By Bilesanmi Abayomi
Members of the Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation have taken to the streets to voice their discontent over the apparent exclusion of Eti-Osa indigenes from the list of nominees for Commissioners and Special Advisers recently sent to the Lagos State House of Assembly by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
In a petition addressed to the Governor and the Lagos State House Assembly, the organization expressed their deep disappointment in the absence of any representatives from their community in the list of 39 nominees.
The letter, signed by President Barrister M. M. A. Sanni and General Secretary Alh. Oloye M.O. Okunmoyinbo, among others, called the omission an “anomaly” and urged Governor Sanwo-Olu to rectify the situation for the sake of “political and constitutional imperative.”
The Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation highlighted the rich history of their indigenous community, spanning over 500 years, and reminded the Governor of the Local Government’s constitutionally recognized status as a crucial part of Lagos State. They expressed concern that despite Eti-Osa’s contributions to the state’s growth and revenue generation, their community continues to be sidelined and marginalized in the State Government’s leadership.
The group recounted past engagements and promises made by Governor Sanwo-Olu, which they claim have not been fulfilled. They lamented that previous meetings aimed at addressing the issue had not yielded any meaningful results. The community members expressed their growing disenchantment and disillusionment as they observe their rightful representation slipping further away.
Furthermore, the Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation pointed out the lack of representation in other significant positions beyond the Executive Council. They accused the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu of not appointing any Eti-Osa indigenes to positions such as Permanent Secretary, Board Chairman or Member, and Head or Member of various state-owned institutions.
The organization strongly criticized the practice of appointing non-indigenes to represent Eti-Osa, stating that the community is home to many competent professionals across various fields. They stressed that such practices infringe upon their constitutional right to participate in governance at both the state and federal levels.
The Eti-Osa Heritage Organisation called on Governor Sanwo-Olu to address the omission of Eti-Osa indigenes from the commissioner list sent to the Lagos State House of Assembly. They requested that the Governor include representatives from the list previously submitted by the community, asserting that doing so would signify a commitment to equity and fairness for all Lagos State indigenes.
The community members expressed their desire not to be treated as mere spectators in their own state and urged Governor Sanwo-Olu to work towards a more inclusive and representative administration.