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Tag: Babatunde Fashola

  • Who succeeds Fashola?

    Who succeeds Fashola?

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola will bow out of office next year after completing his two terms of eight years. The succession battle is gaining momentum. Governorship aspirants on the platforms of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have begun consultations. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the issues that will shape the election in the Centre of Excellence.

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) will complete his second term in office next year. Ahead of the next governorship election, the two major political parties-the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-have returned to the drawing board. Eyes are on the parties as they prepare for the primaries. More importantly, Lagosians will also beam a searchlight on the aspirants gearing up to succeed the governor.

    By 2015, the progressive bloc will have dominated power in the Centre of Excellence for 16 years. As the APC seeks the renewal of the mandate, the achievements of former Governor Bola Tinubu and his successor, Fashola, would be the party’s armour. While the PDP and the LP would be soliciting for votes, based on their promises to Lagosians, the APC, now a tested party, will request for a fresh mandate by tendering the feats of the two governors and making new promises.

    In the APC, there is no shortage of competent politicians and technocrats to take over from Fashola. The aspirants include Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Hon. Yemi Ikuforiji, Dr. Leke Pitan, Senator Gbenga Ashafa and Mr. Gbolahan Lawal.

    Others are Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Mr. Akinwumi Ambode. Of the 10 contenders, nine are disciples of the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinibu, and beneficiaries of his political philanthropy.

    PDP aspirants include Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Minister of State for Defence, former Health Commissioner Dr. Segun Ogundimu, and Chief Tunde Daramola.

    Party sources said that the camp of the party leader, Commodore Olabode George (rtd), may sponsor a candidate who will slug it out with these aspirants at the primaries.

    In the LP, Lagos politician Mr. Jimi Agbaje may be the candidate, if he does not defect to the PDP. Other smaller parties may field candidates for the poll. But, their impact will not be felt.

    The task before the APC is raising another competent politician and astute administrator as Fashola. Tinubu and Fashola have set enviable standards and, for Lagosians to vote for continuity, the flag bearer must have a track record of performance, integrity and honour. Since Lagos State was created in 1967, Lagosians have participated in seven governorship elections – 1979, 1983, 1991, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011. In those polls, except that of 1991, Lagosians voted along similar and predictable lines. The 1991 exception was due to the inability of the progressives in the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) to put their house in order.

    Many issues will shape the contest. The first is the incumbency factor. The size and strength of the parties and their perception by the people will also play a role. The APC controls the House of Assembly, which is made up of 40 members, and 57 local councils. The three senators and 24 members of the House of Representatives belong to the ruling party. But, next year, there will be a clash of incumbency power and federal might, which the PDP usually relies upon in the Southwest.

    In 2015, indigeneship will not be a factor in the megacity, unlike 2007. But, religion and zoning may be weak factors. In the last one year, some Christian leaders have been calling for a Christian governor, although they acknowledge that the two Muslim governors — Tinubu and Fashola — whose wives are committed Christians, have never marginalised any religious sect in governance. There is no evidence that the Christian leaders agitating for a Christian governor enjoy the active support of their congregations, whose main spiritual motive is the kingdom of God and not any political kingdom on earth.

    Reflecting on the agitation, APC chieftain Oludare Raji, a House of Representatives aspirant in Osodi/Isolo Constituency, said: “It is a non-issue. Christians and Muslims in Lagos State have co-existed harmoniously without friction. We have had more Muslim governors than Christian governors, but it is mere coincidence. In the Southwest, religion has never shaped our politics.”

    Raji, the former Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), said that Lagosians looked forward to a successor who will sustain the tempo of performance, and not a governor thrown up by a religious sect. “Lagos is home to many Nigerians. They come here and they don’t return. There is population explosion. Many youths are looking for jobs in Lagos and there is pressure on social amenities, schools, water, and roads. There is the security challenge. Lagos needs a governor who will be a problem solver and not a religious irredentist or bigot,” he added.

    During electioneering, the lessons of the mystery of Lagos politics is always lost on the aspirants. Historically, it is difficult to predict that a particular aspirant will emerge as the flag bearer of any political party. Lagos State is dynamic. Therefore, the contest is always unpredictable. The history of governorship contest in Lagos is replete with the emergence of candidates who were never in reckoning before the polls.

    In 1979, Alhaji Lateef Jakande became the candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). The ambition of other aspirants, including Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, who later became the National Chairman of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), the late Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu and the late Chief Akanbi Onitiri, crumbled. Onitiri was a favoured for the job. But, he was lured into the NPP by people who promised to make him the presidential candidate, after convincing him that Zik would not run. He later died in an auto crash.

    In the Third Republic, Chief Dapo Sarumi and the late Prof. Femi Agbalajobi struggled for the ticket. They were banned by the military government. In the subsequent shadow contest between Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, the candidate of the Jakande Group, and Yomi Edu, who was backed by the Primose, Edu won. But, he lost to the less popular National Republican Convention (NRC) candidate, Sir Michael Otedola, at the election.

