On May 14, 2013, when I published an article ‘Fashola: Porting from
admirable achievements to peeving policies’, some respondents could
have sworn that it was sponsored. Their position was however
pardonable because unfortunately, we are in a country where due to the
poverty rate, some believe that you can only disagree with an
incumbent government after someone somewhere has deposited something
in your bank account. Once more, here we are divided over yet another
policy that has gone sour.
In late July, the government of Anambra State protested the
‘deportation’ of certain South-East indigenes from Lagos, Nigeria’s
former national capital. Governor Peter Obi was said to have forwarded
a letter of protest to President Goodluck Jonathan in which he said
that “Lagos State did not even bother to consult with Anambra State
authorities before deporting 72 persons considered being of Igbo
extraction to Anambra State”. He added that the act “is illegal,
unconstitutional and a blatant violation of the human rights of these
individuals and of the Nigerian Constitution.” Alausa however puts the
figure at 14, insisting that it acted within the law. It also
maintained that it was not the first time such exercise was carried
out – be it in Lagos or other states. Officials further cited
‘deportation’ of Lagos indigenes by Rivers state, Abia’s dismissal of
other a number of Igbos working in its civil service, among other
instances.
The situation which has since generated heated arguments is a source
of worry to every observer. It has pitted different persons,
groups/affiliations against each other. Reference: a former aviation
minister, Femi Fani-Kayode and Madam Due Process, Oby Ezekwesili, took
on each other on social media platform, Twitter; the All Progressives
Grand Alliance found a (not-so strange) bedfellow in the People’s
Democratic Party in condemning the ever-vigilant Action Congress of
Nigeria; the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Aka Ikenga and the like, firing missiles
at the Oodua People’s Congress, Oodua Liberation Movement and other
organizations promoting the interests of the Yoruba race. Only
recently, a Pan-Igbo pressure group, Enugu State Roots Initiative,
asked the Lagos government to “publicly apologize for denigrating
their (the victims’) personal liberty”, as well as pay N500 billion as
compensation or face a lawsuit.
But the ensuing controversy would have been avoided if Lagos had acted
more cautiously. Governor Babatunde Fashola himself admitted a lapse
when he received Aka Ikenga, an association of Igbo community in
Lagos. He explained that there was correspondence between the state
and the Anambra liaison office in Lagos on the 9th of April, 2013. The
memo was signed by his Special Adviser on Youths and Sports, Enitan
Badaru. Awka replied on 15th April, requesting information which Lagos
provided in another letter to the liaison office on 29th of April. But
Awka did not give further reply, a ground upon which the government
acted. Fashola at the meeting admitted that the state could have
waited a little longer before taking the now infamous action.
BRF’s cry over spilt milk has, obviously, not calmed the nerves his
antagonists. Whereas some have kept the matter plainly moral and
constitutional, others have gone political, a trend not abnormal in
cases like this. Already, such undertone is being used to whip up
sentiments against All Progressives Congress’s campaign for the
forthcoming governorship poll in the ‘Light of the Nation’ state.
This, of course, is a tip of the iceberg when compared to what to
expect in the 2015 general elections.
Although this writer is unhappy about the seeming discord the saga has
triggered, it has turned out to be what I call a good goof. Firstly,
there is a lesson to be drawn and that is: In leadership, never take
your luck too far. That the governor is loved by residents is not in
doubt; that he is admired at home and abroad is also not in doubt. In
fact, I would not be surprised if more than half of the 20 million
Lagos population score him 60 percent and above for achievements and
general performance in office. To this end, his handlers, perhaps,
have assured him that his huge admiration would always translate to
endorsement of whatever policy. As we have seen, not this time.
Secondly, the controversy has cropped up varying questions, beliefs,
myths, as well as divergent backgrounds of co-existence, unity and the
purported disunity of the Yorubas and Igbos. On this contentious
subject, commentators have been revealing deep and shocking tales
which has led to additional discourse in homes, offices and beer
parlours. Luckily, those of us who did not witness the civil war now
know a thing or two about the bottled-up emotions, thoughts and
reservations the two ethnic groups have against either side. They
should keep it coming as we wait to hear more.
All said, I honestly think it is wrong for anyone to refer to Lagos as
a ‘No man’s land’. I am from its closest neighbour, Ogun, and albeit
spending most of my lifetime in the Centre of Excellence, I don’t
regard it as my origin but a place that has contributed to my
development as an individual. On the contrary, Abuja – the country’s
first planned city – is the ‘No man’s land’ and that is the actual
concept behind its establishment to start with. That a major tribe is
now short of laying claim to its Certificate of Occupancy is a topic
for another day. The attitude, which is an absolute betrayal of the
intention of the conceptualizer, General Murtala Mohammed, is an issue
we must not ignore lest tenancy rate is imposed on other tribes living
in the Federal Capital Territory.
For Fashola, he should endeavor to make wider consultations before
taking critical steps in the future. As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria,
his handling of this matter is, sadly, below par. Heaven would remain
in its position, if he had accepted that Lagos might have taken a
different approach, tender an apology and announce a query of the
official directly in charge of the exercise. Simple! But he appears to
have joined those leaders renowned for their ego. Agreed that he is
keen on evacuating beggars off the streets, he should ensure that the
authorities of their states of origin are (i) carried along, and (ii)
express readiness both verbally and in letter form to receive such
persons. He must not forget that some of those his government has
labeled ‘destitutes’ and ‘threat to security’ voted for him to assume
power. Twice! You do not bite the fingers that feed you. If you must,
bite with care.
Odunsi wrote from: wodunsi@yahoo.com and tweets at: @WaleOdunsi.
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