bid for second term.  The consensus of our respondents is that he would not be missed at all.  They argued that despite his intelligence and sound educational background, he did not participate much in issues and debates on the floor. He would certainly not be missed at all.

 

HON. WAHAB ALAWIYE-KING became a member of the Assembly in 2007.  He represented

HON. WAHAB ALAWIYE-KING
HON. WAHAB ALAWIYE-KING

Lagos Island Constituency I.  He was returned in 2011, but this time around to represent Lagos Island Constituency II.  So, he was always proud to say he is the only member to represent two constituencies of Lagos Island.

He will certainly be missed by a lot of people he assisted in securing admission into various higher institutions in the state by virtue of his position as the Chairman of Education Committee of the House.  Though his contributions on the floor were average, he would still be missed by many because of his wise cracks with his bosom friend and colleague, Hon. Mufutau Egberongbe.

 

HON. PRINCE BASHIRU OLOTO came into the Assembly in 2011 and failed to come back for second term because he was

PRINCE BASHIRU OLOTO
PRINCE BASHIRU OLOTO

defeated at the party primaries.  He will certainly be missed in the legislative chamber for the comic relief he provided each time he took the floor on any issue.

Hon. Oloto, in the words of one of our respondents, made a mockery of legislative and serious issues each time he spoke.  It is an irony that despite his age (40, when he came to the Assembly) and academic qualifications (B.Sc Political Science), he could not speak without having problems with his tenses and syntax.

 

HON. BOLAJI YINUSA AYINLA came into the House of Assembly in 2003 and was

HON. BOLAJI YINUSA AYINLA
HON. BOLAJI YINUSA AYINLA

returned in 2007 and 2011.  In 2015, he won a seat in House of Representatives.

Hon. BYA, as he is fondly called, would be missed not for his robust arguments on the floor but for his dandiness.  He wore expensive apparels and accessories that he is more than willing to tell anybody who cared to listen how much he bought them and the boutique where he bought them abroad.

BYA is also in the same class with Hon. Oloto when it comes to committing syntax and tenses errors on the floor. He would certainly be missed for this.

 

HON. MUHIBAT RUFAI-ADEYEMI came to the House of Assembly in 2011 and was unable to return because she lost in

HON. MUHIBAT RUFAI-ADEYEMI
HON. MUHIBAT RUFAI-ADEYEMI

the April 11, 2015 general elections.

Hon. Rufai-Adeyemi came, saw but refused to conquer.  She was a chronic siddon look lawmaker throughout her four year stay in the Assembly.  And to cap it all, she was not a good mixer.  Certainly, she would not be missed.

 

HON. LAWRENCE AYENI came into the House in 2007 and was returned in 2011.  He,

HON. LAWRENCE AYENI
HON. LAWRENCE AYENI

however, did not bother to come back in 2015.  Despite his not too impressive showing on the floor, he would be missed mostly for his sporting activities.

He would surely be missed too for his humility and gregariousness.

 

 

HON. MRS. OMOWUNMI OLATUNJI-EDET came into theAssembly in 2007 and was

MRS. OMOWUNMI OLATUNJI-EDET
MRS. OMOWUNMI OLATUNJI-EDET

returned in 2011.  She, however, failed to clinch the party ticket during the primary in December 2014.

Would she be missed?  Certainly!  Chorused our respondents.  She would be missed both on the floor of the chamber and outside of it.

On the floor of the chamber because anytime she spoke it was with so much emotions.  Outside the chamber because anytime she walked, her Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde-like physique is always a source of attraction to the onlookers and by-standers.

 

HON. KABIRI OLAYIDE LAWAL came into the Assembly in 2007 and was returned in 2011.  He did not contest for third term.  He would probably not be missed because despite being a lawyer he was another siddon look lawmaker.  The only time he found his voice was when the Assembly was debating the removal of Surulere Local Government Chairman, Mr. Tajudeen Ajide, whom he was interested in replacing.

– TOLANI ABATTI

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