    In 1999, Tinubu was warming up for the Senate. But, he was advised to vie for the governorship by the Afenifere leaders — to the consternation of the late Dawodu, who favoured the late Mr. Funso Williams for the slot. If Dawodu, fondly referred to as the god of Lagos, had signified his intention to run, he would have emerged as the candidate. Tinubu became the candidate. During the election, he defeated the PDP candidate, Dapo Sarumi.

    In 2007, the AC had 14 aspirants, including Agbaje, Ogunleye, Solomon, Oyinlomo Danmole, Tola Kasali, Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Femi Pedro, Tunde Fanimokun, Bayo Ajisebutu, Kaoli Olusanya, Omotilewa Aro-Lambo, Remi Adikwu-Bakare, and Fashola. At the primaries, the former Chief of Staff secured the ticket.

    In 2011, Fashola was retained as the candidate of the ACN. He beat the PDP candidate, Dr. Ade Dosunmu, who was principally sponsored by George. That year, the LP was briefly promoted by some aggrieved ACN leaders loyal to Fashola. The rebellion was short-lived. Since then, the party has remained on the waiting list as a borrowed platform.

    For the APC, the slogan is continuity. In fact, it has kicked off preparations for the next election with the successful conduct of its state congress last weekend. The Chairman, Chief Oladele Ajomale, said that his priority is to mobilise Lagosians to endorse his party’s candidate at the poll. Many defectors from the PDP, including Dr. Yomi Finnih and Dr. Aganga Williams, witnessed the congress.

    From 1999 to 2011, the selection process in the progressive camp followed a similar pattern. However, times are changing. Certain forces are emerging to press for internal democracy. It is indisputable that the culture of imposition is being resisted. The advocates of guided primaries are being challenged. This is a major challenge. However, when the party opted for direct primaries at its inaugural ward congress in Lagos, it was chaotic. Party leaders immediately retraced their steps. In subsequent local government and state congresses, consensus was adopted and there was peace.

    Another issue that may shape the contest is zoning. But, there are puzzles: Should zoning be based on the five divisions of Lagos, Ikeja, Epe, Badagry and Ikorodu? Should it be based on the three senatorial districts? Analysts have questioned the merit of the rotational formula in a state where people of all tribes cohabit peacefully. Those canvassing zoning based on the three senatorial districts lack convincing argument to support it. The critics of the idea point out that many residents and indigenes of the West District have enjoyed political opportunities in the Central and East districts and vice versa.

    The first civilian governor, Jakande, son of the Oluwo of Lagos, is from the Central District, although he lives in Ilupeju, West District. His grandfather was from Omu-Aran, Kwara State. His deputy, Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo, hails from Ile-Ife. The second elected governor, Otedola, hails from Epe, East District. The third, Tinubu is from the Central District. But, he represented the West in the Senate in the Third Republic. The fourth, Fashola, is from the Central. In 2007, Ikorodu elders, led by an eminent lawyer, Babatunde Benson (SAN), pressed for power shift to Ikorodu, East District, claiming that, out of the five divisions, only Ikorodu and Badagry have not produced the governor. It was a legitimate crusade.

    However, zoning can be manipulated, undermined and subverted, if it is projected as a strong factor. In 2003, Afikuyomi, a senator from Lagos Central, emerged as the AD senatorial candidate for Lagos West. In 2007, Solomon from Mushin, Lagos West, claimed that he hailed from Ipakodo, Ikorodu, to benefit from the agitation for power shift. His paternal grandparents had their roots there. In 2011, Ikuforiji from Epe, Lagos East, won election into the House of Assembly in Ikeja Constituency, Lagos West District.

    Perhaps, the strongest factor is mutual agreement among the party leaders. A party chieftain said that some forces in the ruling party are canvassing the doctrine of mutual consent by the controlling leadership. “The party expects brainstorming session involving Tinubu, Fashola, Ajomale and his executive committee, party elders, and members of the Gubernatorial Advisory Council. These eminent leaders will vet the aspirants, moderate the selection process and ensure that the right candidate emerges,” he added.

     

    The aspirants

    Despite the feeling that the APC has zoned the ticket to the Lagos East, aspirants are coming from the three zones as a matter of fundamental right. It is not clear whether the proposed guidelines for the primaries would translate the imaginary zoning into reality.

     

    Solomon

     

    The only party chieftain who has publicly declared his interest is Solomon. He is son of the eminent politician, the late Chief R.B. Solomon, a Second Republic leader of the UPN and an ally of Jakande. The senator is a former Chairman of Mushin Local Government Area and member of the House of Representatives. Solomon is very popular. He is a crowd puller in Mushin and Lagos West. He became a senator in 2007 when Tinubu declined to contest for the Senate. He was re-elected as senator in 2011. Two days ago, Solomon set up his campaign office at Ikeja. The event was witnessed by his supporters.

