ETI-OSA INDIGENES PROTEST OVER NON-INCLUSION IN LAGOS STATE GOVT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
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By ‘Leke Yusuf
Indigenes of Eti-Osa Local Government have expressed their dissatisfaction over their non-inclusion in the list of 39 Commissioner and Special Adviser nominees sent by Governor Sanwo-Olu to the Lagos State House of Assembly, for approval.
In a letter of protest, the indigenes writing under the aegis of the Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation, they “were shocked by the news that the list of 39 nominees for Commissioners and Special Advisers emanating from the office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, to the Speaker of the State Assembly dated 7th August 2023 claimed 12 out of 39 of the nominees to be from Eti-Osa Local Government Area.”
The letter jointly signed by Adewale Sanni and Alh. Oloye Mustapha Okunmoyinbo, who are president and secretary of the association respectively, they maintained that “the forwarded list did not contain a single indigene of Eti-Osa, ours is an indigenous community with over 500 years of history and the Local Government constitutionally recognized as a major constituent part of Lagos State. We consider this as an anomally and therefore, we call upon the Governor to redress the same as a matter of political and constitutional imperative by ensuring that Eti-Osa indigenes are adequately represented.
“As indigenes, we have observed with great concern that despite our community’s contributions to the Revenue generation, Growth and development of Lagos State, the present administration appears to be wilful and persistent in excluding and marginalizing the people of Eti-Osa Local Government in the Leadership of the State Government as demonstrated by the patterns of appointments over time.
Notwithstanding this administration’s obvious marginalization however, we never relent in showing commitment to our State and the Government at all levels. We recall our series of engagements on this issue, as well as the specific promises made by Mr Governor at the last Stakeholders meeting held on Sunday 12th February 2023 in Eti-Osa. It is surprising to note however that the meeting like others, has not yielded any fruits in correcting the wrongs of the past.
They further added that apart from the Executive Council, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has not appointed any indigene of Eti-Osa Local Government to the position of Permanent Secretary, Board Chairman or Member, Head or Member of Parastatals or Agencies in the Lagos State Ministries, as well as Councils of Universities owned by the State Government.
“We recall that even in the last administration, only one of our indigenes was appointed as Commissioner while so many total strangers, just like the current list, were used to fill the Eti-Osa quota in utter contempt and disregard for legal and constitutional principles.This development has sparked feelings of continuous neglect and disillusionment among our people.
“We therefore implore the Governor to redress the anomaly in this submission to the Lagos State House of Assembly by causing the inclusion of Eti-Osa indigenes from those earlier submitted by our community. By doing so, this administration will send a strong signal of hope for equity and fairness to all the indigenes of Lagos State.”
Earlier in the week, Islamic organisations in Lagos State also complained about poor representation in the list sent by Governor Sanwo-Olu to the State Assembly.
Addressing a World Press Conference on the lopsidedness of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s commissioners-designate list on Tuesday in Lagos, the Convener of Joint Muslim Forum (JMF) and National Missioner, Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria, Imam Abdul Rahman Ahmad said the group has petitioned the state House of Assmebly over the matter.
The JMF, an umbrella of over 30 Muslim groups, the community, declaring that the 8 number of Muslims to 31 number of Christians on the list of 39 men and women shows oppression, pathological hatred, callousness. Insensitivity, and unfairness.
Speaking on the commissioner-designate list, Imam Ahmad noted that forum had exhausted all efforts to reach out to the governor and his deputy over what it called the great injustice.
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