MY TEN KOBO; THE RETURN OF THE LOST SON

In the midst of the din over handcuffs and tribal interpretation of criminal justice, a small but significant event took place in Lagos.

For the first time in forty nine years, and after four years of overcoming mutual suspicions, ego and small mindedness, the governors of Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, the inheritors of the Oodua group, got together and admitted Lagos State, back into the fold.

The governors have, with that singular act, reunites the bulk of the Yoruba nation, Nigeria’s largest ethnic nationality, according to the 2006 census, and hosts of 80% of its economic/industrial/educational/ religious complex, which includes her biggest ports and busiest airport in a giant step towards regional integration.

For the records, in a swift move by the Gowon administration to checkmate the Ojukwu rebellion, it created in 1967, twelve states. Six in the North and six in the South. For most parts it followed the recommendation of pre independent constitutional conferences which had earlier recommended the creation of a middle belt region out of the North, the Midwest region out of the West, and the COR region ( Calabar/Ogoja/Rivers) out of the East.

But once the NPC/NCNC alliance got into Office, they conveniently ignored the demands in their regions but ensured the creation of the Midwest region out of the West.

So, six states, North Western, Kano, and North Eastern states took care of the far North, while Kwara, Benue Plateau and North Central states took care of the middle belt.

In the South, East Central state was created to accommodate the bulk of the Ibo population, while Rivers and South Eastern State was created for the minorities.

In the West, the MidWest region just transformed to a state, while the West was broken into two, Western and Lagos States.

And that was where the schism started.

The Gowon team, in a moment of Machiavellian political manipulation, just took the bulk of the West's industrial, commercial and economic assets, including the Apapa and Ikeja Industrial and Residential Estates, The Ilupeju and Matori Estates, which extended to the present Ladipo and Aswani Markets. the Entire Residential and industrial layouts, from Palmgroove to Maryland, from Ikeja to Gbagada, from Oshodi to Isolo to itire, including the Epe outlays to Lagos State! Assets built and sustained by money from Cocoa and other farm products of the Yoruba people of the West!

To truly appreciate the level of the division, remember that the old Lagos ended at Yaba, by the old clocktower at the yaba bus stop, and at the Mobil petrol station just before sawdust, where Oriental Hotel is now.

So, in essence, if you are domiciled in Mosalashi or at Lekki, and if not for Gowon's intervention, you are definitely enjoying the development that was planned, laid out, begun and paid for by sweat and toil of the people and the government of the West on its own land!

So, today, for some of us who truly believe in regional integration as the neccesary first step in creating a true federation, where people can grow at their own pace, based on their history, culture and values, instead of a one size fits all that is creating more problems that it is solving.

Please take this bowl of virtual kolanuts, as I bow to your omoluabiness, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Ogbeni Adesoji Aregbesola, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Dr. Ayo Fayose and Ogbeni Akin Ambode, for putting aside political and personal differences, to kick start a new beginning in Ile Kootu O jire.

We alone, understand the purpose of OMOLUABI, and by this singular act of putting the interest of the Yoruba nation first, you have automatically become ancestors, who will live forever.

My Ten Kobo.