    Pitan

     

    He is a successful medical doctor from Agbowa, Epe Division. He served as Commissioner for Health and Education for eight years in Tinubu Administration. A disciple of the party leader, the easy-going politician contributed to the success of the Tinubu Administration. He is also popular at home. Many youths see him as a role model, mentor and father figure. He is intelligent and hardworking.

     

    Ashafa

     

    Ashafa is a retired Permanent Secretary from Ibeju-Lekki. He became a senator in 2011. When he was the Permanent Secretary, Land Bureau, he did not abuse the privilege. He did not soil his hand. As a senator, he has set up some empowerment programmes for the benefit of his district.

     

    Ikuforiji

     

    A native of Epe, Ikuforiji is described as a loyal politician. He became a member of the House of Assembly in 2003. He was re-elected in 2007 and 2011. He is the longest serving Speaker of the House. He has had the privilege of representing two constituencies in two separate districts in the House of Assembly. Ikuforiji is answering charges of corruption in the court. His supporters allege that he was framed up because he has a governorship ambition.

     

    Ambode

     

    Ambode is a technocrat from Epe. At 21, he obtained a degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos, Akoka. At 24, he earned a Masters Degree and qualified as a chartered accountant. He has worked in over 15 councils as a treasurer before he was transferred to the state civil service. He was the Auditor-General for Local Governments. In 2012, the Fullbright scholar retired voluntarily as the Accountant-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, at 49. He was the first Permanent Secretary to have done so in the history of the Lagos civil service. When the Federal Government withheld allocations to Lagos councils, Ambode designed the blueprint for the financial survival of the councils. His colleagues in the civil service describe him as a man of character and competence.

     

    Cardoso

     

    Eyes are also on the brilliant technocrat and former Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Yemi Cardoso. He is not a politician. When he was being considered for the post in 2007, it leaked out. The following day, he was surprised when party followers invaded his residence, hailing him as the governor. On the advice of his wife, he travelled abroad. Reflecting on that episode, a first class monarch in Lagos described him as a “run away governor.” Cardoso has never nursed any political ambition. But, some party leaders believe that he will make a good governor.

     

    Hamzat

     

    Hamzat is the Commissioner for Works. He is the son of the party leader, the Olu of Afowora, Ogun State, Oba Olatunji Hamzat. His father was a legislator and commissioner in the Second Republic. His mother is from Lagos State. Hamzat, who holds a doctorate degree, is an easy-going professional and good manager of men and resources. He is very close to Fashola, who has confidence in his ability.

     

    Banire

     

    Banire is the Interim APC Legal Adviser. He holds a doctorate degree in Law from the University of Lagos, where he was a teacher before he was appointed commissioner. He spent 12 years in the Lagos State Executive Council as Special Adviser, Commissioner for Transport and Commissioner for Environment. He is from Mushin, Lagos West.

     

    Dabiri-Erewa

     

    Dabiri-Erewa is a household name in Nigeria. She is a broadcaster. By next year, she would have spent 12 years in the House of Representatives. She was first elected to represent Ikorodu Constituency in 2003. She was re-elected in 2007 and 2011. In the Lower Chamber, Dabiri-Erewa is not a bench warmer. She is the Chairperson of the Diaspora Committee. She is very popular in her district and beyond. She may have been drafted into the race by the agitators for power shift in Ikorodu.

     

    Gbolahan

     

    Gbolahan is the Commissioner for Agriculture. He is a retired police officer. He was the chief security officer to Tinubu.

     

    Gbeleyi

     

    Gbeleyi is the Commissioner for Finance. He is an associate of the governor.

     

    Gbajabiamila

     

    Gbajabiamila is the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives. The lawyer is a firebrand legislator from Surulere Constituency. He is seen as intelligent, bold and courageous.

     

  • Fashola blames Nigeria’s woes on dearth of professionals

    Fashola blames Nigeria’s woes on dearth of professionals

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has said Nigeria is battling with sundry developmental challenges because professionals in various sectors of the economy have failed to do the right thing at the right time.
    The governor, who spoke at a summit organised by Young Professionals Forum in Lagos, also blamed the situation on ethnic and religious sentiments.
    He was represented by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.
    Fashola said professionals should share the blame on Nigeria’s dwindling fortunes because of their failure to build on the gains of the past.
    The governor noted that rather than place value and merit first, the nation has become engrossed in religious and ethnic sentiments as the deciding factors for taking key decisions that shape the nation’s future.
    He said: “Our past leaders, like the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, built institutions, not people. That’s why we never forgot their names. But we have allowed those institutions to die. These are the challenges.
    “The problem we created for the country is that the professionals have left gaps that are not filled.
    “Today, we have collapsed buildings, but those buildings were signed up by some engineers. So, what is the professional engineering institution doing about that? Are the erring engineers sanctioned? Everybody now says it is the government. No, I am sorry; it is every one of us.”
    Citing Singapore, Fashola noted that the country leveraged on its people to rebuild its processes.
    The governor said Nigerian professionals should rise up to the challenge to rebuild the national processes.
    He said: “Singapore does not have any natural resources. The only thing it has is the people. They import water from Malaysia; they import sand from Indonesia. But they were able to rebuild their country because it was not about emotions. We have everything but the professionals in our country need to raise their game to make sure we don’t lose this country totally.”

