Fashola Apologises To Igbos Over Deportation Saga

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The anger expressed by many Igbos and other well-meaning Nigerians over the deportation of 72 Igbos from Lagos State to Onitsha, Anambra State, at the dead of night by officials of Lagos State government is highly justified. Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, who could no longer bear the illegal and forceful removal of some Nigerians from their state of domicile to their assumed state of origin, has taken the matter to the presidency stressing that Fashola’s action is a violation of the rights of these citizens to reside in any part of the country as guaranteed in the extant 1999 Constitution.


Similarly, prominent Igbo leaders and groups have equally condemned the action and demanded an unreserved apology from Ikeja. Factional leader of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Frederick Fasehun, and human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, have also lampooned Fashola for taking such action.

They even called for the prosecution of the state government over the illegality and impunity directed at the poor from a section of the country. Lagos PDP is angry that the ACN-led government can inflict such injury on fellow Nigerian citizens.

This is the second time that officials of Lagos State’s Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) will be visiting such inhumanity to people from the South-East. A similar incident was carried out September last year at the same ungodly hour and in the same circumstances when 100 people of South-East origin were dumped at Upper Iweka, Onitsha. Later checks by Anambra State government revealed that most of the victims were not from the state.

There is no doubt that the recent 72 people deported from Lagos might not be indigenes of Anambra State. For the sake of clarity, the South-East has five states. Indigenes from these states should not be treated as if all of them are from Anambra State as Lagos action has suggested. This oversight must have infuriated Awka the more and probably led to the governor bringing the matter to the presidency.

No matter what some people might be saying to the contrary to justify a bad job Lagos has executed, it is my considered opinion that the action is bad in all its ramifications. It does not really matter whether Lagos has deported people from other tribes including the Yorubas and Hausas.

If the provisions of the 1999 Constitution are anything to go by, nobody, no state governor has the right and power to deport Nigerian citizens from their state of abode. Every citizen including beggars should be taken care of by the government and not be deported because somebody wants to make a mega city out of Lagos.

Making Lagos a mega city does not mean that beggars will be banished from the state. The menace of ‘area boys and agberos’ are more inimical to making Lagos a mega city than the presence of beggars.

Those in Alausa should not lose sight of the fact that Lagos is not only a state in Nigeria, but also a former federal capital of Nigeria and now its economic capital. The special status of Lagos makes it a common heritage of all Nigerians because Lagos was built with Nigeria’s money. Lagos is a miniature Nigeria.

Virtually all segments of Nigerian society are represented in Lagos and they contribute to its economic well-being. It is expected that because of its peculiar status, Lagos must host other Nigerians including the beggars. As noted in the scriptures, the poor will always be with us till the end of time. What government owes them is care and not deportation. Any anti-poor policy is hereby decried.

The hypocrisy of Fashola’s action is that Hausa beggars are still at Ebutte-Meta in Oyingbo and Alaba Rago in Ojo. Some Yoruba beggars are also lurking around. Throughout the eight years that Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu was in power, such illegality was not witnessed.

I do not think that Fashola and co factored very well the implication of their action for a united Nigeria and the handshake across the Niger. All the states of the federation depend on crude oil revenue produced mainly from the Niger Delta. Therefore there is the need to exhibit fellow feelings among all Nigerians irrespective of ethnic and religious divides.

Whatever is the case, I believe that Fashola can still retrace his steps and offer apologies to those affected and compensate them for the ill-treatment. He should also promise that such impunity should not rear its ugly head again. Deportation whether in Lagos, Umuahia, Kano or Port Harcourt is illegal and stands condemned.

However, I do not share the sentiment that Fashola’s government is anti-Igbo. Such utterances might be due to anger over the deportation saga. I still believe that the bond between the two tribes, Igbo and Yoruba, is still strong despite occasional friction. Lots of marriages have taken place among the duo over the years.

Lagos, as a ‘big brother’ host should continue to care for other Nigerians as it cares for its own. That is how this house called one Nigeria, can be built and sustained. After all, we all are Lagosians, including indigenous and migrant population. Who indeed is the real Lagosian?

Let no tribe act as if it is monolithic. There are many Yorubas and Hausas in Igbo land just as there are many Igbos in Yoruba and Hausa land. All Nigerians should learn how to live together as citizens of one country. Our diversity should be a blessing rather than a curse.

To the Igbo leaders and the politicians among them, this is time to rebuild Igbo land. Igbos apparently ran away from their domain simply because of failed leadership. The Igbo economy is not as booming as it was during the First Republic.

It is in shambles. There is bad governance all over the country but there are indications that capital flight is high among Igbo states. Let Igbo leaders curtail their greed for materialism and rebuild Igbo economy. Let our leaders leave Lagos and Abuja and relocate to Igbo land.

they ruled recently to serve as example for future leaders. Governments in Igbo land should work for the welfare of their people and not only for their pockets. Igbo politicians should invest in Igbo land. Nobody, except them, should develop Igbo land.

It is a pity that all the economic summits held to fast-track development in the region all ended up at the seminar table. The various governments in the South-East should embark on massive job creation to stem the tide of kidnapping, armed robbery and other vices stalling the socio-economic development of the zone.

Massive Igbo migration to other zones should be halted. The time to arrest the underdevelopment of the region is now. What the region needs now are men of ideas that will translate dreams into reality as Zik and Okpara did. Despotic leaders cannot take the region anywhere near the desired objectives.

Despite some modest attempts by some South-East governors to govern well, we are yet to see the exhibition of exemplary leadership. Igbos never had it as bad as we have from 1999 till date. There is urgent need for paradigm shift. Our leaders should sit up and develop Igbo land.

Source: The Nation Newspaper

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