Text of speech of President of Eko Foundation, Professor Imran Oluwole Smith (SAN), titled “Enough is truly enough”, delivered at a press conference in Lagos, on Sunday November 26, 2017.
After all, His Excellency Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the incumbent Executive Governor of the State of Osun, was the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos State for several years prior to assumption of office as Governor of the State of Osun. It is even in the rumor mill that he intends to vie for Senate using the platform of Lagos State after completion of his present gubernatorial term of office. That may not be feasible because by virtue of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federal Character Commission Act, a citizen of the country cannot be indigenous to more than one state.
Gentleman of the press, the print and electronic media and friends of Eko Foundation. It gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to welcome you all to this press conference and also to thank you most sincerely for your tireless efforts in assisting us to propagate the ideals of our foundation, despite the tireless efforts of the Lagos State government to “black us out” and to ensure that whatever we intend to publish is given minimal publicity, if published at all. It has been very frustrating that our foundation has been a victim of government and its draconian leadership that tolerates no opposition or dissenting views.
Profligacy:
Be that as it may, we are resolute in our struggle and we will continue to resist acts of misgovernance and political brigandage. In the last 2 years of the present administration in our State, we have been horrified, stunned and stupefied by the wastage of state resources by a government that believes that it is truly accountable to no one. His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the Executive Governor of Lagos State has operated and governed the State in the manner of a dictator or a medieval King, who can do no wrong. It is true that even his Cabinet and the State Executive Council are rubber stamp bodies, which have been unable to curtail the excesses and totalitarian posture of a one-man regime that dismisses key government officials, without any rational explanation and appoints people without due consideration or consultation with others Stakeholders within the party leadership.
Revenue Profile:
The Federal Debt Office published a report that was widely circulated in the print, electronic and social media to the effect that in the 2015 / 2016 fiscal year, the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Lagos State alone was more than that of twenty six (26) other states in Nigeria combined. Therefore, Lagos State can comfortably survive, without relying on the Federal Government to “dole-out funds”, unlike several other States in Nigeria that require financial assistance to operate and are unable to pay salaries to its civil service manpower. In addition, Mr. Ambode has categorically and boastfully stated at different fora, that less than sixty Percent (60%) of the taxpayers have been “captured” in its tax data. Therefore, the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) will continue to increase and surpass the 2015 / 2016 fiscal year Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
Reckless Spending / Unaccountability:
The issue is not the enormous revenue the State generates coupled with monies received from the Federal Government, but the utilization of these funds to improve the lives of the people, provide needed infrastructures, upgrade educational institutions, provide needed drugs and medicines in hospitals and generally improve the social welfare and also as a government ensure that the citizens of the State are not daily traumatized by traffic gridlock that makes commuting within the State a day-to-day nightmare. It is truly not enough to spend huge sums of money buying cars, operational vehicles, uniforms and gadgets for agencies such as Neighborhood Watch, whose functions contribute little or nothing to the security of citizens. The LASTMA, which hitherto was relevant in management of traffic have become worse than the police in collecting money and traumatizing road users, especially the danfo drivers and other commercial vehicle operators.
Lagos @50, One Calendar Year Celebration:
The Lagos @ 50 Celebration (one year long as revealed in the program published by the Prof. Wole Soyinka’s Committee) was a monumental wastage of State resources by a government that refused to respond to the call of Eko Foundation that the Jamboree, road shows, entertainment at social clubs and street parties in a State despite its poor road network, untarred and Unmotorable roads, slow progress in the completion of the Monorail transportation service, commenced by his predecessor in office, poor funding of its educational institutions is to say the least getting their priorities wrong.
Docile House of Assembly:
It is apparent that the Lagos State House of Assembly, unlike its counterpart the National Assembly at the Federal level is not serving its constitutional responsibility of checking the excesses of the Executive and can appropriately be described as a “Rubber Stamp” body which is unable to curtail the excesses and reckless wastage of huge resources by the Executive Governor of the State, monies that should have been better utilized for the benefit of the citizens and not profligate social events and funfare, that add nothing o the quality of life of the people.
Failure To Pay Bursary For 2 Consecutive Years:
It is truly sad that since the present government of Lagos State assumed power in 2015, it has not paid Bursary to students of Lagos State origin in any of the tertiary institutions of learning as did the governments of his predecessors Babatunde Fashola SAN and Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu in the present political dispensation. This is despite the fact that Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode’s government has so far had more money available to it than the two other predecessors mentioned. It is also regrettable to note that while the available money is known, the Budgetary Expenditures of the Lagos State Government and allocation of resources is known only to the Governor and members of his “kitchen cabinet”. All efforts to get these details, which the citizens are entitled to know as of right, have been frustrated, using the machinery of the courts, which erroneously (in our view) held that the Lagos State government is not compelled to comply with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Law, which is a federal legislation that has not been domesticated in Lagos State. Any responsible government would freely provide these Information in order to assuage its citizens Rights To Know and to show accountability and transparency in governance.
Would it be correct, as postulated by the generality of the students in tertiary institutions in the state and several prominent indigenes of Lagos State that that Ambode government’s refusal to pay Bursary is a deliberate policy to stifle education of the “indigenous peoples” and further marginalize our children and future generations?
