New Telegraph

Lagos Assembly: Expectations As Meranda Unveils Agenda

ANAYO EZUGWU x-rays the emergence of Mojisola Lasbat Meranda as first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly

On January 13, the political equation at the Lagos State House of Assembly took a dramatic turn as the then speaker, Hon, Mudashiru Obasa was impeached His removal was swift, decisive and unanimous, as though the lawmakers had long decided to change leadership.

In Obasa’s stead, the lawmakers unanimously elected Mojisola Lasbat Meranda to lead the House. The 44-year-old was the deputy speaker until Obasa’s ouster. She became the first female speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly since 1999.

Agenda

Speaking at the first plenary of the House on January 17, Meranda pledged to uphold good governance and transparency as the leader of the House.

She said the House will work harmoniously with other arms of government to ensure a seamless delivery of dividends of democracy to the people. Her words: “I am here before you today, humbled and honoured to preside over this esteemed Assembly as the newly-elected speaker.

I am deeply grateful for the trust and confidence you have reposed in me, and I pledge to work tirelessly to uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and good governance.

“As we gather in this hallowed chamber, we are reminded of the sacred responsibility that rests on our shoulders. We are the representatives of the people, elected to give voice to their hopes, aspirations, and concerns. We are the guardians of their trust, and we must strive to justify the faith they have placed in us.

“As we begin this new chapter in the history of our Assembly, I want to assure you that my administration will focus on working together for a better Lagos. I pledge, today, to work harmoniously with other arms of government, especially the executive to ensure the seamless delivery of dividends of democracy to Lagosians.

“This synergy is crucial for effective governance and democratic development. To achieve this, I commit to maintaining open lines of communication with the governor and his team, fostering a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect. By doing so, we can ensure that our legislative actions align with the executive’s vision for the state, ultimately benefiting the people of Lagos.

“By working together, we can achieve far more than we could alone. In other words, I look forward to a productive and fruitful partnership with both the judiciary and executive arms of government, as we strive to build a better future for Lagos State.

We will prioritise leaving the past behind and forging ahead. We will not dwell on past controversies or disagreements, but instead, focus on the task at hand: delivering better services to the people of Lagos. We will strive to create a more inclusive and participatory democracy, where every citizen feels valued, respected, and empowered. “We have a lot to do to achieve this vision.

The onus is on us to focus on several key areas. Strengthening legislative independence will be a top priority, ensuring that our institution remains robust and independent.

We will also promote transparency and accountability in governance, ensuring that our actions are guided by the principles of integrity, fairness, and justice. “As we begin this new chapter, I am reminded that we are not just lawmakers, but also leaders.

We must lead by example, demonstrating the values of integrity, transparency, and accountability that we expect from others. “As your speaker, I commit to prioritising the needs of our constituents. We will work to ensure that their voices are heard, their concerns are addressed, and their welfare is protected.

We are committed to fostering a democratic environment where everyone has a voice. Our goal is to create a more inclusive and participatory democracy, where citizens are actively engaged in decision making processes that impact their lives. “As I wrap up, I want to assure you that I am committed to working with every one of you to achieve our vision for Lagos State.

I am committed to listening to your ideas, responding to your concerns, and working collaboratively to address the challenges that we face. Together, let us work towards a brighter future for Lagos State, a future that is built on the principles of justice, equality, and opportunity for all.”

Journey to stardom

Before the new Lagos speaker got married to John Paul Meranda, she was Mojisola Ojora Lawal, a princess whose blue blood is a pool of contributions from a few of Lagos’ royal families. Her relatives have been kings and are still rulers in the Ijora, Lagos Island, and Oniru areas of the state.

She was born on August 16, 1980, as a descendant of two prominent royal families in Lagos. Taoreed Lawal-Akapo, the late Ojora of Lagos, was her father; and Muinat, her mother, was a princess from the illustrious Oniru kingdom.

Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, Meranda’s brother, is the current Oniru of the Iru kingdom. Politics has a magnetic force. When one grows up close to its corridors, one is most likely to be swept into its whirlwind. Meranda was drafted into politics early in life.

“I grew up in a political arena. I had siblings, who were into politics and I used to just sit down and listen to them, watch them and gradually, I learnt and thereafter picked interest in it,” she said in a chat in 2013. “It has always been in me to always want to give back to my community. So, I imagined myself in a particular position where I could influence people’s lives positively. So, that has always been in me.

So, going into politics was like gaining a platform to reach out to my people,” she added. Meranda started politics at age 18, attending ward meetings with her brothers and cousins as soon as she could vote.

Our goal is to create a more inclusive and participatory democracy where citizens are actively engaged in decisionmaking processes that impact their lives

“I would sit with them and listen to them, and if I had anything to contribute to whatever was being discussed, I contributed, and if I didn’t have any, I would simply sit down and observe,” she said in 2023.

Before that, she was also a leader in her various schools. Meranda attended Lagos Anglican Girls Grammar School and Ansar-Ud-Deen Secondary School. She was a Library prefect and the secretary of her school’s press club.

Her childhood dream was to become a lawyer, but she shelved it after failing to attain the score needed to study Law. “I did a diploma course, though I wanted to be a lawyer.

Unfortunately, I didn’t make the cut-off mark required to study the course, so I opted for something else,” she said in 2020. “I still went on to do the diploma course because of my interest in Law. But, of course, growing up, I discovered that there were other courses that one could do apart from Law.”

PA at 23

In 2003, at just 23, Meranda became a personal assistant to Olumuyiwa Gbadegesin, a Senior Special Assistant on Information and Technology to the then governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu (now president). “Gbadegesin was the SSA on Information Technology, and it was with him that I started my career professionally,” she said.

“I worked with him, and we were together before Asiwaju Bola Tinubu moved him to the Land Information System Support Unit, where he served as director under the office of the Surveyor General. I was also there with him,” added. Meranda got her first major post-secondary school certification in 2005.

She earned an advanced certificate in software development. After a brief stay at Cirrus Nigeria Ltd, an energy company, Meranda was named the senior special assistant on intergovernance relations to Ayodeji Joseph, the chairman of Apapa LGA, in 2008.

“During his second tenure, I was given an appointment as his supervisory councillor for health in Apapa, an office that I am proud to say I did well,” she said.

“And that was the turning point for me because I thought to myself and said, ‘if I could excel and do so well as a supervisory councillor, why don’t I aspire for something higher?” Along the way, she got her first degree in Public Administration from the Lagos State University in 2013.

Lawmaker

At 34, Meranda was elected into the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2015. She became the representative of the Apapa 1 constituency and one of only four women in the 40-member house inaugurated by Akinwunmi Ambode, then governor of Lagos State, in June of that year.

Other women in the house were Omotayo Oduntan, Mosunmola Sangodara and Funmilayo Tejuosho. Meranda was re-elected in 2019 and became the chief whip of the House a year later.

She also served as the chairperson of the House Committee on Women’s Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. Upon reelection into the house for a third term in 2023, Meranda became the deputy speaker.

In 2021, when Meranda was asked to list the bills she had sponsored since she became a lawmaker, her response was surprising. “I think it is not about sponsoring bills because we have a lot of old laws that need repeal and amendment.

So, I think we need to update our side first. It is not about sponsoring a bill, and after a while, we leave it on the shelf. So, I think we should concentrate on the old laws that need amendment and maybe take a step further by ensuring that there is proper enforcement,” she said.

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