By HASSAN BIODUN SULEIMAN
With the swearing-in of 16th Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagosians await who becomes the new Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. As the 9th LAHA session winds down, Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa, the incumbent Speaker has been on the reign since 2015 after the tenure of Rt Hon Adeyemi Sabit Ikuforiji.
RT Hon Mudashiru Obasa’s political career started in 1999 when he was elected as Councillor in Agege II under the banner of Action Congress. He became a member of the Lagos State House in the 5th session. As a member of LAHA, he has served as the Chairman of many statutory committees of the House. He is one of the oldest members of the House who is dogged, reliable and rugged.
Due attention to the diverse nature of Lagos State is necessary now.
Unlike in the previous elections, the newly elected legislators comprised 38 members who were elected under the All Progressive Congress (APC), the ruling party in Lagos while two legislators from Labour Party emerged as minority members.
Lagos House of Assembly has been commended over the years, especially for living up to its slogan of being above the common standard of excellence. The State House of Assembly was praised by the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, for using the Yoruba Language in the deliberation of House activities. Again, the house has also enacted a law making the Yoruba language a compulsory subject in all schools (Primary, Secondary and even tertiary institutions in Lagos State). Again, the state House of Assembly has maintained cordiality with the Lagos executive in the effective governance of Lagos State.
The inauguration of the 10th Lagos State House of Assembly has come and gone. RT Hon Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa was elected again to steer the ship of the legislative house for another 4 years. Obasa’s leadership will guarantee Lagosian quality representation. It is imperative to set an agenda for the incoming legislators with a view to providing qualitative legislation for Lagosians.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Obasa re-elected Speaker of Lagos Assembly
Due attention to the diverse nature of Lagos State is necessary now. The 2023 electioneering campaign and the outcome of the election revealed the need for the 10th legislators to work on a bill that will address the issue of settlers/indigenes. A situation whereby some settlers lay claim to a particular community / residential area and are not the indigenes must be seriously trashed out. At the last election, some settlers resorted to calling Lagos, a no man’s land. The bill to be passed into law by the state must be able to state who a settler is and who is an indigene. The limitation for both should as well be spelt. Lagos has grown to be left alone without addressing the indigeneship/settlership imbroglio.
Education should also be given due attention in the next session. The Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASU STECH) and Lagos State University of Education (LASUED) are three major tertiary institutions owned and financed by the state. It is high time the state government came up with a bill to give autonomy to these schools. These schools in the present session have experienced an increase in their enrolments. Though the state government has performed some to the extent of providing facilities for these schools. There are more important areas that still need to be addressed. There is a need for more lecture halls, modern eateries and restaurants, more toilets, upgraded recreational and sporting facilities, upgrade the landscape of all the campuses of these schools and entrench a collaboration between the relevant industries in Lagos State with them
Environmental sanitation is another key that needs attention. The incoming legislature must strive to pass into law a bill that will re-introduce environmental sanitation in the state at least once a month. The rainy season in Lagos has exposed the porosity of our environment (houses, markets, recreational and praying grounds and even public toilets). These places experienced uncontrollable deposits of waste. All these can be addressed if the Legislators come up with a law.
The present legislators must also help the government of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in enacting laws to establishing of plants that recycle most of this waste. At present, the waste in Lagos comprise pure water and fast-food nylon.
All efforts must be put in place by the 10th Assembly to ensure the success of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Presidency.
Security is also another area that needs adequate attention. The spiral head of kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery ravaging the country calls for utmost concern. The legislators must strive to pass into law a bill that will strengthen the Nigeria Police Force with modern weapon, artificial intelligence and other accessories. Each community in Lagos should also be sensitized on the need for them to be security conscious.
There are other salient areas such as noise pollution, street lights, clearing of drainages, and the need for community – support initiatives and rehabilitation of sporting and recreational facilities in local governments. For the first time since 1999, the ruling party in Lagos, APC also controls the Federal Government. All efforts must be put in place by the 10th Assembly to ensure the success of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Presidency.
*Hassan Biodun Suleiman, PhD, is Senior Lecturer/Sub -Dean, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Lagos State University, LASU
