In spite of efforts of opposition parties to take advantage of the multi-ethnic nature of Lagos State, ABIMBOLA ADELAKUN writes that the support for Governor Babatunde Fashola transcends ethnic lines.





If there is any state in Nigeria whose character fits Femi Osofisan’s book, “Many Colours Make the Thunder King”, it is Lagos. The state has an estimated population of 18 million people of varying ethnic groups and nationalities and is perhaps the most diverse in the whole country. Although official census puts its population at nine million, from all indications, the city has higher population especially since the voter registration figure says the number of people who were eligible to vote were more than six million.


In this vein, there has been a high appeal to the ethnic diversity of the state in recent times. First, it was President Goodluck Jonathan, who met an Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Aka-Ikenga, in Lagos State. Though the president at the meeting stressed how important it was to appreciate ethnic diversity, it was largely perceived as rallying Igbo support for himself especially since Yorubas is Lagos might not be too predisposed to voting him. In his Ibadan rally, [size=14pt]the president pointed out that the number of non-Yorubas outweighs the Yorubas in the place; a tacit way of making an ethnic appeal against Yorubas’ voting strength[/size].


T[b]here are no figures of the number of Igbos and other ethnic nationalities[/b], who live in Lagos but various word of mouth accounts put it between 40 to 60 per cent of the actual population of Lagos. With such belief tottering in the minds of the Igbos and others, [size=14pt]it is obvious that Lagos is a breeding ground for ethnic battles[/size] in the coming election. Recently, some Igbo groups threatened to give their protest votes to another party other than the Action Congress of Nigeria if the governor did not promise to give them more appointments based on their population.


[size=14pt]Not only are the Igbo clamouring for a share of Lagos, the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum recently claimed that they didn’t have a representative in the Lagos State Executive Council and they wanted to be included in the running of Lagos.
[/size]

With the various interplay of ethnic factors, the governor, Babatunde Fashola, might have a hot clay pot in his hands which he must set down carefully and handle with utmost tact. Recently, when he attended a debate organised by the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church, somebody in the audience identified himself as an Igbo who has been living in Lagos for 32 years. He accused the governor of using the Igbos to win elections and afterwards, destroyed their businesses and then they left for the East where they took to crime.


T[b]he governor replied that his life long friends are mostly Igbos because of where he schooled. He gave instances of several appointments that he has given to people who are non-indigenes and non-Yorubas in Lagos State, saying that the quality of expertise they bring to the table matters more.
[/b]

He said, “on the issue of appointment, I focus more on content and Quality rather than where people come from. Lagos is home for all. We don’t need to integrate them because they have already made a home here. They are in various aspects of governance, from civil service to the judiciary.”


For those who might have thought the ethnic nationalities would explode on his head and probably cause him to lose elections, a gradual turnaround of ethnic agitation occurred recently when various socio cultural groups representing the northerners, Igbos and South-South indigenes in the state started endorsing and showing support for the Governor Babatunde Fashola and his party, the Action Congress of Nigeria.


First, it was the Ebonyi community resident in Lagos State who conferred him with the chieftaincy title of “Omenkeafurunanya 1 of Ebonyi.”


Also, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, on behalf of their people, held a rally in his support. The National President of the AYFC, Alhaji Yerima Shettima said the Arewa community has not had a fair share of representation in governance at the State Executive Council, despite the contributions the community has made to the success story of the state under the Fashola administration.


He said, “[size=14pt]The Arewa Community has been sidelined, we do not have a representative at the state executive council but the Igbos have. We pay our taxes more than any other community in the state. We contribute our own quota to governance and we believe that we should also have our people representing us at the top.
[/size]

“We expect that in his acceptance speech by May 29, 2011, the Governor will announce that at least one or even two of our members will be in his cabinet, if the Igbo have one, we should have at least two because we have contributed more to state development”.


As the race towards the elections heats up, one ethnic based group or the other has been endorsing Fashola overwhelmingly. These days, Fashola greets Hausas and Igbos at various campaign grounds in their indigenous languages before switching to Yoruba or English. At a recent rally in Agege, the Nupe Community gave him overwhelming support, making T-Shirts and other campaign materials for him.


