Lagos indigenes protection laws promised, as re-elected Speaker Obasa reacts

*Only time will tell – Respondents

By KEMI KASUMU

Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, says the state would make laws for the protection of its indigenes.

He made this promise while giving his acceptance speech, after he was re-elected speaker of the 10th Assembly for the third term on Tuesday June 6, 2023 and having been elected for the sixth time as lawmaker of the state Assembly.

He said that as part of its legislative agenda, there would be laws and resolutions in the areas of economy and commerce, property and titles and reversal of “all that are reversible to protect the interest of the indigenes”.

Although he acknowledged in his speech that Lagos is not no-man’s land, making no distinction between the ‘indigeneship’ status that owners of Lagos State have – over others – from that of Yoruba people of other South West states who are residents in the state and those from outside the region, made the otherwise commendable speech of the speaker faulty, The DEFENDER gathered.

Obasa, who hinted at some of the controversies in the build-up to the 2023 elections, including the argument that non-indigenes wanted to take over the state, declared that Lagos is a Yoruba land. “Lagos is Yoruba land as against the assertions of some people that it is a no man’s land.”

He said, “Therefore, part of our legislative agenda is to ensure the translation of laws passed by this House to the Yoruba language.

“We also aim at achieving our collective goals of creating a robust legislative framework that protects the interest of our people.

“Going forward in this wise, we are going to employ all legislative instruments for the support of the indigenes of Lagos.

“There would be laws and resolutions in the areas of economy and commerce, property and titles and we will reverse all that are reversible to protect the interest of the indigenes.”

‘Only Lagos indigenes own Lagos State’

It will be recalled that a Nigerian human rights lawyer, Barrister Malcolm Omirhobo, had recently faulted claims by indigenes of Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states, who are Yoruba but not indigenes of Lagos and yet were laying claims to ownership of Lagos State while saying Igbo have no such right of claim.

Lawyer, who spoke via his Twitter social media handle at the time, said both Yoruba of other South West states and either Igbo from Imo or Hausa-Fulani from Kano have no more than the same status of ‘resident’ in Lagos State as, according to him, they both came to Lagos to hustle for their own survival and take what they earn back home in their respective states.

The lawyer was corroborated by more interventionists, who said other than real indigenes of Lagos State, who can point to their connection with the historical background of ‘Eko Akete’ and whose ancestral homes are traceable among the Divisions of Isale Eko, Ikeja, Badagry, Epe and Ikorodu (the Ibile), no one else has the right of ownership to Lagos State.

Obasa was speaking on the heels of criticisms by prominent indigenes of Lagos State against continued marginalisation, unfair and unconstitutional seize of political power of the state by non-indigenes from other South West states, who have use the same power to prevent the real owners of the state from effective and active participation in the administration of their own state affairs.

Trustee of Omoeko and former Minister of Communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd) had in a statement he personally signed and circulated to the press, dated Friday June 2, 2023, appealed that, having lost number one and two positions to non-indigenes, the number three office of the speaker should go to Lagos indigene.

To balance the opportunities, the former Minister and Prince of Lagos State said the position of number three, that is the Speaker, should go to indigene as the Lagos State House of Assembly was at that time set to pick its leaders.

In the statement, General Olabrewaju said, “The choice of the next speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly has to be an indigene. The current speaker, Mr Obasa, has been in the news lately that he is interested in returning to the House of Assembly and continuing as the Speaker.

“He is at liberty, of course, to exercise his right to contest, but the interest of the indigenous people of Lagos must be respected. An indigene from Lagos State should occupy the speaker’s seat of Lagos State House of Assembly. Speaker Obasa should be interested in equity and balance to not contest the position of the speaker. This is just my plea to our respected brother, Speaker Emeritus,” he posited.

Olanrewaju, who is also a former General Officer Commanding, Third Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army, continued by allying with positions of Chairman of Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), Papa Tajudeen Olusi and Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu,  on the need to have indigene emerge as next Speaker of the state Assembly.

“From what I gleaned from the media, the position of Papa Olusi about the need for indigenes to take the centre stage is a good assessment in the affairs of the Assembly. With the best of intentions, the Lagos State House of Assembly should promote the highest interests and best ideals of the five Divisions of the State in their business.

“The issue of indigeneship in control of activities in the Lagos State House of Assembly has always been wished away since the beginning of the democratic dispensation. They are always deprived of the majority and denied perspective participation. Omoeko Pataki, of which I’m a trustee, would be keen to observe the process of business in the assembly and encourage the members to promote the best possible ideals of our indigenous IBILE people of Lagos State, particularly in the employment into the civil and public services, empowerment and promotions to the senior cadres in government.

“It is evident that our newly sworn President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a prominent politician and leader in Lagos State politics and state administration. If, with his current disposition and his intervention is necessary, he must be conversant with the agitation of the indigenes for the position of the Speaker. The balance of opportunities should begin to swing as a matter of necessity and duty to favour the indigenes of the state.

“I would want to observe a sea change, which will redefine the rules of marginalisation that underline almost every facet of employment in the public and civil service in the State. The general opinion held is that an indigene had been experiencing a long-standing history of obstacles to get to the top of his position.

“For example, the recently concluded tests and interviews on new magistrate appointments left a bitter taste in the mouth. The indigenes that did very well were not considered for engagement, and those appointed, apart from some of them being non indigenes, did not perform better than the best indigenous choices.

“This has been the pattern most of the time. It is not certain if Governor Sanwoolu was aware of what the scene looked like at the Ministry of Justice. This is not a blame game, but there is a need for a dynamic transformation in the state government, by paying attention to demands of the indigenes for peace and development,” General Tajudeen Olanrewaju RTD, DSS, psc(+), ndc, the former Minister of Communications.

Trustee, Omo Eko Pataki, said in the Friday June 2, 2023 statement copied to The DEFENDER.

But, despite all the pleas, Obasa pushed on with indicated interest to return as speaker and he was on Tuesday June 6 re-elected by his colleagues but with his acceptance speech promise of making a law that will henceforth protect the interest of indigenes of Lagos State of which he is not incontestably one.

The question that many have asked following the speech is bothers on sincerity and integrity of the legislative promise.