Wale Jagun & Jare Babatunde
-Says Kosofe, Shomolu not part of Ikorodu Division
A non – political platform in Ikorodu Division – Concerned Ikorodu Division Youths (CIDY), has charged the Lagos State Government to be fair and equitable in its appointments and allocation of resources.
The group, which had petitioned the State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu, on the exclusion of the Ikorodu Division from the newly constituted Lagos State Local Government Service Commission (LSLGSC), held a press conference at the Falcoms Lounge & Bar on Thursday (yesterday) to further appealto the Governor for the inclusion of the Division on the Commission.
At the press conference, Kunle Adelabu, Mrs Rukayat Akinpelu – Onabanjo and Mr Ahmed Olalekan Aroyewun, who addressed members of the press on behalf of the group on the issue of the exclusion and other matters affecting the Division, also sympathised with the Governor on the loss that the state suffered recently during the #EndSARS protest, while commending the way disasters have been handled so far this year by the Sanwo – Olu’s administration.
While also commending the Governor on the confirmation of Ms. Bisola Olusanya as full – fledged Commissioner for Agriculture after six months in acting capacity, CIDY stated that the Division’s slot, as it regards to appointments and projects, should not be given to other parts of the state that are not part of the six Local Government and five Local Council Development Authorities (LCDAs) that made up of Ikorodu Division.
CIDY also appealed to the Governor to ensure that compensation is paid to hundreds of people whose houses were demolished about four years ago in Igbogbo and Agric/Owutu/Isawo areas of Ikorodu division, to pave way for road reconstruction.
“I hope that members of the media have been following protests across the social media platforms related to Ikorodu regarding the exclusion of the Division? We have written to the Governor in this respect, appealing to him to ensure that the injustice is corrected”, Kunle Adelabu said.
“We are also aware that other groups have also written petitions in this regard to the Governor to also demand the inclusion of Ikorodu Division on the Lagos State Local Government Service Commission.
“Our protest is borne out of incessant shortchanging and marginalization of Ikorodu Division which is gradually becoming a practice in the state”, he said.
“Just about two years back, the representative of Ikorodu Division on the Lagos State House of Assembly Service Commission was replaced by someone from another Division. We have also been denied membership of the Audit Commission.
“These are Commissions that the law stipulates must be constituted based on the principles of IBILE (Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos and Epe) to give the five Divisions that made up of Lagos State sense of belonging and ensure fairness.
Citing relevant laws, the CIDY Coordinator stated:
“Your Excellency, the recently approved list of Chairman and members of Lagos State Local Government Service Commission with the exclusion of Ikorodu division, yet again, does not only expose a presumed resentment against the division, but also berates some extant laws, especially S. 14(4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, which mandates that the composition of state or local government or any of government agency to be carried out with due recognition of the diversity of the people within its area of authority as it emphasizes the need to promote a sense of belonging among all the people of the Federation”, he stated.
“In addition, S. 45(2a) of the Local Government Administration Law of Lagos State complements the provision S. 14 (4) of the Nigerian Constitution by stating that members shall be nominated from each division of the state and each nomination shall be confirmed by the House of Assembly”, the Coordinator added.
While thanking the traditional institutions, political leaders, elected representatives and groups for standing up for the Division, regarding the request for the confirmation of Ms Abisola Olusanya as a full-fledged Commissioner and the exclusion of the Division from the LSLGSC, CIDY also charged them not to relent in the pursuit of other issues affecting the division.
“We also want to thank all the traditional rulers in the Division, political leaders, especially the former Deputy Governor of Lagos, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, member of the Governing Advisory Council (GAC), Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun and the Vice Chairman, APC, Lagos East, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, and others for their efforts so far in this regard.
“Likewise, we commended the efforts by our representatives in making the Governor to hear our protest in Ikorodu. And also, kudos to many other groups that have been up and doing in this regard as well.
“We have met with Hon. Babajimi Benson, Member, Member, House of Representatives,representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the State Assembly, representing the Ikorodu Constituency I, and Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, representing the Ikorodu Constituency II, on the Division’s exclusion from the Local Government Service Commission and other issues.
“They have all told us what they have been doing in ensuring that Ikorodu is included in the Commission and we also brainstormed on how to prevent the shortchanging of Ikorodu Division which is fast becoming a norm in the state”.
The group also established that Kosofe and Shomolu are not part of Ikorodu Division contrary to the insinuation in some government quarters, which, according to the group, is largely responsible for the severe political and developmental deprivation facing Ikorodu Division.
