*A Tale of Hubris, Facade and Downfall: The Allegory of Obasa’s Political Demise
One major political event in the opening of the year 2025 that has now become a part of Nigerian political history is that of Hon. Muda Obasa, the ousted speaker of Lagos State, whose removal followed acts of gross misconduct and financial misappropriation, according to his colleagues.
However, those who are close observers of Lagos State politics would understand the allegation on misappropriation was only a fig leaf to cover up the true reason, which was Obasa’s growing arrogance against the political structure that made him, leveraging on his relationship with the man that holds the ace, President Bola Tinubu.
Muda Obasa, who has been representing Agege constituency 1 for the fifth term, as analysts astutely observed, began to wane politically from the moment he exaggerated his closeness with Tinubu. He referred to himself all sorts and called himself all that he was actually not in the reality and scheme of things. He describes himself as the golden son of PBAT, whose voice he only listens to.
Tinubu is famously called “Eko” in some circles; “Eko ti fe lo sun” is the Yoruba slang that allies use when PBAT is going to rest. Obasa thus called himself Oju Eko — the eyes of Tinubu, if we inject context. He bullied anyone and everyone with his exaggerated closeness with PBAT. Today, he has been shown the way out of the power he leveraged — house speaker — and has now become an ordinary member that will now be taking instructions from those he received their bow.
If this author were Obasa, instead of staying away from the house, I would reunite with them, learn my lessons and amend the wrongs that are still repairable. Obasa must look back at where he was 25 years ago — a roadside wristwatch repairer — and take solace in what he has become today — a Lagos state legislator and former speaker.
This is why one must be alarmed when Obasa declared himself the best among those who have ruled and are currently ruling Lagos State as governor.
One is compelled to ask what metrics Obasa is using for such comparison and conclusion. Is it education that he never had beyond his secondary school leaving certificate; could it be his background that was never aristocratic in any sense; was he comparing himself with the likes of Fashola, Ambode, and Sanwo-Olu not to talk of Tinubu in terms of intellectual capacity? What ideological and charismatic strand has Obasa got that models him as such an individual in the class of leaders whose thought, worldview, or ideals can be studied like we know of BRF, BAT, and AMBO?
The rise and fall of Muda Obasa, as pitiable as it may appear, must offer a lesson to the political class, especially those who find themselves invincible or exaggerate their political affiliation with power brokers. The Obasa case serves as a great example of a man who was only power drunk and hubristic and thought himself a force PBAT wouldn’t dare to lose.
Regretably, he has been removed, replaced, and life has not been erased — Aiye o ti pa re, as it is commonly said on the streets of Lagos.
*Azeem Salako can be reached at [email protected]