A rally was held on the international trade fair grounds in Ojo, Lagos. Leaders of diverse ethic nationalities in Lagos such as Igbos, South South and northerners. Present at the occasion were the state Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Revd Ben Akabueze, Abia State ACN governorship candidate, Chief Paul Ikonne and Arewa leader in Lagos, Mr. Ahmed Kabiru who endorsed Fashola’s re-election bid and encouraged their members to vote for him overwhelmingly.


Kabiru said a poll was conducted among the over one million members of Lagos State Arewa Community to choose among the candidates, the one they should support in the next governorship election and, according to Kabiru, Fashola “ranked first among other gubernatorial candidates from political parties”. He said their ratings showed that Fashola’s credentials and performance towered above the others.


He said, “Fashola scored 72 per cent. His cumulative average was put at 68 percent. The assessment report also shows that Fashola’s administration “performed 73 per cent in the education sector, 78 percent in health, 74 in public works, 58 percent in transportation and 52 percent in environment. But his administration only performed 58 in transportation and 52 percent in environment due to the excesses of the officers of the state Traffic Management Authority and Kick Against Indiscipline Brigade officers”.


Ikonne urged the residents of the state to sustain the broom revolution in the state, saying Lagos State “has been a reference point in all states of the federation,” a rationale for which he said, all residents of the state irrespective of their status and groups should vote for Fashola.


Not only that, shortly before the solidarity rally took place, some Igbo professionals also took up the governor on issues which concern his plan for Lagos residents across ethnic borders if he is re-elected. Another Igbo group and non governmental organisation, Sisters Forum, organised a solidarity rally in Surulere for the governor. The founder of the group, Mrs. Chinyere Anokwuru, said their basis for endorsing Fashola is because “he has fulfilled all his promises by constructing several roads such as Cele Okota Link Bridge, the Sabo Yaba road and the LASU-Iba road. Fashola’s administration has also given succour to thousands of women who have been trained at the various skills acquisition centres across the state”.


Anokwuru also alluded to the credit facility scheme of the state, from which she said a good number of people “have benefitted through Lagos State Micro Credit Finance Institution just as public schools have been renovated and many new ones constructed. On the strength of his achievements, Fashola deserves re-election due to socio-economic transformation he has brought to the metropolis”.


Recently, Fashola met a group of Igbo businessmen and discussed the issue of Lekki Free Trade Zone among other issues. He told them that the project now caters for the goods and services they travel as far as China to import and that the difficulties they experience in clearing their goods at the ports was the handiwork of the PDP-led federal government. Fashola told them that his government “has shown in the last four years that we are a government for everybody, not a government for the Yorubas alone”. He promised that his cabinet, if re-elected at the April 9 gubernatorial polls, “will consist of the best brains in the state regardless of ethnic or religious leanings”.


With only a few weeks to the elections, it will be interesting to see how far the various ethnic nationality factors will play out both at presidential and governorship elections.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110324139459

i wouldn't lie this is what i have been saying since

those ohaneze needs to be beaten by a good dongo yaro stick i tell you

lagos will be bloody this election

alj harem:

In his Ibadan rally, [size=14pt]the president pointed out that the number of non-Yorubas outweighs the Yorubas in the place; a tacit way of making an ethnic appeal against Yorubas’ voting strength[/size].

Less than 50% of the population of Ibadan is Yoruba? I'm surprised Goodluck wasn't stoned.

What exactly is he trying to do here? Civil war?

That GEJ dude is really re.tarded I swear.

They really need to padlock his mouth, he's wife's too. Bunch of backwater illiterates.

I have said it and will say it again, GEJ is a tribalist!!! I wonder what he stands to gain by causing strife among commuters. He wants to use tribal sentiments to win the election and unfortunately most people are already blinded by it!. If the number of non-yorubas outweigh the yorubas in IBADAN of all places and Kaduna, then the Igbos are the MAJORITY AMONGST THE MAJORITY ETHNIC GROUPS but we all know that is NOT true!! I can tell you, if GEJ rigs this election, he better get ready for the most turbulent period in the country's history.

