Patricia Olubunmi Foluke Etteh (born 17 August 1953) was the

Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives The speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the Federal House of Representatives of Nigeria, elected by its membership. The House Speaker is third in line of succession to the Nigerian Presidency, after the Vice Pre ...

between June and October, 2007.

Personal life and education

Etteh, a

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...

, was born on 17 August 1953. She trained as a

hairdresser A hairdresser is a person whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques. A Hairdresser may also be refe ...

and beauty therapist, but she also earned a law degree from the University of Bukingham in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and was called to the

Nigerian Bar The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is a non-profit, umbrella professional association of all lawyers admitted to the bar in Nigeria. It is engaged in the promotion and protection of human rights, the rule of law and good governance in Nigeria. T ...

in 2016.

Political career

Etteh represents the Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole constituency in Osun state, Nigeria. She was initially elected in 1999 as an Alliance for Democracy (AD) member, but she switched to the

People's Democratic Party People's Democratic Party or ''variant thereof'', could refer to: * People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan *People's Democratic Party (Belize) *People's Democratic Party (Bhutan) *People's Democratic Party (Chile) * People's Democratic Party (Dom ...

(PDP), when running for re-election in 2003. She was elected to the position of

speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...

unanimously in June 2007, and sha has been the only woman to have held this position in the Nigerian government.

Corruption scandal

In September 2007, she faced a committee of MPs over accusations that she had authorised the spending of 628 million Naira (about US$5 million) on renovations of her official residence and that of her deputy, and the purchase of 12 official cars meant for the House of Representatives. Accusations of theft were chanted at her as she tried to speak in the House, and she was escorted out by the security men as the situation degenerated into a commotion, though she has not been officially indicted. The PDP officially continued to back Etteh, although some members, such as Isyaku Ibrahim, criticised this stance. Author and academic,

Wole Soyinka Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka (Yoruba: ''Akínwándé Olúwọlé Babátúndé Ṣóyíinká''; born 13 July 1934), known as Wole Soyinka (), is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet, and essayist in the English language. He was awarded t ...

, was among those, who called for her resignation, while the former president and PDP member,

Olusegun Obasanjo Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo, , ( ; yo, Olúṣẹ́gun Ọbásanjọ́ ; born 5 March 1937) is a Nigerian political and military leader who served as Nigeria's head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its pres ...

, continued to support her. On 30 October, following weeks of pressure, Etteh resigned her position as speaker. Her deputy, Babangida Nguroje, also resigned. However at the last seating of the 6th session House of Representatives, it was agreed that "There is no record or proceedings of the House, where Patricia Olubunmi Etteh was ever indicted,""Nigeria speaker goes in graft row"
, BBC News, 30 October 2007.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Etteh, Patricia University of Abuja alumni 1953 births Corruption in Nigeria Nigerian hairdressers Living people Speakers of the House of Representatives (Nigeria) Yoruba women in politics People from Osun State Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria) politicians Peoples Democratic Party members of the House of Representatives (Nigeria) Women members of the House of Representatives (Nigeria) 21st-century Nigerian politicians 21st-century Nigerian women politicians Women legislative speakers