“Elders, Come Over To Macedonia And Help Us”
History is replete with nationalities, languages, tribes, and ethnics that have gone into extinction. The most celebrated been the Red Indians of United States of America and the seemingly nationless Jews!
In Nigeria, the Koko tribe is a vintage example of vanishing ethnic tribes. It is more apparent to note the increasing cadence of assimilation of traditional tribes by settles particularly in the urban cities of the country like Lagos.
The NPA unequivocally call on the royal fathers and well-meaning Lagosians to examine the books, rethink and reflect on what lies in the future of Lagos as an international abbey with viable prospects.
However, we direly need to question, wither Nigeria after the relocation of the capital city from Lagos, is it possible to dam the Atlantic ocean to Abuja?
Indeed, we have to reprocess this nation concept and it can only commence from Lagos.
The NPA recalls that the 2015 general elections was nearly marred in Lagos as the ” Igbo community” massively conducted ” protest votes” leading to a claim that ” Lagos is no man’s land”.
If we took this incidence along with a royal father from the south-south that ” Eko” is its domain’s trading post, then, one would clearly appreciate the historical and claivoyant clarification of the Obas of Lagos and Badagry as well as Prof. Smith and the likes of our revered Alhaji Femi Okunu (SAN) to put the record straight on who are the aboriginal owners of Lagos : from the Island to Mainland to Badagry, Epe and Ikorodu.
The Assembly is however disturbed that since the return to democratic rule in 1999, there has been a consistent scheme to alienate the aboriginal people from political power equation. The first Governor of Lagos in 1999, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is alleged to be from Osun state, this can easily be corroborated with the fact that the present Governor of Osun, Gboyega Oyetola is his cousin!
Other succeeding Governors in Lagos have also been people that are not aboriginal Lagosians. The logical implication is that such elements would inevitably corner the resources of Lagos to invest in the development of their root states of origin.
A vintage example is that of Senator Olamilekan Adeola ” Yayi” whose ambitious adventure to become the Governor of Ogun state did not only showed that he was not from Lagos but a ” beast of no nation” as the Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosu exposed him that he was trying to buy a birthright in Yelwa district of the state.
Another case of non-indigene taking over the resources of Lagos is that of immediate past Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, a man who is consistently rejected by his kinsmen and women in Ilesha district, yet served as a crucial commissioner for works in Lagos for more than eight years. Even after becoming the Governor of the State of Osun, he was retained as a commissioner in Lagos for months, earning a dual salary.
A crime for which he was never prosecuted! The Assembly observed with concern how principal leadership of the state of excellence are not from Lagos, a phenomenon that cannot happen in any other state of the federation including Abuja. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode falls into same category, the Speaker of the State’s House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa is from Abeokuta, while a mercenary political vampire like Bayo Oshinowo is from Ijebu Igbo and so on.
To compound the aggravate insult on the aboriginal peoples of Lagos, the imposed candidate of the ruling party in the state for Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu and his deputy, Hamzat are from Ijebu Mushin and Ewekoro respectfully.
NPA is worried that the emerging facts show that virtually all the candidates slated for next year general elections are non-indigenes of Lagos State. This is not merely disrespect for the aboriginal people of Lagos but an insult on the hospitality of a good host.
We thus, call on respected royal father of the state like Oba of Eko and Badagry, senior citizens like Prof. Smith and Femi Okunu to immediately intervene to rectify this social, political imbalance that would invariably unsettle the economic equilibrium of the state of excellence.
We are apt to emphasise that the NPA is not an ethnic jingoist platform but we are bold to vocalise the silent concern of larger majority of the traditional peoples of Lagos. We are aware that there are many credible, capable and qualified people from the traditional communities of the state with records of performance nationally, continentally and globally.
These eminently qualified professionals can serve the state effectively. They are however deliberately ostracised by a band of mercenary political merchants that have captured the state political machinery. Without any fear of contradictions, we can assert that a single alien family led by Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken over the state.
This has dangerous and permanent consequences for the Nigeria project and genuine democratic governance.
Modupe Oyekan is the Deputy Coordinator of the Nigerian Peoples Assembly (NPA) He sent in this article from Lagos.
