Desmond Oluwashola Elliot, a member of the All Progressive Congress, is the lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
He was first elected as a member of the House in 2015.
Before becoming a lawmaker, he was an actor, film director and producer.
As a lawmaker, Mr. Elliot has been involved in a number of major controversies perhaps accentuated by his celebrity status before his participation in partisan politics.
Early life and Education
Mr. Elliot was born on February 4, 1974 in Lagos. His father and mother are from Olowogbowo in Lagos Island and Illah, Delta State respectively.
He completed his primary education at Air Force Primary School and his secondary education at St. John’s College, both located in Jos.
In 2003, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Lagos State University.
Mr. Elliot began his acting career with roles in soap operas such as Everyday People, One Too Much, and Saints and Sinners.
He has won several awards for his work as an actor including the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) and Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Award (AVMCA). During his acting days, he earned the moniker ‘the good boy of Nollywood’.
Political Career
Mr. Elliot ventured into politics in September 2014 when he declared his interest to contest the Lagos State House of Assembly seat for Surulere Constituency 1.
“I feel God has helped me this far and I want to give back through politics what will be favourable to the youth,” he said at the time.
He contested under the aegis of the APC in April 2015 and defeated the Peoples Democratic Party’s Bayo Smith. During his first term in office, he supported the bill to establish the Lagos State Cooperative College. The bill was designed to improve access to quality education for low-income Lagos residents. It was passed by the House in 2017. Mr. Elliot was appointed as the chairman, House Committee on Arts, Tourism and Culture. In 2017, he partnered with the Lagos branch of the Road Transport Employers’ of Nigeria (RTEAN) to boost tourism ahead of “Lagos at 50” celebration.
In 2019, Mr. Elliott polled 15,357 votes to defeat his opponent, Mr. Benjamin Olasunkanmi, candidate of the PDP, who secured 3,628 votes.
In 2021, Mr. Elliot was appointed as chairman of the Ministry and /Parastatals committee, one of the House’s reconstituted committees. of the House.
In 2023, Mr. Elliot was appointed as the chairman of the Works & Infrastructure committee for the 10th Assembly.
Major controversies
In October 2020, during the End SARS protests, Desmond faced major backlash for purportedly supporting the Anti-Social Media Bill in Nigeria—an allegation he had initially denied when it surfaced on social media. In a viral video, he was seen strongly criticizing social media users and influencers, warning that if the Nigerian government didn’t regulate social media, it would lead to the nation’s downfall.
A few days later he apologized. “I let my emotions get the better of me, and for that, I apologize to everyone my earlier statements may have hurt,” he said.
“Please understand that even the best of us make mistakes. Moving forward, I ask that we all try to engage constructively on the issues that affect us. I promise to do the same.”
Mr. Elliot has also been criticised for making a case for godfatherism. “I am a product of godfatherism, but Tinubu has never for one day asked me to do something you know would be detrimental,” he said.
In 2019, Mr Elliot faced backlash for inaugurating a public toilet for his constituents in Surulere.
Aside from the public toilet, he also faced scrutiny for the reconstruction of Shitta Oke-Odo link bridge and a handwashing project he implemented in his constituency.
While seeking a third term as state legislator representing Surulere Constituency, Mr. Elliot allegedly offered an apology to those who were disgruntled with his performance during the previous term. He prostrated before the constituents, pleading for another chance to correct his mistakes and seeking their forgiveness.
Legislative work
Mr. Elliot has said he is in the business of community work as a legislator.
“I prefer community work and I’m very honoured to be given the opportunity to do community works,” he told Vanguard newspaper in 2019.
“Community works like the ‘Love Garden’ which is a field. I have been able to do some renovations there. I have been able to facilitate the installation of transformers for electricity in some areas. I have been able to help in computer training. I have offered free transportation for school children in the constituency.”
In early 2024, Mr. Elliot claimed to have supported 700 widows and widowers in Surulere with cash gifts.
He was also reported to have facilitated a credit adjustment process and subsidised electricity meter payments for them. He claimed to have offered scholarships to indigent school children; seven members of his constituency were also reported to have been gifted ‘Lagride’ cars.
The cash gifts, credit allowances, scholarships and car gifts were funnelled through an initiative described as the “DOE Support for Widows”.
“We do this every year, but this year, we decided to do it in January because I observe that at the beginning of the year, a lot of people are always struggling, especially after December of the previous year,” Mr. Elliot said at the January event.
