₦airaland Forum

and come to think of a Lagoon state for Lagos i think it doesn't make any sence at all, the PDP ha s seen they cannot take Lagos from AC hence they want to create something new out of it, and take a piece of it, strategic thinking indeed. Loosers they always would be.

[size=14pt]Lagoon State in the form of the Colony of Lagos exist even b4 Nigeria as a nation existed. What is being agitated for is returning Lagos to its pre-independence status quo.[/size]

Enugu state government patronizing made in Nigeria Buses," Would have been a more suitable and catchy title

The title should be as printed above.

[size=14pt]That man using the pseudonym Mr Somalia OR whatever your name is I want you to go and spread the gospel of this message in your community, in your blogs and other communication media. To those at the higher echelon of your society spread the gospel of this message to African heads of State, from Mad Gaddafi in the North to Randy Zuma in the South, to the sit tight despot in Pharaoh’s Egypt , to the other sit tight land-grabbing despot at Nigerian’s eastern Borders.

Spread it at Addis Ababa where OAU HQ is located, spread it in your Diaspora community, amongst the Somalian’s in Kenya, Djibout, Afars and Isas and other places.

The Gospel of this battle should commence now, the actual battle might be 20 years from now but the mobilisation should start now.

It took the allied forces 4 years to plan and execute D-Day, African nations can wait as long as the end justify the means.[/size]

[size=14pt]Africa’s world war[/size]


[size=14pt]The 1st question we should ask the Somalian’s do they want freedom. If the answer to that question is affirmative, the next questions we ask the Somalian’s are they Africans, if the answer to that is also affirmative then we ask them do they value their freedom to a fanatical religion imported from Saudi Arabia, (this question should not be misconstrued as a denial OR denouncing of their religion rather it is a question asked above all other things to test their loyalty to a worthy cause, a loyalty to their Africaness).  if they answer to the affirmative then the process of commencing and building the greatest number of men in Arms should commence in earnest. Modern man has lost the will to fight in numbers, but nothing beats this suppressed bestiality in men at overwhelming vast tracts of land’s, kingdoms and empire.

The sword of Damocles needs and should be unleashed with a fury never seen in this modern age.(I particularly love the way the Nigerian Authorities put down the Boko Haram resurrections) The rules of engagement would be total annihilation of every moving object from livestock to games, this is the way battle was fought in the old days of yore.

Geneva Convention would be thrown out of the window, Africa needs and should wrestle lands annexed albeit informally by imperialist forces from Arabia, this doctrine would be our driving force at liberating one of the most failed corners of the world.

It is disheartening to know that more than 200 million African’s do not have a dollar to their name. It also pains me when I see young abled body men , strong African men stowaway on rickety boats off the coast of Senegal and Mauritania to other lands when there is business to take care of in Africa.

It is high time the 52 countries come together and work in unison, the goal is to raise 1 million battle ready men who would go out and redeem Somalia from those bandits and Islamist who have made that beautiful land a heaven for pirates and other miscreants, this more than anything would be the token of African nations to that country. The problem has to be taking at the scruff of the neck and dealt with decisively. [/size]


[size=14pt]I love this quotation from Col Collins of the Royal Irish Regiment before the Invasion of Iraq.[/size]



We go to liberate, not to conquer.

We will not fly our flags in their country

We are entering Iraq to free a people and the only flag which will be flown in that ancient land is their own.

Show respect for them.

There are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive shortly.

Those who do not wish to go on that journey, we will not send.

As for the others, I expect you to rock their world.

Wipe them out if that is what they choose.

But if you are ferocious in battle remember to be magnanimous in victory.

Iraq is steeped in history.

It is the site of the Garden of Eden, of the Great Flood and the birthplace of Abraham.

Tread lightly there.

You will see things that no man could pay to see

-- and you will have to go a long way to find a more decent, generous and upright people than the Iraqis.

You will be embarrassed by their hospitality even though they have nothing.

Don't treat them as refugees for they are in their own country.

Their children will be poor, in years to come they will know that the light of liberation in their lives was brought by you.

If there are casualties of war then remember that when they woke up and got dressed in the morning they did not plan to die this day.

Allow them dignity in death.

Bury them properly and mark their graves.

It is my foremost intention to bring every single one of you out alive.

But there may be people among us who will not see the end of this campaign.

We will put them in their sleeping bags and send them back.

There will be no time for sorrow.

The enemy should be in no doubt that we are his nemesis and that we are bringing about his rightful destruction.

There are many regional commanders who have stains on their souls and they are stoking the fires of hell for Saddam.

He and his forces will be destroyed by this coalition for what they have done.

As they die they will know their deeds have brought them to this place. Show them no pity.

It is a big step to take another human life.

It is not to be done lightly.

I know of men who have taken life needlessly in other conflicts.

I can assure you they live with the mark of Cain upon them.

If someone surrenders to you then remember they have that right in international law and ensure that one day they go home to their family.

