By Ken Afor
Lagos State indigenes have issued a strong statement, declaring their intention to maintain their autonomy and distinct identity, separate from the Western Region, in the event of a return to a regional government system.
The declaration was made by the De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, a group representing the natives, on Saturday, June 1, 2024.
The Foundation’s statement is in response to a “proposed bill” reportedly seeking National Assembly’s approval to reinstate the defunct regional system, emphasising that Lagos State will not be part of the Western Region or Province under any circumstances.
The proposed bill titled, “A bill for an act to substitute the annexure to Decree 24 of 1999 with a new governance model for the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” has gained widespread attention on social media, and elicited divergent reactions.
According to reports, the purported bill was drafted by one Mr. Akin Fapohunda, who is not a federal lawmaker.
He was quoted as saying, “If Nigeria could return to the old National Anthem, why should it not also return to a regional state system of government?”
However, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), the spokesperson for the National Assembly, categorically denied the existence of a bill proposing a new governance model for Nigeria.
He clarified, during a media briefing, that no such bill was before the Federal Legislature, dismissing speculations and rumours that circulating about the proposed legislation.
“Such a bill is not with us. And who is sponsoring the bill? The National Assembly plenary is always held openly with the media in the chambers,” Adaramodu said.
But the De Renaissance Patriots Foundation said: “This bill that is being proposed or suggested spells an ominous sign to us from Lagos State. It is a further attempt to subsume our aspiration into a larger group that is antithetical to whatever we believe in as indigenes of the state.
“The most important issue is that vast consultations were not held on the matter to find out if being submerged into another subgroup is a thing we desire. It cannot be generally assumed.
“Since Lagos and its environs became a colony, we have always maintained that we prefer a stand-alone status and not to be part of any Western Region or Province. Our clarion call has always been ‘GEDEGBE L’EKO WA,’” the Prince Adelani Adeniji-Adele-led natives’ group said.
Giving reasons why Lagos indigenes will not be part of the proposed Western Region, the group said: “In recent times, our various indigenous groups have always maintained that we, as indigenes of Lagos, have always been having a raw deal from our neighbours in the South West, who see nothing good in us as they only seek to marginalize us and see our state as ‘spoils of war.’
“We recall that in our history of over 100 years, Lagos indigenes in their various forms, towns, and villages have never made progress and development as part of any region, not to talk of the Western Region. The brief balkanization of our state to be part of the Western Region was an aberration.
“Nothing should be assumed, especially from the contents of this proposed bill, particularly if it includes Lagos State as part of any region. We demand a referendum to actually reflect the wishes of the people.
“We, the indigenes of Lagos State, do not wish to be part of the regional state as being proposed in the bill returning Nigeria to Regional Government. Our leaders and traditional rulers opposed it in 1953, and we gained respite in 1967. We, offspring of our heroes past, will not accept it.
“We enjoin our representatives in the National Assembly to consult with the elder statesmen and stakeholders before taking any action on the bill. This is beyond the ruling party and state government affairs. Lagos State cannot be brought into nothingness through the South West Region proposal by this bill surreptitiously.
“The old cry of our struggle during colonial rule still stands: ‘GEDEGBE L’EKO WA,’” the Lagos natives said.
