DE RENAISSANCE PATRIOTS FOUNDATION:
AN ADDRESS TO OUR TRADITIONAL RULERS
The Chairman (BOT) of De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, Prof Adele Jinadu, a Professor of Political Science, aptly described “GENOCIDE BY IMMIGRATION” as an attack on one’s HOMELAND {Homeland referencing a people’s native land}. He explained it as a systematic way that immigrants by commission or omission displaced the “OWNERS OF LAND”.
He pointed out that in the USA where native Indians were routed from their homelands while settlers took over their lands by force and with every other conceivable means was a glaring example of genocide by immigration. He said in the case of Nigeria, the issue of indigeneship was essentially put in the Nigerian Constitution to ensure that owners of the land (indigenous people) were not supplanted by non-indigenes by strength of population or for ‘owners of the land’ not lose their natural endowments as indigenes.
Such loss was in that term genocide. Prof. Adele Jinadu further opined that agitation for indigenes’ rights was justified to protect against “genocide by immigration” and that such agitations were not peculiar to LAGOS STATE alone. He therefore appealed for all indigenes to join hands and stop this untoward trend.
It is therefore incumbent on us to draw the attention of our Traditional Rulers to specific issues affecting indigenes of your state. There will be no doubt that your loyalty may falter. You are not being asked to make a choice now as to who owns your loyalty as King. Is it the people who used political exigencies to influence your choice or those over whom you reign. Any mortal who assisted in that regard was truly a tool of ELEDUMARE. It is your birth right that you are King. Lets read more:
“Our Lord! make us not a trial for those who practise oppression” – Surah Yunus, HQ Chapter 10:85
De Renaissance Patriots Foundation is on a course that is clear and unambiguous. Our mission is to stop the continued slide of our people into insignificance and obscurity on our soil. To stem this genocide by Immigration. It is an achievable task and a necessity to have an indigene with the love of the people, our values and our passion for greater heights to emerge as the next GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE. An indigene in this regard is one from any of our five divisions of Lagos State. We believe that they will be better managers of our resources. They have a background inherent in our roots. Lagos State is not a ‘no-man’s land’. The creation of Lagos state was not happenstance or a figment of anybody’s imagination but a set of decisive actions that eventually made our small city states, a bulging empire, a colony, a country and a people before our amalgamation into Nigeria a force to reckon with both internally and internationally. As the natural ruler, your commitment to our GLORY will be pleasing to the memories of your ancestors. You must rise to defend the rights of your people.
“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe” – Luke 11:21 (ESV)
Kabiyesi, the above quote is pertinent and will lead us to react to one oft repeated words of our brother and elder, Prince Tajudeen Olusi. He stated that based on some folklore, strangers to our lands will flourish really well and more than the indigenes. In the same vein however he pointed out that strangers must always respect the indigenes in spite of their successes . He noted that, if they did otherwise, they will be cursed to penury.
Our reaction to the above is simple. We know that any society with a conducive environment, one that encourages commerce will strive and visitors to that environment will reap from honest conduct of business and respect for those who gave them that platform to excel. Any deviation from that will bring chaos and the indigenes of such areas deserve every right to take appropriate actions to reclaim their rights. THIS IS INSTRUCTIVE Sir. Even at that Kabiyesi, Prince Tajudeen Olusi had through the enunciation of this divine message reiterated the CURSE that your forefathers placed on BETRAYERS to OUR common PATRIMONY.
It is, therefore, in your right to invoke this curse if not openly but in the confines of the most secret places in the palace. You know that our assets, in the true sense of reality and as a matter of facts, transcend all aspects of natural life in this entity called Nigeria. With our natural and physical endowments, our specifics were a beacon of progressiveness, of human endeavors and of the sacrifices the indigenes made to make Lagos State this reputable in the comity of states and we will not allow it to go to waste.
“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute”- (Psalm 82:3).
