By Dapo Ipoola

The leadership of the Nigerian 9th Senate came with little or no controversy and political intrigues, unlike the usual political melodramatic theatrics that accompany the selection of Senate leadership. It is true that Nigeria’s democracy is not a full-fledged. The woes and inconsistency in our democracy are traceable to the actors involved as some have done the utterly despicable to gratify their pecuniary interest. It is not surprising that some unscrupulous elements have advanced many disreputable arguments and logic so as to monopolise power or remain perpetually in it. In all of the power struggle, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele stands tall in character and nobility. He is the distinguished Senator representing Ekiti Central district and also doubles as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

MOB, as he is fondly called is not a new entrant in the game of politics. He started the game in his undergraduate days. As an undergraduate in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, where he obtained a bachelor›s degree in Religious Studies, he was the Public Relations Officer of the Students’ Union Government. In 1990, he proceeded to the University of Benin where he bagged a bachelor›s degree in law. As a student activist, he was the Chairman of the University of Benin Students’ Union. He went to Nigerian Law School and was called to the bar in 1992. Known for his unquenchable thirst for education, he proceeded to Franklin Pierce University where he received a master’s degree in law, and was called to the New York Bar, in January, 1999.

As a lawyer with strong penchant for advocacy, he was one of the defence counsels led by Chief Godwin Olusegun Kolawole Ajayi to Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the famous June 12, 1993 presidential election, during his treason trial. In 1992, he contested for the primary elections for the Federal House of Representatives, representing Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency, in Lagos, under the flagship of Social Democratic Party, SDP, but narrowly lost the election. In March, 1993, he served as a National Accreditation Officer at the SDP National Convention, which was held in Jos, Plateau State, where Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola was elected as the party’s presidential candidate. He served as a Special Assistant on Legal Matters to Senator Bola Tinubu until November 1993, when Nigeria’s democracy was abruptly truncated by Gen. Sanni Abacha. In July, 2000, he was appointed as Senior Special Assistant on Political and Intergovernmental Relations to the Lagos State governor. Between 2000 and 2003, he was the National Director of Publicity of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD).

As a legal juggernaut, he is a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Nigeria. He is the Principal Attorney and Head of Chambers at the Law office of Opeyemi Bamidele & Associate. As a Member of Representatives, he was the Chairman, House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research. He is a Notary Public of the State of New Hampshire, USA. In 2016, he was appointed to serve the 8th NASS in a professional capacity as a Consultant to the House of Representatives Special Committee on the review of the Nigerian Constitution. As a lawyer of no mean repute, he is an expert in Intellectual Property, with bias in International Patent, and Copyright Law, including the Licensing of International Transfer of Technology.

Between 2003 and 2007 he served as Lagos State Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Development. As Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Social Development, part of his accomplishments in office is the renovation of Onikan Stadium, which includes the provision of 500KVA generator, re-grassing of the stadium pitch, provision of dressing rooms for teams and referees; stimulation of private sector participation in sports sponsorship; establishment of Coaching Clinics and Seminars for the development of coaches and games masters; resuscitation of grassroots sports as well as Primary School Games, and All Secondary School Games; resuscitation of Principals’ Cup Football Competition, renovation of Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Yaba; resuscitation of Lagos State Sports Festival; registration and monitoring of private social welfare institutions and non-governmental organisations; completion and official commissioning of the age-long abandoned Teslim Balogun Stadium; rehabilitation of Skills Acquisition Centres for destitute and drug Addicts in Tekunle Island, Lagos; establishment of Youth Recreational Centres in many Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in the State; resolution of 6,782 matrimonial cases through the Social Work Department of the ministry; rehabilitation of Vocational Training Centre for the disabled in Owutu, Ikorodu, Majidun, Isheri, and the destitute camp in Oko-Baba, and the Children Transit Home, Idi-Araba, Mushin, Lagos. Given his laudable feats in the Youths, Sports and Social Development Ministry, Lagos State government conferred on him World Leadership Award.

He was again reappointed to serve as Commissioner for Information and Strategy, under the government of Babatunde Raji Fashola. He established the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau, LASRAB, for effective and technology driven documentation of state activities; launching of the Lagos State Television (LTV) frequency on DSTV, making it the first state-owned television station to be launched on global satellite; upgrading of infrastructure at LTV, Eko FM, among others.

In April, 2011, he was elected as a Member of the 7th National Assembly, to represent Ekiti Central Federal Constituency 1. While in House of Representatives, he served as the Chairman of the House on Adhoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, and he also served as a member of the House Committee on Education, Judiciary, Constitution Review, Housing and Habitat, State and Local Government. In April, 2016, he was appointed by the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSSOC), as a Consultant and Facilitator. In May, 2016, he was invited by the United Nations to participate in the World Humanitarian Summit, which was held in Istanbul, Turkey. In June, 2016, he was appointed by the APC as the Chairman of the Edo State Governorship Primary Election on Appeal Committee.

He donated N10m to the state government to curtail the epidemiological spread of #Covid-19 pandemic. Hundreds of constituents have been empowered and trained in various skills acquisition programs, including the physically challenged. As an eloquent representative in the Senate, he sponsored a bill which seeks to establish Federal University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Iyin-Ekiti, and the bill has successfully passed second reading. Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill, the avuncular Senator said the bill when passed will provide a highly specialised institution that will be more productive and very much needed for medical advancement of the nation. According to him, the higher institution will also act as agent and catalyst through postgraduate training, research and innovation for effective and economic utilization, exploitation and conservation of Nigeria›s natural, economic and human resources.

As Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, MOB has advocated the need for merit and strict compliance in the consideration of citizens for appointment, including the ones that will come before the Senate for confirmation which must be re-emphasised for the record. He said, “In addition to ensuring that potential appointees meet the eligibility criteria stipulated for the relevant public offices into which they are appointed, adequate care must be taken to ensure that the Federal Character principle established by virtue of the clear provision of section 14, sub-section (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as altered) should not be undermined.”

Dapo Ipoola, a social affairs analyst