The question of who owns Lagos has over the years increasingly manifested during elections.
Is Lagos a no man's land?Nobody should fall under any illusion that such is applicable in Lagos.
Lagos was the last federal capital before it was moved to Abuja. Lokoja, and calabar, at various times served as the federal capital of the geopolitical entity of what is today called Nigeria.
Supposing either of the former federal capital was maintained anybody that would claim that it was a no man's land would be wrong. Any federal capital is expected to serve as a mini country for its citizens. This applies in every country.
Historically, Lagos belongs to Bini (Edo) people. The name Eko has Edo connotations. Nobody should be blind to facts as presented by history.
After the Binis came the Aworis, thereafter people from other parts of Yoruba land began settling in Lagos constituting the majority.
That Lagos is in Southwest Nigeria and Southwest is predominantly Yoruba, gives it a Yoruba land image.
When it comes to internal politics of Lagos, non-Lagosians Yoruba have dominated the political space of the state. That issue is for another day.
The new political trend of maintaining power in Lagos by some political bigots and ethnic rascals is to intimidate non Yoruba people during election to vote for their preferred candidates based on ethnic colourisation is worrisome.
Yoruba people have contested for elections in the United Kingdom and other places and won. Nobody was harassed or attacked for voting for them. Why attack a fellow Nigerian in Nigeria for voting for the candidate of their choice.
The beauty of democracy is the right to vote and be voted for. The harassment, intimidation and violence against non Lagosians by those who claims to own 'Lagos' in the just concluded presidential election was unprecedented in the history of Nigeria.
Lagos is not a no man's land but people should be allowed to vote for the candidates of their choice.
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