The Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, has commiserated with the family of late Tunde Braimoh who died on Friday, saying that his death hit him “like thunder”.
Obasa, who is also the Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria, made this known in a condolence message in Lagos on Saturday.
The late Tunde Braimoh, 60, who reportedly died of COVID-19 on Friday morning, was the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Security and Strategy.
Obasa said: “It has been over 24 hours, yet I am still in search of the right words to portray how I feel currently. It did not come like a lightening.
“No. It hit me like thunder. Maybe, maybe worse than that. Or how best can one describe the blow death brought upon us with the sudden demise of Hon. Tunde Braimoh?
“How best can I understand that one backbone of the Lagos State House of Assembly has been expunged, not even like something taken away temporarily to be returned someday?
“How best can I pull myself together knowing that we will not see this scholarly politician whose meritorious service has added to the gains of Lagos?
He said Braimoh’s unique voice, his brilliant arguments and postulations, his sequence and enviable use of words sometimes got them bursting with laughter and respect.
The speaker said two times he had tried to put something together within the last 24 hours but he had been at a loss for what to say.
The speaker noted that the late Tunde Braimoh was not just a lawmaker, he was an ally, he never had ‘no’ for an answer and he knew what to do even before such was brought to his attention.
He said: “Braimoh had a ready answer for all questions. I remember the many times he would walk up to me to tell me about issues. A constant characteristic was that he solved most of them before I got to know.
“Yes, he was not perfect; he was a human being like all of us, but who can judge him when his good deeds, which are unquantifiable, are there before everyone?
“There is no doubting the fact that he touched lives personally and on behalf of the House of Assembly.
“He had feelings for the downtrodden – they benefitted immensely. In everything he did, he always placed himself in the shoes of the other person.
“He was neat, his dress sense was unique. He was always careful with life and he took his health as a priority. His laughter still rings.”
The speaker said his demised was truly a blow to the House.
Obasa said Braimoh had great plans for the state and always had his constituents in mind constantly thinking of how best to reach them and give them reasons to be happy.
He said this year 2020 had shown its troubling uniqueness as between June and July, they had lost two strong pillars.
Obasa said the House was still grappling with the reality of the demise of Sen. Sikiru Oshinowo, whose valedictory session Braimoh played a role in as the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Security and Strategy.
The speaker said the House would be consoled by the fact that the late two-term lawmaker served his state and Nigeria with his might and intelligence and contributed immensely to their advancements.