    Fashola said Nigeria was gradually losing its place among the comity of nations because “we look at things that are not important”.

  • Abducted girls: youths protest in Lagos

    Abducted girls: youths protest in Lagos

    Scores of indigenes of Kibaku, a community in the Chibok town, where 234 girls were abducted from the Federal Government College by Boko Haram sect, yesterday staged a peaceful protest to the Alausa, Ikeja office of the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola.
    The protesters, mostly women and children, under the aegis of the Lagos State chapter of Chibok Youth Association, pleaded with Fashola to convey their grievances to President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State to ensure the safe return of the abducted girls.
    The group’s leader, Mr Yahaya Chiwar, said the group was worried that 13 days after the girls were abducted, there had been no positive news from the government concerning their safety or their chance of being rescued.
    He express dismay that after the parents of the girls searched Sambisa forest, located the camp where the insurgents were holding the girls and reported to the appropriate authorities, no action was taken.
    “Therefore, we have resolved that we cannot remain silent; we are here because of your commitment to security of lives and properties in the state. We believe the nearest authority to us is you; we believe we can express our grievances to you and you can forward our grievances to the relevant authorities, particularly to President Jonathan,” he said while presenting a letter to Fashola for President Jonathan.
    Fashola praised members of the association for their courage and selflessness to stand for their daughters and sisters who were unfortunate victims of the nation’s porous security system.
    “One can only imagine the kind of horror and grief the parents of these girls must be feeling, I am a parent myself and I understand it. If my children are ill, I know the kind of frustration, fear and anxiety that I go through when they are ill, not to mention indescribable emotion that the parents of these girls are going through to know whether they are alive and where they are and what conditions they might be in. even the girls themselves, the kind of fear, it must be a traumatic experience for everyone involved,” he said.
    Fashola encouraged the parents of the girls not to lose hope on the safe return of their children. He promised to deliver the letter to President Jonathan before the close of work yesterday.

  • BRF’s successor: Is Ambode the final choice?

    BRF’s successor: Is Ambode the final choice?

    It appears the choice has been made. Babatunde Fashola(SAN) now has a potential successor with whom he has some issues. The Christians seem to have had their say and their way. The politicians appear to have lost again to the technocrats. Akinwunmi Ambode, a Christian and a former accountant general in Lagos state, is not your typical professional politician, he can only boast of one or two years post- resignation political experience.

    The “oracle of Bourdillon”, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is watching the unfolding drama of selection with keen interest. Tinubu does not talk much when it comes to choosing his anointed. His body language is enough. He does not like to be predictable when it comes to his choice. He knows how to get the message across to his ‘structure’. And they know how to decode his message(s) especially when it comes to “oga, tala ma dibo fun” (Asiwaju, who are we voting for?)

    Undisputably, the governorship slot has been zoned to Lagos east. But who is the most favoured candidate of Asiwaju in Lagos east? Is it Gbenga Ashafa, a first term senator representing the district? Is it Abike Dabiri, the only lady contestant from the zone? Is it Leke Pitan, a medical Doctor and a former commissioner in Tinubu’s cabinet? Is it Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the honourable speaker of the Lagos state house of assembly? Is it Tola Kasali, also a former commissioner in Tinubu’s cabinet? Or is it Akinwunmi Ambode, a former accountant general in Lagos state?

    I will not want to flatter myself to assume that I know Asiwaju’s disposition towards everyone of these aspirants since we all served under him and were all “made” by him. But with all sense of modesty, I can say that with my twenty three years of “reading and studying” Tinubu (our first meeting was in 1991 through Dapo Sarumi and my uncle, Dr. Segun Machado of blessed memory), I know one or two of the aspirants that he will never touch with a long pole. Anyway, that does not matter anymore. The agitation by the Christians for a Christian governor since the time of Michael Otedola, has helped Asiwaju in doing the shortlisting. From all indications, the two Christians on the list, Leke Pitan and Akin Ambode seem to have been automatically shortlisted while a muslim aspirant of substantial social influence in the state was put on standby in case of any political eventualities. Though he has not openly excluded anybody from the list, the wise ones among the aspirants have reduced their spending and their consultations. This is why the tempo of night politicking has gone down.