“The fact is that how the five divisions were split into 20 local governments is in the government gazette and listed in the Lagos State Government diary. Only Ikorodu remains one as a Division and Local Government.
“Kosofe and Shomolu are not part of Ikorodu Division. They are part of the Old Ikeja Division”, Adelabu established.
CIDY also called on the Governor to also consider young politicians and others from Ikorodu Division for political offices the same way their counterparts from other Divisions are being considered and empowered.
“As a group, we are also concerned about how young politicians in Ikorodu Division are being shortchanged in terms of political offices. We have many vibrant and articulate young men and women that have been participating fully in politics and also contributed immensely to the emergence of this administration. Unfortunately, we only have two members on the State Executive Council”, he said.
“We are also aware that each administration normally appoints about hundred Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs) but they don’t consider young men in Ikorodu for these positions.
“The last time any Ikorodu person was considered for the position was when Dr Saheed Oladapo Ibikunle was appointed by the Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN’s administration. We want Governor Sanwo – Olu to consider our people too for appointments as SSAs and SAs”, Adelabu demanded on behalf of the group.
Also, CIDY called for improved security across Ikorodu Division, especially as it regards to the activities of the cult groups which have been disturbing the social and economic lives of the residents of the Division.
“The primary function of a government is to ensure that lives and properties of its citizens are safe, but this is not the situation in Ikorodu Division”, he said.
“Here in lkorodu, we gave cult guys and hoodlums roaming our streets and killing one another in broad daylight without any check. The government has failed the people in this regard”, he added.
“We are mindful of the efforts by the government, traditional institutions in Ikorodu Division and that of the Onyabo Vigilance Group in settling matters among these cult groups but these have yielded little or no results.
“We want the government to take drastic measures in addressing the menace and others. We cannot continue to lose our young and able people to senseless killings. We want the government to put in place a strong task force to work with local vigilance groups in order to ensure that sanity prevails in every part of the Division”, Adelabu charged.
“Another issue of great concern to us is the issue of infrastructures, especially roads and schools”.
Also, the group thanked Mr Governor for continuing the road projects across Ikorodu started by his predecessor and also for starting new ones, but, however, urged him to ensure that contractors are up and doing, especially HiTECH which is handling Igbogbo – Igbe and Agric – Owutu roads.
“We are appreciative of the Governor for continuing road projects in Ikorodu like the Igbogbo –Igbe, Agric – Owutu, Itamaga – Ijede and others, and also for starting new ones such as Powerline road, Oba Sekumade road and others.
“But we want to appeal that he should help to prevail on the contractor handling the Igbogbo and Agric road projects to hasten the construction work. The work rate in this two axis is very slow”, the group appealed.
In her own contribution, Mrs Rukayat Akinpelu – Onabanjo laid emphasis on the insecurity in Ikorodu Division and also called for sanity in and around the Ikorodu garage and Benson axis which, according to her, are den of cultists and hoodlums.
She added that residents are being harrassed and dispossesed of their belongings every evening and early in the morning in these areas.
“This is not the Ikorodu that we used to know and this is also not the Ikorodu that we want. We want a community that we can walk about safely and do our business without fear. We are calling on Mr Governor to look at the issue of security in Ikorodu” Mrs Akinpelu – Onabanjo said.
Also speaking at the press conference, Mr Ahmed Aroyewun pleaded with Gov. Sanwo – Olu to ensure that compensations are paid to residents of Ikorodu whose houses were demolished to create right of way for road construction.
“We are appealing to the Governor to pay compensation to our people whose houses were demolished for road construction. Many of them are squatting in various places with no hope”, he said while appealing to the Governor.
“These are people that sacrificed their homes for development and as a result, they deserve to be compensated so that they can resettle properly.
He stated that the Concerned Ikorodu Division Youths is independent of any group and has representations of other groups in the division that have equally been clamouring for developments and fairness from the state government for Ikorodu Division.
At the briefing, CIDY also appealed to Gov. Sanwo – Ou to consider the only Ikorodu indigene who have been shortlisted as candidate for the Rectorship of the Lagos State Polytechnic.
They stated that the Ikorodu indigene, who has been the acting Rector of the institution for about five months, has proven his capability to perform in substantive capacity.
Other issues raised by CYID at the briefing included the need to declare a state of emergency in some schools in Ikorodu Division such as Yewa Junior School, Odogunyan Junior School and others and the need for government to provide necessary infrastructures across the Division.
