Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba, a lawyer by profession and the incumbent Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly was born on August 23rd, 1965 in Auchi in the present Etsako West LGA of Edo State to Alhaji and Alhaja Aneru Garuba who are proud farmers, community leaders and devoted Muslims from Auchi kingdom.

Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba attended Akpekpe Primary School, Auchi, 1972-1978; Otaru Grammar School Auchi, 1978-1983; Edo College, Benin, 1983-85; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife where he studied law, 1985-1989.   He was at  Nigeria law school, then solely in Lagos State between 1989-1990 for his Bachelor at law (BL) before he was called to the Bar in 1990.

Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba belongs to the few privileged in the country who were discovered early in life as those who can lead and also hold positions of trust by the peer groups in the society and the authorities concerned.  In his school days, both at secondary and post secondary levels, Hon. Zakawanu Garuba had held several positions of trust and each case proved that he did not only properly acquaint himself as a man of vision, he was also the driving force behind the transformation of such associations.  The list includes Labour Prefect, President, Muslim Students Society, Otaru Grammar School, Auchi.  Financial Secretary, Muslim Student Society, Edo State Chapter; Public Relations Officer, Law Students Society, Social Secretary, Etsako Students Union.  Others are, Public Relations Officer, Bendel United Students Association; Member, Students Representative Council, both at OAU, Ile-ife and Law School, Lagos and several other organizations where his indelible contributions have been well recognized.

Hon. Zakawanu Garuba foray into the legal profession started at the chamber of a reknown legal luminary and foremost lawyer H.O. Davies in Lagos from 1991-1993.  He joined Hakiz Garuba and Co as senior partner, 1993-1996, but the pursuit for relevance and legal excellence which contend for eruption in his legal mind took him to Zack Garuba and Co as principal partner and managing partner Oshionebo and Garuba, in his seventeen years of legal practice, Hon. Zakawanu Garuba has made un-quantifiable contributions to the legal profession including legal drafting and the handling of celebrated cases.  Many of which featured as reference materials in the country major Law reports.

Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba involvement in active politics began in 1988 when he joined the Peoples Democratic Party in Auchi, Etsako West LGA.  Though his first and second attempt on the soap box to represent Etsako at the House of Representatives and as Chairman Etsako West LGA failed, he did not see it as a set-back on his political barometer rather, he remained focused, making great  contributions to the party and also remained a strong party faithful until 2003 when he could no longer resist the pressure by his people to have him as their representative at the Edo State House of Assembly.  He contested and won the election.

Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba was sworn in as a member of Edo State House of Assembly along with his colleagues on June 5th 2003 as a lawmaker representing constituency I, Etsako West LGA.  Within a space of time, Hon. Zakawanu Garuba worked assiduously to realize the hopes and aspirations of those who elected him in the first place.

Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba’s achievements as a lawmaker during his first term in office are enormous.  Apart from being the Chairman of House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, he also chaired most of the House Ad-hoc Committees.  To his credit, as a distinguished lawmaker, he sponsored 7 people-friendly bills which were dully passed into law and many vital motions on the floor of the House.
In his capacity as  the Chairman on Human Rights and Legal Matters which makes him the unofficial “Attorney General of the House, Hon. Garuba diplomatically offered legal advice and directions on several knotty issues which  won for him kudos from both colleagues and other stakeholders.  Besides, his outstanding Political achievements in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Garuba also imbibed the strategy of quietly lobbing the executive for result-oriented purposes including the facilitation of electrification projects, construction of roads, supply of transformers etc for his constituency.

In addiction to this, Hon. Zakawanu Garuba is well noted for his philanthropic instincts.  He gives annual award of scholarship to Etsako indigent students and financing of sporting competitions in Etsako West Local Government Area.

In recognition of his contributions to the upliftment of and Development of his constituency, he was re-elected for a second term in office to continue his good works at the Edo State House of Assembly.  His second coming to the House, saw him emerging as the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly on the 5th of June 2007 in an election where he was the sole candidate.

One unique feature of Hon. Zakawanu Garuba tenureship as Speaker is managing a House where  two of the country major political parties – PDP and AC are represented which is occurring for the first time in the Edo State.  Inspite of this, the House  recorded 100 percent peaceful conduct and achievements.  Also within his one year in office as a Speaker based on his ingenuity in managing the House,  the political stakeholders in Edo state perceived him as the best hand+ to have become Speaker of the House in recent times.
         
Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba is a holder of two Chieftaincy titles, the Okumagbe of Uzairue kingdom and Olelu of Jagbe clan conferred on him by esteemed royal fathers in Etsako.  He is happily married to former Miss Hassana Aruna presently a senior Magistrate in the Edo State Judiciary and has three children.

Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba is a recipient of Best Speaker in South-south award, Ambassador of peace in Niger Delta Award among others.