Kunle Adelabu
The Vice Chairman of the Lagos East Senatorial District of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asipa Kaoli Olatunji Olusanya, has asked the Lagos State House of Assembly to jettison the idea of changing the present IBILE structure in Lagos State.
Attempt by the House to change the present composition of the state since its creation has met with stiff opposition from every part of the state.
A proposed bill, tagged, ‘HAB No. 23 Lagos State Administrative (Establishment) Bill 2021’ was presented on the floor of the House, aimed at reorganizing the parts made up Lagos.
It was gathered that the Shomolu and Kosofe axis of the State, which has been part of the Ikeja Division, will be merged with the Ikorodu Division if the Bill becomes law.
Eti – Osa is also reportedly being proposed to be merged with Epe Division.
However, Asipa Olusanya, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the State, in an exclusive interview with THE IMPACT, has added his own voice to the opposition against the proposed Bill and said that he cannot fathom the need for the Bill as it attempts to merge strange people together.
“If you look at the history of Lagos State and the sentiments attached to it, there are sentiments attached to my identity, our identity and we all have identities which we want to hold tight to. You will become a different person if you change your identity”.
“I can’t understand how Eti – Osa can be part of the Epe Division. It is strange to me. If you say Eti – Osa should be part of Lagos Division, fine, but to merge with Epe Division is strange. It should not be.
“There was a time that the whole of the Ikorodu Division was part of Ikeja Division, but in the wisdom of our elders at that time, they saw clearly that Ikorodu cannot be part of Ikeja and they did needful.
“Look at the constitution of America written more than 200 years ago and today, it is still referenced with clear intent and purposes by the writers of the document and they hold it dearly to themselves. It is the same thing as IBILE”, he said.
While stating that the Assembly should jettison the idea of changing the present structure, Asipa Kaoli also added that Lagos residents are proud of their identity and that nobody should distort it.
“This is a state whose ancestors and progenitors are first among their peers in Nigeria. They are first among the equals in Nigeria. If they sat down and they gave us this structure as IBILE, then we are very proud of it and we happily associate with IBILE regardless of size”, he said.
“It is about homogeneity of the people that you are bringing together and not bringing together people who are of strange bedfellow to form a Division.
“In my own informed opinion, I think that that idea should be jettisoned. It will not work well and I don’t know what purpose it will serve”, he said.
“I don’t clearly understand it except that it is trying to stir a horn nest and when you do that, bees will fly and start to sting and issues will come. We don’t have to raise issues, just let it rest. That is what we accept in Lagos because that is what we are and we are proud of it”.
