"We’ve been here before, it is unfortunate that we have seen Lagos state government treat us as commoners” James Zaphaniah says. He continued “but we know better now, they come in every four years to plead for votes but ignore our existence when they win”For residents of Sagbokoji Island, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, of Lagos state, nothing is particularly special about the 2015 general elections.
The
forthcoming poll serves as another Charade of Campaign Promises and
unachievable plans by the ruling Political party in Lagos, the All
Progressives Congress, APC.
“The
APC government talks about change but deprive us of our rights to
livelihood, I’ve stayed here all my life, ACN as we used to call it, now
APC has abandoned us because we have continued to vote for the PDP,”
Abi Jewel, an Ijaw settler says.
Just
like the story with Makoko, a settlement on the Lagos Lagoon,
forcefully demolished by the state government, which led to the deaths
of many, residents express worry.
“Governor
Fashola kept talking about mega city but the poor is not welcomed to
such a city. Before the general election in 2011, they were in Makoko to
campaign for votes but did you see what they did there? The government
even called us foreigners, miscreants and thives”, Rosemary Magre, an
Ilaje businesswoman in Igbologun tells me.
In
the same vein, the Sagbokoji people have had to go to courts over the
planned sack by the state government, having moved from Idiagbon
community, another settlement sold to the rich and wealthy, says Abi Jewel.
“We
are nomads’ but they come over here for votes when it’s time to woo
electorates, we are waiting for the day of election so we can show those
screaming ‘change’ a slogan that only protects the wealthy Lagosians
but we will go all out to vote and we will see that our votes counts”
Jewel maintained. “We have not forgotten and we cannot forget.”
The
impoverished riverine settlers are right to consider their eviction a
grave injustice. The government appears wholly disinclined to offer any
housing assistance to evicted families.
Mrs Komolafe Ezikiel says
“Fashola and APC do not want us but want our votes, they have moved
against our means of survival by ignoring our existence and pushing for
our eviction”.
“I
am a trader,” she added, “all we have asked for is to be allowed to
settle by the waterside to continue fishing, we do they sack us and now
come for our votes,”
The
micro-economy here survives mostly on fishing and the trade of basic
staples, but that survival according to a fisherman Mr Deji Emerua, in
Ilado, another riverine community in same Amuwo Odofin LGA, cannot be
guaranteed by the APC led government.
A
trip to Sankey Island, another community surrounded by wooden shacks,
the riverine dwellers in strong terms vow to vote out the Fashola led
government that it says has failed to provide the basic amenities for
the people abandoned by the Babatunde Fashola government and successive
governments since 1999. The riverine community is host to over a million
settlera.
“We
have seen them coming here to beg for our votes, someone has informed
us reliably that Fashola asked the court to suspend the case until after
elections, which means he wants our votes for Ambode and APC before
sending his bulldozer to send us parking again for the wealthy to take
over our Land”, the Baale, Ade Ogun,maintained.
“Can’t the poor live in Lagos”? The Baale probes further.
As
I visited Igbologun, another settlement, and spoke with some of the
settlers, I saw – and felt – fear and dashed hopes visibly written on
the peoples’ faces.
“We
have no boats for transportation, we have no healthcare facility, we’ve
had to transport our heavily pregnant women to give birth in places
like Apapa by paddling the boats, most have had to deliver their
children on the high sea” explains Godson Abikwi, a resident said.
This
revealing story represents the the accounts of close to 2 Million
Riverine settlers in Lagos who are yet to witness any form of change
under the APC government and see the Party's promise as failed while
insisting that Charity - must begin from home.
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