Kunle Adelabu
-Reject merger with Kosofe, Shomolu
Stakeholders across the Ikorodu Division on Sunday, February 14, 2021, again gathered at the Ikorodu Town hall to take a position on the attempt by the Lagos State House of Assembly to review the existing delineation of the state into five Divisions.
The gathering, which was convened by the Chairman of the Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, had the presence of the two representatives of the Ikorodu Constituencies I and II, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade and Hon. Nurudeen Solaja respectively, who were invited to explain to the Ikorodu constituents the idea behind the proposed bill seeking to review the existing delineation status of the Status and what their positions are.
Those who spoke on the issue were not only vehement in their opposition of the proposed divisional restructuring that will see Kosofe and Shomolu Local Governments merged with Ikorodu Local Government but also resolved to make their positions formal to the Lagos Assembly and the Governor of the State, Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu.
They, however, called for the creation of more Local Government Areas, more State and House of Representatives seats and also for fair share of political and other appointments in the state.
They also commended the Majority Leader of the Assembly for standing up on the floor of the House to speak against the proposed bill.
Speaking at the meeting, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade stated that he attended because he is in the Assembly on the mandate of the people and he must attend to state his position even though there is limit to what he can state in the public regarding the matter.
He, however, stated that there is no problem with the existing restructure which, according to him, came into being in 1972 and that there must be a referendum where the people will say whether they want any change in the system or not before the proposed bill could be considered.
“I appreciate the invite to this Town hall meeting and commend everyone here even though those concerned are more than the number that we have here. But what matters is to stand up to be counted when it matters. Because whatever we do will be recorded in history and posterity will judge”, he said.
“There is nothing much for me to say because I have said all that I have to say on the floor of the House during the debate. For those that considered it necessary to report what I said and put it on the social media, I also thank you for the efforts“, he added.
The four – term lawmaker stated that other parts of the state that will be affected by the proposed review have also been making their positions known.
“This does not call for any fight because what we are doing here has been done in Eti – Osa and they made categorical statement. This morning, somebody forwarded the position of Kosofe/Shomolu to me and they too have made categorical statement saying that they want it to happen.
“If I am not mistaken, the people of Badagry are also meeting today (Sunday). Today, the people of Ikorodu are here seated to make their own position”.
Explaining why he oppose the bill on the floor of the Assembly when the matter came up for debate, Hon. Agunbiade stated that people should be allowed to associate freely without being forced together.
He also added that there is nothing wrong with existing structure since there has been no complaint about it from any quarter.
“What led to my position on the floor of the House is that by the virtue of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, freedom of association is allowed. You have your right to determine who you want to associate with. There should be no forceful association.
“Those that sat in 1968 and divided the division into five are enlightened people. They consulted before doing that and when they had minor issue, a tribunal of enquiry was setup and part of the decision was that Eti – Osa should be merged with the Lagos City Council, that was how they became part of Lagos Division.
“Imota was formerly part of the Agbowa District and was proposed to be under Epe but Imota insisted on staying with Ikorodu and they became part of the Ikorodu Division.
“You will see that people are showing their willingness as to where they want to belong. It was not a forceful union”, he said.
“This necessitated the establishment of the Division Establishment Law of 1972 and it is 49 years since then. In the last 49 years ago that we have been using the law, I have not heard about any complaint from the people of Ikorodu or Kosofe or anybody.
“That is why I am asking for the reason for proposing this new law. I have said all that I want to say on the floor of the House and I don’t want to say much here”.
Emphasizing the reason he attended the townhall meeting, Agunbiade said:
“But I am a representative of Ikorodu and I cannot be called by my people to appear and state what my position is on a matter and I turn them down. That is why I am here today, but I cannot speak here the same way many of you can speak on the matter.
“All that I said on the floor were on the strength of your vote to represent you at the House of Assembly and I am here today to answer your call as those that gave me the mandate.
“Let us make a categorical statement whether we are tired of our strength and we are in need of more people to join us. Let us speak out like others too on what we want and how we want it.
“But we have said that we don’t want it and if anybody want to do it, let there be referendum for people to decide whether there should be re – delineation of the divisional structure”, he said.