As for Ohnaeze and the greedy bunch,
I wonder why these people want to make Lagosians and SWesterners ethnic conscious?? Why do they want to bring tribalism to the SW and Lagos The ethnic boundaries are already blurred, why resharpen them?? Throughout my 6yrs in Nigeria (lagos), I was not conscious of other ethnic groups. We all just had fun! There is nothing like, "I am yoruba, igbo, this that". Everyone was cool. Now because of greed, some people want to bring tribalism. Just the other day, Fashola was tell Ohaneze that he never told igbos to leave the state. Even an ACN chieftain warned against all these "demands" Ohaneze made public.
Now, Arewa too has woken up to start demanding. Only God knows what the future of Lagos will be like!

ekt_bear:



Less than 50% of the population of Ibadan is Yoruba? I'm surprised Goodluck wasn't stoned.

What exactly is he trying to do here? Civil war?

my sentiment excatly

he chats rubbish a lot

thus using igbos as scrapegoat and i am igbo as well in the north for that matter

goodluck should not be the president of nigeria or else at this rate, there will be nothing called nigeria again

After this election, I think the only safe place for me would be in the East. So Lagos may be a battleground? Chickens coming home to roost?

ekt_bear:



Less than 50% of the population of Ibadan is Yoruba? I'm surprised Goodluck wasn't stoned.

What exactly is he trying to do here? Civil war?

Please ask our President!!! The guy just like to dey mis-yarn!! I can tell you that if any group is targeted in other regions, it will not be Ijaw or Epkere or whatever but it is the Igbos that will bear the full fury just because of this guy. What an a55!!!

jason123:

I have said it and will say it again, GEJ is a tribalist!!! I wonder what he stands to gain by causing strife among commuters. He wants to use tribal sentiments to win the election and unfortunately most people are already blinded by it!. If the number of non-yorubas outweigh the yorubas in IBADAN of all places and Kaduna, then the Igbos are the MAJORITY AMONGST THE MAJORITY ETHNIC GROUPS but we all know that is NOT true!! I can tell you, if GEJ rigs this election, he better get ready for the most turbulent period in the country's history.

As for Ohnaeze and the greedy bunch,
I wonder why these people want to make Lagosians and SWesterners ethnic conscious?? Why do they want to bring tribalism to the SW and Lagos The ethnic boundaries are already blurred, why resharpen them?? Throughout my 6yrs in Nigeria (lagos), I was not conscious of other ethnic groups. We all just had fun! There is nothing like, "I am yoruba, igbo, this that". Everyone was cool. Now because of greed, some people want to bring tribalism. Just the other day, Fashola was tell Ohaneze that he never told igbos to leave the state. Even an ACN chieftain warned against all these "demands" Ohaneze made public.
Now, Arewa too has woken up to start demanding. Only God knows what the future of Lagos will be like!

gbamm gbamm gbammm

i bet you yorubas in lagos will go craze if fashola puts more non-yoruba slot in lagos

that i know.

some are already ethnic biased with the recent statements by ediots called ohaneze

can you imagine our little nigeria become a civil war zone

Alj Uche:

my sentiment excatly

he chats rubbish a lot

thus using igbos as scrapegoat and i am igbo NAMA as well in the north for that matter

goodluck should not be the president of nigeria or else at this rate, there will be nothing called nigeria again

Can you tell us your true motive for starting this silly thread?

Are you trying to incite another e-tribal battle?

I am glad the East doesn't have to worry about this nonsense. Once we deal with the menace of kidnapping, the East shall look like a paradise compared to the political strife found in other regions.

alex101:

Can you tell us your true motive for starting this silly thread?

Are you trying to incite another e-tribal battle?

Agreed. The Politics section has been flooded with Igbo topics. It makes you wonder.

Will the Igbo be used as a scapegoat, even though we have no candidate running for president?

alex101:

Can you tell us your true motive for starting this silly thread?

Are you trying to incite another e-tribal battle?

what e-battle are you talking about

did you read the link or did i edit the title

i was reading punch and i an article

go to punch home page yourself

moreover, is it by force to comment

EzeUche_:

I am glad the East doesn't have to worry about this nonsense. Once we deal with the menace of kidnapping, the East shall look like a paradise compared to the political strife found in other regions.

. . . . . . and that political strife is caused by who The locals or GEJ The guy is a bloody tribalist and not fut to be our president!!! I mean, what is the point of causing unrest in the North and SW with these sort of statements

The problem I have with his strategy is that these #s are clearly false. If Ibadan is not 80%+ Yoruba, I'd be surprised.

