The current Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly is Rt Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, who was elected as the 9th Lagos State House of Assembly speaker in June 2019. Rt Hon. Obasa has been at the forefront of driving the House of Assembly’s legislative agenda since his election, overseeing major bills and resolutions that have had far-reaching effects on the lives of Lagosians.
On Tuesday, June 8, 2019, during his acceptance speech as the Speaker of the 9th Assembly, Obasa announced his legislative agenda, which includes promoting and strengthening legislative institutions from the state to the local government level; establishing a Centre for Democracy and Legislative Studies; reviewing old laws in order to bring them up to date, particularly laws that establish agencies and parastatals that are no longer viable. The question is, how far has he progressed in meeting these objectives?
By all accounts, Rt. Hon. Obasa has gone the proverbial extra mile to make it a reality his clear and ambitious agenda for the 9th Assembly, which aimed to promote good governance, fiscal responsibility, and social welfare for the people of Lagos State, leaving no stone unturned in the four years he has been saddled with the speakership responsibility.
Shortly after the 9th Assembly was inaugurated, Rt Hon Obasa, as is his custom, continued on his giant strides in leading the Lagos State House of Assembly, which sets the pace for others. In doing so, his main goal has always been to foster a climate in which legislative institutions can prosper without fear or favour. Indeed, one of the primary areas in which he has excelled is legislative monitoring. Under his leadership, the Lagos State House of Assembly has made multiple oversight visits to various government departments and parastatals to ensure that they are operating legally and fulfilling their missions. This has helped to improve the quality of service delivery by government agencies, as well as increased transparency and accountability in Lagos State Government.
Legislative reform is a crucial component of Obasa’s agenda. The Speaker has emphasised the importance of the Lagos State House of Assembly taking aggressive steps to create laws that will keep the state at the forefront of Nigeria’s economic development. This includes updating outdated laws and implementing new ones to encourage investment, entrepreneurship, and to create a favourable business environment for both domestic and foreign investors. Since his election as Speaker, the Lagos State House of Assembly has made several bills into law, covering a wide variety of issues such as education, health, transportation, and infrastructure development. Many old laws have been repealed, bringing them up to date.
While carrying out his resolve to serve Lagosians as Speaker, Obasa does not let the activity of his position derail his earlier pledged goal to build a Centre for Democracy and Legislative Studies. The Assembly passed a Bill for the establishment of the Institute of Legislative Studies and Research into Law on February 24, 2022, following a rigorous stakeholder gathering to address the need to establish the institute that would provide capacity so that the Assembly could discharge its duties of law making and oversight.
The Lagos State Legislative and Research Institute Law, 2021, takes the state’s version of the Institute of Legislative Studies, which was formed at the national level, into account. With the passage, the projected Institute of Legislative Studies will become the first legal entity in Nigeria.
During the public hearing on the Bill in May 2021, Dr. Shuaib Danwaka, Director of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies in Abuja, stated that the institute was founded on the necessity to provide training for lawmakers and legislative staff.
Danwaka, the event’s keynote speaker, praised the Assembly for following in the footsteps of the federal government, noting that democracy is perpetuated through capacity building.
The Speaker has also made good on his promise to work closely with the government to ensure that the annual budget is passed on time. This, without a doubt, has guaranteed that capital expenditure projects are not jeopardised and that money are given swiftly for the completion of initiatives critical to the development of the state.
It would be an understatement to say that Obasa is devoted to increasing transparency and accountability in the legislative process. He has honoured his promise to ensure that the budgetary process is as transparent as possible. As Speaker, he has helped to make the budget more available to the public, and Lagosians now know how their tax money is being spent.
Furthermore, the Speaker has enabled the Lagos State House of Assembly to develop a strong legislative framework that promotes job creation and employment possibilities. This involves overseeing the implementation of policies and laws that benefit adolescents, women, and people with disabilities.
Rt Hon. Obasa has always demonstrated himself to be an excellent leader and team player, one who sets a goal and works towards its realisation. He has collaborated extensively with other members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, as well as the Executive branch of government, to ensure that Lagosians’ needs and ambitions are satisfied. He has displayed a thorough understanding of the complicated dynamics of governance and has been successful in achieving consensus on major problems affecting the people of Lagos State.
Obasa has been a remarkable Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. His performance has been outstanding, and he has shown himself to be a visionary leader who is committed to the development of Lagos State. With his depth of experience and leadership qualities, he is ideally positioned to continue driving the Lagos State House of Assembly‘s legislative agenda for the benefit of Lagosians.
Dave Agboola is the Speech Writer to the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly.