His Constituency II counterpart, Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, blamed the present situation that Ikorodu division found itself on marginalization and the refusal of the past leaders in the division to allow more local governments to be created out of the Ikorodu Local Government.
Solaja stated that in his own submission on the floor of the House, he canvassed for stakeholder’s engagement for the proposed bill.
The former Council Treasurer, who stated that none of the lawmakers knows the source of the proposed bill, also stated that it is for the purpose of political appointments which Ikorodu slots have continually been allocated to Kosofe and Shomolu without serious opposition until now.
“The issue on the ground is very clear even though nobody among us (lawmakers) knows the source of it (the bill). But we need to thread softly anytime things happened like this.
“I also spoke on the floor when the matter was presented but I handled it care.
“The matter on ground also affected other parts of the state too and I did said on the floor that the Assembly should allow for stakeholders meeting over the matter”.
He reiterated that the refusal of past Ikorodu leaders to allow more local governments to be carved out of lkorodu division, has been the bane of the problems facing the division.
“It is only Ikorodu that still remains as a division and a local government among the five divisions in the state. Ikeja and Lagos Island have many councils under them.
“What they are proposing is not proper but it will not come to fruition, but we need to handle the matter with care”, he advised.
“The plan merger is not about allocation but for political appointments and when we look at it critically, we will see that it has been happening. Recently, there are appointments into the Local Government Service and State Civil Service Commissions and Ikorodu representatives were picked from Shomolu and Kosofe respectively and all our protests against it were to no avail”, he recalled.
“This is happening because we have kept quiet for so long. In 2003 or 2004, when Adebayo was appointed from Kosofe into the Local Government Service Commission, we did not engage in any protest, although, we have started protesting now and we shall represent you well”, Hon. Solaja said.
The meeting Convener, Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, speaking earlier, said that the meeting was called by concerned residents of Ikorodu Division for the purpose of informing them of an ongoing attempt by the Lagos State House of Assembly to review the five divisional structures in the state.
Explaining the effects of the review, Otunba Abiru, a former Clerk/Permanent Secretary, Lagos State House of Assembly, said that if the proposed bill, which he said has scaled through the first and second readings, becomes law, Kosofe and Shomolu will be added to Ikorodu.
He called for contributions from stakeholders on the issue to form a position for the division.
Otunba Abiru, who said that the decision to merge Ikorodu is not acceptable, also stated that royal fathers were consulted and they agreed to the town hall meeting.
He said that agreement made at the meeting will form a letter that will be written to the government and signed by representatives of every part of Ikorodu division.
A former Head of Service, Lagos State and former Chairman Lagos State Local Government Service Commission, Alhaji Babatunde Rotinwa, charged the State lawmakers to be in tune with history, adding that the divisional structures were created for the purpose of sharing appointments among the five divisions that formed the Lago State.
Alhaji Rotinwa also seized the opportunity presented by the meeting, to advocate for more Local Governments and members in State Assembly and House of Representatives.
The Agbaakin of Ikorodu Kingdom and a former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State Sir (Otunba) Ayodele Elesho, called for another meeting where the entire traditional rulers in the division will make categorical statement as well as consistent protest to ensure that the proposed bill do not see the light of the day.
Elesho, who is also a former State Labour leader, also charged the residents to be ready to attend the public hearing on the proposed bill when it is called.
“After this town meeting, we should call a special meeting with all the traditional rulers and High Chiefs in Ikorodu Division in attendance to enable them state their own opinions and also lead the struggle against the proposed restructuring of the Divisions in Lagos.
“Eti – Osa and Epe people are protesting against the plan. Awori has totally rejected it.
“We must also engage in peaceful protest in newspapers and on the social media. We must constantly make our voice heard over the matter and we must be very consistent with it”, Sir Elesho charged.
“If it is possible, let us set up an organ to handle the matter and we expect those that are blessed among us to provide fund so that we can pay for media coverages and other logistics for our opposition to the proposal.
“We must also be prepared for the public hearing. We must go en masse with buses on the day of the public hearing and before that, let us collect signatures on our protest to be presented on the day.
“We can also demonstrate at the place to say ‘Ikorodu Say No to the New Delineation’, since we are not fighting”, he added.