If Kano is not 80%+ Hausa, I'd be surprised.

Imagine if you are an indigene of those towns, election results are released saying that GEJ won overwhelmingly. And he justifies it by saying that Kano is 40% Igbo.

What do you think the outcome will be?

Dude is playing with fire.

I think the best place to be this election period is in your village. . . at least GEJ won't claim that your village is populated by 60% non-indigenes, lol.

Lagos is going to look like Beirut or Jerusalem.

EzeUche_:

Agreed. The Politics section has been flooded with Igbo topics. It makes you wonder.

Will the Igbo be used as a scapegoat, even though we have no candidate running for president?

Ol boy I tire for these folks menh!

Sometimes I wonder if Nlders just wake up and say,,,,,,,,yee!,,,,,what Igbo topic am I going to post/start, just to cause commotion

alex101:

Ol boy I tire for these folks menh!

Sometimes I wonder if Nlders just wake up and say,,,,,,,,yee!,,,,,what Igbo topic am I going to post/start, just to cause commotion

guy go hang, does the title say anything igbo ??

or do you think i am a tribalist

show me where the title say anything about igbo

you rate yourself too high

we are not talking about igbo but talking about lagos and other states here

ekt_bear:

The problem I have with his strategy is that these #s are clearly false. If Ibadan is not 80%+ Yoruba, I'd be surprised.

If Kano is not 80%+ Hausa, I'd be surprised.

Imagine if you are an indigene of those towns, election results are released saying that GEJ won overwhelmingly. And he justifies it by saying that Kano is 40% Igbo.

What do you think the outcome will be?

Dude is playing with fire.

I think the best place to be this election period is in your village. . . at least GEJ won't claim that your village is populated by 60% non-indigenes, lol.

My exact thoughts!!! I stated this on the other thread. This GEJ dude only says this in the SW and North. The guy is an ethnic bigot. There is a saying, " you cannot invite fire into your house and not get burnt". GEJ cannot keep making provocative statements and not get burnt. He is simply using the population game to rig by saying "the igbos in those regions voted for him" because he has seen the population of these two regions. Resentments might grow when GEJ wins a place like Kaduna just because igbos voted for him. A word is enough for the wise. Our president, stop playing ethnic politics. It is out of fashion!!!

jason123:

My exact thoughts!!! I stated this on the other thread. This GEJ dude only says this in the SW and North. The guy is an ethnic bigot. There is a saying, " you cannot invite fire into your house and not get burnt". GEJ cannot keep making provocative statements and not get burnt. He is simply using the population game to rig by saying "the igbos in those regions voted for him" because he has seen the population of these two regions. Resentments might grow when GEJ wins a place like Kaduna just because igbos voted for him. A word is enough for the wise. Our president, stop playing ethnic politics. It is out of fashion!!!

gbamm

the mumu is old school

EzeUche_:

After this election, I think the only safe place for me would be in the East. So Lagos may be a battleground? Chickens coming home to roost?

Ibo people and their shortsightedness, they are setting you up. They are committing tribal atrocities in your name and you're siting here shining teeth like a fool.

At the end of the day, you are going to be the scapegoat, not that it's going to be the first time or something you people are not used to. You people are the useless and disposable bouncing ball.

ibo people ain't never gonna learn. Sometimes I really do feel sorry for you people sha.

Alj Uche:

guy go hang, does the title say anything igbo ??

or do you think i am a tribalist

show me where the title say anything about igbo

you rate yourself too high

we are not talking about igbo but talking about lagos and other states here

"we are not talking about Igbo" but you wrote the following:

Alj Uche:

i wouldn't lie this is what i have been saying since

those ohaneze needs to be beaten by a good dongo yaro stick i tell you
lagos will be bloody this election

so I guess Ohaneze= kanuri association and not Igbo?

ekt_bear:

The problem I have with his strategy is that these #s are clearly false. If Ibadan is not 80%+ Yoruba, I'd be surprised.

If Kano is not 80%+ Hausa, I'd be surprised.

Imagine if you are an indigene of those towns, election results are released saying that GEJ won overwhelmingly. And he justifies it by saying that Kano is 40% Igbo.

What do you think the outcome will be?



Dude is playing with fire.