    By now, if you are on the list and Asiwaju has not called you for a tete-a-tete, positive or negative, you are on your own. To members of the structure the message is clear that Asiwaju is inclined to the Christians’ agitation for a Christian governor. And of the two Christian aspirants, Pitan and Ambode, the codes being received from the symbol of the structure, are pointing towards Akin Ambode as the anointed or the ‘special one’. If Asiwaju is opting for Ambode, and not Pitan, does that mean the Pitan is not his favourite? Absolutely No. Aside from being a commissioner in Asiwaju’s Cabinet, Leke Pitan has consistently represented Tinubu at every function he (Tinubu) could not attend. Pitan is a loyal and influential member of the Tinubu group. The only disadvantage (if any), in my view, would be his age. Leke Pitan is nearer Sixty years that Ambode who was born in June 1963. Besides, Ambode is seen as a neutral choice being a technocrat. The choice of a politician could have triggered envy, jealousy, ripples, malice and misunderstanding among fellow politicians. During Tinubu’s administration, Ambode proved to be a very diligent, hardworking, committed, loyal and intelligent officer who never betrayed trust reposed in him.

    With less than two years post- resignation political experience, the politicians are wondering if Ambode would not behave like Fashola who had a very testy relationship with Asiwaju during his first term in office. The Fashola hostility was so strong that most Asiwaju supporters believed that it was because he was not really a politician and had nothing to lose. In a worst case scenario, he would dust his law books, dry clean his silk and gown and goes back to his law profession.

    As expected, Asiwaju Tinubu has denied ever trying to impose any candidate. It was an unnecessary denial because nobody has ever quoted him on this. Those who know him very well know that he is too meticulous and circumspect to make a pronouncement on his choice. He has a way of revealing his ‘anointed’ to his own people.

    As stated earlier, the core politicians are always suspicious of the technocrats because they feel they are not always loyal and committed since they have nothing to lose politically. As much as one can refer to Ambode as a political neophyte, his resignation from office was contingent upon his desire to contest for an elective position. Right from the moment he resigned, he had told his very close friends and associates that his target was the governorship. Immediately after his resignation he went to inform Asiwaju Tinubu of his political intention. Whether there was an understanding or agreement between the two on what position to vie for remains a secret between the two of them. If therefore Asiwaju has indeed chosen him, it must have been a fulfillment of a pledge made to him when he resigned.

    The truth is that Ambode’s resignation was necessitated by a frosty relationship he had with Babatunde Fashola. His reasons were never made public but circumstances of his departure were strangely awry. The thinking is that being a very strong Tinubu boy in Fashola’s cabinet, there was no way he would have resigned his appointment without clearance from Asiwaju Tinubu.

    Fortunately for Ambode, his christian faith gave him an added advantage over others. Besides, Ambode is a very rugged and dogged fighter who remained focused to his ambition and never allowed himself to be distracted by the contemptuous way the politicians treated him. Even the mere mentioning of his name was evoking unmerited mockery. If today the name Ambode is echoing in the political circles as being the anointed, it was because both Ambose and Tinubu were faithful to the covenant between them when Ambode resigned.

    Will Fashola be happy with the choice of Ambode as his successor knowing how much the two of them loathe each other? In this instance, he has no option because he lacks the political structure that can counter the formidable political machine of his predecessor. Fashola’s preferred choice was never configured as a relevant aspirant hence his complete isolation from all political equations. It is in Fashola’s interest to begin to see Ambode as a friend and his possible successor if he is to avoid another collision with Asiwaju. This is the time he should be reconciling with all those he might have offended these past seven years. In politics, personal animosities are secondary to political expediencies.

    This is why I believe that the choice of Ambode is strategic to a greater political interest. Political leaders hardly make concessions on benevolence no matter the intensity of the pressure. If Christians see Ambode’s choice as a victory, they should not be reluctant to pay a price for this victory when those, nay he that chose Ambode requires their alliance in achieving a greater political objective. Until the whole game is played out, Ambode’s choice remains inchoate and it may require extra prayers by the Christians to avoid a replay of the Hakeem Gbajabiamila scenario. Let those on standby know that the whole process is between God and man.

  • `Xenophobic Lagos

    `Xenophobic Lagos

    Xenophobic Lagos — quite a mouthful, isn’t it?

    But it sort of echoes Victorian Lagos, a book by ace poet and literary critic, Prof. Michael J. Echeruo, on the Lagos of new settlers: Europeans; and repatriated former slaves from Sierra Leone and Brazil, from mid-19th century; as against the aborigines of Eko.

    The inspiration for this piece came from Femi Macaulay, co-columnist of The Nation, and scion of the Macaulay family of Lagos, one of those 19th century settlers.

    In two straight offerings, “From megacity to metacity” (March 31) and “Fashola and fallacy of failure” (April 7), Femi beamed his searchlight on the 6th Herbert Macaulay Memorial Lecture and Merit Award, held on March 22 in Lagos.

    Creeping xenophobia, by Lagos indigenes, oozed from both pieces, like some bad blood from a painful boil. It all issued from alleged marginalisation of Lagos indigenes, who complain of being elbowed out of opportunities in their own land.

