Eti-Osa indigenes protest nomination of outsiders to take their slot in Sanwo-Olu’s cabinet  

A group, Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation, has protested the marginalization of Eti-Osa Local Government in the appointments made so far by the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

 In a letter addressed to the governor of Lagos which was signed by M. M. A. Sanni, President of the group, Oloye M O Okunmoyinbo, the General Secretary, and others, they said the list of commissioner-nominees presented by Sanwo-Olu to the Lagos State House of Assembly, does not have a single indigene of Eti-Osa in it. Rather, it contains impostors masquerading as sons and daughters of the local government         

“We were shocked by the news that your list of 39 nominees for Commissioners and Special Advisers forwarded to our State Assembly for confirmation did not contain a single indigene of Eti-Osa, notwithstanding that ours is an indigenous community with over 500 years of history and the Local Government constitutionally recognized as a major constituent part of Lagos state,” the letter reads in part.

They noted that as indigenes of Eti-Osa, they observed with great concern that despite “our Community’s contributions to the Revenue generation, Growth, and development of Lagos State, your administration appears to be willful and persistent in excluding and marginalizing the people of Eti-Osa Local Government in the Leadership of the State Government as demonstrated by your patterns of appointments over time.”

Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation said despite their obvious marginalization by the government of Sanwo-Olu, they have not relent in showing commitment to Lagos State and the government at all levels.

“Mr Governor will recall our series of engagements on this issue, as well as your specific promises at the last Stakeholders Meeting held on Sunday 12th February 2023 in Eti-Osa. It is surprising to note however that the meeting like others, has not yielded any fruits in correcting the wrongs of the past. The current situation is definitely worse.

“It is pertinent to categorically state here that apart from the Executive Council, your administration has not appointed any indigene of Eti-Osa Local Government to the position of Permanent Secretary, Board Chairman or Member, Head or Member of Parastatals or Agencies in the Lagos State Ministries, as well as Councils of Universities owned by the State Government.

“Mr Governor may recall that even in the last administration, only one of our indigenes was appointed as Commissioner while so many total strangers were used to fill the Eti-Osa quota in utter contempt and disregard for legal and constitutional principles. This development has sparked feelings of continuous neglect and disillusionment among our people.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Eti-Osa has competent professionals in every field of life. We, therefore, condemn the practice of using impostors, who are non-indigenes, as representatives of Eti-Osa as prevalent till now. Such practice robs us of our constitutional right to participate in governance in the State as well at the Federal level.

“It was in anticipation of this practice of using non indigenes to replace us and the need to redress same that Eti-Osa Leaders of Thought with Eti-Osa Indigenes Forum submitted a list of nominees from among the indigenes to you for consideration. We therefore implore you Mr. Governor to redress the anomaly in this submission to the Lagos State House of Assembly by causing the inclusion of Eti-Osa indigenes from those earlier submitted by our community. By doing so, your administration will send a strong signal of hope for equity and fairness to all the indigenes of Lagos State.

“We do not deserve to be treated as mere onlookers in our State, but remain hopeful that Mr Governor will take our concerns into account and work towards a more balanced and representative administration,” they said.