‘Lagos not only for the rich’ — grassroots leaders decry harassment of citizens

Community leaders in Lagos have called on political office holders to put an end to the harassment and disenfranchisement of “poor people” in the state.

The grassroots leaders criticised what they described as the rising social costs of the government’s urban renewal policies, saying it has been “catastrophic and sometimes give the impression that Lagos is only for the rich”.

They made their position known after a four-day training programme organised in Badagry by the Community Life Project (CLP), with support from Open Society Initiative of West Africa (OSIWA).

They urged the government to be mindful of the community interests and to carry them along in the formulation and implementation of policies.

“Public officials should not carry on as if the people do not matter. When you formulate policies that exclude the poor people, you are stepping on dangerous path,” said Wole Ipadeola, secretary, National Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Lagos Island branch.

“The harassment on all corners by agents of the government is too much. We now face hell with the running of mechanic villages, trying to get a space to practice our trade is becoming increasingly difficult,”

Yemisi Oshifade, zonal head, National Association of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists (NAHSCO), lamented that godfathers often sell the votes of the communities.

“If you think you can go and complain to people, they’ll tell you they’ve already paid for the votes of your community. How then do you retrieve back your birthright?” she asked.

Francis Onahor, one of the facilitators of the programme, said political patronage was the crux of the problem of underperforming leadership.

“One of the reasons why we have leaders who can’t perform manning our affairs is because of political patronage,” he said.

“When public officials are foisted against the wish of the people, they do not think they need to respond to their demands and aspirations because they are answerable to some political godfather.”

Yomi Olowookere, vice president, Lagos state Barbers, Hairdressers and Cosmotologists Association (LABHCA), said the grassroots leaders need to be more “faithful” and demand more than just the occasional monetary gifts.

“We in the grassroots are not faithful to ourselves, how then can we challenge the godfathers? When they bring money, we are happy that our egbon has come with money,” he said.

Chuks Ojidoh, deputy director, CLP, said the programme’s goal is to promote citizens’ participation in governance.

“There’s nothing esoteric about governance, you have to participate in it for life to be better for you and your children,” he said.

“Once you vote some people into power, you have to ensure that they deliver. If things work well at the local level, things will improve everywhere.”