August 27, (THEWILL) – During the week, Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, the first female Speaker of the House of Representative, reached a milestone. She clocked 70 years. There was no fanfare to herald the auspicious day neither are there plans to eventually throw the mother of all parties.
Besides former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Abbas Tajudeen, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, a few others who deemed it fit to celebrate her were former presiding officers of the National Assembly like Iyorchia Ayu, Adolphus Wabara, Pius Anyim, Ken Nnamani, Bukola Saraki, David Mark and Ahmad Lawan. Also, former Speakers Femi Gbajabiamila, Ghali Na’Abba, Aminu Masari, Oladimeji Bankole, Aminu Tambuwal, and Yakubu Dogara – all of whom put up a paid advertisement celebrating her and recognising her milestone achievement.
Etteh represented Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole Federal Constituency in Osun State between 1999 and 2011, during which she served as Speaker for about five months in 2007. She resigned her position after she was reportedly accused of awarding a contract of about $5 million for the renovation of her official residence and that of her deputy as well as the purchase of 10 cars.
A beauty entrepreneur, Etteh who was trolled endlessly for not having a degree, eventually bagged one in Law from the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2016.
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