De Renaissance Patriots has warned the spokesperson of the Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Seye Oladejo, and a certain ‘faceless’ elder, against dragging it into political controversy with the party.
It said it is a father-figure body with its sons and daughters scattered across all registered Nigerian political parties present in Lagos State and that it is only interested in having indigenes of the IBILE Eko nominated as candidates and voted for all elective positions across parties.
De Renaissance Patriots Foundation is a socio-cultural organization established to lead a better state for the indigenes of Lagos state.
The De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, in a statement by its Media Team, made available to ASHENEWS on Saturday, said it has never stood against any political party, especially since the APC is also a party for Lagos indigenes.
It said Oladejo, a non-indigene from Ibadan, Oyo State, and the faceless elder holding positions in the Lagos APC, who have been trying to open political debates with it, should do that with fellow political parties where Lagos also has its sons and daughters and not to drag the apolitical organization into their non-indigenous or disruptive politics.
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The group, at a meeting in Ajah on Friday 5th April 2024, was reacting to a Daily Trust report titled, “APC tackles group as the debate on Lagos governors’ indigeneship resurfaces”.
The media report threw caution overboard and decided to join the party into an unproductive fray. The obvious demands of owners of Lagos State for upped representation in their state must never be a generalized issue. It is important enough for every well-meaning party to take cognizance of.
According to the Patriots, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been accused of giving little or no consideration to the state of origin or ethnic affinity of the candidates it put forward for federal, state, and local government elections.
“We will not give a thought to what had happened in the past but caution and request a diversion from a situation where indigenes are asked to play the second fiddle irrespective of all parties in the state
“As advocates for indigenous rights, we know that there are identifiable components of who an indigene of Lagos State is, except the mischief makers in APC, who are feeding fat on the unfairness in the issue under discussion, pretend not to know.
“As indigenes, we know ourselves. We know that while city-states like Ibadan, Abeokuta, Oyo Atiba, Oshogbo, and so many other Yoruba states were trying to find their bearing, most of our city-states in IBILE Eko were already decided communities with traditions and culture.
“Therefore, if these people can claim indigeneship in their respective places, it is foolish for any person to ask such ignorant and naught questions, especially people linked to a party in the state. We demand sanctions on Oladejo and faceless elders who must be identified otherwise, we will hold the party responsible for this intransigence and duly inform our people. We can no longer be fooled.
“Lagos State was never barren even before Nigeria was created. It helps those stupid people to avail themselves of our histories before making such assertions. We know that they know the truth and the unfriendly question asked is only being done to deepen the marginalization and deprivation of the constitutionally recognized owners.
“We have no issue with the freedom Daily Trust enjoys, which is constitutionally recognized. Our only prayer is that they will use this freedom for fairness and to aid humanity to free people from the shackles of oppression. Quoting faceless leaders is an unfortunate tactic. It allows unscrupulous people the opportunity to manipulate the system.
“Well-versed and intelligent will understand what historians term as ‘the origin of origins’. There is hardly a state, a people, or a community that has not gone through this process. If that naughty elder needs tutoring, we will oblige him on that request and we will further advise him to learn more about nation-building in Yoruba Land.
“Take the mystics out, Oduduwa has an origin, one that is yet to be fully chatted with Ife people. No matter what, if the Constitution guarantees indigenes, so be it. A mo ra wa o.
“As a socio-cultural group, we are very clear in our demand. We say Lagos State was created a state in 1967 to bring governance closer to the people of the state and allow indigenes the opportunity to develop themselves and their state, not to have their patrimony carted away. We reiterate that we have been a country as a Lagos colony before Nigeria became a country. We have records.
“We have lived peacefully with each other (both indigenes and residents) as Nigerian citizens and would warn APC not to cause chaos in the state by the unguarded statements of some of their operatives. All we pray for at this moment is for the indigenes to unite and demand their rights. This is the time for our people to take back their state and all political parties are on notice.
“By implication, this APC has finally admitted he does not believe there are owners of the land of Lagos but all along lying against the Igbo, blaming the Igbo wrongfully for saying “Lagos is no man’s land?” We are not on an all-out war against any ethnic group. All we demand is our right to govern ourselves,” the Patriots stated.
