In defence of Akande, Osoba, and my role as advocate in Lagos Assembly case – Dr. Muiz Banire

In my last intervention on the Lagos Assembly crisis, I had concluded that except triggered, I did not intend to say anything more on the subject. This is certainly not because there is nothing more to say. Certainly, there are too many things to say, particularly on the circus, but for the fact that there is no way I will further comment without being accused of bias in one way or the other. For the avoidance of doubt, I still unapologetically stand by earlier views on the issue.

However, while away from the country, I sensed that I must have missed so much news to the extent of not noticing the publication by my Lagos elders under the platform of De Renaissance Patriots Foundation which I understand was published on Wednesday, February 25th, 2025, titled Systemic Marginalisation of Lagos State Indigenes and co-signed by Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd) and Mr. Yomi Tokosi.
Let me thank Festus Adedayo, one of my favorite columnists, for drawing my attention to the publication in his column titled, “Obasa, Alaafin Sango and Capture of Lagos” published in the Sunday Tribune of March 2nd, 2025. I understand, from the snippets supplied in the said column, that the publication largely derided Chief Bisi Akande and Aremo Olusegun Osoba, for daring to venture into the Lagos House of Assembly crisis that was festering at that point. I must state that it is quite unfortunate that my elders never had sufficient information before unleashing the said publication.
There is also a news report published by a blogger, Empowered Newswire on March 4, 2025 titled “Assembly: How Akande-led Panel Forced Meranda Out, Reinstated Obasa” which does not represent the truth of what actually transpired but is full of mere faulty conclusions. It is in this respect that I will be failing in my duty as a person in the business of telling the truth, and thereby carrying guilty conscience around, if I fail to put the record straight and stoutly rise to the defence of these innocent elders of Yoruba land who sacrificed so much, and at much pains, to the best of my knowledge, striving to protect the interest of the Lagos indigenes and Lagos State in general.
To this end, permit me to appreciate instantly the patriotic zeal of the duo elder statesmen. Having done this, let me state unequivocally that the efforts of these gentlemen were actually precipitated by the Lagos indigenes who felt that their assistance was needed to normalize the situation. If I may be specific, I am aware that Prince Tajudeen Olusi, who is a Lagos indigene and Chairman of the body called the Governors’ Advisory Council (GAC), amongst others, reached out to Chief Bisi Akande specifically. I know for a fact that the President did not procure the duo for the purpose of resolution of the crisis but were invited by the leadership of the ruling party, and all that eventually transpired was for the elders to seek the pleasure of the President to wade into the conflict. It is also a fact that the elder statesmen accepted the invitation based on the reality that Lagos remains the economic and political base of the western Nigeria.
Lagos remains the bastion of hope to an average Yoruba man. Seeing crisis that could push the State under naturally became the concern of every well-meaning Yoruba man. It will be recalled that, upon the collapse of the progressives hold in Western Nigeria in 2003, it was Lagos State that resurrected the structures for them. This is a known fact. Every grateful Yoruba man must therefore be worried about anything or act capable of undermining the status of Lagos. By way of further information, it was the failure of the party leadership in Lagos that compelled the necessity for the duo to intervene.
This, I understand, was borne out of the fact that the leadership of the party in the State was unable to confront the President who was believed to be behind Obasa’s intransigence, and the reality of their divisive tendencies. It was while surrendering to their helplessness, that they sought the assistance of the two elder statesmen. Chief Akande initially was reluctant to dabble into the matter, not due to any act of cowardice, but largely due to his shallow knowledge of Lagos politics as he claimed. Unlike the younger ones who will decisively move in with their own ideas, as the Yoruba proverb says, ti omode ba n ge igi ninu igbo, agba a mo ibi ti o maa wo si which literally means where a young man is felling trees in the forest, it is the direction of the tree’s collapse that will preoccupy the thoughts of the elders. It is where or who the tree falls on that receives the biggest impact.
