‘I foresee Igbo becoming Lagos gov’
By DICKSON OKAFOR
Tuesday, August 02, 2011



Photo: The Sun Publishing
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Chairman of the Confederated Igbo Indigenes (CII), Lagos State, Prince Anayo Nnama, has said that Igboman would be governor of Lagos State “in the nearest future.” He told Daily Sun: “As our democracy grows, non indigenes will contest elections in Lagos and win. What I am sure of is that in the nearest future Igbo man will rule Lagos. Afterall, Zik won election in Lagos in the First Republic.” Excerpts:

Igboman as governor of Lagos State
It may sound funny but I tell you, that 43 per cent of the population of Lagos are Igbo, 47 per cent are indigenes while 10 per cent are other tribes and nationals. That tells you that at a stage as our democracy grows, non-indigenes will contest elections in Lagos and win.

What I am sure of is that in the nearest future, Igbo man will rule Lagos. Afterall, Zik won election in Lagos in the First Republic. I schooled and lived in USA for over 20 years. The law says if you live in America for certain period of time you can vote and be voted. This is exactly why Obama became the president of America.

Years back it was impossible such as the days of Martin Luther King but in our days it became possible. The Igbo own 70 percent of businesses in Lagos and our financial contribution is responsible for the economic growth in the state. If it doesn’t happen now, it will happen in the future. Also what determines who governs is no longer tribe or religion but the ability and capability to preside over the affairs of the people. A time will come when a Yoruba or Hausa man will rule states in the South East and South South. Soon leadership will know no borders.

Fashola’s achievements
Let me commend Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu for producing a wonderful successor in the person of Governor Babatunde Fashola and for working very hard and returned him for second term. Today, Lagos is a dream city where everybody wants to live. Before the coming of Tinubu and Fashola, the state was perceived as a place where criminals resided because insecurity and all kinds of evil were recorded in the state. The most astonishing achievement of Fashola is getting Agberos out of Oshodi without a gun. During the military era, they tried in vain to dislodge them but could not. Fashola did it without engaging them in any struggle, that is a mark of leadership by influence and not by force. Lagos now wears a new look, crime is at its lowest minimum and the place is sanitized, you see traffic flowing and people are orderly that is government in action. Therefore I expect the action governor of Lagos to come to our aid in Oriade Local Council Development Area. He should consider the area for a commissioner slot.

Kirikiri roads deserve special government attention
The reason we are agitating for a commissionership slot, is because the LCDA is a development centre. It can’t do much with the meager allocation at its disposal. There is the need for the state government to assist the council to do major projects, such as construction of canals, repairs of roads especially at Kirikiri axis. This axis attracted heavy traffic as heavy-duty trucks ply the area and the roads are bad thereby making life difficult for the people in the area. If the roads are constructed, there will be free flow of traffic and business will boom. We know the huge revenue the state and Federal governments generate from the area. It is expected that these two tiers of government should reciprocate by giving back to the society good life.

The second challenge is the construction of canal to prevent flooding. At The Sun Newspaper, of course, you know what I’m talking about, the road leading to The Sun from Kirikiri is bad. Sometimes before I can get to my house in Comfort Oboh from Kirikiri roundabout, it takes four hours and that is a journey that will normally take 15 minutes.

Plight of Oriade people
Oriade is a council development area, and can do little in terms of infrastructural development, that is why I am calling on Fashola to come to our aid. Yes, Fashola is doing well in Lagos even in Oriade. But for flooding to reduce in the area, the state government should construct a canal and repair damage roads to reduce traffic within Kirkiri axis. Now that the rain is here, you find water in people’s homes in Kirikiri this ought not to be after all we voted massively for him and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). The people deserve the best, which Fashola is giving to the people of the state, but he needs to come to our aid also.

