By Tunde Ogunmola
For Lagos top politician and cerebral Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon popularly referred to as GOS, it’s been 65 glorious years of God’s kindness in his earthly adventure.
Being six and a half decades, loyalists and political associates of the shrewd politician deemed it befitting to throw an elaborate birthday prayer session in his honour on 19th December, 2024, the exact day he clocked 65. The event took place at the prestigious High Point Event Centre and Suites, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State.
It is, however, not surprising that the well-planned birthday bash attracted the crème de la crème of the Lagos political arena, and beyond, including top players in the society and the corporate world. The celebrant, indeed, is a man of no mean feat politically.
Little wonder the event witnessed the attendance of giants and the best. Erstwhile governors, Deputy Governors, Senators, Reps members, Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) members, socialites, captain of industries, and a host of other dignitaries showed up for a man whom sheer providence has placed on a high pedestal that he is.
As a leader, Senator Ganiyu Solomon possessed the qualities of leadership and he effectively leads his team to success. He is not just a politician, he is a democratic politician who prioritizes collaboration and teamwork where his loyalists are encouraged to contribute ideas, from planning to decision-making.
On the guests’ list were former governor of Lagos State and former minister of Works & Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola who regaled the attentive audience with his first memorable encounter with the celebrant when he was the Chief of Staff to then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos State now President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Also conspicuously present was the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Kadri Hamzat who copiously illustrated with short but incisive words, his relationship with the celebrant. He referred to him as, “Egbon mi”, meaning my elder brother, adding that; “we grew up together in Mushin as a result of cordial family relationship that existed between my late father, Oba Olatunji Hamzat and Senator GOS’s late father, Alhaji Ishola Rafiu Solomon both of whom were very strong allies of the first civilian Governor of Lagos State, the late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande.”
Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, also eulogized the celebrant and extolled his steadfastness and loyalty to the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC).
Aside the aforementioned political gladiators, the attendees also included the former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun; Deputy Governor of Ogun state, Mrs Nosimot Salako; former deputy governors of Lagos state, Femi Pedro, Sarah Sosan; Senators Oluranti Adebule, Olorunimbe Mamora, Musiliu Obanikoro, Gbenga Ashafa; Reps members, Hon. Aremo Adeyemi Alli, Hon. Toyin Fayinka, Hon. Bolaji Yusuf Ayinla; former deputy speaker of Lagos Assembly, Hon. Adefunmilayo Tejuoso; members of Lagos State House of Assembly led by Hon. Yinka Kazeem ‘Esho’, Hon. Nureni Akinsanya (Osmak); Local Government Chairmen, Hon. Rasaq Ajala, Hon. Emmanuel Bamgboye; Publicity Secretary of APC, Lagos State, Hon. Seye Oladejo; GAC leader, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi; Chief of Staff to Governor of Lagos State, Tayo Ayinde; Lagos State APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi; royal fathers; White Cap Chiefs of Lagos, among other top dignitaries.
An incurable lover of Islamic scholars and clerics, Senator Ganiyu Solomon’s adoration for Islamic clerics has no boundary; it was evidently on display on the day, as globally respected and well-adored Islamic scholars graced the occasion to offer prayers and supplications to the Almighty Allah on his behalf. Senator Ganiyu Solomon’s father, Alhaji Rafiu Solomon, during his lifetime, held Islamic clerics in high esteem and maintained cordial relationship with them; one of them was the founder and principal of Daru Da’wah Wal irshad Arabic and Islamic Institute, late Sheikh Mustapha Zuglool Sanusi.
Leading the pack of Islamic clerics on the day was National Missioner of Ansar-Deen Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdul-Rahman Ahmad; Chief Imam of Lagos State, Sheikh Sulaimon Abunolla; Sheikh Sulaimon Farouq Onikijipa; Proprietor of Daru Da’wah Wal irshad Arabic and Islamic Institute, Sheikh Ridwanullah Mustapha Zuglool Sanusi and a league of other Islamic clerics and Imams.
Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon’s political life spanned from the executive to the legislature and now an elder statesman. It’s not clear if he ever dreamt of this fortune when he stepped on the canvass of politics many years back. However, he’s a man fated to political longevity.
Currently, he is a prominent member of Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision-making body of the APC in Lagos state, and APC and The Mandate Movement TMM apex leader in Mushin and Odi-Olowo.
Senator Ganiyu Solomon is a man of modest character whose quiet mien and capacity to listen to people, irrespective of their complaints, stands him out.
His involvement in politics is not a fluke. His father, Alhaji Rafiu Solomon, was an influential personality in Lagos State politics. He was a contemporary of late Alhaji Lateef Jakande. Alhaji Rafiu Solomon wielded enormous influence in Lagos political firmament to such an extent that he recommended people for political appointments. Prominent among such appointments was that of late Oba Olatunji Hamzat. Alhaji Rafiu Solomon was instrumental to the emergence of Oba 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 during 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 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 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 political 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 Lagos State APC governorship aspirant in 2015 who’s neither treacherous nor lecherous. Even after he didn’t win his party’s ticket for the general election, he did not leave the party. Some politicians would have been jumping from one party to another in an open show of political harlotry.
In 2022, Senator Ganiyu Solomon was appointed as Director General of the Lagos State APC Campaign Council, and he did not disappoint.
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, he 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. Nothing can be more nobler than this. Good deeds are never forgotten, neither are those who do them. The place of Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon in history is already etched in gold.