    The March 31 piece was a pan-Eko complaint of marginalisation. The April 7 piece was an intra-Lagos partisan manoeuvre, hiding behind Lagos nationalism, to twist Governor Babatunde Fashola’s rallying cry: “Eko o ni baje” (Lagos won’t go to seeds) to “Eko o ni baje ju bayi lo” (Lagos won’t degenerate beyond this point); suggesting the governor has done nothing to improve Lagos. The absurdity of such a claim is patent. But then, politicians must play politics!

    Still, the irony of xenophobic sentiments issuing from a Herbert Macaulay merit award was clearly lost on the participants — the key words being “Macaulay” and “merit”.

    This is because back then in Victorian Lagos, the mainly Anglican Saro stock of the Macaulays, Sierra Leone returnees, who had their bastion at Olowogbowo; and the denizens of Popo Aguda, the mainly Catholic repatriates from Brazil, in the neighbourhood of Campos and Lafiaji, had a running battle with the aborigines of Isale Eko.

    Indeed, literatures back then dismissed the Saro, notorious for copying British attitudes, as “parasites”. The Eko aborigines accused them of double parasitism: parasites on the British, for culture (names, speech, dress mode and attitude); and parasites on the natives, for trade. And in that anti-Saro trade resentment, you could feel the Eko natives’ economic xenophobia.

    Indeed, Holy Johnson, the inimitable Bishop James Johnson, a prominent Lagos Saro, was caught between the crossfire of his Ijebu nativity and his Saro evolution.

    Echeruo quoted the no-nonsense clergy as testifying to the “stubborn dislike of my country men (the Jebus) to the Gospel and to English customs, particularly to long trousers, shoes and socks; and to umbrellas, which last I suppose only Royalty carried.”

    So, as the present-day Lagos Olumegbons, Oluwas and Bajulaiyes, Macaulays, Johnsons and Leighs, Damacios, Da-silvas and Perreiras rally in xenophobia, in an apparent economic resentment of non-natives, let it be known that they had not always been a happy and merry phalanx.

    If however, the Macaulays and Da-silvas have morphed from resented “parasites” of yore to earn the great Herbert Macaulay the platform of the Association of Lagos State Indigenes (ALSI) Memorial Lecture and Merit Award, it is because of the sheer quality they had, over the years, brought to the table. That is the spirit of Lagos.

    Perhaps, at this stage, Ripples’ Lagos bona fides are imperative. Born at Lagos Island Maternity, bred in the Lafiaji area of Lagos Island where he attended St. David’s Anglican School, by parents of Mojoda stock in Eredo, Epe, he is as Lagosian as anyone can be.

    So, this is no “atohunrinwa” (Yoruba for settler) voice, trying to claim Eko scalp as economic trophy. It is rather a voice for merit and excellence: for merit has built Lagos; and if it hopes to excel as a megacity or even meta-city, merit must continue to be its cornerstone.

    Still, some caveat. The claim that Lagos is a “no man’s land” is as patently idiotic as the claim that Mungo Park discovered River Niger. No matter how many settlers economic opportunities have drawn to Lagos, Lagos remains the jewel of native Lagosians.

    And those who, in the context of the United States, mistake Nigerian citizenship for ownership of Lagos, simply because they are long-time residents, wilfully miss the point. Whereas the United States is basically a settler country, Nigeria is basically a country of native communities.

    So inasmuch as Nigerian citizenship is to be treasured with all its rights and privileges, citizens have the responsibility to respect native rights, if equity and justice are the issue.

    No less misguided are Lagos natives who harp so much on Lagos’s insularity — with their “gedegbe L’Eko wa” mentality. Lagos is linguistically Yoruba, and cannot, in all good conscience and sound logic, be insulated from the Yoruba South West. That is the whole essence of South West integration which The Nation continues to champion but to which, some short-sighted Lagos elite continue to show discomfort.

    In Lagos — and indeed, other parts of the country — therefore, respect for native rights must be the starting point. Still, native rights do not translate to wilful denial of contributions of the so-called settlers.

    Take the case of Lagos Television (LTV), which at its earliest stages, pioneered 24-hour TV, through its Lagos Weekend Television (LWTV). The brain behind that innovation would appear Taiwo Alimi, a journalism elder and Ogun native, who Governor Lateef Jakande poached from NTA. But when the LTV brand found its feet, some Lagos elements suddenly discovered Alimi was not from Lagos!

    Contrast LTV to the defunct Eko Today, formerly Lagos Horizon, Lagos government-owned newspaper. The foundational editors, all ex-Daily Times, led by the late Tunde Odesanya, saw the paper through its teething stages. But when a native with a sense of entitlement took over, the newspaper went under.

    The impact of Rauf Aregbesola, now governor of the State of Osun, on Lagos infrastructural renewal of the Bola Tinubu years, is still there for all to see. He was no native. Yet, as Works and Infrastructure commissioner, he left indelible marks. Contrast him to Adeseye Ogunlewe and now Musiliu Obanikoro, natives who returned as federal ministers, to wage virtual partisan wars on their Lagos!

