Eti-Osa Is Being Marginalized In Lagos State - Prof. Adisa
The acting Professor of Sociology at the University of Lagos Prof. Waziri Adisa who doubles as the president of Eti-Osa Heritage Organization has expressed dismay about the deliberate marginalization of Eti-Osa in Lagos state.
Responding to questions from the newshunt, he revealed that Eti-Osa had contributed billions to the coffers of the state in the area of revenue generation, but when it comes to political appointment and social services Eti-Osa is not on the radar.
Excerpts:
Q: What does Eti-Osa Heritage organisation stand for?
A: The organisation is a non-governmental organization that is designed to protect and preserve the cultural Heritage of Eti-Osa right from Ikate to Sangotedo, Okun Mopo, Ajiran, Ajah, Ado, Badore and all other communities because this communities have been in existence for century and we have realized that in recent times, there is a deliberate policy being orchestrated to refer to us as Lekki.
That is a major concern and a serious issue we have been facing in the last two decades. We are not Lekki but Eti-Osa and for us to preserve our cultural identity, we need to establish an organization of intellectuals group.
I am glad to announce to you that we have one of white cap chiefs as our member High Chief Gbadebo. The Olowa of Ajiran and he has been very supportive, we have chartered accountants, Lawyers, academia so the organization is a group of intellectuals.
Q: What has been your accomplishment over the years?
A: We have been able to project the image of Eti-Osa positively, to deconstruct the motion that Eti-Osa is Lekki, while Lekki is after Akodo close to Dangote refinery.
One of the reasons Eti-Osa was refered to as Lekki was due to the fact that, late Awolowo was kept in that axis for a while by the Federal Government and to remember him they rebrand Eti-Osa as Lekki and that is why we have Lekki Scheme I and II but it should have been Eti-Osa scheme I and II.
The 1999 constitution recognized Eti-Osa Local Government but you cannot find Lekki Local Government. Another thing we have done is to constantly engaged the media on issues of ocean surge in 2015, I could recall during the tenure of late Chairman Eti-Osa Heritage Organization, Barrister Sanni Adewale, I was then the Chairman of the Conference Public Lecture of our organization, we stressed the need for government to address climate change and ocean surge.
Some of our communities after the beach like Okun Ajah and Okun Mopo were threaten by this natural disaster, so we want to create an awareness and ensure that government focus more on Eti-Osa.
Some localities in Lagos state use our quota at the Federal and State level.
If we don't have a formidable group we will not be able to make amendments and Eti-Osa had a unique identity and culture and that is what we stand for.
We are not opposed to government, we are in support of government to see us as partners in progress, we have the intellectuals that can contribute greatly towards the development of the state and Eti-Osa.
Q: Chief Gbadebo celebrates one year anniversary, what can you say about his personality?
A: The Olowa of Ajiranland, Chief Gbadebo is a respected Chief in Eti-Osa he is very humble, accommodating and progressive minded personality.
He is one of the leaders of our organization, an exceptional personality with impeccable character, although he is very young but was blessed with wisdom and understanding.
We are glad he is celebrating a year anniversary as the Olowa of Ajiranland and within the short time he spent in office he has been able to bridge the gap between the people so that their voices will be heard.
He is not perfect like Jesus Christ but to a very large extent, he is a reference point, more importantly in the area of community service.
Q: From your own point of view what should be the focus of the Federal and State governments in Eti-Osa?
A: There should be a political inclusiveness, a scholar wrote a book title "why nations failed" The origin of power, poverty and prosperity, in that book they develop a theory they called the theory of inclusiveness and I will like to explain this and relate it to our development in Eti-Osa as regards to what the government should do.
I think the theory simply says that if you want development to be rapid in a place. Leaders must included, the people who will benefit from that development must be included.
In Eti-Osa we have an identity that must be respected but over the years, we have not been politically empowered, we have not been able to produce a deputy governor and governor, if you talk of S.A and Commissioners we have not been able to produce strategic commissioners. Even the people that claimed that they are from Eti-Osa they are not indigenes of Eti-Osa.
When the people are not politically empowered it will lead to underdevelopment, and leaders must add value to the people.
To make the matter worst we don't have a tertiary institution of education, they will tell you we don't have enough land for development, but if the government is ready for any development we will make the land available . Even if it is to fill the ocean, land will be made available.
We cannot ignore the fact that Eti-Osa is the commercial nerve center of Lagos state, if you look at what goes into the centres of the state and federal government in terms of revenue you will find out that Eti-Osa is strategically blessed and it is from this point that the government should ensure that our people are empowered.
In those days they claimed we don't have graduates but today we have medical doctors, accountants, Engineers name it, we have responsible professionals in all walk of life.
Therefore we have qualified hands, if the society is extractive we would only have access to power, but if the society is inclusive the people will be empowered.
