GOS @64: A Distinctive Politician And Gentleman

By Tunde Ogunmola

Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (GOS) turned 64, today, December 19, 2023. A man whose leadership qualities history has documented, GOS remains a worthy example in leadership by virtue of everyday happenings in the political arena.

GOS is comfortably at ease with the people of Mushin, his prized community and neighborhood often treated with contempt.

Listening to people and attending to their needs, for him, come with amazing ease and overwhelming satisfaction, such that even years after he had left office, GOS has continued to attend to people in his Magodo residence, when in practical terms, many of his ilks would have shut their doors against the people.

A shrewd politician, his modest character and quiet mien as well as his capacity to listen to people, irrespective of their complaints, stands him out.

Senator GOS, a one time Mushin Local Government chairman, has weathered the storm as far as politics is concerned in Lagos State and, by extension, Nigeria. His knowledge about his people, coupled with his ability to manage unpredictable tendencies, speaks volume of his continued relevance in the Lagos political landscape.

Senator GOS’ involvement in politics is not a fluke. His late father, Alhaji Rafiu Ishola Solomon, was an influential personality in Lagos State politics. He was a contemporary of the first civilian governor of Lagos State, late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande. Alhaji Rafiu Solomon wielded enormous influence in Lagos political landscape to such an extent that he recommended people for political appointments. Prominent among such appointments was that of late (Oba) Alhaji Olatunji Hamzat, the father of the incumbent Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat.

Alhaji Rafiu Solomon was instrumental to the emergence of Alhaji Olatunji Hamzat as a candidate for Lagos State House of Assembly and commissioner in the cabinet of Alhaji Lateef Jakande. He nominated Alhaji Hamzat for commissionership in Alhaji Jakande’s administration in the late Second Republic.

From the foregoing, Senator Ganiyu Solomon’s foray into the esoteric world of politics was not by accident. Suffice to say, he had his political tutelage under his father. More often than not, he was privileged to have attended political meetings and functions while his father’s political dominance lasted. Not surprising though, he grew up to become a consummate and seasoned politician whose political credentials are intimidating.

Senator GOS fully and graciously stepped into his father’s political shoes in 1997 when he took a shot at elective position. He contested for a seat at Lagos State House of Assembly under the platform of Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), during the military era of the late General Sani Abacha. Though, he won the election convincingly, the electoral system was truncated by the death of the maximum ruler.

Undaunted by that situation, Senator Ganiyu Solomon threw his hat into the political ring again in 1999 at the return of democracy. This time, during the Nigerian Fourth Republic, he contested for the chairmanship seat of Mushin Local Government. He got elected and served for a single tenure before he moved up the political ladder. It is important to note that the distinguished senator wanted to seek re-election as Mushin Local Government chairman before providence positioned him for higher political status. This was the time the slogan ‘GOS AGAIN’ was coined in Mushin.

However, in 2003, he contested for the Senate under the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) to represent Lagos West Senatorial District, but the race was won by the incumbent Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi in a keenly contested primary. Instead, Senator Solomon ran and won a seat to represent Mushin Constituency 1 at the House of Representatives.

Subsequently, the irrepressible senator moved up the ladder when in 2007 he got elected into the senate to represent Lagos West Senatorial District. A mission accomplished. After taking his seat in the senate, he was appointed a member of Committee on Works, Sports, Rules and Business, Integrations and Cooperation. He was also the chairman, Senate Committee on Capital Market. In discharging his oversight functions, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon sponsored bills on Amendment of the National Directorate of Act, Electronics Commerce, Whistle blowers Protection, Institution of Capital Market Registrars‘, Elderly Centre, Cancer Research and Treatment Centre, among others. He successfully co-sponsored over ten motions.

In the run-up to the April 2011 elections, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon re-enacted his interest in the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) senate primaries. He was re-elected to the senate for the second term between 2011 and 2015. Instructively, his return to the Red Chamber gave him a hard-earned position of chief minority whip. A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, and apex leader in Mushin LGA and Odi-Olowo LCDA, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon was a former governorship candidate of Lagos State in 2015. A bona fide member of the highest decision-making body in Lagos State, the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), Senator GOS is a member of several professional bodies and had won many awards on account of his selfless stewardship and service to humanity.

Happy 64th birthday to a political colossus!