    Fortunately, Governor Fashola has, by his stellar performance, shown native Lagosians can boast the highest quality. So, this is not about demonising Lagosians and lionising non-Lagosians.

    It is rather about the inherent danger of xenophobia: for behind that patriotic fear hides blatant mediocrity, powered by a sick sense of entitlement and the resultant irresponsibility. That is a one-way road to decline that Lagos would take at its peril.

    So, let native Lagosians, as of right, take the best of opportunities of their land. But they must be the best men and women for the job. That is the Babatunde Fashola model.

    The narrow road to this destination is conscious and deliberate determination to train Lagosians to be the very best. Xenophobia, on the other hand, is primordial cry for lowering standards for those who cannot compete.

    What Lagos needs is merit to trump the rest, not xenophobia to block their way. That is the spirit of Lagos.

  • Ex-servicemen get new exco in Lagos

    Ex-servicemen get new exco in Lagos

    The Lagos State Government yesterday inaugurated a new executive committee for the state chapter of the Nigerian Legion for improved welfare of members.

    The exco, led by Col. Samuel Fola Akande, was inaugurated by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr Oyinlomo Danmole at the ministry’s conference room, Alausa, Ikeja.

    Danmole, who enjoined them to work together and promote love and unity among members, said the winner of the election emerged through a transparent process witnessed by duly-elected representatives of Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

    He appealed to the new leaders to provide a leadership devoid of crisis and carry all strata of the Legion along in all their dealings and actions.

    In his inaugural speech, Akande pledged his commitment to the welfare of the ex-service men in the state. He also assured his members of an exemplary leadership style during his tenure.

    He also expressed gratitude to the state governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola for the vital contribution of the state to improving the lot of the Nigerian Legion.

  • Ex-servicemen get new exco in Lagos

    Ex-servicemen get new exco in Lagos

    The Lagos State Government yesterday inaugurated a new executive committee for the state chapter of the Nigerian Legion for improved welfare of members.

    The exco, led by Col. Samuel Fola Akande, was inaugurated by the Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr Oyinlomo Danmole at the ministry’s conference room, Alausa, Ikeja.

    Danmole, who enjoined them to work together and promote love and unity among members, said the winner of the election emerged through a transparent process witnessed by duly-elected representatives of Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

    He appealed to the new leaders to provide a leadership devoid of crisis and carry all strata of the Legion along in all their dealings and actions.

    In his inaugural speech, Akande pledged his commitment to the welfare of the ex-service men in the state. He also assured his members of an exemplary leadership style during his tenure.

    He also expressed gratitude to the state governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola for the vital contribution of the state to improving the lot of the Nigerian Legion.

  • ‘Urinate in public, face trial’

    ‘Urinate in public, face trial’

    Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has directed officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), the state anti-indiscipline body, to arrest people that defecate and urinate in public places.

    Fashola gave the order at the Eko Free Health Mission, which was held in the Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state.

    He said such acts contravene the state’s environmental laws and pose great hazards to the citizenry.

    Fashola, who expressed concern about the flagrant manner in which some residents urinate in public, said he sighted about six persons while driving through Shomolu and Ogba area last Thursday.

    He said: “This is a violation of our sanitation law and I will ask KAI to move out enmasse and prosecute those who violate our laws”.

    The governor also urged residents to shun the practice and adopt healthy lifestyles, saying: “The biggest doctor you can have is prevention. If we all imbibe better habits, the incidence of ill-health will be reduced. Citizens must be ready to take responsibility for their own healthcare to live a healthy life.

    He said the gesture was government’s way of showing its commitment to improving grassroots healthcare.

    Fashola noted that about 17, 213 people had been attended to by the health personnel deployed by the state Ministry of Health to the area since the inception of the exercise in the area.

    He listed cases of hypertension, diabetes, toothache, eye defects, hernia, HIV/AIDS as some of the interventions provided to residents during the programme.

    The governor also said the state was working on adopting a health insurance scheme similar to the ObamaCare made popular by the United States of America, which sees residents enjoy qualitative healthcare services for all manner of illness.

    “Cases of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and more complex problems cannot be catered for by this mission. With a health insurance in place, where residents contribute like N2,000 on a yearly basis, it becomes easier to take from the pool of fund to tackle such cases that might need treatment abroad. Some communities have started doing it, we are looking at how we can make it global for the whole state to benefit, when we are ready, we would come back to you,” he said.

    The LCDA’s chairman, Hon. Julius Oloro, praised the state government for the programme, saying that healthcare was one of the major challenges of the area. He explained that the primary healthcare centres in his domain needed expansion to cater for ante-natal cases.

  • Climate change claims trillions of dollars yearly, says Fashola

    Climate change claims trillions of dollars yearly, says Fashola

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has said the global economy loses trillions of dollars yearly due to climate change.