The ones who wish to fight, well, we aim to please.

If you harm the regiment or its history by over-enthusiasm in killing or in cowardice, know it is your family who will suffer.

You will be shunned unless your conduct is of the highest -- for your deeds will follow you down through history.

We will bring shame on neither our uniform or our nation.

(On Saddam's chemical and biological weapons.)

It is not a question of if, it's a question of when.

We know he has already devolved the decision to lower commanders, and that means he has already taken the decision himself.

If we survive the first strike we will survive the attack.

As for ourselves, let's bring everyone home and leave Iraq a better place for us having been there.

Our business now is north.

Lagoon State once existed as the Colony of Lagos I don't see any reason why it cannot exist today see caption below

[size=16pt]the western province of Southern Nigeria, a British colony and protectorate in West Africa. The province consists of three divisions: (r) the coast region, including Lagos Island, being the former colony of Lagos; (2) small native states adjacent to the colony- which is today's Lagos Mainland; and (3) the Yoruba country, farther inland- which is the Odua States. The total area is some 27,000 sq. m., or about the size of Scotland. The province is bounded S. by the Gulf of Guinea, (from 2° 46' 55" to 4° 30' E.); W. by the French colony of Dahomey; N. and E. by other provinces [/size]

[size=14pt]Bode George was in charge of the ports authorities and he was said to have misappropiated N80 billion Naira that is in excess of $500 million dollars. Lagos is definatelty losing out on the revenue stakes to the feds.[/size]

ANANGO! Life And Culture Of The Yoruba In Diaspora

March 3, 1999


Lagos - They are separated by a political boundary. The Yorubas of Benin Republic insist that they share more than historical antecedents with their cousins in Nigeria. SEIDI MULERO who was recently in Porto Novo and Cotonou discovered a people in cultural longing for their roots.

Haaa. . . o fe mo iye omo ti oba bi? Haaa ! (Ha!. . . you want to know how many children the King has! Don't you know it is a taboo to want to know it!) said the traditional ruler in Anango, a variance of the Yoruba language.

The ruler is the Alaketu of Ketou in Benin Republic. He was responding to TEMPOLife's question on 20 February 1999.

The reporter had wanted to know how many children the traditional ruler had. His response, of course, reflected the belief in Yorubaland of Nigeria that Won kii ka omo f'olomo (it is a taboo to count how many children a person has).

In other words, the children are supposed to be uncountable. In fact, all the subjects in the Kingdom are supposed to be the King's children.

It was the same response from the Onidigny of Idigny, another Yoruba settlement in Benin as well as from the Onisakete of Sakete. With each Yorubaman expected to have an unlimited number of children, no wonder Yorubaland had, over the centuries, been able to extend to a vast area of West Africa, holding tenaciously to the inherited culture.

And when the European powers met in Berlin from 1884 to 1885 to partition Africa, Yorubaland was partitioned into three. One in Nigeria, the second in Benin and the third in Togo.

Although the Yoruba, today, are estimated at about 30 million in Nigeria, they are, according to the last population census, just about one million (15 per cent of the population) in Benin. The French encyclopaedic Dictionary Larousse (1988), put the figure for Togo also at one million, a figure which people say, is rather exaggerated.

Benin Republic is now made up of 12 provinces. Porto-Novo is the political capital of the country and it is there you have the parliament, even though, for reason of convenience and political calculations, the various heads of state have, since independence, preferred to stay in Cotonou.

Porto-Novo is called "Ajase" (or Ajache) by the Yoruba. The Gouns call it Hogbonu (or Hogbonou).

The town, right from inception, has two tribes. The Goun and the Yoruba.

In Benin, only the descendants of Oduduwa of Porto-Novo and of Ajara (a small settlement north of Port-Novo) call themselves "Yoruba." The other descendants of Oduduwa call themselves either Ohori or Anango. The Anango are found in two provinces, those of the newly-created Plateau and "Collines" (i.e. Hills). The Plateau province is antiguous with the Yewa local government areas of Ogun State where the Anago are found.

That of the 'Collins' shares bordes with Oyo State of Nigeria In the Plateau province, the Anangos are to be found in such districts as Adja-were, Ifonyin, Ipobe, Sakete etc. Those of the "Collines" province live in the districts of Dassa and Save.

Alaketu of Ketou who is considered the highest traditional authority for the Oduduwa descent in Benin, said all the Yoruba of Benin came from Ife but at different periods in history. For instance, he said, it was a grandson of Oduduwa who founded the town Ketou many centuries ago.

The "Oba" who is now the 49th ruler said a son of Oduduwa called "Sopasan" (pronounced as Shopashan) left Ife in search of a promised land. He settled in six different places but each time he consulted the oracle, he was told he had not got to his destination.

He eventually died before reaching the promised land which is now Ketou. It was a son of Sopasan called Ede who finally got to Ketou and founded it.

