De Renaissance Patriots Foundation has asked the Governor of the state, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, to tarry a while in his plan to relocate people of Adeniji-Adele Housing Scheme on Lagos Island in the name of reconstruction without appropriate arrangements.
The foundation is a group of Lagos State indigenes established to advance the course of the natives.
According to a letter titled “The Relocation And Reconstruction Of Lagos Island Community”, dated
Monday 20, 2024, and signed by the Foundation’s President, Prince Adelani Adeniji-Adele, and Secretary General, Mr. Yomi Tokosi, De Renaissance Patriots said the decision to put their concerns in writing to the governor was taken at an emergency meeting held on Sunday, May 12, 2024.
“We resolved to write to you as a registered advocacy group representing the interest of indigenes of Lagos State and Lagos Island in particular in this particular instance. Specifically, we refer to the recent statements credited to your Special Adviser on E-GIS, Dr. Olatunji Babajide, on your decisions in various regards, the most important is your decision to move and relocate residents of Adeniji Adele Housing Scheme as you deem appropriate.”
In the letter addressed to Governor Sanwo-Olu and couriered to him directly with receipt acknowledged on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, the Lagos Natives group said, “We believe that most of those that will be affected by these actions are indigenes of the state, specifically Lagos State. As an advocacy group, our concern is piqued to ensure that this will not be another avenue to effect dramatic changes that will, in effect, see indigenes displaced and become minorities in this area. Therefore, it will be in the interest of the state government and all indigenous groups, most especially the De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, to be involved in this exercise and to make the exercise as transparent as possible.”
Expressing concerns, informed by past experiences where such government policies had led to the displacement of indigenes from their ancestral land without anywhere to go, the group, which is not averse to modernization, wanted a situation where the “relocation and reconstruction” plan is redesigned as “temporary relocation and reconstruction” plan to mean that, after demolition and reconstruction, the people will be returned to their allocated modernized homes at no cost whatsoever.’’