Budgetary Allocations & Non Accountability:
It is our hope that the Lagos State House of Assembly will live up to expectations by compelling His Excellency Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and the Budgetary Office to submit details of how monies appropriated by Budgetary allocations are spent. State funds are not and cannot be utilized as personal funds and the Executive arm of government is compelled under law and morality to publish details of how the monies are spent and for what purpose. This accords with democratic tenets and global best practices.
The Oworonsoki Reclamation:
Eko Foundation is also disturbed by the land reclamation being undertaken by the Lagos State government in the Oworonsoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge. The recent experience of flooding in Victoria Island / Ikoyi / Lekki, experts explained was due to the reclamation of the Lagos Beach for the Eko Atlantic City being developed by the Chagoury Bros. and some powerful power brokers and Cabal in Lagos State. Would it, therefore, be wise and expedient to continue with the Oworonsoki Reclamation without carrying out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on the future import of the exercise? We, as indigenes of the State should no longer be docile or afraid to confront government and require our elected leaders to explain and seek our impute into unnecessary and very expensive projects that only affords the government and it’s officials to Balkanize the Land and allocate it to themselves, their families, friends and cronies.
Gabbage Dumps And Looming Cholera Epidemic:
Eko Foundation is of the opinion that government policies ought to be properly articulated by the ruling class. It is, therefore, disheartening to see heaps of refuse littering the State from Ikorodu to Badagry, Ikeja to Lagos and even to Epe, where His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode claims as his “indigenous ” home. A situation where the PSP refuse collectors were disengaged and not forthwith replaced smacks of disjointed government policy. The resultant effect of this is a waste littered State that is threatened by a looming cholera epidemic, monkey pox and several health hazards associated with a dirty environment filled with garbage and stench in all the nooks and crannies of the State. We hereby request the Lagos State government to immediately and without delay put in place a well articulated pragmatic policy that would prevent a State wide epidemic without any delay.
The “Omo atounrinwas” (Foreigners):
Eko Foundation and the entire nation state was stunned when His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun , the Executive Governor of Ogun State, on Wednesday, 22nd November, 2017, declared that no “foreigner” would succeed him after the completion of his tenure in 2019. According to him, “there are 1,100 indigenes of the state that are qualified to contest for the exalted position,” promising to thwart any effort by an outsider to administer the state. He continued, “No atounrinwa (foreigner) will rule Ogun State. They will not even come because the state will not be comfortable for them.” He further stated, “It is even insulting to have a non indigene at the helm of affairs in our state when there are competent and capable true sons and daughters of Ogun State.”
Eko Foundation notes with dismay and is horrified by this “reckless” pronouncement by Senator Ibikunle Amosun but are gratified by his frankness and honesty. However, it is a truism that “what is sauce for the goose, should be sauce for the gander.” Several indigenes of Ogun State have contested and won elections in Lagos State since the beginning of the present political dispensation. A good example (which His Excellency Senator Ibikunle Amosun also cited) is Senator Olrunnimbe Mamora who is an indigenes of Ijebu Ife in Ogun State. He rose politically to become the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly and represented Lagos State in the Senate. No one called him “atounrinwa” (foreigner) as alluded to by the Governor of his native state of origin. There are several others like Senator Mamora who have won elections in Lagos State and have held very senior positions in government.
As a matter of fact, the present Chief Judge of Lagos State, His Lordship Justice Oke, who at present is heading the Judicial arm of government in Lagos State is an indigene of Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State. There are several Judges, Magistrates, civil servants, political appointees and legislators who have and are presently representing Lagos State in the State House of Assembly and the National Assembly. Senator Oluremi Tinubu is also an indigene of Ogun State and is representing Lagos Central in the Senate. Therefore, Alhaji Olufemi Okunnu (SAN) was right when he categorically stated that “EKO GBA OLE, O GBA OLE.” The Ogun State “omoatounrinwas” should heed the call of their Governor and return to Ogun State to contest elections. We, the indigenes of Lagos State know ourselves and we have amongst others several competent hands and eminently qualified to assume political offices in our State.
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s Political Profile:
Recall that Prof. Wole Soyinka was appointed as the Chairman of the Eko @ 50 Celebrations by His Excellency Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode despite protestations from Eko Foundation and several other organizations and eminent personalities. Prof. Soyinka is an indigene of Ogun State. Therefore, these acts of magnanimity should be reciprocated by Ogun State in particular and other South Western States in general. After all, His Excellency Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the incumbent Executive Governor of the State of Osun, was the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos State for several years prior to assumption of office as Governor of the State of Osun. It is even in the rumor mill that he intends to vie for Senate using the platform of Lagos State after completion of his present gubernatorial term of office. That may not be feasible because by virtue of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federal Character Commission Act, a citizen of the country cannot be indigenous to more than one state. He may need to consult legal “expert” advice on this matter or in the alternative spend a long time in court to ascertain his qualifications and credentials to contest.
Conclusion:
It is, therefore imperative to note that these acts of political brigandage, imposition of candidates, suppression of the will of the people, unreciprocated nicety, we-do-not-care approach to government, cosmopolitanism and “City for All” mentality of the “Cabal” that has laid siege on Lagos State since the beginning of this political dispensation should be resisted by all the indigenous peoples of Lagos State. What or who are we afraid of? We cannot and should not allow “Omo Atounrinwas ” to dominate us and make us strangers in our State. This is a wake-up call, because enough is truly enough. OJIGIRI !!!
