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Najeem Salaam

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Najeem Folasayo Salaam,popularly called Iwaloye(meaning: proven character is royal) born 8 August,1965,is a Nigerian politician, philanthropist and current speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly.


Early life

Salaam was born in Ejigbo,Osun State in 1965, to a family of a relatively comfortable family. Nevertheless, his growing up was tortuous because he lost his father when he was barely two years old and his mother when he was ten years old. So the young Salaam lived with his maternal aunt in the rustic town of Ejigbo.[1] [2]


Education

Salaam attended Ansar-U-Deen Primary School,Ejigbo(1975-1981)Baptist School,Ola(1981-1986)and Baptist High School,Ejigbo(1986-1987).He also attended the Oyo State College of Arts and Science for his 'A' level studies(1987-1989). He was admitted to Obafemi Awolowo University,Ile-Ife in 1989 to study for a degree course in political science and he was awarded a bachelor of science degree in political science(Second Class Upper)in 1993.He also earned a master of science degree in Political Science in the same university. Since 2011,Salaam has attended leadership and capacity building courses in the United Kingdom, the United States, United Arab Emirates, Brazil,etc…[3][4]


Politics

Salaam's foray into politics began during his undergraduate’s days in Obafemi Awolowo University when he became actively involved in the student rights movements, particularly in the activities of the Association of Political Science Students. He was a member of the Constitution Review Committee of the Association. He was also involved in the activities of Ejigbo Local Government Area Students Association (ELGASA),OAU Chapter, an association which he had privilege of leading as its president. 

Upon graduation from the university, Salaam went into business of pharmaceutical products retailing. Because of his deep knowledge in community health issues and his age-long health interventions in Ejigbo local area, he was made a supervisory councillor  for Health in 1999; and he was in this position until 2002 when he sought the highest political position in the local government. Salaam, who contested for the position of chairman of the local government on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), was unsuccessful in the election. However when another opportunity beckoned in 2007, he campaigned for a seat in the Osun State House of Assembly and he was returned elected. 
Notwithstanding his victory in the house of assembly election, events took a different dimension in 2009 when a court of appeal nullified his election on the ground that a logo of one of the political parties in the election was excluded from the ballot papers, in gross violation of the electoral laws. The Court of Appeal ordered for a fresh election and at the end of the exercise, a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, a party at the helms of affairs in the state at that time, was declared winner of the new election.
Owing to his wide popularity, political acceptability and followership in the whole of Ejigbo, Salaam was said to have been curried by the ruling party, but he was said to have remained resolute to the ideals of his political party.

When the time for 2011 elections came, Salaam again sought a seat in the Osun Assembly and he won the massive votes of his constituents.[5]


Speakership

On the 2nd June 2011, when the Osun parliament was inaugurated, he was elected Speaker of the 26-man assembly. In the same vein, he was elected Chairman Caretaker Committee of the Conference of Speakers of States Legislature in Nigeria, with a mandate to midwife new executive members of the Conference through a free and fair election. The election, conducted in 2012, is still adjudged one of the best in the annals of the association.
 During his tenure as the speaker of the 5th assembly (2011-2015) in Osun, the house promulgated 32 Bills, made 42 Resolutions and conducted 4 public Hearing. The laws included those on HIV/AIDS, on Signage and Street Advertising, on Security Trust Funds, on Urban renewal…[6]
Perhaps because of a decent and focused leadership he provided in the 5th assembly, the 6th assembly, on June 2, 2015, re-elected him as the Speaker.[7]

The current assembly, as at 8th January 2017, has passed a total of 7 Bills, taken 2 Resolutions and conducted 3 Public Hearing. One of the enacted bills is that of Micro Credit Agency Establishment Bill, a parliamentary instrument seeking to stimulate economic activities in the state.[8] 

