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Monday, May 04, 2015
Still on the status of Lagos
SIR: Having lived and worked in the city of Lagos for many years and for the better part of my youthful years, I am always nostalgic about Lagos and hence issues pertaining to it. I was enthralled as a young man by its hustle and bustle along with its variety of lively social life. It is a place without inhibitions compared to other cities and with so much freedom that easily makes one forget one‘s hometown. This must be a credit to the accommodating nature of the indigenes.
No doubt outsiders along with the indigenes made profound contributions in making Lagos what it is now. Its development has been impacted upon by the colonialists who chose it as a capital and made immense investments in infrastructure that made it a befitting capital. Its natural endowment as seaport with a huge interior market also made it the destination for international capital; and hence its emergence as West Africa‘s pre-eminent industrial hub. Its subsequent metamorphosis into a megacity came naturally as people within and outside continue to flock into it in droves seeking fortunes. Among the non-natives who are so visible in Lagos are the Igbos and they are probably more in numbers in Lagos than any other place outside the east. This no doubt has led to demographic shifts in places like Ajegunle, Isolo and Ojo.
However, if truth must be told, Lagos remains Yoruba both in origin and present composition. As for the recent ‘jibe‘ on the Igbos attributed to his eminence, the Oba of Lagos, it is unfortunate that most people readily pounced on the Oba without giving even a scant rebuke to the often boorish behaviour of the guests towards the hosts.
No history of Lagos can jettison the roles of such Obas as Kosoko, Dosunmo or Akitoye.The whiteman‘s impact as colonialists during which they lifted up the city can not be easily forgotten. No ethnic group can pride itself as the prime factor in making Lagos progress. What is more; the Ibrus, Dangotes and many of their likes who are non-Igbo have made visible contributions to Lagos and yet have not beaten their chests to the high heavens over their contributions.
Coming to the crux of the matter, it is important to give Ceaser what is Ceaser‘s. While all Nigerians have a stake in Lagos as necessitated by history, that does not eclipse the fact that it has it‘s aborigines. For those of us from up north travelling down to the city, the ubiquity of a particular ethnic group with it‘s distinct culture is easily noticeable particularly as one moves down from Ilorin in Kwara State. If contiguity and propinquity counts, then Lagos has it‘s indigenes and they need acknowledgement by all settlers and visitors alike. While we all have the right to choose where live in one Nigeria, we all must not forget our own corner of the country or succinctly put – our roots.
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