Another son of Oduduwa settled in Save in the Collines province while a third one went to Popo, a coastal settlement now inhabited by Gouns. The Alaketu, Oba Pascal Adeoti Adetutu said there is absolutely no difference between the culture of the Yoruba of Benin and that of their counterparts living in Nigeria.

The festivals, the religion, the rulership are the same. The Onisakete of Sakete, Oba Raufu Agbenu-Eje-Joye (Adebotemole) explained that such practices as worshiping idols like Ogun, Oro, Obatala, Sango etc are present in the cultures of Sakete and other Yoruba/Anango places in Benin.

In fact, the interview with TEMPOLife was interrupted several times as people came in to say "Kabiyesi ooo" to the king. And the king himself had to rise from time to time to greet the female dancing groups which came in one after the other to pay homage to the ruler.

When each group end its session of singing, dancing and praises to the ruler, its member would go on their knees, shouting E-e-e-eru Alaafin ooo! (We pledge loyalty to the king, in the Anango dialect). Same was the case at Idigny (pronounced Onidiyin), another Yoruba settlement near the Nigerian border.

There, the traditional ruler, known as Onidigny said not only the cultures are the same, the people also are the same. His own mother, he said, was a Nigerian from Ilara, a border village between Benin and Nigeria.

So, the Onidigny had more reason to say that the border between Nigeria and Benin was a figment of the imagination of the colonialists of the past and of those in administrative positions in Nigeria and Benin today. The Onidigny is perhaps, the symbol of unity among the Yoruba of Benin and Nigeria.

And no Beninois Yoruba, it seems, has reached the peak of educational aspirations without sojourning to Nigeria. The Onidigny said he had his tertiary education in Lagos where he worked from 1975 to 1983 and to Ilara (his mother's village) where he settled before the Ifa oracle sent people after him to make him Oba in Idigny in 1994.

The traditional ruler says he is just trying to learn the ways of life in Benin, because he spent most of his life in Nigeria. Oba Raufu Agbenu-Eje-Joye too spent his childhood in Nigeria before going to learn a trade in Togo.

He too is more at home mixing Yoruba with English (as done in Lagos) than speaking French. The Alaketu did not live in Nigeria.

But almost on a daily basis, when he woke up in Porto-Novo where he was staying before being made Oba in 1963/64, he would travel to Lagos to trade, and go back home in the evening. Like the young Alaketu, people living in Porto-Novo, especially the Yoruba are traders.

They carry their products from Togo to Benin and Nigeria and vice- versa. In the country's ethnocentric division of labour, the Yoruba trade, the Anangos farm, the Baribas, Sombas and Dendis of northern Benin protect the nation by enlisting in the armed forces while the Adjatados (i.e. the Gouns and the Fons) work in the administration. The result of that division of labour has not been very favourable for the Oduduwa people.

Their land remains a land of poverty. For instance, in the course of these interviews with the Yoruba Obas of Benin, an Anango lady rendered a free service to this reporter and the latter gave her N40.

On seeing the money, a son of the lady uncontrollably shouted: Eniyan lo nnanwo bi omi bayi! (How can a human being be spending money like sea water this way!) The Anango land radiates poverty. The only industrial unit there is the Onigbolo Cement Factory which, incidentally, is jointly-owned by Benin and Nigeria.

But it had been so mismanaged in the past that it has closed down for about a year now. It was recently privatised and the new managers were expected to take it over by February ending.

According to the Alaketu, the apparent backwardness of the sons and daughters of Oduduwa in Benin is due to low level of education. He attributed the advance of the Gouns/Fons to the fact that when the European colonizers first came, the only kingdom which really opposed them was the Dahomey Kingdom of Abomey.

After the defeat of the Abomey army, many of the Fons/Gouns were made slaves and taken away by the Europeans. Eventually, those war prisoners became literate and became the pioneers of the colonial administration.

And while the Yoruba, Anango and Ohori were still feared the whiteman and all that he stood for, the other people were already far gone ahead. The Onidigny revealed that there are no Anango senior army officers in the Beninois Armed Forces today, because the Yoruba, traditionally, don't like the army.

"In a country which the military ruled for up to two decades, how can one progress when you don't have anybody among the rulers?" he wondered. Since Benin became independent as Dahomey on 1 August 1960, no descendants of Oduduwa has near the presidency.

Only in 1968, there was a Yoruba presidential candidate in the person of Alhaji Karim Da Silva, a Porto-Novien. That election was not conclusive as trouble erupted and the whole exercise was annulled under threats of war.

Another Porto-Novien Yoruba vied in 1991; for a longtime he was celebrating the fact that he got five per cent of total votes cast. Nevertheless, there are currently three prominent Yoruba ministers: Pierre Osho is in the ministry of defence.

He has been a trusted political associate of President Matthieu Kerekou since the military era. John Ige, is minister of the industries and Antoine Kolawole Idji is in the external affairs department.

