Third-term speaker of the Lagos parliament, Mudashiru Obasa revealed at the inauguration of the 10th Lagos assembly plans by the legislative arm to ensure the enactment of laws and regulations that will favour Yoruba indigenes in matters of property acquisition and business.
He said plans were underway by the Lagos state House of Assembly to make promulgation that would potentially undermine land and property ownership by non-indigenes.
Prior to his revelation, it is pertinent to point out the fact that the presidential and governorship elections in 2023 pitted Igbos against Yoruba. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the latter’s gubernatorial candidate, was picked out and de-marketed because of his Igbo origin.
Following the March 18 Gubernatorial election, the US released a statement criticising the APC-led suppression of Igbo voting in Lagos and announced new immigration prohibitions on those responsible.
Before we delve into this issue, is there a history to Obasa’s push for this proposed anti-ethnic law? Obasa was the same person who was recorded on live TV saying “The Lagos State House of Assembly will not acknowledge the death of miscreants at the hands of the police force” when calling for the one-minute silence for the victims of the #lekkimassacre and others across Nigeria. The question is, are the so-called Miscreants not citizens of Lagos? Do they not contribute to the economic growth of Lagos? Obasa’s choice of words is quite appalling, to say the least. Were the majority of these miscreants, not youths, demanding the end to SARZ harsh treatments meted out to them for no just reason?
Obasa who Leads the Lagos House of Assembly is now proposing property, business ownership laws that favours indigenes of Lagos? Let’s unpack all of these.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his inaugural speech said
‘As citizens, we declare as one unified people devoted to one unified national cause, that as long as this world exists, Nigeria shall exist. Today, fate and destiny join together to place the torch of human progress in our very hands. We dare not let it slip. We lift high this torch so that it might shine on every household and in every heart that calls itself Nigerian. We hold this beam aloft because it lights our path with compassion, brotherhood and peace. May this great light never be extinguished’
Lastly, how does this new law help fulfil the president’s mission of uniting Nigerians? Obasa is a Tinubu loyalist; shouldn’t he be following the mission of his boss? Nigerians have been through a lot lately, Leaders elected by the people are meant to serve and create an enabling environment for every Nigerian to thrive. Obasa’s proposal is a move towards dividing Nigerians along ethnic lines and I pray to God that Nigerians and citizens of Lagos are smart enough to see through all of Obasa’s antics and quest to wage vengeance against the Igbos and well-meaning citizens of this great country who overwhelmingly supported the Peter Obi movement.
