…awards monarch, others for community development
Concerned by the huge population of the Aworis in Lagos and not being allowed to govern their state of origin, a major forum advocating for indigenes benefit, the Ikeja Division Empowerment Forum (IDEF), has urged political parties to consider picking their gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 election from among their indigenous Aworis in the state.
IDEF said that the Aworis, who were the largest indigenes in Lagos, cutting across the IBILE divisions (Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, and Epe), have been waiting for the opportunity to rule the state and would be ready to accept the offer in 2027 from the political parties, particularly the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The president of the group, Adejoke Apena, appealed for the position while bestowing awards on Aworis who have distinguished themselves as monarchs, entrepreneurs, politicians, and youths who have excelled in their academics within the Ikeja division of Lagos State.
Apparently, directing his appeal to the APC, considering the party’s status in the state, Apena noted that the ruling party should pick one of the Aworis as its candidate for the next gubernatorial election in the state, saying they will not regret the move.
She said: “We have people who are capable of doing it. We have daughters and sons who are well-read, and some of them are Professors. We have Professor Fagbohun and many others.
“With all these individuals who are Aworis, we know that if any of our sons or daughters gets there, Lagosians will experience more dividends of democracy. We all need to understand the fact that we are indigenes and we are the owners of the land”, she added.
Aside from the governorship seat, she urged that the state government and all institutions in Lagos often consider indigenes of Ikeja division for public offices, admissions, and others across the state.
“For instance, we often hear that the tertiary institutions in Lagos have left 70 percent quota for the indigenes, but these benefits do not come to us; rather, visitors get them.
“To the Lagos state government, what we are just doing is to implore that they should look at our side because most of the positions that should be for us were often given to non-indigenes, and we have indigenes who could perform better. At least from what was displayed here today, it showed that our brothers and sisters can lead this state, and we will be glad if the Ikeja Division is considered for the gubernatorial position”.
Earlier, the Alakesan of Akesan, Oba Nojeemdeen Aberejo, who is the Secretary of traditional rulers in Lagos, stated that the ambition could only be achieved when the entire division remains united and committed to the goal.
Aberejo, who was also bestowed by the group with an award, added that for the Aworis to get their rightful status in Lagos, each Awori man and woman, particularly those in the Ikeja Division, which formed the IBILE, must ensure that they support one another to achieve the desired goals.
“First and foremost, to the Awori, we have to guard against disintegration. It is time for us all to come together and sit at a round table to discuss our differences, so that we can move forward.
“The major challenge of the Aworis is a lack of unity, and that is one major area that we all must work on if we aim to ensure that the Aworis always get whatever they desire in Lagos. Except for that, we may remain where we are after the next election”, the monarch added.
The Vice President, Oludolapo Omotoye, stressed that the award is not just to celebrate their achievements but to further strengthen unity among indigenes of the Ikeja division.
Aside from the monarch, other awardees were Special Adviser to the governor on Central Internal Audit, Dr.Oyeyemi Ayoola, the Chairman of Igando-Ikotun Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lasisi Akinsanya, and his Orile-Agege LCDA chairman, Johnson Babatunde.
Others were: Dr. Aminat Ige, who graduated with the best in mathematics; two female lawyers, Mojisola Owodina and, who graduated with the best grade at the Nigerian Law School; Anisa Ishaq-Balogun, a first-class graduate of Cell Biology from the University of Lagos, and others.