In 1997, a prominent Anango businessman, Sefou Fagbohun (or Fagbohoun) set up his own party called "MADEP" (an acronym for African Movement For Democracy and Progress). According to him, the party is meant to defend the interests of the Anangos.

Though the party has been able to draw a large followership among the Anangos, many still refuse to join, claiming the man is only using the party for commercial purposes. In other words, they say, Mr. Fagbohun only wants to weaken Adrien Houngbedji to benefit Kerekou who is his business friend.

Among Fagbohun's critics is Prince Abeo Desodji, another Yoruba who now says he is poised to form his own party. Observers, however, say neither Fagbohoun nor Abeo Desodji can make any impact at the national level.

This position is apparently informed by the impression that the political terrain in Benin is too fragmented, with at least 111 political parties. Honourable Rigobert Oladiran Ladipo is a member of the outgoing National Assembly in Port-Novo.

In an interview with TEMPOLife, he says an Oduduwa son or daughter can win the presidency only under exceptional circumstances which currently appear not feasible. Among the obstacles he enumerated were the numerical strength of the Yoruba.

They constitute the second ethnic group in the South with 30 per cent of the population of the South and 15 per cent of the population of the whole country. "In a country where you have votes along ethnic lines, you can win only if your people form the majority," he said.

The second obstacle, he mentioned, was the observed trend in which the Yoruba do not vote en bloc. The parliamentarian, who read Sociology, explained this on the low level of political awareness.

Compounding this is an unusual physical barrier. The Okpara river, he explained, divides the Yorubaland into two and there is no bridge on the big river.

The result is that the Anango of the Collines province-Save and Dassa-cannot communicate with their brothers of the Olateju Plateau. And life does not allow for a vacuum: if you cannot communicate with your brother, you live with whoever is your next-door neighbour.

So, he said, that is why the Anangos of Save and Dassa vote along same line with the Fons of Abomey with whom they communicate easily. Also, the Anangos of the Olateju Plateau vote the same way as their Goun neighbours of Porto-Novo and environs.

So, while Soglo's RB gets the votes of the Yoruba of the Middle Belt of Benin, Houngbedji's PRD gets those of the Plateau. If the physical barrier is not broken through a bridge over the Okpara, there will never be a Yoruba vote, he posited.

Although Oduduwa descendants of Benin are away from the power house, they remain perpetual kingmakers. In other words, after the northern electorate has voted for the northern candidate and the Gouns and Fons have joined hands to vote for a son of theirs, the Yoruba votes become the ultimate decider.

Soglo won in 1991 because he was able to sway the Yoruba to his side. He lost in 1996 because he failed to.

Even, the Anango of the plateau find it easier interacting with their Yoruba brothers and sisters of Nigeria than with those of Save and Dassa. For instance, the Onidigny, like most of his subjects, has his friends in Nigeria.

Nothing happens in his domain which he does not tell the Obas of Iyewa in Ogun State (of Nigeria). The Onisakete and the Alaketu similarly relate with their cousins in Nigeria.

When the Alaketu celebrated the 35th anniversary of his coronation on 23 January, he invited all the Yoruba Obas of Benin and Nigeria. The Ooni of Ile-Ife could not attend.

According to the Alaketu, the Ooni, two weeks ago, sent him an apology. Fifteen years earlier, when the Alaketu celebrated the 20th anniversary of his coronation, the Ooni spent four days in Ketou.

Events in Nigeria, both at the social and political levels, affect the Beninois. The Onidigny says that when there is trouble in Nigeria, Nigerians cross the border and rush into his domain. That is why he currently enjoins those calling for an Oduduwa Republic to exercise patience.

Publication Date: March 11, 1999

There is absolutely no need for creation of a new state, the current administrative structure of the state can meet the developmental needs of the state.

Besides, the creation of another state will do nothing to stem the loss of green space.


[size=14pt]Losing your green spaces is not development. London has not loss an inch of its parks in more than 100 years. Green Park, Hyde Park, Regent's Park are still the same size as are they were 100 years ago. Nigerians and especially Lagos should embrace Brownfield development. Old neigbourhoods like Yaba, Ebute-Metta and Akoka should be bought from the owners and rebuilt. I came to London in 1992, Stratford East London is not the same as it is in 2010 yet they did not take an inch of green space for re-development.
[/size]

Defination of Brownfield sites

Brownfield sites are abandoned or underused industrial and commercial facilities available for re-use. Expansion or redevelopment of such a facility may be complicated by real or perceived environmental contaminations.[1] Cf. Waste (law).


Example of brownfield land at a disused gasworks site after excavation, with soil contamination from removed underground storage tanks.In the United States city planning jargon, a brownfield site (or simply a brownfield) is land previously used for industrial purposes or certain commercial uses. The land may be contaminated by low concentrations of hazardous waste or pollution, and has the potential to be reused once it is cleaned up. Land that is more severely contaminated and has high concentrations of hazardous waste or pollution, such as a Superfund site, does not fall under the brownfield classification. Mothballed brownfields are properties which the owners are not willing to transfer or put to productive reuse.[2]

In the United Kingdom and Australia, the term applies more generally to previously used land.

