Opeyemi Bamidele, a trail blazer @60

By Modestus Umenzekwe:

Prominently known as MOB, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele is a lawyer of repute, a political icon, a man with Midas touch and just very recently, another feather was added to his cap when he emerged as the Majority Leader of the 10th Nigerian Senate.

The day the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio was announcing him as the majority leader, you could decipher the enthusiasm, the joyous expression on the face of the senate president and all other senators present because they all knew the pedigree and the political sagacity of which Senator Bamidele is made of.

I started taking passionate and clear interest in the political activities of the amiable senator during the battle for survival at the court in the United Kingdom by the embattled Senator Ekwerenmadu, though a Yoruba man but there was nothing he didn’t do to make sure that Ekwerenmadu was released, but all to no avail. This showed that he is detribalized, humane and bears another’s burden as his own. Ad

Since birth July 29, 1963, at Iyin Ekiti, in Ekiti State, Nigeria, it became obvious that a star has arrived on the planet earth. He started his early life in Lagos State, attending Baptist Academy Secondary School, from there he went to Obafemi Awolowo University now known as OAU. He is also a Lawyer, having studied Law at the popular University of Benin where he received a bachelor’s degree in law in 1990, and was called to the bar in 1992, having attended the Nigerian Law School.

Bamidele is so well equipped educationally to handle national assignments, with a Master in Law from the Franklin Pierce University and making himself all-rounder when he was called to the New York Bar in January 1999.

From record, Bamidele was one of the defence Counsels, led by Chief Godwin Olusegun Kolawole Ajayi to defend Moshood Abiola on his treason trial. He served as special assistant on legal matters to Senator Bola Tinubu until November 1993 when Nigeria’s democracy was truncated by General Sanni Abacha.

He has also served as Senior Special Assistant on Political and Inter-Governmental Relations to the Lagos State Governor in 2002, and later appointed as commissioner for Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development in governor Bola Tinubu’s administration. In April 2011, he was elected as a member of the 7th National Assembly to represent Ekiti Central Federal constituency 01.

Whichever way you look at him, Bamidele is very prepared for legislative assignment and other national engagements, giving his intellectual capacity, sound education, sociable personality and political erudition, a three-term commissioner in Lagos State, a member of the House of Representatives and a two-term Senator.

The Senate Leader is a man of immense capacity, a great political mobiliser and strategist with extensive contact that cuts across different strata, He would certainly bring all those qualities to bear on his new role as leader of the 10th Senate. People like Bamidele would make the citizens to be proud of their leaders talking about excellent representation, cohesion, dynamism and delivery.

He has started using his position to build harmonious working relationship with various sectors in the National Assembly and between the legislative and executive arms of government, in the interest of the country.

Bamidele has demonstrated consistently an untiring dedication to the Nigerian youth and their aspirations. 

As you celebrate your 60th Birthday with much gaiety and trust in God almighty, I congratulate you, I congratulate your immediate community for giving Nigeria a rare gem, I congratulate your state, Ekiti, I also congratulate Lagos State for bringing you into political limelight. A special mention must be of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who loves picking youths and developing them for national assignments.