Kabiyesi, our traditional markets, places where our mothers, wives and daughters have been engaged in selling their wares for their survival for decades have been taken over from them. All in the name of building plazas and new markets. As beautiful as this idea may appear, it has been turned into unpleasant business ventures to steal our patrimony, dispossess and acquire. The trick was only to take over ownership and use of the markets because, when these markets are completed, our women are priced out and never reallocated stalls to continue their businesses.
Indigenes are usually the worst off as a result of this injustice. Our traditional ways of life are being destroyed, strangers have taken over these markets with our women and families becoming impoverished. An indigene, who understands the dynamics of our society, would not allow this to happen. Kabiyesi, you must defend the weak.
“It is not fair and it is criminal for non-indigenes to take the slots of Osun when it comes to distribution of positions”. (Former Governor Oyetola of Osun State).
Kabiyesi, the former Governor of Osun speaks our mind and it is apt to summarize the place of the indigenes in Lagos today. We watch as opportunities meant for the Nigerians of Lagos State origin were traded to other clans for political brinkmanship. We fold our arms when our slots originally meant for indigenes, by rights and by the Constitution, were taking from us at the Federal level. We watch when our royal fathers look the other way from this evil. We watch as Lagos State slipped off our hands in political appointments, from the Commissioners and Boards and it has also infiltrated into our Local Governments.
We trade the soul of our fellow Lagosians and those unborn for our unprincipled stance. We failed to comprehend the advantages of the LGAs/LCDAs if properly harnessed to fight for grassroots development; alleviate poverty and provide more opportunities to the indigenous people of the state. We kept silent and at best collaborated with our adversaries to oppress us. This is not the IBILE Eko of our dreams. We allowed this insult to germinate because we failed to garner enough drive to push our way. Kabiyesi, “Aki fi olori ogun se ifagun”. One does not position the commander of the army at the rear of the column. Kabiyesi, rally the troops. Silence is no longer golden.
“The imbecile said he would torch the house; he was asked not to torch the house; he said he certainly would torch the house; he was told that if he torched the house he would be thrown in it; he said, That casts the matter in a different light” – Yoruba proverb (Even an imbecile becomes sane when his life is at stake).
Dear Kabiyesi, the prayers you make even in your deepest recess should be put to use for our benefits. The ‘Oro’ mystics that you readily rendered for the benefit of non-indigenes in order to sustain them in power in Lagos State and other religious appropriations should now be put to use for our benefit. Invoking the spirits of our ancestors may be the elixir that we need now. IT IS NOT A STRANGE REQUEST THAT WE ASK FOR.
“A sacrifice was prescribed for the vulture, but it refused to sacrifice; A sacrifice was prescribed for the ground-hornbill, but it declined to sacrifice; A sacrifice was prescribed for the pigeon, and it gathered the prescribed materials and made the sacrifice”. (Yoruba Proverb)
Kabiyesi, our elders say that the vulture and the ground-hornbill are unfortunate in comparison with the pigeon, because they did not carry out the prescribed sacrifice. May we not be unfortunate in our clime. Our scriptures further state that “Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble” (Psalm 41:1) and Allah, Al-Muqsit, the most fair and just agrees in Suratul Ash-Shura (Sura 42:21) says “the greatest guarantee of personal freedom for a person is decreed that no one other than God can limit human freedom”.
Lagos state can be greater that it is right now. The momentum ignited by our forefathers has been dampened and only someone with the strong passion, pedigree of an indigene, drive and deep knowledge can reignite the zeal. We crave for that time. We must STOP THE GENOCIDE BY IMMIGRATION now.
ILU EKO AGBE WA O.
SIGNED:
Prof. Adele Jinadu, Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT); Maj-Gen Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd), Alternatate Chairman Board of Trustees (BOT); Justice Solomon Olusola Humponu-Wusu, Honoured Trustee; Maj-Gen Leo Ajiborisha (Rtd), Honoured Trustee; Alhaji Akin Martins, Honoured Trustees; Dr. Wasiu Odofin; Prince Adelani Adenij-Adele, President; and Mr. Yomi Tokosi, Secretary-General
Released Thursday 4th April 2024.
