By Babatunde Kaka & Ronny Ikpoto
Prominent stakeholders in Epe Division have sent a laconic message to the Lagos State House Of Assembly over the recently proposed Lagos State re-delineation bill.
As earlier reported by EKO HOT BLOG, the Lagos Assembly Delineation Bill whose sponsor remains shrouded in anonymity, is a proposal to rejig the five administrative divisions in the state.
In the wake of the proposal, several prominent Lagosians and geographical quarters in Lagos State have come out to stoutly repudiate the proposition by the State House of Assembly to alter the status quo, which they believe would be fraught with serious ramifications to the existing administrative structure of the State.
In a reactionary statement issued during a press conference held at the Epe Club on Saturday, February 27th, 2021, prominent sons and daughters of Epe, political leaders as well as Traditional Rulers all unanimously renounced the proposed re-delineation bill whose implication would lead to a merger between Epe and Eti-Osa as a single administrative division.
They recalled that the historical antecedents and ancestral roots of the Epe people remains at variance with Eti-Osa; hence, the unity and cohesiveness that existed within Epe Division would be fundamentally impinged upon should they be forced into an incongruous merger with Eti-Osa.
The statement reads in part: “The attention of the good people of Epe Division has been drawn to a proposed bill initiated and being debated by the Lagos State House of Assembly, on the intention to redraw and re-delineate the existing age-long five (5) Divisional structure in Lagos State, which particularly, moved Eti-Osa Local Government to Epe Division under the proposed arrangement of the new bill.”
“It is to the consternation of the good people of Epe Division that an important BILL of this nature, that will affect the lives and well-being of people in Epe Division, became a subject of awareness through a voice of dissent and publication on Social Media by the good people of ETI-OSA, rejecting the proposed merger with Epe Division.”
“Curiously, investigation and further inquiries arising there-from revealed that the proposed bill had undergone first and second readings on the floor of the house, same day and a public hearing was being scheduled with a wasp speed. All these actions being taken without proper engagement, communication, consultations and discussions with the good people of Epe Division, who are also important stakeholders in the Lagos State project.”
“The good people of EPE DIVISION, having consulted amongst ourselves, taking views from broad-based stakeholders forum of the eminent Sons and Daughters of Epe Division, REJECT in totality the proposed Re-Delineation bill and the proposed merger of Eti-Osa Local Government with Epe Division. This, we consider would ignite and inflame already settled peaceful co-existence, dating back to almost half a century of unbridled and non-rancorous harmonious relationships amongst the good people of the State.”
Speaking after the press conference, some of the stakeholders who spoke with
EKO HOT BLOG offered insights on why it is socio-politically and socio-culturally wrong to propose a merger between Eti-Osa Local Government and Epe Division.
One of the conveners of the Press Conference, Mr. Akogun Ademola Lawal said:
” It is important for us to maintain our division because our culture and all our values are not the same with any other person. Our traditional relics are everything about Epe tradition, it is not comparable. We took our origin from different backgrounds, how do we come together and be lumped up?”
Former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Jokotola Pelumi in his reaction said it was important for Epe Division to retain it’s position as an Administrative Division in Lagos State.
“Cultural affinities traditional institutions and other factors are the main considerations why the people of Epe said no. I’m sure that the people of Eti-Osa, having realised those considerations also before now said they don’t want to be a part of Epe Division. That was a communique was issued to itemize the reasons”.
Hon. Joko Pelumi noted that if the proposed bill is approved, it will affect the identity of Epe Division in a way that would generate a balkanization of cultures and traditional institutions. Going down history lane, he noted that conflicts often emanate from the point of culture, religion and others as everybody wants to protect their culture and deepest held cosmological persuasions.