Fresh trouble seems to be brewing for the recently impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, after a document surfaced on social media casting doubt on his status as a lawyer in Nigeria. The document, which is a response from the Supreme Court to a verification request, reveals that Obasa’s name does not appear on the list of registered legal practitioners in the country.
The letter, dated July 24, 2020, and signed by Gertrude Karenton-Mordi on behalf of the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, was issued in response to a request made on July 23, 2020, by an anonymous individual seeking to verify Obasa’s credentials as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The document, titled “Re: Verification of Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” confirmed that Obasa’s name could not be found in the Rolls of Legal Practitioners maintained by the Supreme Court. It advised the impeached Speaker to come forward with his Call to Bar and qualifying certificates for enrolment, and if he had changed his name, he would need to provide evidence of such a change.
The letter reads:
“We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 23rd July, 2020, and on the above-captured subject matter. This is to inform you that we have checked our records and cannot find the name: MUDASHIRU AJAYI OBASA on the numerous Rolls of Legal Practitioners kept in this Honourable Court. MUDASHIRU AJAYI OBASA is at liberty to come to this Honourable Court with his Call to Bar and qualifying certificates for enrolment. If he has done a change of name, he is expected to show proof of same.”
Confirming the authenticity of the document, Dr. Fetus Akande, the spokesman of the Supreme Court, acknowledged that the letter indeed emanated from their office.
Obasa had previously claimed to have earned a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Lagos State University in 2006, but questions about his legal credentials arose when the anonymous inquiry was made in 2020. The revelation adds a new layer of controversy to Obasa’s already tumultuous political career.
This development comes just days after Obasa was impeached as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, following accusations of gross misconduct and abuse of office. His removal paved the way for the election of Rt. Hon. Mojisola Meranda as the first female Speaker of the Assembly.
With the legal status of Obasa now under intense scrutiny, the situation has added to the growing challenges facing the former Speaker.
