Funmi Tejuosho Explained

Honorific Prefix:Hon.
Funmi Tejuosho
Birth Name:Adefunmilayo Smith
Birth Date:25 March 1965
Birth Place:Lagos State, Nigeria
Nationality:Nigerian
Other Names:Oloori Adefunmilayo Tejuosho
Alma Mater:
Spouse:Omoba Kayode Tejuosho
Children:4
Years Active:1997present
Party:All Progressives Congress

Adefunmilayo Tejuosho (née Smith) (born 25 March 1965) is a Nigerian politician who is a fourth term Lagos State House of Assembly legislator, representing Mushin Constituency I.[1] She is the chairperson of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Finance.

Early life and education

Tejuosho was born in Lagos State to the family of Ademola Smith[2] an epidemiologist who worked for the Nigerian government. She attended University of Lagos Staff School, Akoka, Queen's College, Lagos and completed her secondary education in West Virginia.[3] After high school, she attended West Virginia University, where she studied Biology.[3] She later earned a law degree from University of Buckingham.[4] Tejuosho holds a Ph.D. in law from the University of Lagos.

Career

During her youth service year, she was a teacher at her alma mater, Queens School, Yaba. After her call to the bar, she joined the services of Ademola Odunsi & Co. In 1996, she was a member of the Grassroot Democratic Movement under the short-lived Abacha administration and was a House of Representative candidate for the party before the democratic project was cancelled. At the beginning of the fourth republic, she joined Alliance for Democracy.[3] In 2003, she was voted into the Lagos State House of Assembly to represent Mushin Constituency I. In the assembly, Tejuosho sponsored the bill that later became known as the Lagos State Protection Against Domestic Violence Law of 2007. The law grants protection orders to victims of domestic violence from their oppressors. She was inspired to write the draft of the bill by a paper on domestic violence she wrote for her LLM programme at University of Lagos.[5]

She went on to hold various posts and positions in the House including Deputy Chief Whip, Deputy Speaker and Chairman, LagosState House of Assembly Committee on Finance.[6] [7] [8]

She was nominated as deputy speaker in 2007 but was impeached in 2009. Following her impeachment a series of investigations were conducted to ascertain the educational qualification of her successor and some of her accusers but the results of the allegations were not released.[9]

Personal life

She is married to Omoba Kayode Tejuosho of the Tejuosho royal family of Ogun State, Nigeria.[10] Together they have four children.[11]

Notes and References

  1. News: Time Is Ripe For A Woman To Lead Lagos Assembly – Adefunmilayo Tejuoso. The Gazelle News. 30 April 2015. 16 July 2016. 2 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190702004958/http://www.thegazellenews.com/2015/04/30/time-is-ripe-for-a-woman-to-lead-lagos-assembly-adefunmilayo-tejuoso/. dead.
  2. News: Oladesu . Emmanuel . May 12, 2014 . Who is next Lagos deputy governor . The Nation . Lagos .
  3. News: Adesanya . Lanre . May 6, 2013 . The True Lagos Legislator – Hon. Funmilayo Tejuoso . National Daily . Lagos . August 6, 2016 . February 7, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170207113234/http://old.nationaldailyng.com/news/alausa-watch/7705-the-true-lagos-legislator-hon-funmilayo-tejuoso . dead .
  4. News: My Husband Supports Every Move I Make – Funmi Tejuoso, Lagos Assembly Best Dressed Female Lawmaker. The Gazelle News. 26 August 2013. 16 July 2016. 2 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190702005001/http://www.thegazellenews.com/2013/08/26/my-husband-supports-every-move-i-make-funmi-tejuoso-lagos-assembly-best-dressed-female-lawmaker/. dead.
  5. News: Odueme. Stella . April 21, 2010 . Legislating Against Domestic Violence. Daily Independent . Lagos .
  6. News: Why I want to be Lagos House Speaker, by Hon. Funmi Tejuosho. Vanguard News. Akinola. Wale. 3 May 2015. 16 July 2016.
  7. News: Experienced Funmi Tejuoso Joins Lagos Speakership Race; Says I’m Most Qualified For The Job. The Gazelle News. 26 April 2015. 16 July 2016. 2 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190702004957/http://www.thegazellenews.com/2015/04/26/experienced-funmi-tejuoso-joins-lagos-speakership-race-says-im-most-qualified-for-the-job/. dead.
  8. News: Groups back Tejuosho to become first female Speaker in Lagos. Premium Times. Ezeamalu. Ben. 7 June 2015. 16 July 2016.
  9. Book: Aka, Olabode . 2012. Nigerian women of distinction, honour and exemplary presidential qualities . 91–93 .
  10. News: HON. FUNMI TEJUOSO LOSES FATHER. Ecomium Magazine. 19 February 2014. 16 July 2016.
  11. News: Hon. Funmi Tejuosho enumerates what life has taught her at 49. Ecomium Magazine. 28 March 2014. 16 July 2016.