By Eric Elezuo
The premises of Dairy Farm Primary School in particular, and the entire Agege Local Government in general were a beehive of activities as the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly and Chairman, Conference of Speakers in Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, celebrated his 46th birthday in the midst of children who he said ‘I was once like’.
Hon Lanre Ogunyemi making his speech
The glorious event which attracted the who is who in the education sector in Agege Local Local Government, was pot pourri of glamour, funfair, glitz and general happiness.
Chief of staff to Speaker, Hon. Adewale Jafojo (middle )with others
The much loved Speaker, who was conspicuously absent at the occasion, as he was attending to very important state matters, was represented by the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon. Lanre Ogunyemi and a host of other big wigs in Agege LGA.
Pupils performing in appreciation of Speaker Obasa
With love in the air, the management, staff and pupils of the school engaged in a variety of soul lifting activities to express their support to the Speaker, who is reputed to have performed and is performing his responsibilities creditably well.
Agege Local Government Chairman, Hon. Ganiyu Egunjobi, giving his address
Kicking off the activities was various traditional dances staged by the pupils, which was followed by a match pass by both the academic and administrative staff of the institution. Among those that participated in the match pass were the Association of Games and Sports Teachers, Head Teachers of the local government and many others.
Teachers in happy mood during the celebration
Speaking on behalf of the Speaker, Hon Ogunyemi, expressed his gratitude to the local government as well as the staff and students of various schools in the local government for believing in him.
He further eulogised the Speaker for his sterling qualities, and for deciding among many other high ranking personalities and places in Lagos State, to celebrate his birthday among the grass root people.
Hon Ogunyemi presenting a gift to one of the pupils
“The Speaker’s action is commendable. He chose to celebrate his birthday with the grassroots people. That shows how much of a man of the people that he is,” he said.
Hon Ogunyemi maintained that in celebrating the birthday, the Speaker has deemed it fit to reach out to about 1000 pupils in the state with academic materials including school bags, exercise books and biros in his efforts to give back to the society.
Association of Head Teachers were also represented
In his response, the Chairman, Agege Local Government Area, Hon Ganiyu Egunjobi, praised the resilience of the Speaker, Rt Hon. Obasa, saying he is the man to beat in the act of hospitality and showing desired kindness to all and sundry. He stated that the local government is happy to have him as ‘one of us’.
Speaker after speaker poured encomium on Rt. Hon. Obasa and wished him the best in all his endeavours.
Association of Games and Sports Teachers
The distribution of the materials which was supervised by the Chief of Staff to the Speaker, Hon Wale Jafojo, was hitch free as every pupil smiled home with his largesse, expressing good tidings to the honorable speaker, and the Lagos State government.
Hon Jafojo, who spoke to The Boss afterwards, said working with the Speaker is a wholesome experience, while wishing him the best life can offer as he celebrates a milestone birthday.
“The Speaker, in his usual way of thinking for and of everybody felt it would be proper to celebrate his birthday with the foundation of academic and life career, and that explains the choice of the primary school. He also chose to reach out to about 1000 pupils of the LGA with academic materials as his own little way of giving back to the society,” Jafojo said.
Hon Ogunyemi receiving a gift on behalf of the Speaker, Rt. Hon Obasa
Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa was born on November 11, 1972. He was elected Councillor in 1999 before proceeding to the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2003. He has been a Lagos State lawmaker since then. He is reputed as a very experienced lawmaker, and is credited with a lot of developmental projects and ideas that are pushing Lagos to the forefront. Rt Hon. Obasa was elected to the office of Speaker in 2015.
Among personalities that graced the occasion were the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon Lanre Ogunyemi; Chief of Staff to the Speaker, Mr. Adewale Jafojo; Chairman Agege Local Government, Hon Ganiyu Egunjobi and his wife; Special Adviser on Political Matters, Hon. Muftau Egberongbe; Special Adviser on Budget, Otunba Richard Oshungboye; Special Adviser, Establishment, Lady Bisola Munis; Senior Special Adviser, Protocol, Mr. Lekan Oladele; Senior Special Adviser, Research and Planning; Alhaji Oriyomi Oladimeji, Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Musbau Rasaq; Secretary of Local Government Education Authority, Comrade Olalekan Majiyagbe; Representative of SUBEB, Mrs. Carrina; Ikeja Local Government Education Secretary as well as senior staff from the office of the Speaker of the Logos State House of Assembly.