The other parts are for know all and the pro divide Lagos folks.

[size=14pt]KnowAll is not a pro-divide folk or group, you can see from the thread title it is a question that needs a thorough debate,  moreover I am not the one who took the agitation to the National House of Assembly, Lagosians did, they must have their reason. I am only exploring the proposition and wondering wether this proposition is one that we need to take a second look at.

Normally most Nigerians would consider the agitation laughable and dismiss it at face value as something ludicrous but something must have prompted the agigatators for coming out with this proposition.[/size]

wont ever join the chorus of splitting Lagos because it doesnt make any sense but I stand for the fact that Lagos can stand on its own without living-off revenues from other states. To achieve this, the state has to ensure that majority of the people pay taxes including petty traders. Also the lopsided federal system of government we are practising needs to be addressed. Lagos generates about half of the VAT collection in Nigeria yet derivation principle which is applicable to oil is not applied in sharing VAT revenue.

You hit the nail on the head Lagos probably don’t need a state, it is the revenue sharing that is loop sided. They should be getting 15% of takings from Nigeria Ports Authority, 15% of takings of MM Airport.

Wrong!
You've never heard about New York City

[size=14pt]New York City is in New York State. Buffalo is a city in New York State and there is a huge swath of country between the 2 cities miles and miles of country side.

Lagos on the other hand is one huge conurbation. That is there is little OR no green spaces left if you travel from VI to Epe now,  and the  little green left is vigorously consumed by developmental encroachment at a phenomenal rate. Same thing is happening in the Badagry corridor.[/size]

Nigeria needs 6 states ONLY. Two in the SE, one each in the SS, SW, NC and NE and none for NW. So every zone has equal number of states:7. Or we go back to zones (6 zones) and abrogate all the states- actually a preferred option.

[size=14pt]So you are happy for the 3 to 4 million Igbo’s who have made Lagos their homes to be suffering and smiling in that great melting pot. Lagos I read somewhere is the largest single administrative unit in the world.

The reason why it is the largest single administrative unit in the world is because it is a City State. Another City State that is well known is Singapore and it gets and makes more than what the whole of Nigeria makes in a year, that should give you an insight of how grossly under funded Lagos is, [/size]

is s.tupidity exclusively nigerian?

[size=14pt]You have to understand that is not the only issue, the fact speaks for itself lagos state is under funded by the centre considering the population of the state. There are a lot of issues at stake here. [/size]

[size=14pt]Although Lagos State in its present form has being the only geographical entity within Nigeria that has not being altered since its inception in 1967. Apart from the capital of Lagos state moved from Lagos Island to Ikeja in February 1976 the state has more OR less being intact.

One should revisit the issue of splitting the state into 2 critically, in the light of the BBC programme welcome to Lagos which a lot of Nigerians find offensive, biased and derogatory considering that there are so many goodies that the programme left out, one is tempted to believe that the cause for Lagoon State is a cause that should be pursued with a renewed vigour irrespective of the size of present Lagos State. At least one can be assured when those silly and mischievous BBC Camera men come calling again they would be made to know that the mainland OR Lagos OR is it Agege State is different from the island and Lagoon State which is on the other side of the water. 

The topography of Lagos in a way reminds me of the bridge coming from New Jersey connecting to Manhattan. At one end of the Bridge you are in New Jersey while at the other end of the bridge you are at Manhattan, New York City, New York State. 

The whole essence of having smaller or breaking a province or region into further smaller administrative units is to be closer to the grass-roots. Lagos State although small in size is overwhelmed with developmental challenges. Lagos a metropolitan State with about 18 million people should not in any case be left to the perils of one administrative unit, although the thought of breaking it into 8 administrative unit would not make sense and cannot be feasible due to the constraints of size.

But let us put it in perspective, Lagos State’s population is the size of Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Oshun, Ekiti and Kwara state all put together that is 6 administrative units with all the paraphernalia of office as well as having the status of a full blown state to take care of the same population as is in Lagos State.

To buttress my point further what Lagos State gets from the federation account is just below what Oyo state gets, this is one state out of the six states. 

So what is the way forward given Lagos State cannot be divided into 6 states, thankfully Lagos has a natural boundary the Lagoon which separates the Island areas from the mainland areas, this can be a starting point, but then critics and other opposing forces would argue that the majority of the 18 million poor souls in Lagos are mostly in the mainland and that splitting the state into 2 would be an exercise in futility.

