The Nigerian presidential election has come and gone, but many people are still showing their displeasure about the election, especially those whose candidates lost the election.
In Lagos, a lot of people voted for Labour Party (LP) against the All Progressive Party (APC) because of many reasons.
Aside from ‘angry’ youths who wanted a change of government from those they described as old people to young ones, City People spoke with a sizable number of real estate players, who are of Igbo extraction in Lagos on reason for their anger.
Hear them out: – A popular real estate player, who hails from Imo State, said that in recent time, Lagos State government has been marginaling the Igbo in Lagos. “They have stopped giving us CofO. Maybe they now realise we have become too many in Lagos.
“Apart from this, go to Ibeju-Lekki, where most of us have landed properties and will see the bear-faces hostility. The government wants to cripple us by taking away our land. These are some of the lands we have bought in the past. What they are now saying is that: the land were illegally bought from Omoonile.” We are going through harrowing experience and we are tired of it. Although this also happens to Yoruba players, but it’s most common among the Igbo speaking brothers like us”.
He further said: Now, they are finding a way to finally put a stop to issuing CofO to Igbo real estate players and other related businesses because of politics in the land. “Although, we saw it coming and we are also finding a way to go about it. We know the direction and some of us think we also need to find solution to it. During the presidential election, many of us made it a point of duty to vote for Peter Obi, so that we could show our displeasure. We would also vote against the APC at the gubernatorial election in a few days.”
City People also spoke with another real estate player, who is a Yoruba man and lives at Eti Osa axis. On his part, he was so angry! “Don’t you know that 90 out of 100 real estate players at Eti Osa axis are Igbo? Did you see what they have done in the axis in the last 20 years? The Lagos State government has sold all the land to them because of greed! These guys know how to bribe their way to get what they want and over the years, they have been selling land that shouldn’t have been sold to public. The Lekki Phase 1 that should be a residential area has all been sold to many of them and it’s gradually turning into a commercial centre. Who are the people giving them permission? Are they not the people? Even some of us who mean well and want to do the right thing would not attend to”. Take a look at Lekki Phase 1 to Ajah now, the major developments within that axis are in Igbo” developers’ hands. We are not being tribalistic, but the government should also be careful this thing can work against you.”
During the last presidential election, the people in Eti Osa areas came out enmasse to vote against the APC government and they may likely want to go the same way in the governorship election. Another real estate player, who is from the South East also confided that, many of them had to find a Yoruba man, who could act or pose as the face of the company. “ This is what I did in the past! I had to liaise with some of them at Alausa, using a Yoruba man… I don’t want to reveal too much. Because to get right documents for your land in Lagos now requires a lot. Many of us have to employ a GM or sign on a brand ambassador, who is a Yoruba person”. We want this to stop!! Also the kind of money we pay to Lagos State government as tax is killing us. We pay to perfect our titles. If you are a developers, yours is even worse. They will hit you so bad with all sort of things. The system is frustrating to some of us despite the humongous things we have done in the sector.
“When constructing, you will need a clearance from LASPPPA, LASBCA, LSMTL etc. And it’s a huge amount that we pay to people to get all these done. We feel the system is not being kind to us and they want to frustrate us. And many of us see Lagos as our home. We have no other place to go and we need to do the right thing. We also feel that this the right moment to let them know we are not happy with the Lagos State government.
Lagos State government administers the council areas as Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, Eti-Osa East, and Iru Victoria Island LCDA. Within Eti-Osa Local Council are several important areas of Lagos State, including Lagos Island, Victoria Island. Before the Nigeria’s Capital was moved to Abuja, Eti-Osa Local Government Area alongside Lagos Island Local Government Area served as the seat of the national capital.
The people of Eti-Osa are predominantly Awori Yoruba. However, like most parts of Lagos State, it is currently a home to a diverse ethnicities from all over the country. The population include Hausa, Igbo and other ethnic groups.
There are few industries within Eti-Osa. Most residents work are fishing, farming, and trading. However, being the former nation’s capital, Eti-Osa is home to many large domestic and international businesses. Eti-Osa is a commercial area that has several public and private institutions with banks, hotels, clubs and modern markets where exchange of good and services take place.
Now, this axis has become the hub of the real estate business. It’s become a destination for real estate players and the majority of property developers live on the axis.
-Isaac Abimbade
(08155107955)