    Fashola spoke yesterday at the Sixth Climate Change Summit held at the Eko Hotel, themed: “Exploring Business Opportunities in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Lagos State in Focus’.

    He said the government would prosecute owners of abandoned vessels on the state’s shorelines and coastal waters, noting that they are major contributors to climate change.

    Fashola said the state will soon engage professionals, who will identify the owners of the vessels to enable the government claim compensation for ecological damage.

    He said the government has been mitigating the effects of climate change through tree planting, integrated waste management, efficient energy management, green economy and advocacy programmes in schools.

    On the impacts of climate change, the governor said there are emerging opportunities across the world for the insurance sector to secure the risk of damage to public and personals assets, adding that the government has developed several initiatives geared to convert the adversity of nature into prosperity.

    He listed such initiatives to include the Eko Atlantic City project, which he said has created jobs for over 2,000 people; the Groin Construction project; and the Alausa, Lagos and Akute Independent Power Projects (IPPs), which have created 259 jobs.

    Fashola said sources of alternative energy, such as solar panels, are being manufactured and installed to create new knowledge, new skills and new jobs.

    He said the IPPs, which provide steady and gas fired energy, are mitigation strategies that have resulted in the decommissioning of 141 diesel powered electricity generators, thereby reducing carbon emissions.

    The governor said: “We think that there is more. We dare to be innovative. We see the glass as half full and not half empty. We are looking at new designs for energy conservation in our Lagos Homs. We are looking at piping LPG gas as the preferred cooking fuel into those homes.

    “Sources of alternative energy, such as solar panels are being manufactured and installed to create new knowledge, new skills and new jobs.”

    In his lead paper, the President of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, Mr. David Cadman, emphasised the need for leaders at various levels to explore the economic potentials of climate change.

    He said two-third of the world is exposed to the devastating consequences of climate change, such as global warming and possible rise in water level.

    According to Cadman, the world population stands at seven billion.

    He said it would soon rise to 10 billion, explaining that Europe and America would have a billion more population each while Asia and Africa will share the remaining eight billion in the ratio of five to three. Carman said this means that Africa and Asia will determine the sustainability of the action plan.

    He suggested a paradigm shift in energy generation from generating sets to bio-gas, wind, solar and geo-thermal and called for the planting of more trees.

    Commissioner for Environment Tunji Bello said the summit was an avenue to explore empirical solutions to the economic aspect of climate change.

  • Climate change claims trillions of dollars yearly, says Fashola

    Climate change claims trillions of dollars yearly, says Fashola

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has said the global economy loses trillions of dollars yearly due to climate change.

    Fashola spoke yesterday at the Sixth Climate Change Summit held at the Eko Hotel, themed: “Exploring Business Opportunities in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Lagos State in Focus’.

    He said the government would prosecute owners of abandoned vessels on the state’s shorelines and coastal waters, noting that they are major contributors to climate change.

    Fashola said the state will soon engage professionals, who will identify the owners of the vessels to enable the government claim compensation for ecological damage.

    He said the government has been mitigating the effects of climate change through tree planting, integrated waste management, efficient energy management, green economy and advocacy programmes in schools.

    On the impacts of climate change, the governor said there are emerging opportunities across the world for the insurance sector to secure the risk of damage to public and personals assets, adding that the government has developed several initiatives geared to convert the adversity of nature into prosperity.

    He listed such initiatives to include the Eko Atlantic City project, which he said has created jobs for over 2,000 people; the Groin Construction project; and the Alausa, Lagos and Akute Independent Power Projects (IPPs), which have created 259 jobs.

    Fashola said sources of alternative energy, such as solar panels, are being manufactured and installed to create new knowledge, new skills and new jobs.

    He said the IPPs, which provide steady and gas fired energy, are mitigation strategies that have resulted in the decommissioning of 141 diesel powered electricity generators, thereby reducing carbon emissions.

    The governor said: “We think that there is more. We dare to be innovative. We see the glass as half full and not half empty. We are looking at new designs for energy conservation in our Lagos Homs. We are looking at piping LPG gas as the preferred cooking fuel into those homes.

    “Sources of alternative energy, such as solar panels are being manufactured and installed to create new knowledge, new skills and new jobs.”

    In his lead paper, the President of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, Mr. David Cadman, emphasised the need for leaders at various levels to explore the economic potentials of climate change.

    He said two-third of the world is exposed to the devastating consequences of climate change, such as global warming and possible rise in water level.

    According to Cadman, the world population stands at seven billion.

    He said it would soon rise to 10 billion, explaining that Europe and America would have a billion more population each while Asia and Africa will share the remaining eight billion in the ratio of five to three. Carman said this means that Africa and Asia will determine the sustainability of the action plan.

    He suggested a paradigm shift in energy generation from generating sets to bio-gas, wind, solar and geo-thermal and called for the planting of more trees.

    Commissioner for Environment Tunji Bello said the summit was an avenue to explore empirical solutions to the economic aspect of climate change.