This Quit Notice in Whose Interest?

By Lekan Lisoye 

The innocent and non-mining residents of Agets and Abuja communities of Komu in Itesiwaju local government area of Oyo State are still grappling and wrestling with the bully order by some local landowners to vacate their present locations out of no corporate nor civic reason than the intention of foreign miners to take over the lands for their exploits.

The unofficial quit notice is, unfortunately, coming as an additional sorrow to the existing economic hardship and making the eyes of the helpless citizens pitifully grow liquid. 

Who will intercede for these poor Nigerians? Who will fight their just cause? Their condition becomes additionally traumatic and 

agonising moreso that the oppressive instruction is coming from foreign merchants who have low or no stake in the well-being of Nigerian people. The game being planned really, is to  stamp the pressures of frustration and exploitation on the innocent Yoruba and other helpless citizens living in the two settlements and jerk them suddenly down into socio-economic deficit. Should there not be justice for the poor? 

What is their offence? Why will it be sweet that they suffer inhumanity from fellow humans who are blind and deaf to the words of God and His power in the affairs of men? 

Findings have interestingly, revealed that though the Jacob's voice that is issuing the quit notice is from the Komu land ownership actors, the hand behind it is that of Esau from the confederacy of foreign miners and some acolytes who are ready to bring down the Yoruba heritage and impose their self ownership of the land. This is corporate conquest without using a gun.

Abuja and Agets are not the natural or traditional names of the two communities from the beginning. They are by-the-way business names secured after the names of two precious gem stones mineable from the areas. But since the two locations are dominated by mining aliens from outside Nigeria who speak mostly Hausa language, the two new names of Agets and Abuja were imposed on the communities to melt off the initial indigenous names. 

At present, the two communities are populated with over 25,000 people out of which not less than 24,000 are non-miners who mostly include Yoruba traders, government workers, artisans and clerics among others. They have taken occupancy of these locations since over thirty five years ago and have solemnly naturalized into the environment as their permanent residence.

True. They have built their permanent homes there, they pay their civic dues to both local and state authorities, they engage themselves in marriages, their children attend schools built by their parents, a lot of infrastructural facilities have been put in place with their money, thereby funding facilities for general public comforts.

Adding to all these is the high level of emotional investments in the relationship among themselves as fellow settlers. Why must anyone attempt to destroy the joy of over 24,000 people and their dreams of life? Why must anyone decide to press lives out of the poor ones who are not provoking civic order? Why must anyone attempt to eject the beloved as if they have no God?

Ibrahim Zakre is from one of the communities and he couldn't stop to wonder why his fellow residents be asked to leave their locations. He confirmed the fact that "the people who are affected by this illicit quit order are non-miners like some of us. Why must anyone not have pity on them? This is where we earn our living."

There is no clear difference from Zakre's presentation and the way a trader, Mrs. Helen (not real name) viewed the quit order served them. She noted that it was an attempt to subjugate their conditions..."but we leave it all for God. Our God knows what to do. He will not allow these wicked lords to live at our expense and that of our children."

What is their offence? What is it that has represented ills in their innocence? Has Nigeria fallen so cheaply under the culture that glorifies bribery at the expence of mercy, justice and righteousness? Should we underrate the values of such a huge population of people and we think we are not taking a risk of social insurrections and incurring the anger of God?

Let the governments of both President Bola Tinubu and that of Engnr. Seyi Makinde give these people prompt attention for goodness sake. If Yoruba are forcefully evicted from the two places, it may give a free ticket of occupancy to nefarious national security threats. Must we stand to watch as Sambisa forest episode replicates in Yorubaland?

Tinubu and Makinde should let the helpless earn sentiments of confidence in their governments. Let the government back these people to stay and earn their living as they protect their children. If they are ejected,...where will they go? How will they, in their weary strengths, gather to start their lives again? Who prays for such a setback? Let us guide against sinful imaginations for the lives of the  masses. They are crying already and their God is listening to them. Can the troublers of God's people resist the fierce and raging anger of God in vengeance for His people? In whose interest must the reckless ejection of the innocent thousands hold? Is it for national interest or that of a foreign exploiting cabals? Let there be peace for the people of God.