The downfall of a man is not the end of his life. Many say your impeachment was good riddance to bad rubbish. But in Nigerian politics, rubbish is the man who lacks the capacity for nuisance. I know you, Mudashiru Obasa, the longest-serving speaker in Lagos. You are down but not out.
Be consoled, Obasa. In Nigeria, professional politicians have nine lives. Even Ibori is still active. Your opponents waited until you travelled out of the country like Idiagbon. That’s a testament to your capacity. I don’t believe you saw it coming and eloped. You are not a lily-livered coward. Some of your boys came out to inquire and were corralled into a Black Maria. You may need to send some palliatives to them.
But how could your friends have forgotten so soon how you fought the Igbo for them? Do they think all that bigotry you exhibited during and after the 2023 elections runs in your family? How many of Asiwaju’s friends were ready to damage their reputations and incite ethnic divisions to make sure the party retained Lagos as you did?
You planned to change the laws to protect the Yoruba in Lagos. You planned to “reverse all reversible”: to protect Lagos and the Yoruba nation against the Igbo commercial insurgency. You intended to defy the constitution and make laws to put settlers in their place, particularly the irreverent ‘omo Ibos’. How could your political comrades have forgotten all the Igbo alienation and decimation agenda you packed up your sleeves for 2027? How could they have discarded you like a worn-out rag?
Some say you trusted your juju man too much. Obviously, they are envious of your audacity. They don’t know you serve the living God. They talk as if you are a Nwanza who, after eating too much and for too long, became so pumped up he challenged his god to a wrestling match. Is it your fault that you sit like a Roman god and talk with effeminate poise?
Some say you mistook your friendship with the godfather for sonship. As if the blood of a covenant can’t be thicker than the water of the womb. Others say you talked a little too much about being a true Lagosian. And perhaps by harping on that, you bruised to bleeding the ego of those from Osun who have been carrying you on their back. Yet others say you forgot that Brutus blamed ambition for his slaughter of Ceasar. So, though taking on Sanwo Olu and Seyi in one fell swoop was courageous, it was a bit too much. A true Agege mam should be fearless enough to declare his ambitions in a democracy. However, Obasa, when your broken political bones rise again, you must avoid chochocho.
Look at the speed with which you were impeached. All those members who had been running errands for you were spouting poems of corruption and mismanagement in the hallowed chambers. Since you know the House of Assembly is the rubber stamp of the Godfather and his GAC, why didn’t you continue to pretend you were loyal? Now, you left the bird in hand to go for an elephant in the bush, and things have fallen apart. Indeed, those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, but how could you tell the governor you could retaliate against provocation by throwing stones at the glass house Asiwaju put him in? Lagos did too much pro-democracy during the military. So you can’t blame Lagos pro-democracy activists for embracing Adedibu’s barrack politics. They are a bit tired of democracy. That Asiwaju and his friends in the GAC handpick governors for Lagos is the Lagos democratic standard. Telling them that you are better than their previous picks and qualified to be governor was a little too presumptuous. After all, you are a little Adedibu yourself.
Listen to Hon Femi Saheed, “In line with provisions of section 92(2) (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Obasa is accused of gross misconduct and poor leadership, which included perpetual lateness to legislative sessions and meetings, high-handedness and lack of regard for honourable members, gross abuse of office and privileges, intimidation and oppression of honourable members by inciting members against one another, amongst others.”
Let me break it down, Obasa. He didn’t say you were bullying Omo Ibos or inciting the Yoruba against the Igbo. That might have been pardoned, even applauded. He said you were oppressing your colleagues and inciting members against members. I don’t believe him. They know you took on the Igbo to prevent people like Obi from ever defeating Asiwaju in Lagos again. But how could they accuse you of knocking the heads of fellow legislators together? You are too decent for that. They said you built a new gate for 17 billion naira. I don’t believe that, either. Because even the gates of heaven possibly didn’t cost that much. Lagos has too many dysfunctional hospitals and millions of homeless people. Only a madman would build a gate at the state assembly that already had three gates with such an amount. They said you bought backup vehicles for the house for 42 billion naira. But I don’t even know why the president who purchased a new jet and limousine for himself should allow his men to indict a speaker for buying mere backup vehicles.
Obasa, did you notice how your deputy, who is now the new speaker, herded all the members to seek the blessing of the GAC? That is precisely what you could have done. I agree that subjecting a state legislature publicly to the dictations of a glorified committee of friends of Asiwaju smacks of state capture. But Obasa, sometimes you must stoop to conquer. And if stooping isn’t enough, you must lie flat and kiss the feet of your godfathers. They call it loyalty.
You conquered pompous Ambode and treated Sanwolu’s aloofness when you tore up his commissioner nominees list. You shouldn’t have allowed it to get into your head. The leader might want to use you to create a nuisance and keep his protege in check, but he didn’t send you to become another God. So when you resurrect, never forget your boundaries.
Obasa, have you heard the rumours that your decision to abolish the 37 LCDAs Asiwaju created in 2003 contributed to your predicament? Your move was constitutional, but who cares? Asiwaju has paid his dues. Always remember, not everything lawful is expedient. You should have left Asiwaju’s LCDAs for Asiwaju. It’s possible that your effort to bring Lagos into full compliance with the Supreme Court decision on Local Government autonomy and funding was seen as ‘treason’. Our ancestors warned that babies could toy with their mother’s breasts, but they shouldn’t get close to their father’s testicles.
It appears you are still in the United States. I think you should remain there for a while. The ‘Mudashiru Movement’ in Agege is in disarray. These youths are hungry mercenaries. Some other folks are compiling a list of your properties. It’s all ‘badbelle’. I know your well-manicured hands are clean. They are pushing the EFCC to dig up the old cases and take up new ones against you. You are formidable, yet you must tarry in the United States. Don’t do anything rash. You can say you went for a medical check-up. You don’t have an Ododo, so avoid the EFCC while the dust is yet to settle. Soon, they will all forget. If the president grants your audience, tell him you are not on good terms with Aregbesola. It’s important. Some of your opponents don’t mean well. They are whispering to the president. You have to try to convince him that you will be very useful to him in 2027 so he can send a message to the appropriate quarters to allow sleeping dogs to lie. That way, you don’t have to go through what Yahaya Bello went through until he was given a 2027 soft landing. So that the EFCC can at least leave you alone as they left Ambode.
Happy New Year, Obasa. I’m an Igbo Lagosian ,and I wish you well.
•Written by Ugoji Egbujo