Why the council chairman should be returned for second term
Oriade LCDA chairman, Tunde Sanusi, has done well and we ask him to be ready to contest for second term and we the non-indigenes will vote for him again. With the meager resources within his disposal, he has transformed the area especially the riverine, in terms of health. He ensured that our kids were immunized, free medical care was given to people in the area and free mosquito nets were distributed to the people. On roads, maintenance is being carried out on the link roads as some major ones are patched and street sweepers can be seen everyday removing refuse from the gutters to refuse collection centres

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/aug/02/national-02-08-2011-021.html

Duh. This is a given. Its only a matter of time. As long as we remain one Nigeria.

Nothing wrong with that vision.

Even my Yoruba friend vowed he will rule Enugu one day. I believe him. After all he grew up there, speaks flawless Igbo and already married of one fyne Igbo gal.

Eboe + Yoruba = World Power!

How non-indigenious Lagosians can control power in Lagos

1. Granted that you can register anywhere in your state of residency to vote
2. Granted that you live in Lagos

All non-indigenes who desire a bit of the Lagos political cake must register themselves to vote in few locations so they can have the number effect in few places. Registering to vote in a wide swathe of places will dilute your vote and nullify your strength.
For instance, all Igbos in Lagos can register in only wards around Apapa and Badagry Road (just as examples) whether you live in those areas or not
They should not contest the primaries in ACN because they will not be nominated in the primaries because ACN is a Yoruba tribal party
Instead, they should contest in an Igbo party such as APGA which will give them automatic primary nomination to contest the general election
Then, with their numbers in the few areas they registered congregatively, they should win the general election into the State House of Assembly, LG seats, etc in those areas. They should vote and guide their votes like ACN would do.
As soon as they win and get inaugurated into the positions, they all should decamp to the ruling party in Lagos (ACN)
They must not have any Igbo agenda in Lagos; their agenda should be Lagos agenda (whatever that is). While in their positions they should work to bring development to their constituents, who though Igbo in the main, are Lagosians too. All infrastructural development they help to bring to their wards remain part of the Lagos development.
That way, they satisfy their quest for representation while developing their state of residence.

Igbos have claimed 30, 40, 45 % of Lagos. How true these figure are remains in debate until we conduct a national census with ethnicity as a factor, irrespective of your state of residence. However, as long as you are not aggregated in few places (as is the case in Kano where Igbos contested for LG positions in Sabon Gari area and won in the two LGs there, beating their Yoruba counterparts in both wards) your voting strength will be diluted. Igbos in Lagos will be dumb to think they can have anything on a platter of Gold. Zik tried it until his trusted Yoruba allies jumped ship. You must not contest under a Yoruba party, for you will be thrown under the bus. But you must belong to the Yoruba party as soon as you win. Little by little, you will graduate to Deputy Gov and then Gov.

This is a free strategy which also applies to Yorubas and Hausas in Igboland and elsewhere. For the Yoruba in particular, if you want to enjoy the politics of Igboland, you must live there in more numbers than is the case now. Yoruba population in Igboland is large, but nowhere near Igbo population in Yorubaland, especially Lagos.


I do not live in Lagos; I have no stake there. My relations there are old enough and wealthy enough to take care of themselves. So I have no motivations in Lagos by any means.


This is my token. Now let me sit back with guguru (pop corn) and epa (g/nut) and watch the show play out.

to be honest I agree with the man

so long as he can do the job, then let him do it

alj_harem:

‘I foresee Igbo becoming Lagos gov’
By DICKSON OKAFOR
Tuesday, August 02, 2011



Photo: The Sun Publishing
More Stories on This Section

Chairman of the Confederated Igbo Indigenes (CII), Lagos State, Prince Anayo Nnama, has said that Igboman would be governor of Lagos State “in the nearest future.” He told Daily Sun:  “As our democracy grows, non indigenes will contest elections in Lagos and win. What I am sure of is that in the nearest future Igbo man will rule Lagos. Afterall, Zik won election in Lagos in the First Republic.” Excerpts:

Igboman as governor of Lagos State
It may sound funny but I tell you, that 43 per cent of the population of Lagos are Igbo, 47 per cent are indigenes while 10 per cent are other tribes and nationals. That tells you that at a stage as our democracy grows, non-indigenes will contest elections in Lagos and win.

