Following the announcement of the programme of event for the celebration of Lagos @ 50 by the Planning Committee at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Monday, March 27, 2017, residents of Ikorodu division have alleged marginalization of the division in the announced activities.
Some of the residents, who protested against the programmes through some social media related to Ikorodu division, hinged their reasons on what they described as a blatant non-recognition of important festivals in the division in the lined up for the celebration.
They queried the rationale behind the selection of Epe, Badagry, and Lagos Island for the staging of the boat regatta while Ikorodu division that is equally a riverine area was left out of the event.
The residents also condemned selection of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, an Egba indigene from Abeokuta in Ogun State, for recognition during the celebration while locally made arts icons from Ikorodu division and other parts of the state are not recognised.
According to them, if the celebration is to involve the celebration and recognition of music and art icons, it should be the local music and art icons across the state such as the legend highlife musician, Bobby Benson and Nosiru Atunwon from Ikorodu division and others like Abibu Oluwa, late Fatai Rolling Dollar, Oseni Ejire, Ligali Mukuiba, Salawa Abeni, among others and that Lagos @ 50 should be about the celebration of creation of Lagos State through her five main division known as IBILE (Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe) and not about Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
Moreso, the protesting residents blamed the alleged marginalization on the representatives from the division, whom they accused of not being able to use their good offices to impress it on the committee that Ikorodu division has rich cultural heritages worthy of recognition and showcasing in the celebration.
They further flayed the decision of the state government to replace the late co-chairman of the committee for the celebration, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, an indigene of Ikorodu division, who died last year, with Alhaji Habeeb Fasinro from Lagos Island, instead of picking another person from the division.
Although, Alhaji Fasinro while speaking at the programmes unveiling, had said the lined up activities have been carefully selected to tell the story and journey of Lagos State from 1967 till date, condemnation has continued to trail the perceived marginalization of Ikorodu division in the celebration by its residents.
Meanwhile, in a bid to douse the tension occasioned by the alleged marginalization, some elected and appointed representatives have assured the residents of the division that Ikorodu division is well recognized and represented like other divisions of Lagos State in the activities marking the 50 years anniversary of the state and that the government of Mr. Akiwunmi Ambode has been fair to every part of the state in a bid to ensure even-development.
In her own reaction, Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola, the acting Commissioner for Tourism and Special Adviser on Arts and Culture, said that Lagos @ 50 is all about the achievements of Lagos State since its creation and not about a particular part of division, adding that like other parts, Ikorodu division is well represented in the programmes of activities for the celebration.
She said that beyond the Lagos @ 50 event, which continues till the end of 2017, Ikorodu division is benefitting immensely from the present government going by the budgetary allocations to execute many projects across the division, which she described as unprecedented in the history of the division. The acting Commissioner also added that the division is well represented in the scheme of things in the state.
Her words, “Very soon, a massive shopping mall is coming to Ikorodu and we are going to have a Cinema within it. The government, in a matter of months, would start work on Bola Tinubu/Igbe/Oke-Afa/Ijede road. The reconstruction of Owutu road and building of the divisional stadium in Lagos State Polytechnic are also among other major projects coming to the division.”
Hon. Akinsola also hinted that there is a plan by the present administration to build a befitting government Charlet that can accommodate the Governor and also, where activities of the state could be carried out within Ikorodu division, since according to her, Ikorodu division is the only division in the state that the Governor had never passed the night because there is no official accommodation for him there.
On the activities of the Lagos @ 50 celebration in Ikorodu division, she assured the residents that the division would join three other divisions (Epe, Badagry and Lagos Island) to host the Boat regatta event.
Also, according to her, on May 5, five of the highest box office films and five evergreen films would be screened to local audience in Ikorodu division and other divisions across the state while Lagos carnival would also hold on May 12 and Ikorodu division like other divisions, would host the celebration of social clubs where ten prominent clubs, are expected to gather at a designated venue for social activities.
Hon. Akinsola said the celebration would continue on May 13 with Lagos Carnival/Parade of colours and that the venue for the event in Ikorodu division is Ikorodu Grammar School at Oke Ota-Ona while the grand finale slated for May 27, which coincides with the Children’s Day, will feature a historic Gala Night that would have a rich blend of good music and the best of Lagos Cuisine, photo exhibition and the unveiling of Lagos through the lens of 50 accomplished photographers.
She, however, assured that the activities of the celebration for Ikorodu division is not limited to those mentioned above, as sons and daughters of the division would also be participating in other programmes of the celebration.
While reacting to the alleged exclusion of Ikorodu division from some festivals for the celebration, particularly the Boat regatta, Hon. Akinsola challenged the division on tourism development and the need to design programs for annual celebration.
“It is time for Ikorodu to start developing her tourism potentials and promoting her cultural values if they really want outsiders to appreciate them. Boat regatta is a way of life for the people of Epe, Lagos Island and Badagry and it is easy to identify that with them because they have been celebrating it year in year out. The event always involves some processes like examining the water, ascertaining the competency of the boat rowers, among others.”
She equally explained that while the Ambode administration is desirous of developing tourism potentials across the state through projects such as the Lagos @ 50 celebration, there is need for people to understand that government alone cannot do everything for the masses at once as promotion of cultural values is usually started by the people who owns it and later supported by the government and other bodies after the people might have ensured its promotion and sustenance.
The acting Commissioner added that the present administration, through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, and its agenda and Road Map on Tourism, is doing everything to make Lagos State the number one preferred destination in Africa for people across the globe, and it’s factoring every part of the state including Ikorodu, into this. She also added that the state government is planning quarterly activities to engage creative youths in the state and make them attain their full potentials.
Hon. Akinsola, also in her reaction, thanked Hon. S.O.B. Agunbiade, Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, and his team, Ikorodu Division Rebirth Foundation (IREP), for embarking on cultural and traditional renaissance for the division.
Another notable representative of the division, Hon. Jimi Benson, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, in his own brief reaction, which was made through one of the social media platforms, said that they (elected and appointed representatives from Ikorodu division) are meeting to ensure that Ikorodu division is well represented, and participate fully in the celebration.