My take would be, where does the majority of those 18 million people work, going by the way traffic tend to converge in Lagos every rush hour morning, my instinct tells me a large swathe of these population work in Lagoon State OR the Island

The challenges for Lagoon State would be to house these workers, within her territory. The next question would be how feasible is this proposition. Well we are all aware the Island at the moment is embarking on several mega projects like the Eko Atlantic City, Lekki free trade zone and other schemes to be built in and around the Lekki corridor, all these developments would require a lot of low skilled personnel to operate and run all these industrial outlets and service industry. A clause would have to be included and entrenched into employee’s contract within Lagoon State that employers have to set aside a special fund that would help augment their workers in getting homes closer to work, so also Lagoon State on her part would enforce and entrenched a minimum liveable wage policy within her territory.[/size]

[size=14pt]Brownfield Development should be pursued in Lagoon State[/size]. – [size=14pt]it is a concept that became relevant around the early 00’s in the UK,  that is from 2000 to 2007. Brownfield development as the name entails is about curbing the incessant use up of green spaces especially in an area OR region that has limited green spaces. [/size]

[size=14pt]Eko Atlantic City would become the new financial and business centre for Lagos by the year 2030. We have to start asking ourselves what plans do we have for Marina in Lagos Island.

What is the government’s plan?  If no concrete plans are put in place for Marina today then suffice to say we would have a huge derelict site of old abandon high rise on our hands, a den where hoodlums and other miscreants if care is not taking would be able to find solace, as most of the prevailing businesses today would have relocated to VI and Eko Atlantic City[/size].

[size=14pt]Two things can be done with Marina instead of using up all the green spaces in the Lekki corridor[/size].

1. [size=14pt]Demolish all the high rises and rebuild liveable high rises  which would embrace high rises for the poor, the middle class and the upper class.(flats would only be allocated to people who have proof of working in any of the service industries in the Lekkia, VI, Ikoyi and Eko Atlantic City quarters.)[/size]


2. [size=14pt]Convert office based high rise into liveable high rise.- This would be a cheaper option if one where to look at the cost of wholesale demolishing and re-building.[/size]


[size=14pt]The high rise for the poor- design and conception[/size] – [size=14pt]Ideally a combination of bed-sit, one and 2 bedrooms would be the norm and standard. In fact some might be built like the popular face me I face you, that is a whole building might constitute of this so that it would be able to take more people. Fire fighting considerations should be giving a higher priority than what entails at the moment thus[/size].

[size=16pt]The big question is Lagoon State feasible[/size] ? 

[size=16pt]We don't fucxxxg want soldiers in our midst anymore, they should all be expelled from all our towns and cities to the border areas. Their continued stay in our towns and cities have being hell for the citizenry. Countless Bus conductors, Bus drivers, and Innocent by-stander's have sufferred hard-ship at the hands of naval ratings, Korofo Soldier's, and private Airforce men, Enough is enough, Mr President send these young men who have enough adrenalin running through their veins where they can be useful to the society (Border Areas).

Thank you sir.[/size]

[size=14pt]If at all, if we are talking of men who stood their ground from the beginning to the end the Akinloye's, Kola Balogun's and the Adelabu's of this world are men who one should shower with encomiuims. These men where against Awolowo from time memorial and died never in anyway agreeing with him OR jumping ship and joining him in any way or manner.

Akintola on the hand was a political love-peddler and an opportunist, I would not like to have such as a friend because when the tide turns against me he would jump ship and jump ship he did[/size]. 

The Ibadan Peoples Party (IPP) was established on June 15, 1951, by a group of eminent Ibadan indigenes who opposed the politics of tribalism and personality, which held sway in the Yorùbá dominated Western Region, Nigeria in the 1950s. Its founding chairman was Chief Augustus Akinloye, and the other founders were; Chief Adegoke Adelabu, Chief Kola Balogun, Chief T.O.S Benson, Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya and Chief H.O. Davies. The other leaders of the IPP were: Chief S. A. Akinyemi, Chief S. O. Lanlehin, Chief Moyo Aboderin, Chief Samuel Lana, HRH Chief D. T. Akinbiyi, Chief S. Ajunwon, Chief S. Aderonmu, Chief R. S. Baoku, Chief Akin Allen and Chief Akinniyi Olunloyo

[size=14pt]The Anglo Cameroonians made a mistake with that refrendum in 1961, I speak to a lot of them and all is not well between the french and the English speaking parts. The french rule the roost, why in most cases the Anglo's speak both languages fluently the french are so stuck up and would not make enough attempt to speak English.

I think what made them vote in favour of that refrendum in 1961 was the fear of the majority tribe in Eastern Nigeria then, they felt they would be overwhealmed and their voices would be drowned and not be heard. If they had stayed until 1967 when states were created they would have gotten their own states and some semblance of devolution and reprensentation, I know a lot of younger English speakers regret the follies of the past generation but then it was the prevailing tribal politics played in Nigeria at the time, politics without decorum that made them fear, I don't blame them thus, the rest as they say is history[/size]

Apart from his dented image of breaking the bank and stealing people's money in Soc Generale he is one of the best men for the job, without a shadow of doubt. All politicians have a skeleton in their cupboards, can someone name one who has not got worms crawling in their bosoms.

