Oba of Lagos Outburst: Expunge Indigenship From Nigerian Constitution – Saltlove Tells Buhari
The President/Executive Director of Citizens Rights and Empowerment Advocacy Initiative (CREMA Initiative), Comrade Rexkennedy Saltlove, has called for the abolition of indigenship – settler dichotomy from the Nigerian Constitution by the incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari.
He made this call in a statement while reacting to the anti-Ndigbo outburst by the paramount ruler of Lagos State, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, who fanned the ember of tribalism during a courtesy visit by Igbo leaders in the state.
The Oba had said, as captured in audio and video recordings, that he would not beg Ndigbo in Lagos to cast their votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, as he was the owner of Lagos State.
“I’m not ready to beg you. Nobody knew how I picked Ambode. Jimi (Agbaje) is my blood relation and I told him that he never be governor in Lagos for now,” he said.
“The future belongs to God. I am not begging anybody, but what you people cannot do in Onitsha, Aba or anywhere, don’t do it here. If you do what I want, Lagos will continue to be prosperous for you. If you go against my wish, you will perish in the water”, he charged.
Ambode of the APC and Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the two major contenders in the governorship election holding on April 11 across the country.
Last year, Oba Akiolu was the first to endorse the candidature of Ambode before the APC governorship primary, urging Lagos residents to cast their votes for him.
But there were indications that the Igbos resident in Lagos will, like they did in the presidential election, vote massively for the PDP.
The CREMA Initiative’s President noted that the “statement, that threatens an entire nation of the Igbo race, credited to the Oba of Lagos, calls for great concern by everyone who truly crave peace and the unity of this country.
“It is demonic and diabolical and capable of setting this nation ablaze.
“The fear of our corporate existence as a nation was on the precipice during the electioneering period till the counting and collating of the results. But by reason of divine intervention and through grace unequaled in the gene of an African leader, His Excellency, Goodluck Jonathan douses the tension and concede defeat to his opponent.
“The revered traditional institution of the royal fathers that ought not to be partisan is been brought into question today.
“And not just from any person, but from a royal father who was a top ranking police officer and has enjoyed the peace and friendship of this country in all the places he has been posted to where he served.”
According to him, “a man who is better informed on our socio-cultural diversity, and multi-pluralistic ethnicities, LEAVES A LOT TO BE DESERVED.
“The fear and terror anticipated by the citizens of this country and the world at large during the presidential electioneering period who held their breath in deep suspension expected from the political class was dealt a fatal blow, by the politicians through the front man – His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan.
“And then this, from a man who ought to have nothing to gain politically, because he ought not to be a partisan politician. Out of the abundance of heart the man speak, does this man have so much hatred for the Ibo race that such statement could not be tamed to death and silence it needs must be voiced out?”, queried.
He noted that every well meaning Nigerian “who loves the peace and unity of this country (irrespective of tribe) must rise and use their vote come on April 11, 2015 to make a statement that Nigeria belong to all of us and we have equal rights like every other citizen – to vote and be voted for.”
Saltlove maintained that “our collective responsibility as citizens in this country is to put the incoming APC administration at the top to task by ensuring that indigenship be expunged from our constitution.
“And any man no matter how highly or lowly placed should face the firing squad after all we have a retired general – GMB coming to power that is good at it and His excellency Comrade governor- Adam Oshiomhole of Edo state an APC state did signed one death warrant in his tenure.
“Please lets fight for our Nation and keep sharing until our peace and unity is protected for posterity.”, he said.
