The people of Imeko Afon Local Government Area, a border outpost of Nigeria with Benin Republic, have sent a poser to Governor Dapo Abiodun to clarify if their area and its people are still considered as part of Ogun State and Nigeria.
At a special press conference called by Ibile Alliance, an amalgamation of pressure groups and community based associations in the local government, to protest continued neglect and apathy allegedly meted out to the area and its people by government , Olakunle Aninkan, their spokesman, decried the complete marginalization of the area by successive governments of Ogun State.
Noting that till now, it has not been this bad, Aninkan pointed out that the total neglect of the area and its people was not only now all encompassing as it is obvious in nill physical and human infrastructures and political representation.
The Ibile Alliance spokesman hinted that this now seemed deliberate as it is continued by successive governments in Ogun State adding that the last time the local government has any representation in the state government was in 2011 during the first tenure of Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
He noted that governance structure of Ogun State in the last seven years has excluded them politically describing the development as a great injustice.
Though the group commended the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for his political dexterity in steering the ship of the state since his assumption of office, it however expressed displeasure over what it termed "some worrisome political and social developments" that keep challenging them to doubt their true indigeneship of the State
"We are deeply worried over the evident shabby treatment the government of Ogun State has been giving to us since the last administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun. For eight years of Amosun's administration, regular preponderance of fictitious media sponsored claims of invisible projects and achievements in our local government rented the air." the group noted.
"Our council was deliberately singled out for marginalization and wickedly neglected for consideration of projects while appointments into the State Executive Council, Special Advisers and Chairmen of boards and parastatals became aberration in the governor's sight." it added.
The group, through its spokesman wondered if the alleged non-representation of Imeko/Afon in the governance of the state by the current and successive governments in the state, was an act of omission or a deliberate act of commission with intent to marginalize when other 19 Local Governments have at least a representative or more in the State Executive Council leaving Imeko-Afon Local Government, since 2015, with zero opportunity to have either a Commissioner or a Special Adviser.
"In this such an imbalance representation in the State Executive Council, how would our interest be protected when issues that affect the State are being discussed? We are very sure that government or Governor would not say that wants of capable and competent hands is our problem." the group queried.
The group added that it saddened the hearts of its members as they continue to wallow in suffering and endangerment of their lives and properties as a result of bad road networks, contributing to the incessant security pervading their land.
"For instance, the Abeokuta-Ayetoro-Imeko road, which is the main artery to our local government and Imeko-Oke-Agbede-Moriwi-Iwoye Road are major link roads that deserve urgent Government attention and priority. We understand these are federal roads as they link the neighbouring country of Republic of Benin"
The group added that towns and villages in two wards of the local government i.e Oke Agbede/Moriwi/Matale and Iwoye/Jabata have been completely cut off from the rest in the local government as the people now access their various towns and villages through Ilara and Republic of Benin i.e Ilara(Nigeria)-Ilikimu-Dinrin-Akpotopku(Benin Republic)-Jabata-Iwoye and then Oke Agbede, adding that bad road network gives flips to insecurity in their land ,subjecting their people to fear of survival.
It also called for the immediate correction of the obvious imbalance in appointment and evident marginalization of Imeko/Afon in the State Executive Council and the urgent declaration of State of emergency on Abeokuta-Ayetoro-Imeko and Imeko-Oke-Agbede-Moriwi-Iwoye Roads to address the untold hardship and incessant insecurity that have bedeviled the people of the area.
Hinting of the possibility of Bakassi repeating itself all over again, the spokesman said Nigeria may lose part of its communities to the Republic of Benin as a result of this perpetual neglect by the federal and Ogun state governments.
Aninkan pointed out that while the federal and state governments have remained insensitive to the plight of the people of Imeko Afon,the republic of Benin has continued to make steady progress in Iwoye, a Nigeria/Benin Republic border town.
He said Benin Republic has extended the erection of electricity poles and construction of about 1.5 kilometre road to Iwoye town, in Nigeria while the Nigerian government has remained deaf, to yearnings and aspirations of its entire citizenry .
Aninkan said Apotoku, the last town of Benin is now so well developed and with basic amenities that Nigerians in Imeko Afon now preferen to live there and abandon Nigeria.
The group's spokesman explained that with the development on ground, the People of the area may have no option than to go with Benin Republic if there is the need for them to choose any country of their choice in case of plebiscite.
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