The residents of Ajah Community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State have sent a Save-Our-Soul message to the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, over the planned imposition of a traditional ruler on the community.
The concerned residents staged a peaceful protest at the Governor’s Office on Monday, decrying the imposition of the Olumegbon family as the new Ajah traditional ruler.
According to them, for over 300 years, the Baale of Ajah has been ruling the Ajah community, which they said aligns with the culture and tradition of the ancient town.
The residents had earlier, on November 28, staged a peaceful protest at the Lagos State Assembly, seeking intervention.
Expressing the community’s concerns, the General Secretary of Ajah Community, Mr. Kazeem Odunlami, who led hundreds of protesters to the Governor’s Office, said the situation requires urgent intervention from the governor.
Odunlami stated that Ajah residents want Governor Sanwo-Olu to halt the planned imposition to prevent any form of conflict in the community.
He said, “Here today, December 9, 2024, we are here to make our submission and show solidarity with our people in Ajah before our governor, the talk-and-do governor.
“He is never tired. He is not a governor who rests; he works round the clock.
“We pray to Almighty Allah to grant his tenure success and peace in the state because he talks and does what he says.
“We are here to protest and let the governor know about the planned imposition of the Olumegbon family as the traditional ruler in the Ajah community.
“We don’t want the governor to listen to misleading misinformation about the ownership of Ajah.
“We all know that the state government is staunchly committed to the law. The governor supports and believes in the rule of law. That is why Lagos State is treated as the Centre of Excellence.
“In a situation where there is no rule of law, there will be a state of anarchy. When anarchy emerges, there will be no peace.
“We are begging the state government to save our soul from this imposition to avoid communal clashes in the Ajah community. All the families of Ajah say no to the imposition of the Olumegbon family as the ruler of the Ajah Community. Ajah Community seeks peace.”
“Olumegbon has never ruled the Ajah community from time immemorial, and it will not change now! For over 300 years, the Baale of Ajah has been the one ruling the Ajah community, and that is our culture and tradition,” he said.
The General Secretary appealed to the governor to take a bold step and act promptly to save the community from imposition.
He noted that under the state’s customs and traditions, the chieftaincy title of Olumegbon of Lagos was not associated with the rulership of the Ajah community.
Odunlami stated that the only recognised chieftaincy in Ajah since the colonial days was the Baale (Olomodi) of Ajah, adding that the Olumegbon family had no historical or judicial background to become the Oba of Ajah.
Odunlami emphasized that the Ajah community would never accept the rulership of the Olumegbon family, as they had never ruled the land from time immemorial.
The Director of the Office of Political, Legislative, and Civic Engagement, Lagos State, Ayodeji Haruna, urged the protesters to remain calm, assuring them that their request would be brought before the state governor.
Haruna, who represented the governor, said that the matter would be treated promptly.
“I am not the authority in this matter, but I assure you that the issue will not be swept under the carpet. It will be resolved and attended to by the governor.
“In the meantime, we have heard you, and we are happy that you staged a peaceful protest at the State House to seek government intervention. Very soon, the matter will be attended to,” he added.
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then