Mrs Benson, a retired Permanent Secretary, commended the convener of the meeting and the representative of the Ikorodu Constituency I for his position on the matter on the Assembly floor and stated that it is left to Ikorodu to fight the issue of marginalization and liberate itself.
“It is time for us to face the issue bothering us. I am fully ready to support the agitation against the delineation.
“When I was in the Civil Service Commission, we have a policy that indigenes must take 60% whenever we want to recruit and 40% for non – indigenes but has changed suddenly and some people are now saying that there is no Lagosians.
“Recently, Commissioners were appointed into commission with people from other states picked for the positions. There was also appointment of 18 Permanent Secretaries recently and only two were appointed from Ikorodu. This calls for serious attention.
“There is need for us to wake up from our slumber that we have been in since and face the issue. I am 100% in support of agitation against the restructuring of the existing divisions.
“We must all be ready to support the agitation with our fund because we must say no to this marginalization”, she charged.
Former Chairman, Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group, Engr. Layi Adegbola, equally commended the convener for inviting stakeholders from different parts of the division to have a common position against the proposed bill.
“I thank the convener of this townhall meeting for inviting people from other parts of the division – Imota, Igbogbo, Ijede, Bayeku and others.
“We must all speak with one voice on the matter like our honourable (Hon. Agunbiade) did on the floor of the Assembly.
“I don’t think that the Assembly can do what they want to do without the approval of the Federal Government because we only have 20 Local Governments in the constitution.
“If there is going to be any change, we must all agree together for review. There must be referendum for such thing to happen”, he said.
Mr F.O. Lasisi, a former Special Adviser to the Governor and former Chairman of the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group, from Imota part of the division, called for unity and commitment to fight the course of Ikorodu’s agitation.
“If we want to address the issue on ground, we must have unity of purpose starting with our traditional rulers in the division.
“Nobody can force us into a union that we are not interested in.
“We must all come together and write to the Lagos State House of Assembly that we know ourselves in Ikorodu Division and we do not want any forceful marriage with Kosofe and Shomolu”, Mr Lasisi said.
Barrister Saheed Shillings, one of the conveners of the meeting and former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu branch, said that Ikorodu division is against the merging of any other part of the State with it.
“This is not a process that can come from whim and caprices of a motion. It should be jettisoned”, he told our reporter in an interview shortly after the meeting.
“Ikorodu Division is saying a capital no and the reason is simple. We are marginalized as Ikorodu division and you are now bringing other people to join us and share the values that are not enough. We say no to”.
Prince Deji Osho, in his own submission, also commended the representative of the Ikorodu Constituency I, Hon. Agunbiade, for his submission on the matter on the floor of the House.
While narrating how Ikorodu Division has been shortchanged politically and in other aspects in the state, Osho charged Ikorodu youths to retrace their steps if the party that the division is loyal to is to reciprocate the gesture.
He called for total opposition to the attempt to review the existing Divisions in Lagos by the Assembly.
Mr Babatunde Afuwape from Igbogbpo/Bayeku LCDA, like many others, commended the convener of the meeting and the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly for his role on the matter, while voicing his own opposition.
“We must reject the merging of Shomolu and Kosofe with Ikorodu because there is no benefit in it”, he said.
“It will only retard Ikorodu’s progress and we do not want that. What we want is additional local governments in Ikorodu Division”.
Engr Saka, a former House of Representatives aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the bill as rubbish.
“It is rubbish. I also want to commend Hon. Agunbiade who has made valid position on the matter for us.
“Let us organize all our thoughts and walk the talk for action”.
Mr Afuwape, the representative of the Local Government Staff from Ikorodu Division, presented a paper on behalf of the body to express its opposition.
While stating that the plan has been on since Ikorodu was denied its membership of the recently inaugurated Lagos State Civil Service Commission, the body added that the bill is an attempt to legalise permanent marginalization of Ikorodu Division which he said “must be rejected”.
Mr Oluwakemi ‘Bashexy’ Hassan, a senior legislative aide at the National Assembly, called for a formidable and strong group to champion the agitation and others issues for Ikorodu.
He also charged that such body must be devoid of any political or other sentiments.
Comrade Kehinde Okeowo, a former Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ikorodu chapter, in her won submission, called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders to lead the agitation against the plan by the Assembly to merge Ikorodu Division with Shomolu and Kosofe.
