The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, on Sunday evening got the endorsements of respected leaders of the State from Agege and Orile-Agege for a return to the House.

The leaders all agreed that the Speaker has an unbeatable chance of winning if he vied for a seat in the Senate ahead of the 2023 election, but said their appeal for his return to the House of Assembly was in the interest of the entire Agege people and Lagos state, which he has made better through effective legislations and related activities.

At an Iftar programme that inadvertently provided an opportunity for the leaders to speak about Obasa’s achievements so far, the leaders said the Speaker had become a pride, not only to Agege, but to Lagos State.

Photos as Ooni of Ife visits Lagos Assembly, meets with Obasa

At least 80 leaders, political appointees and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including Dr. Babatunde Adejare of the House of Representatives; Wale Ahmed, Lagos Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Afolabi Ayantayo, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Parastatals Monitoring Office; and Oba Ambaliu Hakeem Agbedeyi, the Alaige of Orile Agege supported that the Speaker return to the House.

Some of the others who gave their support included Chief Safari Adaranijo, APC Apex Leader in Agege; Gani Owolabi Dada, leader; Elder Rotimi Adesina; Olaniyi Salau Ojo APC chairman in Orile-Agege, Alhaji Tunde Azeez; APC chairman in Agege; former and current local government council chairmen; vice chairmen; councillors; supervisory councillors and Special Advisers of the two council chairmen.

While urging that the Speaker be asked to return to the House, Adejare said Agege is now noted for good road networks with the help of Obasa.

“Days ago, during the 80th birthday of Ebenezer Obey, a visiting Senator was marvelled that Agege now has very good roads. I told him not to forget that we have the Speaker of Lagos here,” he said while praying for more wisdom for Obasa in his leadership position.

Wale Ahmed who said he expects Obasa to be unopposed, added: “My prayer is that after the elections next year, we would all gather here to celebrate again.”

Oba Agbedeyi, while thanking Obasa for positively making Agege a place to reckon with, urged the Speaker to return so as to bring more developments to the area.

Mr. Johnson Sunday Babatunde, chairman of Orile-Agege LCDA, who led the conversation, warned that Agege must not lose all that it had gained through Speaker Obasa. Rather, he said, the area should experience more dividends of democracy.

“A lot of people from Agege have been employed because of Obasa. A lot of infrastructure have come to us because of Obasa. There should be no vacancy in Agege Constituency 1,” he said.

He noted that one way Agege can appreciate Obasa’s love for the area is to ask him to return and work for him to occupy the position again.

Supporting the collective decision by the leaders, Ganiyu Egunjobi, chairman of Agege local government council, said the Speaker had brought glory to Agege and that he should be encouraged to return to the House unopposed.

Earlier, the Islamic clergy at the Iftar, Chief Imam Quadri Abdul Ganiu Ayorinde, harped on love and the importance of Ramadan.

He prayed for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the APC, and Obasa and described those who invite Muslim faithful to break fast with them as blessed.

Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

With the recent death of Sylvester Oromoni, a student of a private school in Lagos, there have been various reactions from Nigerians calling for thorough investigation by the State Government.

To some Nigerians, cultism cannot be wished away as it relates to the death of Sylvester, but Dowen College thinks otherwise even though, it has expressed support for proper investigations by the authorities.

With Nigerians talking about cultism and its impact on the youth of the country, it is worthy of note that the Lagos State House of Assembly under the leadership of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa had earlier in February 2021, passed the anti-cultism bill, which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu later assented to.

Below are 10 highlights of the law:

1. 21-years jail term: The law stipulates a jail term of 21 years for anyone found to be a member of a cult group or solicits for members of an unlawful society. The same punishment goes for persons who attend meetings of a cult group as well as those who carry out acts capable of endangering the lives of residents.

2. The law states that 15 years in jail will be meted on persons forming an unlawful society or cult. The same fate will befall anyone who allows a meeting of cultists to be held in any property under his control.

3. For compelling anyone to become a member of a secret cult, a criminal will spend 15 yrs in jail. If violence leading to physical harm is used for this purpose, the punishment will be a jail term of 25 years.

4. One is regarded as a cultist if he or she is found with insignia, banner, documents, or any other item belonging to such an illegal group.

5. When a suspected cultist is found with a firearm or a person who is armed is caught in the process of trying to compel someone else to join a cultist group, they will be made to face a 15-year jail term.

6. It is 21 years for you if, as a member of a secret cult or such illegal group, you set fire or use any deadly object in such a manner as to endanger the health and/or property of any person(s). Such deadly objects can also be acid or any potent chemical.

7. You are also liable to a 21-year jail term if, as a suspected cultist, you arrange or order a fellow cultist to avenge, retaliate or injure anyone within a premises in the state.

8. A student can only join associations registered with the student affairs department of his or her academic institution.

9. Any student who joins an unlawful group is liable on conviction to a term of two years imprisonment.

10. Whoever aids or protect a cultist is guilty of an offence and is in danger of being sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, has promised that the state legislature will continue to support the fight against drug abuse and its effects on the youths and residents of the state.

Obasa made the promise when he played host to top officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) led by its state commander, Mr. Ralph Igwenagu, on Thursday evening.
The Speaker expressed hope that a collective fight against the societal challenge would help to further sustain a safe and well-protected Lagos.
He said he was not surprised that Lagos has been described as one of the epicentres of drug abuse in the country saying with an influx of people from other states, it should be expected.
“I am not disappointed that Lagos has been rated number one. Lagos has become an abode for everybody – the good and the bad – and this has become a challenge to the government.
“That is why it is difficult for the Lagos Government to project. When you project for a certain number of people this year, before you know it, more than three times your projection will enter the state.
“That is why we make efforts to support the Federal Government by equipping the Rapid Response Squad. We also set up the Security Trust Fund, the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and others to ensure that lives and property are protected,” he said adding that collaboration by stakeholders was important because the negative effects of drug abuse affects everybody since some engage in criminal activities.
The Speaker commended the NDLEA officials for attending a recent stakeholders’ meeting organised by the House to enlighten residents against drug abuse.
Earlier, Mr. Igwenagu thanked the House for organising the Stakeholders’ meeting saying it helped in reaching the grassroots of the state.
“We want to request that you sustain that exercise. We know that with you, it is possible because members of the House of Assembly are grassroots politicians and can reach out to the youths.
He said Lagos has a fair share of the challenges of drug abuse in Nigeria promising that the NDLEA would continue to work with the House to ensure continuous reduction in cases of drug abuse.
In a related development, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa has promised to collaborate with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in Lagos state.
The Speaker said this when Mrs. OK Popoola, State Director of the organisation, led other officials on a visit to the House.
Obasa said the House had always ensured accountability and transparency in all its dealings adding that the need to tackle corruption had resulted in the passage of motions and resolutions.
He said the House recently passed a law against corruption adding that even though some people misinterpreted it, the lawmakers have a consciousness that fighting corruption should be the responsibility of everybody, not just the Federal Government.
Popoola earlier commended the lawmakers for their swift responses to their asset declaration obligations.
She also urged for collaboration between the House and the CCB.

Speaker Obasa with NDLEA officials led by Ralph Igwenagu.