Lagos, Nigeria's economic heartbeat has become the playground of political mercenaries and unworthy royals. The latest disgraceful coup in the Lagos State House of Assembly is a testament to the rot he has cultivated, a system where brute force, backstabbing, and political maneuvering have become the norm.
The recent attempt to overthrow Speaker Mudashiru Obasa in the Lagos Assembly exposes the dangerous extent of Asiwaju’s political empire. Backed by Oba Saheed Elegushi and Oba Gbolahan Lawal, the Oniru of Iruland, a faction within the Assembly sought to replace Obasa with Mojisola Meranda, a political surrogate deeply tied to the Oniru and Elegushi camps. This coup was orchestrated with the active participation of Hakeem Muri-Okunola (HMO), Tinubu’s trusted right-hand man and former Lagos Head of Service, now Nigeria’s Principal Private Secretary to the President.
This power play wasn’t about good governance or the will of Lagosians, it was about expanding the political fiefdom of a select few. The so-called royal fathers, who should serve as custodians of Lagosian tradition, have instead become willing puppets in Tinubu’s game. Their loyalty isn’t to Lagos but to the political godfather who has made them relevant.
Despite the coup, Obasa clawed his way back, holding onto power through sheer defiance and backdoor negotiations. Today, he presides over a crippled Assembly with only four members out of forty, a disgraceful state of affairs that turns the Lagos legislature into a global laughing stock.
The legitimacy of the Lagos State House of Assembly now hangs in the balance, further reinforcing the perception that Lagos governance is nothing but an elaborate charade. It is no longer about service to the people; it is about which faction can outmaneuver the other in Asiwaju’s endless game of political chess.
The irony is that many of these so-called powerbrokers are not even Lagosians. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the man behind the attempted coup, traces his origins to Kwara. Oba Saheed Elegushi and Oba Gbolahan Lawal, who have abandoned their traditional roles to meddle in politics, do not represent Lagosians' true heritage Yet, Asiwaju continues to empower these outsiders, eroding the dignity of IndigenousLagosians while turning the state into his personal empire.
Under Asiwaju’s watch, Lagos has lost its prestige. The city that once stood as the pride of Nigeria now operates under a mafia-like structure where power is determined by proximity to Tinubu rather than merit or public service. The so-called royal fathers have abandoned their roles as custodians of culture and are now mere political errand boys.
The Lagos Assembly crisis is just another chapter in the long, sad story of Lagos’ decline under Tinubu’s rule. Asiwaju has empowered individuals with no loyalty to Lagosians, turning the state into a cesspool of political manipulation and greed. Today, we watch as the House of Assembly crumbles, its members engaged in factional battles while the real issues affecting Lagosians' traffic congestion, insecurity, and failing infrastructure are ignored.
The question now is: how much longer will Lagosians tolerate this? How much more of their city will they allow to be sold off to political mercenaries and royal saboteurs? Lagos deserves better. The time has come to reclaim its dignity from those who have turned it into their personal playground of power and plunder.
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