Foluke Osafile, a member of the Labour party, is the lawmaker representing Amuwo Odofin Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
She was first elected as a member of the House in 2023.
Mrs. Osafile is the only woman to emerge as lawmaker under the Labour party in the state.
Before becoming a lawmaker, she was a business woman and pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Early life and education
Mrs. Osafile was born in the 1960s and had her formative years in Ondo State. She is the last child in the family of eight.
She graduated from Yaba College of Technology where she studied Business Administration, then went on to obtain a postgraduate diploma in Theology.
Mrs. Osafile is a business woman and an ordained pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God. She is married to Pastor Steve Osafile, and they have children together.
Political career
Mrs. Osafile has positioned herself as a newcomer in partisan politics when she contested for the Amuwo Odofin 1 seat in 2023..
According to her, she joined the Labour party because of its social democratic mantra.
“Labour Party is a platform for those with social democratic ideas,” she said. “The opportunity given to women encouraged me to pitch my tent with LP.”
As a newcomer to politics, Mrs. Osafile was shocked by the expectation to disburse cash during her campaign.
“Everything was all about money and it wasn’t encouraging,” she said.“Before some people could listen to what we had to offer, they asked for money, which should not be so.”
Her campaign faced challenges such as vandalism of billboards, removal of posters, and intimidation that made people afraid to wear branded shirts. She and her team also experienced physical harassment; one of her campaign officials was slapped while hanging a banner.
“We did not retaliate because I did not want anything that would degenerate into fracas, so we left immediately,” she said.
About six months after emerging victorious in the March 2023 elections, an election tribunal asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to annul her votes as she was not a valid candidate.
The tribunal further requested that the runner-up in election, Folorunso Olaitan Segun of the All Progressives Congress (APC), should be announced as the winner.
However, Mrs. Osafile appealed the decision. In November 2023, the Appeal Court reaffirmed her election.
“This has further buttressed that all powers belong to God, and the mandate was truly given to me by the people of Amuwo Odofin Constituency 1 to lead them and be their voices at the government house,” she said, celebrating the court victory.”.
Legislative work
In September 2023, Mrs. Osafile was appointed as the Chairman, House Committee on Wealth Creation and Employment.
In early 2024, she shared an update about the road rehabilitation project along 2nd Avenue by 209/Alakija axis.
The lawmaker said the rehabilitation of this road was a crucial step in addressing the longstanding issues of potholes, uneven surfaces, and drainage problems that have plagued the Amuwo-Odofin community.
“With this project, we aim to create smoother, safer, and more accessible roads for commuters, pedestrians, and motorists alike,” she said.
She claimed to have provided educational materials to school-children in five public schools, supported various sporting activities and bought JAMB forms for about 50 indigent students across her constituency.
Mrs. Osafile added that she met with community leaders, distributed food items and sponsored free training on different courses including film acting, videography, photography and broadcast presentation.