Speaker Gbaja…..
Surulere was in need of a deliverer who will help them to advocate at the Center. Therefore in 2003, they all agreed to send Femi Gbajabiamila to Abuja as their representative. Coincidentally, Nigeria main opposition AD had just been battered through a most fraudulent poll in history that took 5 states away from them, left them with only Lagos and….a dark thick cloud enveloped Progressive politics in Nigeria. That was the time Femi Gbajabiamila became a member of the House of Representatives. Politically for us in the Progressive fold, it was a war time!
While some AD lawmakers in the NASS felt they had better join the ruling party and have a rest of mind, get their share of the cake in peace and not waste their “4 year” tenure, Gbajabiamila stood firmly with the Progressive ideals and threw his hat into the ring, a battle that was going to take him many years to see through. He eventually became the voice of the opposition in the House. Tenure in Tenure out, Progressives kept nominating him and Surulere kept voting for him to continue his job.
Gbajabiamila is a charismatic representative who knows when to speak, where to speak and how to speak. He always confronted the then ruling PDP with facts of their failure, he won’t just criticise them, he would offer alternative solutions. A typical Awolowo’s style of opposition.
Gbajabiamila would support the government at critical times when the nation is at cross road, he was instrumental to the doctrine of necessity that rescued Nigeria from leadership imbroglio in 2010. He also defended the parliament against invasion by enemies of democracy.
He eventually spoke the PDP out of power and in 2015, he became the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives. While his known role switched, his oratory powers were deployed to defend the nascent Progressive leadership of the country, helped it stabilised and educate Nigerians about different programmes of government. And by 2019, Gbajabiamila became the Speaker through a landslide victory in an election process of the House of Representatives.
Gbajabiamila’s Tenure as the Speaker of the House of Representatives was first and foremost known for peace and coordination. Matured relationship with the executive, careful scrutiny and interventions to avoid or cut short a national disturbance as witnessed during Covid-19, EndSARS riot, ASUU Strike etc. The House passed most important bills in Nigeria’s history, bills such as the new electoral act, PIB, Electricity Bill, among others. Under Gbajabiamila, African Speakers of Parliament came together to become COSAP and Gbajabiamila became the first Speaker of Speakers.
Surulere and indeed Lagos will not forget Gbajabiamila’s glaring contribution to its development. Surulere witnessed magical, radical development in infrastructures, Healthcare, Education, Sports and Youth Development. I remember following him to commission projects in Mushin and other areas outside Surulere but which were facilitated by him.
His appointment as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu didn’t come to me as a surprise. Of all the names rumoured to emerge, Gbajabiamila is the only one who is qualified on Merit. How? Gbajabiamila, since he came to the House in 2003, had been known as Tinubu Man, you may want to say many others were also known as Tinubu men…..you are right but how many Tinubu men of 20 years ago are actually Tinubu men today? Some were like Nepa light, coming on, going off, fairweather, traitors, fearful friends, silent mockers but Gbajabiamila stood for decades without blemish. A brilliant Lawyer and a Public Administrator who could easily excel in other endeavour but choose to be loyal to a cause and a man he believes. A democrat who risked all to stand with Bola Ahmed Tinubu at a time when it was unfashionable to do so. But for Tinubu’s victory, perhaps, Gbajabiamila would have battled impeachment war from February to May 2023 from anti-Tinubu forces who watched him throughout the electioneering not hiding his support for his beloved Leader. Therefore, if Gbajabiamila now floats with Jagaban, don’t envy him because he was ready to sink with him too!
The advantages of having Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff are numerous, Gbajabiamila is prudent, intelligent, proactive, popular among various Labour unions because of his belief in their welfare and in the peace of Nigeria. Gbajabiamila will stabilise the Executive-Legislative Relationship and make the day to day activities of the President lighter.
In conclusion, Gbajabiamila has different types of experience. He has seen betrayal, he has felt defeat, he has seen victory, yet he remains unshaken in the faith he has for the cause he believes. So, when others move from Speakership to oblivion, Gbajabiamila moves to become the Chief of Staff to the President, such is the fate of a stable, loyal, intelligent man who stands all his life to defend what he believes!!!
©️ Ayekooto Akindele
