Mowe ( Latitude - 6° 48' 39" N, Longitude - 3° 26' 12" E )is a little village along Lagos – Ibadan expressway directly adjacent and opposite the Redemption camp owned by the Redeemed Christian church of God. It is located in Obafemi-Owode local government area that straddles between Shagam and all along the Lagos corridor.
It started as a farm settlement for the Egba’s but has grown from a settlement to a semi planned village with little social amenities. The influx of people that are disillusioned with Lagos or those that seek a quiet abode has made Mowe’s population to increase astronomically. With the increase in population comes the numerous vices that are now affecting the settlers as it were.
The one I want to talk about today is the frequent cult clashes that are now the other of the day. It is on record that Mowe has witnessed about three major cult clashes this year. It is on record also that most criminals that are on wanted list of security operatives in Lagos now reside or hide in Mowe and they brought with them cult rivalry and penchant for criminal activities like early morning pick-pocketing, shop lifting and outright robbery.
It is on record also that there are numerous smoking joints where all sort of illicit drugs are handled in broad daylight. Examples are The Mowe Junction/B-stop, (just 200 meters to the police station), 09 juction, Adesan Junction, Imedu, Atala/Orisumbare B/stop, Pakuro inside, Adesan round-about and Abaren to mention a few. There is even one in front of a Baale’s house at Igbobi Junction.
I want to bring this to the public that all these happen with the complicity of the traditional rulers and the police officers. The police officers have ridiculed themselves with these folks that they don’t respect the police officers any longer to the extent that whenever there is violence, the two parties would suspend their fight and face the police for interfering/intervening in their fights. In one of the numerous clashes, the state government had to draft soldiers to quell the clash. The traditional chiefs know these bad elements in Mowe and sometimes use them to harass innocent settlers.
Now I want to appeal to the public, the state government, and the state command of the NPF to come to the aid of the innocent settlers in Mowe, I will suggest that NPF should investigate the culpability of her personnel in Mowe and erring officers should be disciplined and transferred (I heard of police officers that have been in that unit for seven years). The state government should also warn the traditional chiefs to stop harboring criminal elements.
I choose to write this piece because of the unfolding badoo cult group saga in Ikorodu, I believe if appropriate actions were taken to nip the group, it wouldn’t have grown to a monster it is.
A stitch in time safes many.
‘First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.’
(Martin Niemöller)

CC Lalasticlala, Seun.

Hmmmmm