What I am sure of is that in the nearest future, Igbo man will rule Lagos. Afterall, Zik won election in Lagos in the First Republic. [size=16pt]I schooled and lived in USA for over 20 years. The law says if you live in America for certain period of time you can vote and be voted. This is exactly why Obama became the president of America.
[/size]
. . .

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/aug/02/national-02-08-2011-021.html

The bolded statement is WRONG! How did anyone miss that? If you are not a natural-born citizen of the United States, YOU cannot contest for the Presidency (or become Vice President)! Obama was never an immigrant so this lack of knowledge of a place he supposedly lived for 20 years puts his credibility and this piece in total doubt! Lack of knowledge of this foundation argument makes this dead on arrival. Or, can anyone point to the part of the US Constitution (law) that says that as per his argument?

CyberG:

The bolded statement is WRONG! How did anyone miss that? If you are not a natural-born citizen of the United States, YOU cannot contest for the Presidency (or become Vice President)! Obama was never an immigrant so this lack of knowledge of a place he supposedly lived for 20 years puts his credibility and this piece in total doubt! Lack of knowledge of this foundation argument makes this dead on arrival. Or, can anyone point to the part of the US Constitution (law) that says that as per his argument?

Arnold Schwarzenegger was Not born in the USA (he was born in Austria) yet he became Governor of California as a naturalized American. The authors point is therefore still valid. As per the thread topic, I think the principle is correct. Any Lagosian can aspire to lead Lagos. Ultimately , when merit becomes the main criteria for securing public office , the issue in the future will hopefully be about getting the best individual for the job rather than a focus on which ethnic group he/she belongs to.

^ The is law exclusive for the seat of President and his Vice in USA. So Arnold's case does not hold water.

Gbawe:

Arnold Schwarzenegger was Not born in the USA (he was born in Austria) yet he became Governor of California as a naturalized American. The authors point is therefore still valid. As per the thread topic, I think the principle is correct. Any Lagosian can aspire to lead Lagos. Ultimately , when merit becomes the main criteria for securing public office , the issue in the future will hopefully be about getting the best individual for the job rather than a focus on which ethnic group he/she belongs to.

How can his statement be valid if he is using Obama has his case in point?
He may have schooled in the US but he's obviously not schooled about the US

Soludo - Lagos 2015?

(Just throwing it out there)

The above statement is somewhat misleading. True that Obama was never an immigrant and there is an exclusion to the law; that anyone who want to run for the office of the president and vice (not vote yet) must be U.S. born citizens. Though he reference Obama, the main point is that if you live in a state for a good number of years and a U.S citizen, you can vote and be voted into office.

May be the journalist, and not the subject of this topic, [b]misyarned [/b]about Obama
Arnold is the best example here

Gbawe:

Arnold Schwarzenegger was Not born in the USA (he was born in Austria) yet he became Governor of California as a naturalized American. The authors point is therefore still valid. As per the thread topic, I think the principle is correct. Any Lagosian can aspire to lead Lagos. Ultimately , when merit becomes the main criteria for securing public office , the issue in the future will hopefully be about getting the best individual for the job rather than a focus on which ethnic group he/she belongs to.

Yes, if Nigerians could get past tribalism and bigotry and vote on MERIT and argue without narrow tribal sentiments, that country would progress tremendously!

No, the argument is invalid based on a false premise. What he said is wrong and that is the point - not what he did not say!

if u are foreseeing to become governor in others people state , then who will be governor in igbo land?
mr okafor appreciate your own & develop it to the envy of others.
thanks.

I dey laff.

Dont dey need governors in Anambra again?

Erm, Guys!!!

Obama is half white and half black, But ALL American. Obama also brought up by his white sside,

IF you have Igbo "Lagosian" that is half Yoruba, half Igbo, but All Lagosian and brought up by their Yoruba side , then no reason why he or she wouldn't have a shot.

