It was yet another baptism of fire for the six Council Chairmen in Ikorodu Division on Saturday, September 10, 2022, at the presentation of cheques to the beneficiaries of the IDPIL scholarship and bursary awards, as they were openly castigated for their opposition to the Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited/GTE (IDPIL/GTE), a security architecture put in place by traditional rulers and other stakeholders to enhance security across the division.
While the initiative has since been widely commended by residents for its positive impacts on various sectors in the division, the council Chairmen, in contrary, have continued to distance themselves from the initiative and have persistently refused overtures from the group to carry them along in their programmes.
One of the grievances of the Chairmen was that they were not duely carried along in the establishment of the security initiative as the chief security officers of their respective councils, a claim that had since been dispelled by members of the group, who said that the council bosses refused invitations to their programmes.
To underscore their opposition to the initiative, the council administrators had, on the eve of the IDPIL’s equipment launch last year, called a press conference at the Ikorodu Local Government Secretariat, to prohibit what they termed, “operation of security organisations and vigilance groups that are not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the six Councils”.
They also assured that they were working towards the establishment of the Ikorodu Division Security Trust Fund which many saw as direct opposition to the establishment of the Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited/GTE (IDPIL/GTE).
Meanwhile, in what could be described as a fruitless effort by Hon. Sesan Daini, the Chairman of Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area, to further defend their reason for opposing the security initiative, while speaking on behalf of his other five colleagues at the presentation ceremony, the council Chairmen were subjected to criticism by the gathering.
In his address, Hon. Daini quoted Section 14 (1) sub sections a, b and c, of the Nigerian Constitution to state that IDPIL is operating unconstitutionally in venturing into security matter without the approval of the Council Chairmen in Ikorodu Division.
He said that security matters are the preserve of the Federal, State and the Local Governments.
“I want to make this clear that the six council chairmen in Ikorodu Divisions are here except Motunrayo Alogba, the Chairman of Ijede LCDA whose father in-law is celebrating his 90th birthday today, but she’s here with us in spirit. I want to say that all the council chairmen appreciate (IDPIL’s efforts in educational and security developments; we commend the organizers of this laudable initiative”, he said in 19 appreciation of the IDPIL’s educational intervention.
“We also want to pass this message across that for some people that believe that we have issues with the Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative, we don’t. We are elected representatives of all of you and what we are doing is to make sure that things are done right.
“On education and all other projects that you (IDPIL) are engaging in, we are ready to support. It is because we are supporting this, that is why we are here.
“But there is something that I will state clearly on behalf of all of my colleagues, that on security matters, we stand on our position, that the Section 14 (1) sub sections a, b and c, of the Nigerian Constitution is clear about it, that the security and the welfare of the people shall be sole responsibility of the government”, Daini quoted.
“When we talk about the government, it is the federal, state and the local (governments). So, anybody who intends to share that responsibility with us or support us is welcome, but (it must be) with our involvement; full clarity and understanding”, he stated emphatically.
He said that anyone or group that fails to get the approval of the Council before intervening in security matters will be working against the constitution which amounted to running a parallel government.
“Whosoever that does not take that in helping us, we would take it as running a parallel government in exhibiting our constitutional responsibilities. Any other thing that they are doing in the community, we stand with it; we support it and we will put in our best to support it. Thank you very much”, he declared on behalf of other Council Chairmen.
But in a swift brief reaction, High Chief Adewunmi Ogunsanya, SAN, the Odofin of Ikorodu Kingdom and Chairman of IDPIL, said that the group did everything to carry along the Council Chairmen but that they refused to be part of it.
He also revealed that IDPIL/GTE is a registered body and that they sought the approval of the Lagos State Government in establishing the security architecture for Ikorodu Division and were granted the approval.
“The Governor of Lagos State gave us the approval that we should go ahead to form and do what we intend to do. The Government of Lagos State is the superior body to the Local Government and we seek and obtain consent from Governor Sanwo-Olu to embark upon what we embarked upon. We are not lawless people”.
In his own reaction, Oba Kabiru Shotobi said that IDPIL has not in any way contravene the law and that it is out of place for the Chairmen to take such a stance against the community initiative.
