…..Protest in Akure to seek redress, demand 16 new LCDAs.
Prominent Sons and Daughters of Akoko area of Ondo State under the umbrella of the Akoko Consultative Forum (ACF) today staged a peaceful protest to draw the attention of the world to the marginalisation of the area by the Ondo State Government in the creation of 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
Addressing a Press Conference in Akure, the President of the Forum, Pa Rogbitan Lawrence Ibukun, an Octogenarian, described the creation of 9 LCDAs in 4 Akoko local governments and 8 LDCAs from just two local governments of Owo and Ose.
Pa Rogbitan flanked by other leaders and members of the group, such as former State NLC Chairman, Comrade Momodu Braimoh, said “the implication and intending fallout of the purported exercise is aimed at subjugating , marginalizing and killing Akoko politically and put the Akokos in perpetual bondage in the scheme of things compare to Owo and Ose within the same Ondo North Senatorial District .
“We are bold to say capital NO. This is not acceptable to Akokos . Enough is Enough ! O to ge !!
“OTHER IDENTIFIED AREAS OF UNFAIR TREATMENT OF AKOKOS include but not limited to: (a) Ondo State government neglect of our ROADS in Akokoland
(b) unfairness in the upgraded Obaship position in Ondo State in recent time amongst others.
“OUR DEMANDS: As much as we support Ondo State government’s vision and mission to create new LCDAs in Ondo State, we demand for 16 LCDAs in Akoko as follows: (a) Akoko North East – 4 LCDAs
(b) Akoko North West – 4 LCDAs
(c) Akoko South East – 3 LCDAs
(d) Akoko South West – 5 LCDAs
“Requesting Ondo State government to complete Ikare – Ajowa Road and interface on Akungba- Oka – Ishua – Ibilo Road. Also , Owo-Ikare Road requires Ondo State intervention.
“Upgrading of our deserving Obas in Akoko to Grade A as it was done in others zones.
“We urge our sons and daughters in government to continue to do their work diligently as we are noted for and we urge our people at home to remain calm until JUSTICE is seen to have
been done in our case.
“Ondo State belong to all of us and we shall strive harder to lift her up even at the face of provocation,” Pa Rogbitan said.
Also speaking, a prominent son of Akoko, Pharmacist Samuel Adekola expressed optimism that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu who is a man of fairness, would address the marginalisation of Akoko in the LCDA creation.
Below is the full text of the press conference;
AKOKO PEOPLE AWAKE AND FIGHT AGED-LONG CASES OF INJUSTICE AND MARGINALIZATION OF AKOKO IN THE POLITICAL SPACE OF ONDO STATE
BEING TEXT OF PRESS CONFERENCE DELIVERED BY THE PRESIDENT OF AKOKOCONSULTATIVE FORUM ( ACF), PA ROGBITAN LAWRENCE IBUKUN AT NUJ PRESS CENTRE ALAGBAKA – AKURE ON 31st August, 2023.
GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS,
On behalf of the entire sons and daughters of Akoko home and abroad, the National Leadership of Akoko Consultative Forum (ACF) with our teeming members gathered here to express our views to Ondo State government and the entire world at large numerous cases of Injustice, Marginalization and Oppression of our People and to say NO to such
forthwith.
We hereby call out our people to ‘AWAKE AND FIGHT AGED-LONG CASES OF INJUSTICE AND MARGINALIZATION OF AKOKO IN THE POLITICAL SPACE OF ONDO STATE HISTORICAL ANTECEDENT
When Ondo State was created out of the then Western Region, Akoko was the second largest ethnic group after Ekiti, having two Local Government Councils out of eighteen (18) Local Government for both Akoko and Ekiti, namely Akoko South and Akoko North.
When Ekiti State was created out of old Ondo State, Akoko become the largest single ethnic
group in Ondo State, having four (4) Local Government Areas out of eighteen (18).
Other ethnic groups making up the present Ondo State are, the Owos, two (2) Local
Government Areas, the Akures, two (2) Local Government Areas, the Ondos two (2) Local
Government Areas, the Ileluji/Odigbos, two (2) Local Government Areas, the Ikales, two (2)
Local Government Areas, the Ilaje/Ijaw, two (2) Local Government Areas and the Idanre/Ijares, two (2) Local Government Areas.
SIZE AND POPULATION:
Akoko is made up of four (4) Local Government Areas Viz :
(a) Akoko North East LGA with 13 political Wards
(b) Akoko North West with 10 political Ward
(c) Akoko South East with 11 political Wards
(d) Akoko South West with 15 political Wards.
As at 2006 which is still the current Census figure that is recognized in Nigeria, the population of the four (4) Akoko Local Government Areas are as follow:
Akoko North East LGA is 179,092
Akoko North West LGA is 211,867.
Akoko South East is 82,443
Akoko South West is 228,383
Total is 701, 785.
While Ose was 144,139
And Owo was 222,262
Total Owo and Ose = 366,401.
MAJOR REQUIREMENT FOR THE CREATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
A major requirement is population and in Nigeria, 1976 Local Government Reform identified the benchmark as between 150,000-800,000 people per Local Government .
LOPSIDEDNESS IN THE CREATION OF 33 LCDAS IN ONDO STATE AS IT AFFECTS ONDO NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT: The four (4) Akoko LGAs were allocated Nine (9) LCDAs while Owo and Ose with only two
(2) LGAs were allocated Eight (8) LCDAs which implies :
2 is equal to 8 , and ,
4 is equal to 9 !
What a case of Injustice?
Population wise, according to 2006 Census figure,
(a) Owo LGA has a population of 218,886 and
(b) Ose has a population of 144,901 . The total population of Owo and Ose is 363,787
whereas the total population of the 4 Akokos is 701,113.
Gentlemen of the Press, the implication and intending fallout of the purported exercise is aimed at subjugating , marginalizing and killing Akoko politically and put the Akokos in perpetual bondage in the scheme of things compare to Owo and Ose within the same Ondo North Senatorial District .
We are bold to say capital NO. This is not acceptable to I Akokos . Enough is Enough ! O to ge !!
OTHER IDENTIFIED AREASOF UNFAIR TREATMENT OF AKOKOS include but not limited to:
(a) Ondo State government neglect of our ROADS in Akokoland
(b) unfairness in the upgraded Obaship position in Ondo State in recent time amongstothers.
OUR DEMANDS
1. As much as we support Ondo State government’s vision and mission to create new LCDAs in Ondo State, we demand for 16 LCDAs in Akoko as follows:
(a) Akoko North East – 4 LCDAs
(b) Akoko North West – 4 LCDAs
(c) Akoko South East – 3 LCDAs
(d) Akoko South West – 5 LCDAs
2 . Requesting Ondo State government to complete Ikare – Ajowa Road and interface on Akungba- Oka – Ishua – Ibilo Road. Also , Owo-Ikare Road requires Ondo State intervention.
3. Upgrading of our deserving Obas in Akoko to Grade A as it was done in others zones.
CONCLUSION:
We urge our sons and daughters in government to continue to do their work diligently as we are noted for and we urge our people at home to remain calm until JUSTICE is seen to have
been done in our case.
Ondo State belong to all of us and we shall strive harder to lift her up even at the face of provocation.
Thanks and God bless you all.
Signed:
PA ROGBITAN LAWRENCE IBUKUN
PRESIDENT
MR BENSON DADA
SECRETARY
