A former Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State chapter, Peter Anosike, has condemned, in strong terms, the Gestapo style of closure of Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, in particular and the other Igbo-dominated markets in general by the officials of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in cohort with Lagos Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences and Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps.
Speaking in an interview with News Express, Anosike who was also a former Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Southwest geo-political zone, said that from all indications, the threat against Igbo business interests in Lagos state is becoming real, adding that it is high time Igbo began taking their investments to Igbo land, since it is only a tree that would remain where it is even told that it would be hewed down.
In this interview, the veteran journalist and bestselling author recounted some of the bad experiences that Igbos have had about their business and other interests since Bola Ahmed Tinubu was announced as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
He also spoke on other issues.
Excerpt:
How do you see the sudden closure of Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and other Igbo-dominated markets in Lagos State?
“Well, to start with, there is a saying that cleanliness is next to Godliness and a clean environment is a healthy environment, So, I am not against the Lagos State Waste Management Authority and Lagos State Ministry of Environment enforcing their rules against dirty markets. But in doing that, protocols must be observed. You cannot just invade a market as if you are invading an Indian hemp joint with the purpose of catching criminals. These are gentlemen and women who are doing legitimate businesses and contributing immensely to the development of the nation’s economy and also creating massive employments. So, from the bottom of my heart, I want to say that the LAWMA and Lagos Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences, together with Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps came in bad faith. My reason for saying this is because there was no notification of any sort. No letter was written to notify the traders that they were coming to close the market. They just stormed the market as if they were coming to catch criminals. If they have respect for the traders, they would have, first of all, to send a letter to warn them to clean their environment or to pay their environmental or sanitation levies, that is assuming they are owing. These are taxpayers for crying out loud! Responsible men and women who are contributing to the growth of Lagos State. It is only when they fail to comply, that the law would take its course, But that did not happen. So there is an ulterior motive. It goes beyond dirty environment.
What do you think should be the ulterior motive?
Well, you know that during the inauguration of the Lagos State House of Assembly few months ago, the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, made a statement that they would begin to make laws that will favour and promote the interest of the indigenes and also reverse all the reversible. An African proverb has it that if a witch cried in the night and in the morning a baby dies, the witch would be held responsible. Since he made that statement, a lot of bad things have been happening to the business and properties of non-indigenes in the state. We have seen many estates that have been demolished. We all saw what happened in Alaba International Market with regard to the structures that were demolished. Ladipo market was shut down for more than 10 days and I heard the outrageous amount that was paid before it was reopened. Now Alaba International Market and Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, the two most Igbo-dominated markets in Lagos State were shut down the same day without any notice. Are you telling me that it was a mere coincidence. Whether somebody likes it or not, a written script is playing out. Again, I heard from the leadership of Lagos International Trade Fair Complex that they are not owing LAWMA, that they have their receipts and evidence to prove that they are not defaulting in payment. So why should you storm their markets in such a manner as if they are bunch of criminals. In case you don’t know, the Gestapo kind of entrance into the complex caused commotion on that day and, as such, one cannot quantify the amount of money that was lost that day. Personally, I see it as victimization of Igbo people and their businesses by Lagos State government.
Do you in any way think that the officials of Lagos State government have been emboldened by the emergence of Tinubu as the president?
You are very correct. The declaration of Bola Tinubu as president by INEC has turned Lagos State government and its agencies to tigers. The same with the touts on the roads. They all now operate like Rambo on the loose. No more decorum. The mentality is, now we are in-charge, and we can do anything and nothing will happen. That was the same mentality the Fulanis were having when Muhammadu Buhari was in power. Their herdsmen were operating like lords of the manor without realizing that power is transient, very ephemeral. Now, it has become the turn of Lagosians to become terminators. But this is very unfortunate. It is not progressive thinking.
But what do you think should be the way out?
The only way out is for the Igbos to start taking their investments to Igbo land. What is happening now is just an introduction to what is to come. As I said earlier, what is playing out is an already written script. There is already a mindset that Igbos in Lagos should be cut to size and the only way to cut them to size is to destroy and frustrate their business and that is what is beginning to happen. Recall that Bayo Onanuga said that after the presidential election, that 2023 would be the last time Igbos would meddle in Lagos politics. Again, the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly declared that they would reverse everything reversible in Lagos State. Just reason the weight as well as the effect of such statements on the officials of the agencies. There is an Igbo adage that says, a child whose father sends on a robbery mission breaks the door with his foot. So, that is what is happening at the moment. They are on the rampage. Caution and decorum have been thrown overboard. However, there is a way out of this mess. The governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, is proposing to build a multi-billion-dollar Industrial City at Ugwuoba, the border town between Enugu and Anambra states, just one kilometer to Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, which would be known as Oji River Industrial City. Oji River Industrial City is a 5,000-hectare of land, which is two times the size of Victoria Island here in Lagos. It will have 150,000 shop spaces, plazas, housing estates, schools, hospitals, recreation centres and a lot of other infrastructures. On completion, it is going to be the biggest trading centre in the whole of Africa. So, it is a place where Igbos in Lagos and every other part of Nigeria should go and invest. It will be like Israelites leaving Egypt to the Promised Land because it would be a place that they would be proud to call their own and do their businesses with peace of mind. Schneider Electric would provide electricity and other renewable energy to the city to ensure round the clock power supply. Zenith and Keystone banks as well as other international finance institutions are already on the ground to finance the construction of the city. So, this is a very big opportunity for every Igbo man to begin to invest in Igbo land.