Due to the wisdom of the duo, they refused to take any position when eventually they opted to dabble into the matter; rather they decided to embark on full consultation with all the relevant stakeholders, seeking their directions and guidance in finding everlasting solution to the crisis. As an observer who was conscripted into the resolution process, I had thought they were indecisive in their approach, but with the benefit of hindsight now and the unfolding scenario, I now know that ko si bi omode se le ni aso to, ko le ni akisa bi agba. Yes, the wisdom of the elders supersedes the knowledge of youth. Baba Akande, as we fondly call him, had rationalized my invitation based on my non-alignment with any of the political groups in the State, having stepped aside from party politics since 2018, and humbly, my objective posture on issues. As an emissary in the team, I undertook not less than eleven trips in two weeks to and from Abuja, with meetings running into early hours of the day. These old men were not only sacrificing their sleep for the assignment, they were denying themselves any relaxation during the period. Interestingly, contrary to the insinuation in the said publication as captured in the alluded column, the duo protected, throughout, the interest of the indigenes. In fact, the onslaught executed by the estranged speaker through breaking into the Assembly Complex, angered the duo, and pained them so much that I sympathized with them. I must confess that all along that the process was on, I had always been doubtful of a positive end, knowing the nature of politicians. The duo negotiated in good faith and put all that they had in terms of reputation at stake, but at the end of the road, their egos were not only bruised, they ended up being thrown under the bus. If anything, we must pity the duo. Those who, at best, only qualified as their grandchildren, have now ceased to trust them as their intervention was now construed as deceptive.
As I remarked above, the President never contracted the duo to dabble into the Lagos Assembly affair but were only given endorsement to act in the best interest of the Yoruba race at large. It is important to note that even when they moved in, they never came in with any opinion or position but sought the guidance of the aggrieved members of the Lagos House of Assembly and the leadership of the party as represented by the GAC. In fact, at the meetings held with the above entities, as well as the then embattled Speaker, guidance was sought as to the best mode of resolving the dispute. At this stage, it is crucial for me to point out that at one of the main meetings held with the GAC, despite the fact that the body is populated by not less than eighty percent indigenes, I observed that only those who attempted to proffer solutions were non-indigenes. The Lagos indigenes at the meeting were largely muted.
The question then is, who is to be blamed? The duo of Baba Akande and Aremo Osoba, or the positioned indigenes in the Council? Skipping the details of what transpired further, where are the other Indigenes outside politics in the midst of this crisis? How many of the indigenes ventured into it? Granted that the excuse may be given that they are not politicians, good, but can they be indifferent while a major institution of their State crumbles? I am not too sure that this is an option.
As if the indigenes were hypnotized, where are they in the conflict in the Lagos Central Mosque as it deepens and festers? The central mosque crisis is running into a year old now, and notwithstanding the intervention of the Oba of Lagos and our revered elder, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, SAN, the intransigent party remains resolute and rebellious, inevitably leading to a court action. Lagos Central Mosque is a Lagos monument and no Lagosian, regardless of faith, can be indifferent to it.
I must say that the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs is again reluctant to wade in for the fear of similar accusation of an Hausa man dabbling into the Lagos Central Mosque affairs. Recall that the body is headed by the Sultan of Sokoto. I am not seeing our elders coming in, until an external body/person comes, before we shout hoax.
For how long are we going to be wailing when we are not proactive in our affairs? I have gone this far to reveal the facts leading to the intervention of the great men in Chief Bisi Akande and Aremo Olusegun Osoba so as for us to stop vilifying them, but rather praising and commending them. They have, in my humble view, done noble. They have sufficiently been ridiculed and need no further insolence. Even the position ultimately taken by them in the resolution of the crisis was treated with ignominy. My appeal to my fellow indigenes is that we need, going forward, to start being proactive, and cease being lethargic. May I, at this stage, also briefly comment on my court appearance for the House of Assembly which has been misconstrued in some quarters. Let me state that as an indigene of the State, I will not stand by and watch the institution of our dear State assaulted by anyone while I possess the skill to defend it.
Although this is my primary motive but beyond that, I am a lawyer engaged in litigation. I have no other job than the practice of law. Except my conscience does not tally with a brief, I am not only under the professional obligation to accept the brief, it is equally my legitimate means of sustenance and survival to handle such. I am not into any other job. The implication of this is that whenever I am called upon by a potential client, I will gladly accept same, particularly where it is not gratuitous. This is my story today. Agba o ni tan lori ile o, may we continue to enjoy the wisdom of the elders!