Indigeneship By
Birth And Election
By
Olufemi Oluwole
culled from PUNCH,
October 11, 2005
The controversy over the indigeneship of a particular locality may be over if
the bill said to have been sponsored by a senator from Kaduna State titled "Act
to make provisions for the right of person to be an indigene of a locality in
Nigeria and for purpose connected therewith" is positively considered. The bill,
which I learnt had already gone through the first reading in the Senate defined
an indigene of a locality as anyone whose parents belong to a tribe or clan
indigenous to the locality in which they permanently reside or he or any of his
parents is a migrant from another locality in Nigeria and has permanently
settled in the new locality on or before October 1, 1960 and continue to settle
there. Other definitions refer to a person or any of his parents being among
first settlers in the locality and he permanently resides there; or a person
born in that locality and continues to reside there; or being a spouse of a
person who is an indigene. The bill does not, however,
prevent any Nigerian from adopting another state as his state of origin
different from that of his parents.
I believe the issue of indigeneship is topical this moment mainly because of
election and electioneering processes in the country. I am particularly happy
with this proposal because the tone of the bill has made it clear that there is
nothing like a true or total indigene of a place but first settlers (or what I
will call earlier settlers).
In a place like Lagos where almost everybody has a stake, one can easily be
denied of his right to aspire for elective positions based on the issue of
indigeneship. For example, I would be denied the chance of contesting an
election in Lagos if the issue is not well addressed. I regard myself as a
bonafide indigene of Lagos State. Some people may not agree but I know no other
place. My grandparents, as I was told, were originally from a Yoruba-speaking
part of Edo State while my parents were born in Lagos. I was also born in Lagos.
I attended my primary and secondary schools in Alimoso Local Government of the
state. I hold a genuine certificate of state of origin of this local government.
Now, how can people say I am not an indigene or that I am a settler when my
father has a house which I lived for 28 years in Iyana-Ipaja, a town in Alimoso?
How can I be considered as a settler in Lagos when, may be by a stroke of luck,
my maternal grandparents sold half of the land in Oki town, a central location
within Iyana-Ipaja to the present occupants and landowners?
This is not about me. It is about people who fall into the same category as I
do. Those who think they are the real owners of Lagos are trying to alienate
people like us from the governance and administration of the state. These people
are not even the owners of Lagos (going by the proposed bill) but only earlier
settlers. They cannot claim to be the creator or the inherent natural owners of
the territory.
The constitution even made provisions for people like us to aspire to any post
in a state like Lagos, provided we have a genuine contribution to make. Chapter
II under the 'Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy -
Duties of Citizen', Section 24(d) clearly states that, "It shall be the duty of
every citizen to make positive and useful contribution to the advancement,
progress and well-being of the community where he resides." This means that even
without being an indigene of a place like Lagos, but provided that I have
fulfilled some certain conditions - such as residing in a particular community
over a period - I can offer myself to serve in any elective position. Under
international law, the status of being an indigene (a first settler to be
precise) in a place is recognised as a means of ensuring justice and equality
for all citizens in a country and not as tool for imposing a superior status and
superior rights to elective posts in that place over others.
It is rather sad that in Nigeria today, politicians and their cohorts have
decided to intensify and consolidate their hold to power or aspirations to
grabbing power by inciting the public and manipulating issues, of which
indigeneship has become a reference. The politics of claiming exclusive
ownership of any locality is baseless and shortsighted. It will only deny people
with genuine interests to give back to the society that made them and at the
same time 'make positive and useful contribution to the community where he
resides."
Therefore, the earlier we understand that we are all settlers - earlier and
later settlers - the sooner we shall be able to face-up to the challenges of
forging a national cohesion and sense of purpose necessary for survival and
progress as we approach the 2007 general elections. Those who think that they
are not settlers in a place like Lagos because of their illusion that they
inherently own and naturally possess the piece of land they now live on are only
fooling themselves.
Oluwole is a former editor, Treasure Weekly magazine.