The Assembly under his leadership is reputed to have conducted its business in a rancour-free atmosphere, working harmoniously with the executive arm of the government. However, this touted friendly relationship has been questioned by some of his critics. They see the House as toothless and a rubber-stamp of the executive.[9] [10]
In defence, some members of the assembly have come out to say the harmony that exists between the executive and legislature is good for democracy. 
According to Kamil Oyedele,a member of the House of Assembly in Osun State, Salaam ‘… should be eulogised for his quality leadership style...(which)has always propelled members to toll(sic) the line of peaceful co-existence with the executive, and this, has been translating to development of the State....Some people tend to believe that a house that is not in physical combat with the Executive is a rubber-stamp.’[11]

2018 Gubernatorial plan

Salaam is believed to be nursing an ambition to become the executive governor of the state of Osun,a claim he has vehemently refuted, perhaps for the fear of being in the black-book of his political party hierarchy in the state.[12] 

In its March 16, 2017 edition, Societynow reported that Governor Rauf Aregbesola has chosen him as his successor.[13]

A notable political communicator from the state Adebayo Adedeji,in his report on the 2018 election syndicated in many news fora, also alluded to the fact that Najeem Salaam might be the anointed candidate of the state governor Rauf Aregbesola,in reward for his steadfastness and loyalty.[14] [15]

Awards

Salaam,in appreciation of his philanthropic and meritorious services to humanity, has been a recipient of numerous awards from student, professional and faith based groups. He has been honored by the Nigerian Medical Association (Osun State chapter), the Federation of Muslim Women, LAUTECH Medical Students Association,the Students’ Parliamentary Council of Tai Solarin University,Nigeria Association of Agricultural Science Students of the Osun State Universiy. 

Salaam was,February 2017,inducted as the Patron of the Sports Writers Association of Nigerian(SWAN),Osun State Chapter.He is also the Asiwaju Adinni of Ejigboland.[16] [17] [18] [19]



References

  1. ^ "NAJEEM SALAAM: The Story of Self-Made Man, By Goke Butika". NewsPunch. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Hon. Salami Najeem Folasayo". Official Website of the State of Osun. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  3. ^ "NAJEEM SALAAM: The Story of Self-Made Man, By Goke Butika". NewsPunch. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Hon. Salami Najeem Folasayo". Official Website of the State of Osun. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Rt. Hon. Salaam F. Najeem Hon. Speaker". Osun House of Assembly Official Website. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  6. ^ "Osun Assembly Under The Leadership of Rt.Hon Najeem Folasayo Salaam,By Akinyemi Oluwaseye". The Paradigm. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  7. ^ "Najeem Returns as Speaker as Aregbesola Inaugurates Sixth Osun Assembly". WesternPost Nigeria. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Osun Assembly Under The Leadership of Rt Hon. Najeem Folasayo Salaam,By Akinyemi Oluwaseye". The Paradigm. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  9. ^ "Osun: Gov Aregbesola not guilty of indebtedness – House Speaker,Salaam". Ketekete. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  10. ^ "MAY DAY: Osun Speaker Laud Workers On Support To Government". Amiloaded. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  11. ^ "Osun: Assembly passes vote of confidence on speaker". Tne Nation. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  12. ^ "Osun guber: Suspend your ambition – APC tells Adeleke, Yusuf". Today. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  13. ^ "Governor Rauf Aregbesola Picks Osun State House Of Assembly Speaker Najeem Salaam As Successor!". SocietyNow. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  14. ^ "Osun 2018: Situation Reports, Profiles,Antecedents of Guber Aspirants By Adebayo Adedeji". Abusidiqu. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  15. ^ "Osun 2018: Situation Reports, Profiles,Antecedents of Guber Aspirants -By Adebayo Kupo". Opinion. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  16. ^ "Osun Speaker Becomes SWAN Patron". Osun Defender. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  17. ^ "Osun Speaker becomes SWAN patron". Pm News. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  18. ^ "Osun Speaker Becomes SWAN Patron". Osun.Gov. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  19. ^ "Rt. Hon. Salaam F. Najeem Hon. Speaker". Osun House of Assembly Official Website. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
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