I think the best place to be this election period is in your village. . . at least GEJ won't claim that your village is populated by 60% non-indigenes, lol.

Hausa people go make sure to exterminate every single ibo in Hausaland.


Like I said, they are setting them up.

I don't know why people are getting paranoid over nothing! It is democracy, ain't it? Is this not what Abiola died for?

People have the right to vote for whom they choose/like to vote. NO amount of intimidation or weak threats will change the IGBO mind!

Sei GEJ who no like, make e go sip on concentrated acid.

Eko Ile:


Ibo people and their shortsightedness, they are setting you up. They are committing tribal atrocities in your name and you're siting here shining teeth like a fool.

At the end of the day, you are going to be the scapegoat, not that it's going to be the first time or something you people are not used to. You people are the useless and disposable bouncing ball.

ibo people ain't never gonna learn. Sometimes I really do feel sorry for you people sha.

Although, this is a tribalistic post. I have no choice but to say that you just hit the nail SQUARELY!!!!! I wonder why people cannot see this EXCEPT Eziachi? In fact, I cannot add or remove from this!

alex101:

"we are not talking about Igbo" but you wrote the following:so I guess Ohaneze= kanuri association and not Igbo?

you see sometimes i do not understand you people

some would say "ohaneze do not speak for us in lagos" while others " ohaneze is igbo etc"

well ohaneze is being mentioned here because they have brought ethnic, tribal and myopic politics to lagos we all love lagos because it is a place everyone has equal rights as the indigenes but greed elders from ohaneze kept shouting igbo commissioner etc deputy governor etc like that is not annoying enough, jonathan told igbos should vote for him in lagos negeleting the yoruba population that have accommodiated the igbos

i can bet on anything even my shoe that the northerners in lagos are more than igbos,.,. that is a known fact

Eko Ile:


Ibo people and their shortsightedness, they are setting you up. They are committing tribal atrocities in your name and you're siting here shining teeth like a fool.

At the end of the day, you are going to be the scapegoat, not that it's going to be the first time or something you people are not used to. You people are the useless and disposable bouncing ball.

ibo people ain't never gonna learn. Sometimes I really do feel sorry for you people sha.

You really think this is the 1960s. Igbos have always had a cold war with Nigeria. You simply think we are going to run? We didn't run in South Africa, we didn't run in Kano, we didn't run in Jos, and we are definitely not running in Lagos.

If an Igbo chooses to stay in those areas, they know that there is no turning back to the East. Either fight where you stand or perish.

I feel sorry for the Yoruba though. Chickens coming home to roost I must say. Hausa bearing down from the North, Igbo and Ijaws from the East. It seems like your land is already being PARTITIONED.

Eko Ile:


Ibo people and their shortsightedness, they are setting you up. They are committing tribal atrocities in your name and you're siting here shining teeth like a fool.

At the end of the day, you are going to be the scapegoat, not that it's going to be the first time or something you people are not used to. You people are the useless and disposable bouncing ball.

ibo people ain't never gonna learn. Sometimes I really do feel sorry for you people sha.

thank you

this i see and it annoys me everyday

well lets nairaland in april

If I was a Yoruba, I would be worried about this turn of events in Kwara, Ekiti and Lagos.

Inviting Hausa from the North to settle in your land. Bad move.

Igbos and other SS in Lagos.

What more can I say? Other regions do not have to suffer from such ethnic diversity except for the Middle Belt and we already see how that region is being turned into a war zone. Shame shame shame!

una no dey tire

EzeUche_:

If I was a Yoruba, I would be worried about this turn of events in Kwara, Ekiti and Lagos.

Inviting Hausa from the North to settle in your land. Bad move.

Igbos and other SS in Lagos.

What more can I say? Other regions do not have to suffer from such ethnic diversity except for the Middle Belt and we already see how that region is being turned into a war zone. Shame shame shame!

if i am yoruba i would start by chasing ohaneze ss and their kinsmen out of SW

then remove every igbo or northerner in their carbinet

then start chasing the proper okoross to their villages to rot

then i would advice the arewa to mind their business

bashr4:

mumus of nairaland, the while politics section is filled with igbo topics, nawaa

It is a shame isn't it? Igbos are not even running for president yet our name continues to be inserted into this nonsense.