Gbenga Ashafa
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Gbenga Ashafa | |
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![]() Gbenga Ashafa | |
Senator for Lagos East | |
Assumed office June 9, 2015 Serving with Oluremi Tinubu and Solomon Olamilekan Adeola | |
Preceded by | Adeleke Mamora |
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport | |
Assumed office November 4, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Sahabi Ya'u |
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Lands Bureau | |
In office February 2005 – December 2010 | |
Preceded by | Shamsideen Balogun |
Succeeded by | Hakeem Muri-Okunola |
Executive Secretary, Lagos State Land Use & Allocation Committee | |
In office January 2001 – January 2005 | |
Preceded by | Segun Ogunlewe |
Succeeded by | Hakeem Muri-Okunola |
Director of Planning, Governor's Office | |
In office September 1999 – December 2000 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Bareehu Olugbenga Ashafa July 22, 1955 Lagos Island, Lagos, Nigeria Protectorate |
Political party | All Progressives Congress |
Spouse(s) | Folashade Omobola Ashafa (m. 1979-present) |
Relations | Lawal Kakanfo Ashafa (father) Tesmot Ojuolape Elemoro (mother) |
Residence(s) | Apo Village, Abuja (official) Magodo, Lagos (private) |
Alma mater | Morgan State University (B.Sc.) University of Tennessee, Knoxville (M.Sc.) |
Profession | Public Administrator Politician |
Website | gbengaashafa.com |
Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa (born 22 July 1955) is a second term senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from Lagos State. Senator Ashafa was inaugurated as a second-term senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District in the 8th senate (2015–2019) on 9 June 2015.
Ashafa is a member of the All Progressives Congress and serves as a member of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress as well as the Vice Chairman (South West) of the Southern Senators Forum.
Childhood and education
Olugbenga Bareehu Ashafa was born in the Luther/Bamgbose/Campos area of Lagos Island on 22 July 1955. He is the second child of a commodity merchant Lawal Kakanfo Ashafa, and a textile and gold merchant Tesmot Ojuolape Elemoro.
The young Ashafa started his education at Christ Church Cathedral Primary School, Broad Street, Lagos in 1961, and graduated 1968. He attended CMS Grammar School, Lagos and graduated in 1973
Ashafa then went on to study Biological Sciences at Morgan State University, Maryland, USA earning a Bachelor of Science degree (Cum Laude) in June 1978. He earned a Masters of Science degree in Public Health Administration from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1979.
Public service and private enterprise
Upon completing National Youth Service in 1980 at the Federal Ministry of Health, Ashafa commenced a career in public service as an administrative officer into the Lagos State Unified Local Government Service Commission. He rose to the rank of area officer in charge of the departmental tenders board and the Finance and General Purpose Committee.
In 1990, Ashafa left the public sector for French-Calahan Ventures Limited, which held majority shares in a state controlled cocoa processing plant. He worked as Purchasing Manager at the processing plant for six years until 1996. In 1996, Ashafa founded a company called Beverage Specialties Limited, manufacturers of Choco-Vita (a liquid vitality drink) and Cocoa-Vita (a powdered vitality drink). He sold the business in 1998.
Political campaign and governance
In 1998, Ashafa worked with a political group towards the emergence of then Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Alliance for Democracy gubernatorial candidate for Lagos State. He also worked on Senator Tinubu’s successful campaign for Governor of Lagos State, as one of the campaign coordinators for Kosofe LGA. Subsequently, as a co-opted member of the governor-elect’s transition team, he provided the blueprint for the local government reforms of the Tinubu administration.
At the start of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, Ashafa joined the Tinubu administration in September 1999 as Director of Planning, Governor’s Office in charge of local government administration. In this role, he effectively coordinated the activities of local government areas in the State; acting as the liaison between the Governor’s Office and Local Government Chairmen across the State.
In January 2001, Ashafa was appointed Executive Secretary, Lagos State Land Use and Allocation Committee. In this role, he was responsible for land allocation and management in Lagos State.
Ashafa was appointed Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Lands Bureau in February 2005.
Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
7th Session (2011–2015)
Ashafa was elected to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the ACN candidate from Lagos East in April 2011. He won the election with 222,439 votes, 69% of votes cast. He was sworn in as a senator on 6 June 2011. In his first term, Ashafa the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development. He was also a member of the following Senate committees: Environment and Ecology Committee, Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Relations, Gas Committee, and Senate Services Committee.
8th Session (2015–2019)
Ashafa was inaugurated as a second-term senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District in the 8th senate on 9 June 2015. He is also a member of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress as well as the Vice Chairman (South West) of the Southern Senators Forum.
Joint Conference Committees
- Senate Joint committee on Land Transport, Marine Transport and Aviation – Chairman
- Conference committee of the Senate on the Nigerian Railway Authority Bill – Chairman
Committee Work
Since his appointment as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport, Ashafa has set the pace for the provision of legislative support to the executive in achieving the complete turnaround of the railway sector in Nigeria.
Family life
Senator Ashafa has been married to Folashade Omobola Ashafa (née Edun) since 1979.[1][2]
References
- ^ "Alhaji Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa". Know Your Candidates. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
- ^ "Blissful times for Folashade Ashafa". Sunday Tribune. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2012.[permanent dead link]
- 1955 births
- Living people
- Politicians from Lagos
- Yoruba politicians
- Morgan State University alumni
- University of Tennessee alumni
- Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria) politicians
- All Progressives Congress politicians
- Members of the Senate (Nigeria)
- Nigerian Muslims
- CMS Grammar School, Lagos alumni
- Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly
- Nigerian expatriates in the United States
- Lagos State politicians