But Your Census number of 43% is so wrong, and ludicrous!

Sicherheit:

How can his statement be valid if he is using Obama has his case in point?
He may have schooled in the US but he's obviously not schooled about the US

He is wrong to include Obama as a case in point but I think he is saying that Naturalized Citizens can vie for certain office. He is correct as far as that. The author might be guilty of trying to make his case too eagerly he overshot the mark a bit.

Whilst I may be open to an Igbo being governor

Still refuse to be convinced by that 43%.

hw many igbos are in lagos house of asembly 4 a starting point? Hw many igbo politicians are involve in lagos politics.? Are d yorubas willing 2 accept non ethnic 2 rule lagos? Nearest future wont b near.

This is Nigeria and i believe we are getting somewhere!

if anybody be it igbo hausa efik etc have live in lagos and take it as home/ is born in lagos and have the people of lagos in mind when he rules(not inviting an outside party) totally nothing is wrong with that!
moreover lagos is the state to show the way (in this aspect) , which i believe other state will follow suit.

Ibo Man?Governor of Lagos state?Which beer parlour you dey write from?

dayokanu:

I dey laff.

Dont dey need governors in Anambra again?

how?

That has to be one of the most ridiculous statements ever!!!!! In as much as I would like to be patriotic to the Igbo nation / race I would like to ask WHY the heck anyone would vote an Igbo man to govern what is clearly a South western state? Lets stop fooling ourselves here, Lagos clearly belongs to the Yorubas. Lets develop OUR OWN states first, before saying all this trash only fit to proceed from the lips of a drunk im-becile.

If we as Igbos have this as our "DREAM" then I must say, WE they have their priority all messed up! I clearly have my own plans and it certainly doesn't involve any region outside Eastern Nigeria.

Toaskarity:

how?

Why cant the said governor put his super ideas to use in Imo, Aba, Enugu and Ebonyi state to make it rival Lagos

dayokanu:

Why cant the said governor put his super ideas to use in Imo, Aba, Enugu and Ebonyi state to make it rival Lagos

The words of a man using his brain. . . . Well said!!

is not impossible but that will take maybe forever to happen.

1025:

is not impossible but that will take maybe forever to happen.

imposible is nothing

Why Lagos and not Kano? I think some months ago some peeps here were saying Igbos constitute over 40% of Kano.

It should be noted however that the Yorubas are very acommodating inspite d hatred by d same pple. Dont know what could hv happened if d table were 2 b turned

phreakabit:

If we as Igbos have this as our "DREAM" then I must say, WE they have their priority all messed up! I clearly have my own plans and it certainly doesn't involve any region outside Eastern Nigeria.

WORD.

If an Igbo man will allow a Yoruba man to first rule Imo and Anambra what then stops them from ruling Lagos. Another concern is if an Igbo man will step down for his fellow brother and not split the votes as can be seen in past national elections and lastly if an Igbo man will not sell all the votes to a Yoruba for a mere 500 naira.

dayokanu:

Why cant the said governor put his super ideas to use in Imo, Aba, Enugu and Ebonyi state to make it rival Lagos

ha ha ha ha ,   because they know more of lagos than these states, 
get the gist! look at this

The most astonishing achievement of Fashola is getting Agberos out of Oshodi without a gun. During the military era, they tried in vain to dislodge them but could not. Fashola did it without engaging them in any struggle, that is a mark of leadership by influence and not by force

this shows they have lived and wine in lagos for not less than 10yrs,  they are part of lagos! theyre lagosians! some of them though with igbo name ddintknow what is happening in anambra (for past two yrs but they know that of lagos of 10yrs old)talkmore! common! give them a sense of belonging and boast of it that you are the first to make it happen in Nigeria just like America will do so as first black man presd,Liberia first in Africa to have woman head them,  you see it will eventually happen everywhere in Nigeria as far as the country stays!