Femi Gbajabiamila
Early Life and Legal Pursuits
Born on June 25, 1962, in Lagos, Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila embarked on his academic journey at Igbobi College, Yaba, before advancing to King William's College in the UK.
He earned his LL.B. with honours from the University of Lagos in 1983 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984. His legal career commenced at Bentley Edu & Co., after which he established his own firm, Femi Gbaja & Co.
In pursuit of further legal expertise, he obtained a Juris Doctor from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School in 2001, graduating magna cum laude, and subsequently practiced law in Georgia before returning to Nigeria.
Legislative Tenure and Leadership
Gbajabiamila's political career began in 2003 when he was elected to represent Surulere I in the House of Representatives.
Over six consecutive terms, he held pivotal roles: Minority Leader (2007–2015), Majority Leader (2015–2019), and Speaker (2019–2023).
His legislative contributions include sponsoring significant bills such as the Students’ Loan Bill and the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill.
Notably, he played a key role in the "third term debate," opposing constitutional amendments for presidential tenure extension.
Chief of Staff and Strategic Influence
In June 2023, Gbajabiamila resigned from the House to assume the role of Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
Known for his strategic acumen, he is reputed to be fluent in Italian, enabling him to engage deeply with Machiavellian political philosophies.
His close alliance with President Tinubu underscores his influential position in the current administration.
