Prominent Lagosians have lashed out at those who refer to Lagos a no man’s land insisting there were settlers there before other people came to join them.
Premium Times reports that they made this comment at an on Lagos History Lecture, held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Wednesday, May 24.
At the event were Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu; former Minister of Works, Femi Okunnu; former Governor of Ogun State, Segun Osoba; and Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Hakeem Danmole; among other speakers.
Mr. Okunnu in his remark said those saying Lagos was a no man’s land exhibited ignorance and while non-indigenes contributed towards the development of the state, it still belonged to some people.
He applauded non-indigenes who contributed to uts development particularly Philip Asiodu and Alison Ayida.
Oba Akiolu said Lagos should nt be referredto as a no man’s land.
He said: “Lagos should not be referred to as no man’s land because our forefathers were the founding fathers of the State.
“And it was after several years that the Europeans came and others.”
On his part, Mr. Danmole said, “Written records insist that Olofin, the leader of the Awori at Iddo divided Lagos among his children. Although many versions exist with regards to the number of children of Olofin. These children established various settlements within the Island and beyond.”
Governor Abbode attributed the greatness of Lagos to its ability to serve as a melting point for people of different culture.
“It is important for us at this epochal gathering to refresh our memory about the beginning; the journey of how the Aworis played an important role in the evolution of what we call Lagos today.
“The same applies to the evolution of the Eko Royalty with the coming of the Bini from present day Edo State and even the momentous role played by the Tappa in the making of our dear State. Our greatness is in our ability to be the melting pot for all cultures and as at today, there is no tribe in Nigeria that is not represented in Lagos. From the Hausa/Fulani to the Igbo to the Kanuri to the Ibibio, the Nupe, the Berom, the Igala and so on and so forth all have spaces to live and live well in our dear State.
“Lagos is not just national in outlook. It is international. The Americans are here; the British are here; South Africans are in their thousands; the Chinese are not in short supply; and the Indians even have a community in Lagos.
“With all sense of modesty, there is no other State like Lagos in Nigeria. Some may say we owe this to the fact that Lagos used to be a Federal Capital Territory.
“But I really do not think so. While that may have contributed to our greatness, we are also a unique people ready to make fellow human-beings from other lands feel home away from home.”
Daily Post reports that Jonathan spoke at the Rivers State 50th year anniversary in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, May 24 where he also emphasized the need for fiscal federalism.
The former president said “this will allow states to assume control of the exploitation of their natural resources and mandate them to pay adequate taxes to the Federal Government.”
”My conviction that fiscal federalism will initiate faster development is borne out of a comparison between the intervention Agencies and the 13 percent derivation.
