Mixed reactions trail Lagos Assembly’s moves to reverse land, business ownership laws

Moves by the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) to indigenize legislation aimed at protecting interests of indigenes of the state, including land and business ownership laws, have received mixed reactions.

While some residents have hailed the move as long overdue, others described it as a blessing in disguise, without going into details.

The Lagos Assembly explained, Wednesday, that the decision by the House follows fallout from the just-concluded 2023 General Elections, where non-indigenes had claimed that the state was and-man’s land.

However, the move has also riled up a section of the Lagos populace who questioned the authenticity of origin of some of the lawmakers at the State Assembly proposing the legislation.

Speaker of LAHA, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa had disclosed, Tuesday that the House would pass laws to safeguard Yoruba indigenes in the state.

Obasa said the 10th Assembly’s legislative agenda would include laws and resolutions in the areas of economy and commerce, property and titles, and reversal of ‘all that is reversible to protect the interest of the indigenes.’

This is also as he hinted at some of the controversies in the build-up to the 2023 elections, including the argument that non-indigenes wanted to take over the state, declared that Lagos is a Yoruba land.

“Lagos is Yorùbá land as against the assertions of some people that it is a no man’s land.

“Therefore, part of our legislative agenda is to ensure the translation of laws passed by this House to the Yoruba language.

“We also aim at achieving our collective goals of creating a robust legislative framework that protects the interest of our people.

“Going forward in this wise, we are going to employ all legislative instruments for the support of the indigenes of Lagos.

“There would be laws and resolutions in the areas of economy and commerce, property and titles and we will reverse all that are reversible to protect the interest of the indigenes,” Obasa said in his acceptance speech after he was unanimously re-elected as speaker of the Lagos Assembly.

Obasa, was re-elected speaker of the assembly for a third consecutive term.

However, some residents have responded with condemnations against the proposed move to indigenize land ownership in the state, as they described the lawmakers as ‘charlatans and usurpers contemplating a law that will infringe on the right to own property guaranteed by the Constitution.’

This is even as many others commended the lawmakers for the move which they described as ‘long overdue.’

Following are some of the comments captured by Oracle Today from Twitter handles of participants:

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (@GRVlagos) wrote:

The speaker of the house announced his intention to make laws to protect indigenes. ” They will reverse the reversible ” I believe that the time for this ethnic dog whistling must come to an end. With an election that ripped our social fabric, it is time for healing. #ourlagos

We expect policy that compensates Indigenes for lands seized by government, education bursaries, and inclusion of an independent traditional institution in governance. Not threats to property rights enshrined in the constitution.

Babatunde Gbadamosi (@BOGbadams) wrote:

Let it be known that NONE of the CHARLATAN usurpers in the Lagos State House of Assembly, currently contemplating a law that will infringe on the right to own property guaranteed by the Constitution is a bonafide indigenous Lagosian.

As I once told Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2003, on the Monday after Saheed Elegushi’s wedding at LTV 8, Land is not our “crude oil” in Lagos State. Trade is. The value of our land is directly traceable to the ability of people from around the world to set up shop, trade and prosper in Lagos.

No true indigene of Lagos will contemplate such a law, as it will actually affect us negatively, through an exodus that will devalue our properties.

The charlatans proposing it are non-indigenes that have consistently rigged, murdered and maimed their way into power since 1999 and have held the Indigenes hostage since then.

If anyone was ever in doubt, the Governorship and House if Assembly Elections if March 18, 2023, along with the 5 murders, 28 maimings and 4 blindings of people who voted against the APC cleared those doubts sufficiently. Tinubu and his gang have NEVER won an election in Lagos State

It has always been snatched, grabbed and spirited away by gangsters, crooks and murderers, some even flown in from abroad!

I pray the judiciary finally find their liver and put a stop to this impunity, or any hope of a decent government is gone from Nigeria PERMANENTLY.

Akin Olaoye (@akintollgate) wrote:

Ironic how lawmakers who can’t show you their ancestral homes in Lagos want to pass a bill that favors indigenes. Most of them are transplants from Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara and even as far as Delta State with biographies that say “Born in Lagos or raised in Lagos”.

I too was born in Lagos, St Nicholas hospital to be very precise! This is a beautiful state rich in diversity & opportunities and such divisive attempts by the House of Assembly will scare away investors & set this state backwards.

Lazy politicians who do not know how to campaign & win the hearts of voters based on policy issues, shouldn’t ruin its progress.

Rinu Oduala (@SavvyRinu) wrote:

Lagos lawmakers are proposing a bill to ensure non-Lagosians don’t own property or businesses in Lagos.

But they & their family members live & own properties in other countries on other continents.

Kunle wey dey ‘face me face you’ sef dey support. It’s the irony of it for me.

Chief JiGBIN-JiGBIN (@kolajeje) wrote:

It is what’s happening in other states/regions.Of course people frm other region can move anywhere within the country to live BUT dragging ownership of that region with indigenous owners is unacceptable .If ENUGU,PH.KANO or MAIDUGURI is not consider a “no man’s land”why is LAGOS?

Mshelia (@felixmshelia1) wrote:

I hope if this happen in other state, we will all accept it as it is

Alabi Adebayo (@Alabi2adebayo) wrote:

Employments and political appointments should also  be looked into.

ruthy baby (@BoseAkpata) wrote:

Best law. God bless the lawmakers

‘Deji Abiri (@DejiAbiri) wrote:

What happens to those who don’t “think in Yoruba”?

Ekedon123 (@ekedon123) wrote:

This is move to divide this country I love it one

Babasola Aanu (@AanuBabalola) wrote:

Yes and at least, normalcy will hold to their thought…

Macking (@max_kings6) wrote:

He who laughs last ….

Lagos shd continue ooo

haruna Hassan (@HarunaHassan_) wrote:

See what happens when you throw rocks in a glass house, after claiming lagos as no-man’s land you think the custodians would forget?

DL (@iamDareLawanson) wrote:

Long overdue. Since 1953. It’s better late than never.

Aderemi (@reminifemi) wrote:

Me: Lagos State House of assembly should expedite action in passing the law ASAP.

Infact its long overdue.

We all saw what happened in Abuja by those miscreants, only to be checked by the judge. Abuja has real indegines and not fake ones.

Akwla (@AnyasoOkwudiri) wrote:

I love this …nah now other regions go invest back home..but as for the Yorubas in south or east region…ur name nah sorry too

Kay (@kamil_rufai) wrote:

Better. This will make other people develop their own states. Let the development spread across Nigeria.

Celestine Chidi (@CelestineChid14) wrote:

God works in mysterious way

Aliyu Nakordi (NAKORDI001) wrote:

Long over due

Babatunde Gbadamosi (BOGbadams) wrote:

Only an ọmọ-àlè, àtọ̀nhúnrìnwá, ojúòrọ́lárí would come up with such a stupid and insane law. Many current members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, including the gbéwiri speaker, are in the aforesaid category.

They dispossess the Indigenes of their lands and the right to rule themselves, then turn around to claim that they’re fighting for the same Indigenes. Ọkàn gbogbo yín ò mà dẹ̀ ní balẹ̀.