“On behalf of the entire royal fathers in Ikorodu Division, we want to say a big thank you to you, Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya, SAN. We thank you greatly for your efforts. We are not here to mix the purpose of what we are doing here today and also we are not going to confront anybody. We are all learned and know what we are doing. We will not trespass against the law, so it is not for somebody to come and tell us what is not”, the royal father said.
“We thank God that it is the community that we are serving that elected some people into a position of authority which is for stipulated time, but royal fathers and traditional chiefs are permanent authority. They don’t go on transfer unlike those elected that have limited time. You will serve your term and leave, but the community will succeed you”.
Oba Shotobi equally blamed the removal of royal father’s constitutional power as reasons why the Council Chairmen have the effrontery to question an initiative which has their backing and was designed in the interest of the community.
“People always take their issue to palaces and not to any Chairman’s or DG house. We are the ones that they always faced with everything and not Chairmen. It is not their fault; it is because they have eroded the functions of traditional rulers in the government setting. We would tolerate and absorb them because they are our children. We will educate them and continue to put them through the light”, Oba Shotobi added.
“We got the approval of the governor before we started all these things and we cannot shy away from our responsibilities. It’s our commitment to our community and our future”.
In the same vein, Oba Ajibade Bakare Agoro, FCA, the Ranodu of Imota, while also reacting to the Council Chairmen’s claim, said that there is no law without limitation.
He declared that the entire royal fathers in the division are in support of the intervention of the IDPIL in the security matters in the division.
“All the royal fathers have resolved that we don’t want to hear about the bickering over whose responsibility it is to handle security matters in Ikorodu”, Ranodu said.
“I am not a lawyer, but by the grace of God Almighty, I am a Chartered Accountant and in the law courses that I undertook, we were told that there is no law without exception”, he added.
“What the local government chairmen’s representative quoted is right, but in interpreting that portion of the constitution, it is only when we are secured and at peace that we can have good governance. We are in Ikorodu Division and we are at peace.
“We are here today to honour one of us who made his money by the grace of the Almighty God and felt that he must give back to the system without troubling from anybody and that is Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya”.
While acknowledging the concern of the Council Chairmen, Oba Agoro further reiterated that the royal fathers are fully involved in the security architecture for the Division and that they must stop protesting against it forthwith.
“Local government chairmen should be aware that elders have intervened and are involved. We must not hear any further protest henceforth. It is important that we encourage the person doing this for us and others that will be willing to support us”, Ranodu said.
“This bickering has to stop right now so that we don’t discourage our own, Ogunsanya. We must acknowledge who is doing it. There are many others that are richer than him in Ikorodu, but how many of them are using their resources for the development of the division?”, Ranodu asked rhetorically.
“You Chairmen only stated the law, but we, as leaders and community, have resolved the issue internally and you must accept our position. We are still going to call all of you to around table talk but henceforth, we must not hear about the bickering again”.
Also, Oba Semiudeen Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, also speaking on the issue, thanked Ranodu for his intervention which he said he was completely aligned with.
The former lawyer and senior State Counsel, pointed to the lack of constitutional power for the royal fathers as the bane of the country.
“Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya, is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and I wholeheartedly aligned with that. In addition, he is a core traditional man. In Ikorodu, he is the Odofin of Ikorodu and honorarily, he is the Baba Oba (King’s father) in Igbogbo. I salute you”, Adeboruwa said.
“I am stating all these as a prelude to my position on the roles and responsibilities of our royal fathers in Nigeria which has been unfortunately relegated. In actual fact, religious leaders are now supporting us, stating that the striping of royal fathers of constitutional powers has reversed many things.
“Ranodu, in the course of his submission, said something that is very important, that when he was a Chartered Accountant, he did some law courses and I stand by his position and I plead that we must support the brain behind this laudable initiative. He is not just a Senior Advocate of Nigeria but a Chartered Arbitrator. He is a man that mediates and finds solutions to issues.
“He is not shying away from his responsibility and I want us all to support him and we must sheath our swords and move the division forward. The representative of the Scholarship Board said something the other time about what is happening and I am elated. Something that has never happened in any other division is happening in Ikorodu Division, and we must all be proud of it”, the royal said.
More so, other notable dignitaries and residents that also spoke at the event, equally condemned the council Chairmen’s stance against the divisional security initiative.