The Comical Return of Mudashiru Obasa 

Nigerians are hoping that one day, the full story behind the intrigues and shenanigans that abruptly ended Mojisola Meranda’s brief tenure as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly will be told.

Thirty-five members of the 40-member House of Assembly elected Meranda to lead them after they removed Mudashiru Obasa, who at the time was reportedly frolicking in the faraway United States of America.

Nigerians are being made to believe that Obasa, who was unanimously rejected by his colleagues, single-handedly fought his way back into the system.

This narrative is far from the truth. Meranda was indeed forced to resign by the powers that be after several of their threats and even more meetings failed to shake the resolute 35 lawmakers who strongly stood by their decision to elect Meranda as Speaker.

Not even threats of failure to get another term ticket would move the lawmakers. The powerful Governing Advisory Council (GAC) could not muster enough strength to resolve the logjam.

According to sources, the two elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bisi Akande and Segun Osoba, former governors of Osun and Ogun states respectively, had express instruction from the top to restore Obasa. Strange as this seemed, the two former governors reportedly convened a meeting at the Lagos Governor’s House in Marina, during which the assembly members were again asked to vote. Unshaken by the presence of the leaders, 35 of the lawmakers reportedly chose Meranda and vehemently rejected Obasa’s return.

However, and surprisingly, the leaders and the GAC members present brought out their last card – party supremacy.

In addition, they ordered that the lawmakers hold a plenary the following day, being a Monday, during which Meranda would resign and Obasa would make a return.

The state APC chairman, Hon Cornelius Ojelabi, and other GAC members were present at the plenary, probably to ensure that their instructions were carried out to the last.

To political watchers and, indeed, most discerning minds, the return of Obasa was not surprising. His Gestapo-style action of invading the assembly and breaking into the Speaker’s office was a perfect rehearsal of the actions of the leaders.

Obasa’s actions and return have actually been likened to a Yoruba proverb, “aja ti o ba leni lehin a po’bo,” which literally translates into “a dog with the backing of its owner will kill a monkey.”

While Obasa has been returned as a speaker, it seems the last has not been seen about the Lagos political comedy.