Following days of speculations, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally confirmed Femi Gbajabiamila as his Chief of Staff.
Gbajabiamila, one of Tinubu’s core loyalists, was appointed to the position despite being the current speaker of the House of Representatives.
His appointment has swiftly attracted reactions from many Nigerians. While some Nigerians are praising his appointment, others have faulted it.
In this report, Politics Nigeria brings you some essential facts about the new Chief of Staff.
1. Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila was born on 25 June 1962 to Lateef Gbajabiamila and Olufunke Gbajabiamila in Lagos, Nigeria.
2. He attended Mainland Preparatory School for elementary education and Igbobi College in 1973, where he completed his secondary education.
3. He enrolled at King William’s College on the Isle of Man, United Kingdom, for his A-Level.
4. He was accepted into the University of Lagos, Nigeria and graduated with a Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) with honours in 1983.
5. Gbajabiamila was called to the Nigerian bar in 1984.
6. He first worked for the Bentley Edu & Co. law firm in Lagos before establishing his own law firm, Femi Gbaja & Co.
7. He earned his Juris Doctor from Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School in Georgia, USA. He passed the Georgian bar exam in 2001 and established a law firm in Atlanta.
8. While in the USA, he actively participated in the election of Bill Campbell, who later became Mayor of Atlanta.
9. Gbajabiamila was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2003; he represents the Surulere I constituency of Lagos State.
10. Gbajabiamila was the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives in the 7th National Assembly and was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria on 12 June 2019.
