Obasa: The fatal crash of a power-drunk, by Kola Amzat

I’d wanted to title this Piece -“HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN”, the popular phrase that usually follow the inglorious and ignoble exit of a man of valour and those indomitable leaders that might have held their people captive and hostage during their reigns.
But, I spontaneously paused to engage in a long monologue, and during this time, it flashed in my mind that absolutely nothing is mighty about Mudashiru Idowu Obasa.
Nothing, whatsoever is mighty and special about him!
No charisma, no finesse, no aura whatsoever, low exposure, zero interpersonal relationship and of course, low education, yet, he ascended to post of speakership of Lagos State Assembly, on account of magnanimity of the party leadership hierarchy.
With all intents and purposes, the thoroughly disgraced former speaker is just one of the very few privileged locals, from sprawling Agege community that nature and posterity incredibly smiled on, but, in turn failed woefully to acknowledge that, it’s God Almighty that was at work on his behalf to reach that awesome political pedestal, absolutely from nowhere.
It’s even reported that he’s not a citizen of Lagos and that he’s of Abeokuta descent.
Obasa’s story is a case of a common Local Government Councilor mysteriously elevated to Assembly member and straight to two (2) terms Speakership of the most prosperous and most important state across the country; nay Sub-Saharan Africa.
It’s instructive to submit that, before his emergence as Assembly member a couple of years back, he had no political antecedent other than the motley crowd within his community only routing for him to attain office not beyond councillorship in their wildest imagination!
But, here we are-an assembly member and, speaker of the house!
Meanwhile, he started building political fortress within the house of assembly. He was building the camp of loyalists. You either belong to his camp or you’re extinct and rendered completely useless and irrelevant in the affairs of the assembly.
For the assembly members, the fear of Obasa is the beginning of wisdom for the six years period he reigned!
He was also fanning ember of discord and disharmony amongst the members, a development that was creating unnecessary tension and apprehension across the state, as those assembly members represent different constituents and key political blocs all over the state.
During his first term tenure as speaker, he got entangled in several financial infractions, including the alleged mismanagement of a sum of ₦44 billion that almost brought down the roof of the assembly.
Recently, the ex-speaker was alleged to have committed a whopping sum of ₦17 billion on reconstruction and rehabilitation of Assembly gate, a development that was alleged to be the height of corruption and sparked outrage for weeks within assembly complex and Lagos political sphere.
Severally, he’s been accused of bluntly refusing to execute approved projects in the Appropriation Bill, as well as thoroughly squandering the funds meant for assembly members’ constituents’ projects.
There were other infractions that might have been swept under the carpets.
But, despite the fact that the above financial infractions and mind-boggling financial mismanagement already recorded, his journey to political infamy actually started when Governor Sanwo-olu, after his inauguration for second term in office struggled and indeed labored for weeks before the list of commissioner and special adviser nominees forwarded to the assembly for screening was approved, even after, the second time of presentation to the assembly for approval.
It must be noted that Obasa’s house of assembly bluntly refused to approve about 5 commissioners in the list even after second presentation.
It’s also instructive to note that during the screening, the ex-speaker was making embarrassing and derogatory comments to nominees that, they’re only invited by the governor to eat and profit from where they sowed little or nothing and that, only assembly members were the stakeholders who worked diligently across the state for the party to triumph during the elections.
But, the last straw that break the camel back and eventually swept Obasa out of the exalted office was his uncivilized, despicable and ignoble comments during the governor’s presentation of 2025 Appropriation Bill at the assembly.
The ex-speaker was alleged to have kept Governor Sanwo-olu and all invited guests waiting for over 4 hours.
And, when he eventually emerged, he infuriated the governors and his team, as well as invited guests during his speech where he didn’t not only thoroughly disparage the governor, but, deployed the platform to assert his status as a true-born and bred Lagosian, while also challenging everyone aspiring to be governor of the state under the platform of APC, including Seyi Tinubu to publicly disclose their identity and lineage.
During the same event, he arrogantly and mischievously likened himself to all former governors of the state-Fashola, Ambode and Sanwo-olu.
Of course, after the event, the discerning minds and keen political watchers knew that his time was up, as his cup already filled up. The exact time of his imminent disgrace is what they are oblivious of.
It was also reported that, even despite series of unpardonable and irreverent acts of the ex-speaker, the president during his XMAS holidaying in Lagos, made spirited efforts to rescue him and that, the Commander-in-Chief only buckled when he realized that the ex-speaker had suddenly become a loose cannon, and his mental state is irrecoverable from arrogance, insolence and self-destruct.
Undoubtedly, Obasa case is that of leader who UNEXPECTEDLY had a meteoric rise, but, lacking necessary virtues of humility, integrity, interpersonal relationship, good conduct and comportments, as well as godliness to maintain and sustain it.
For sure, Obasa tenure is marked by brazen disregard for the constitutional provisions, political overreach, impunity, as well as continual and deliberate efforts to suppress dissenting voices.
So, why must he remain in office and for what purpose?
Such leader could only continue in office at the peril of the state and the citizenry!
Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB)
Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,
09077509348.