[size=14pt]As long as we bring the Yoruba's in Benin Republic and the Efiks in Cameroon into our fold no shaking, otherwise no deal.[/size]

[size=14pt]There is no reason anyone getting worked up by camerounian genderme's daliance with peices of Nigeria land. The truth is the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 82nd brigade of the Army and any other military formation should all be re- located to the border areas that is how it is done in other countries.

Nigeria should wake up from her slumber and embrace the norms practised in other climes without hesitation, for instance both India and Pakistan has a battallion in the border areas of the disputed Kashmir areas. India would have to over-run Pakistani's battalion b4 they can gain a foot hold in Pakistan and Pakistan would have to do likewise. Same thing is in place between South Korea and North Korea, the land adjacent the de-militarized zone between both countries is one of the most fortified border areas in the world. When a country has an econmic interest they make sure they have a formidable fighting force in place to deter any adventurarism from any angle.

Why have the Brigade of guards in Abuja, a unit which bearly 5 months ago undermine the authorithy of President Jonathan Goodluck, we don't want gun totting soldiers in our cities, Soldiers should be completely out of arms way in far away border areas and region. The Presidency should be guarded by a crack Police Unit and not military formations. Had it being we had the 82nd brigade which is presently in Enugu at Bakassi,  that penusula would still be in Nigeria hands today.

Before warned is b4 hand,  President Jonthan Goodluck should move our archaic military formation forward, the present formation has caused us more grief and pain than solace, this is a formation which have being in place since the days of Nzeogwu and yet no one deem it fit to change it in the 21st century,  is it fear OR outright disillusion by our leaders, I am gobsmacked and dissappointed.
[/size]

[size=14pt]All Units in Kaduna should be moved to Lake Chad Border areas including NDA.

Other units in the North should be moved to the Sokoto Areas.

3rd mechanised in Jos should be move to Adamawa and Taraba States.

All Units in Lagos should be moved to Badagry Seme Border.

2nd Mechanised in Ibadan should be moved to Idi-Iroko and the Kwara State Borders.

All units from Edo State onwards to the East should be split into 2, one half deployed to Southern Delta, Southern Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.

The other Units should be move to the Border Areas in Cross River, here the main Barracks of the Eastern command should be Based[/size].

[size=14pt]If these deployments can be effected, skimishes and outright land grabs by neibouring countries would be something of the past.

Another advantage of this Kind of deployment is, coup plotting which has become our very own albatross would become something of the past as the nearest military installation to Abuja would be about 400 miles away. These proposals would put to sleep the un-warranted incessant incursion into Nigeria by forces who are either testing the water in order to garner our reaction OR are down right deliberately provocative and needs to be thaught one or two lessons on what good neigbourly behaviour entails.[/size]

Op is a complete olodo. Which one be rear again?

Suppose to be rare. thanks anyway.

In all you said you havent stated what Akintola's sins are


This is what Akintola's sins are

They align with the Northerners and with their help, win the court case in 63 and rig the elections in 1965. Its no surprise that the same individuals who went with Akintola were never accepted by Yoruba people and kept aligning with Northerners. Akinloye, Akinjide, Rosiji were all NPN stalwarts in the 2nd republic


How did the leader of AG become all these things you attached with him.

Adedibu's mentorer was Cheif SO Lanlehin, Lanhelin was a founding member of the Ibadan People's Party, this party was opposed to the AG as far back as 1951. The fact that Adedibu was in AG does not make him a die hard awoist his natural leanings was with his kith and kin in IPP. AG only provided the thuggish Adedibu with a job, everyman needs a job hence he being at AG, u have to bear in mind that Adedibu was not the most educated of men and having a job being a party chairman is big deal for a stark illetrate.

Adedibu was introduced to politics during the pre-independence period by Ibadan politician, Samuel Lanlehin. During the Western regional crisis of the 1960s, he was arraigned on allegations bordering on thuggery along with his friend Lamidi Alasaro. IPP later became NCNC NNDP which Akintola formed carrying all founding member's of Ibadan Peoples party with them.

The Ibadan Peoples Party (IPP) was established on June 15, 1951, by a group of eminent Ibadan indigenes who opposed the politics of tribalism and personality, which held sway in the Yorùbá dominated Western Region, Nigeria in the 1950s. Its founding chairman was Chief Augustus Akinloye, and the other founders were; Chief Adegoke Adelabu, Chief Kola Balogun, Chief T.O.S Benson, Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya and Chief H.O. Davies. The other leaders of the IPP were: Chief S. A. Akinyemi, Chief S. O. Lanlehin, Chief Moyo Aboderin, Chief Samuel Lana, HRH Chief D. T. Akinbiyi, Chief S. Ajunwon, Chief S. Aderonmu, Chief R. S. Baoku, Chief Akin Allen and Chief Akinniyi Olunloyo

How you managed to associate Adedibu with Akintola is ingenious

Akintola's NNDP later became NPN and PDP subsequently, and what happened to our man Adedibu he naturally flowed with his mentorer's co-patriot into first NPN and later PDP that is the link between Akintola and Adedibu.

