LAGOS: Truly No Man’s Land

Ex-Deputy Governor of Kogi state joins race to represent Lagos in the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly in 2019


Lagos,NIGERIA – No man’s land is land that is unoccupied or is under dispute between parties who leave it unoccupied due to fear or uncertainty. The term was originally used to define a contested territory or a dumping ground for refuse between fiefdoms. In modern times, it is commonly associated with World War I to describe the area of land between two enemy trench systems, which neither side wished to cross or seize due to fear of being attacked by the enemy in the process.

According to Alasdair Pinkerton, an expert in human geography at the Royal Holloway University of London, the term is first mentioned in Domesday Book in the 11th century to describe parcels of land that were just beyond the London city walls. The Oxford English Dictionary contains a reference to the term dating back to 1320, and spelled nonesmanneslond, when the term was used to describe a disputed territory or one over which there was legal disagreement.

In Nigeria today an example of such is Modern day Lagos. This notion has been contested by indigenous settlers in Lagos but much can not be said to dissuade the belief amongst the various immigrants to Lagos.
The Indigenes of Lagos can not boast of a pride of place in the governance of Lagos, an attestation to this is the consistent perpetuation of individuals who can’t even boast of Lagos as a place of birth.


Asiwaju instructed me back to Lagos as compensation for my loss in Kogi State…….Faleke

James Abiodun Faleke is an example of such. Born on the 25th of December, 1959 in Okene, Kogi State, he emigrated to Lagos in 1987 when the opportunity presented itself to him having been posted for his National Youth Service.
Lagos was gracious to him, he became an Executive Secretary of the newly formed Ojodu LCDA for a year, he afterwards became the Executive Chairman of Ojodu LCDA. After completing two terms as Executive Chairman, he went on to represent Ikeja as a Member of the Federal House of Representatives. A year into his second term as Member, House of Representatives, he joined as a running mate to late Abubakar Audu to contest as Deputy Governor, Kogi State.


FORAY IN KOGI
After the demise of Abubakar Audu, Faleke challenged Yahaya Bello upto the supreme court, praying to be the Guber Candidate of the APC. It was held that he remained the Deputy Governor of the State. Faleke failed to resume duties as the Deputy Governor of Kogi. Yahaya Bello consequently appointed a new Deputy Governor. Faleke took over the structure of Abubakar Audu and diverted all accruables to Ikeja Federal Constituency and attention to his home State-Kogi, leaving the people of Ikeja with more or less no representative in the Federal House. The indigenes supported him with their materials so they can choose who to govern them amongst themselves.

Faleke journeys back to No Man’s Land

Realizing he was no Abubakar Audu, and lacked the vociferousity of Dino Melaye after he had declared to represent kabba/Bunu- Ijumu Federal Constituency on the 26th of March 2018, he came with a new narrative “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has instructed me to come back to Ikeja as compensation for my loss in Kogi State”.


Evil in the Name of Jagaban……”Anybody that comes in my Name is a Fraud” – Tinubu

He betrayed his new base in Kogi, and the people of Ikeja have moved past him.
Faleke has been at the Helm of Affairs in Ikeja Constituency for 17 years and Lagos has been more than gracious to him.
Faleke should go back to Kogi State, or it will be cast in concrete that Lagos is truly a no man's Land.

https://peronreports.com/2018/08/19/popular/lagos-truly-no-mans-land