Ajibola Basiru at 48

Ajibola Basiru at 48

By Hammed Shittu

Senator Ajibola Basiru, who represents Osun Central clocked 48 recently. Basiru, who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, marked the event quietly. His family members organised a special prayer to thank the Almighty Allah for the good life of the lawmaker and to pray to Allah to continue to keep him more in good health, so as to continue serving the people of his senatorial district and the entire people of the state. Born to the family of the late Basiru Akanni Adebayo of Odofin compound in Osogbo, Senator Basiru has distinguished himself as a political icon in Osun politics, where he ensures good governance and provides quality leadership to the people that he represents at the Senate.

The young, virile and articulate politician began his early education at Salvation Army Primary School, Oke-Fia, Osogbo and later attended Laro Grammar School, Oke-fia, where he obtained his Secondary School Certificate. Simultaneous with his western education, Basiru also had a good grounding in Arabic and Islamic education both at Mahad Zumratul Soliheena, Afonta, Osogbo and Osun Islamic Theological College, Osogbo, which fully prepared him for what he planned to pursue in academics.

He studied Law at the University of Lagos. At the law school, he was the 3rd Overall Best Student. He also won the Graham Douglas Prize for Best Student in Company Law and Practice. In a bid to achieve maximum knowledge in his chosen profession, the lawmaker later obtained a Master’s Degree in Law (LL.M) in 2006 a Ph.D from the Department of Private & Property Law, University of Lagos.

As a versatile legal practitioner, he joined Olaniwun Ajayi Chambers and was assigned to manage areas of conveyance, banking and commercial law, and later joined M. A. Banire & Associates, as a partner, responsible for the day-to-day management of the business affairs of the law firm.

In 2011, he was appointed Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties in Osun State, and in that capacity, Basiru was responsible for Law Reforms, Judicial Sector Reforms, as well as Policy Coordination. He held the position till November 2014 when he again went into private practice with his law firm – Ajibola Basiru & Co, and later was appointment as Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in May, 2017 and left in November 2018.

The lawmaker was also part of several electoral litigation teams, including the governorship legal battle Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Rauf Aregbesola, which at the end favoured Aregbesola on November 26, 2010. At the end of Aregbesola’s tenure, Basiru vied for the senatorial ticket of the APC in Osun Central Senatorial district and won in February 2019.

After the inauguration of the Senate in June, 2019, Senator Basiru initially emerged the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora, Non-Governmental Organisations and Civil Societies and after about a year in the saddle, he emerged Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs. Congratulating the celebrant, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola said the future of his former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Senator Basiru is bright.

The APC in Osogbo Local Government Council, where he hails from, described Senator Ajibola as a true democrat. The party said: “There is no doubt the fact that Osun Central is indeed blessed to have such a young, brilliant, energetic, productive and goal getter as our representative. Our belief in your ability and capability is unflinching. We are convinced that the best is always got when the best is sent. As you mark your birthday, we pray to Almighty Allah to continue to protect you and grant you good health and long life to serve us more.”

Also, a childhood friend of the lawmaker, Alhaji Khalid Shutti felicitated with the lawmaker on the occasion marking his new age. Alhaji Shutti, a Deputy Director with the National Hajji Commission of Nigeria, Abuja, (NAHCON) said: “I am using this period to felicitate with my good friend and confidant on the occasion marking your 48th birthday. I pray to Almighty Allah to continue to protect you and grant you more good health to serve our fatherland.”

The voice of the people is the voice of God, as the saying goes. Constituents, political associates, friends, family and colleagues are unanimous in their respective encomium poured on the distinguished Senator, showing that he is a worthy representative. The prayer is that he lives long to fulfill his desire to continue to better the lot of his people.

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