Adedibu was an Action Group member and I am not sure he joined the NNDP which Akintola founded. How you now managed to link Akala also with Akintola deserves a nobel prize in conspiracy theories


He did not join NNDP because he had a job, would a man who did not go to school jettison a cushy job as chairman of AG in Ibadan to being a bit and small time player in a smaller party of IPP which later became NCNC WHICH later became NNDP, I doubt it. Akala is a by-product of his God father, his God father had very strong affirnity with NNDP through his mentorer Chief SO Lanlehin, that link filters down to Akala.


For Gods sake tell us how Akala and Akintola are related

I have already told you.

Really. . . . are you Yoruba?

BTW, did you mean a 'rare' wild animal? And what is so difficult in catching a wild animal?

Is there a specific animal that must be caught?

[size=14pt]There is a specific animal and it is rear, of course I am Yoruba, the moral of the story is some part of this rare animal would be put on the crown of the king. It is like someone telling you to kill a life goat or Chicken as supposed to bringing goat and chicken parts u pick up from the super-market to make some sacrifice but on this occassion it is a rare animal.[/size]

I dont get this thread. is it meant to inform, explain, entertain or ridicule the Yoruba culture?


Where were they supposed to lived?

[size=14pt]This thread is about the intricacies in the coronation process and those towns and villages who have not embraced the western coronation method entirely. This town are following the procession of crowning an oba to the letter. This is a very rear event in today's culture and should be commended.

It is just like the masai warriors in Kenyan, b4 a masai can be regarded as a man he must kill a lion with a spear at the age of 12.

I am not sure whether this customs is still observed today.[/size]

[size=14pt]Akintola factor breed the seed of discontent in Yorubaland. The last thuggish brigand in that motley crew of professional election riggers and creator of fear in the populace was the famous Adedibu of late, the death of Adedibu was the final blow of a secessionist group who don't believe in conformity and are almost always in alley with the Hausa / Fulani.

Unfortunately the man that made use of the last remininant of these political machinery in gaining political relevance today is Alao Akala. But with the death of Adedibu,  Akala has renegade from the Akintola school of thought and thrown his support behind Jonathan. It is this formidable political machinery that IBB was banking on in launching his campaign in Ibadan but since the Governor of the day is not in support of his candidacy it will be a tall order for IBB despite  Akala's differences with the Alaafin and the Olubadan, clearly just doing the maths I do not see how Akala is going to win the election come 2011, but don't be suprised Akala has learnt from the Akintola school of thought where the boldest man carries the day.

I must be cautious about hastily concluding on Akala turning his back on this formidable political machinery, one thing I do know and I can swear on is Oyo state is one state I know that elections would be be rigged come rain OR sunshine in 2011 that is because Akala has turned the Akintola bravado into his own advantage, his annoucement earlier this week that there is no opposition in Oyo State and that he would sweep the poll is a coded message to Jonthan that he has  the wearweathal to pull a victory from the jaws of defeat provided the presidency provides all the necessary logistics , just the way OBJ used to do it,  backing  Adedibu up to the hilt.

I am afraid Akintola's legacy is one legacy we Yoruba's can do without.[/size]

[size=14pt]But ladies and gentlemen which animal be "Ekinrin" let's help this oba from his travails[/size].

A leader should not attain office if he can't show himself capable, he needs to be disciplined, show he can understand the reality of his lowly, less privileged followers. and be ready to obey laid down rules

[size=14pt]That is the way it was done in the good old days when Kings lead their men to battle not the IBB's and abacha's of this world who because they have the key to the armoury hold the nation to ransome. These gentlemen still owe Nigeria an apology more especially IBB for his mutinious behaiviour if anything.[/size]

[size=14pt]It would take a Governor a lot of docking and diving to make $1.7 million dollars easily, even if he manages to pull it trough, the hanger-ON's and facilitators would have to be settled and their big gobs quiten with sweetners from time to time. Meanwhile as a Senator one is entitled to a handsome salary of guranteed $1.7 million dollars a year, which u don't have to share with some unscrupulous men and women, it is your's and your misses to spend as u wish.

No wonder why a lebanese National who had plans of representating Kano State is aggreived accusing Nigerians of racism, even if I where a white English man I would'nt want to miss out on this senatorial largesse for anything the returns is better than some lottery takings.

I know which one I would take giving the choice between a Governor and a Senator in Nigeria, a Senator also has the added advantage and legal backing of our constitution to run a countless times  as long as he / she wins elections.[/size]

[size=14pt]No wonder Mr Governor is running for this office, would Mr Incumbent give up his seat without a fight, well,  we shall wait and see.  [/size]

[size=14pt]There are more yorubas excluded from the school system in year 2010 than in 1964, by 2020 all hell would have broken loose in what remains of this geographical expression.[/size]