Mojisola Meranda has been sworn in as the first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. After years of male dominance, the Assembly has finally seen a shift. This historic milestone follows the sudden impeachment of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa during a very serious plenary session on Monday. Obasa’s seemingly unshakable grip on power crumbled, and the Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, was suspended indefinitely. To top it off, Chief Whip Mojeed Fatai was swiftly promoted to Deputy Speaker.
Who Is Mojisola Meranda?
Born in August 1980 in Lagos, Mojisola Meranda’s journey to the top wasn’t accidental. She attended Randle Primary School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, and Ansar-Ud-Deen Secondary School, earning her West African Senior Certificate in 1998.
Her educational credentials include a B.Sc. in Public Administration from Lagos State University (LASU) and a Master’s in Public and International Affairs from the University of Lagos. Currently, she’s pursuing an MBA in Public Sector Management at the University of York, UK.
Meranda’s Political Journey
Meranda’s political career began as a personal assistant in the IT sector, later becoming the office manager at Cirrus Nigeria Limited. She founded Worthline International Services Limited and later served as the Senior Special Assistant on Intervention and Inter-Governmental Relations in Apapa Local Government, eventually becoming the Supervisor for Health.
Her political affiliation has been long-standing, starting with the Alliance for Democracy (AD), transitioning to the Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and now the All Progressives Congress (APC). In 2015, she won a seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Apapa Constituency I.
During the 8th Assembly, she chaired the House Committee on Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and the Committee on Establishment, Training, Pension, and Public Service. Her track record shows a commitment to policy reform and women’s empowerment.
Bottom Line
All eyes are now on her. Will Mojisola Meranda defy the odds and lead Lagos into a new era, or will she be consumed by the same political machinery that swallowed her predecessors?
