Group reiterates call for Lagoon State

The Movement for the Creation of Lagoon State has reiterated its call for the creation of a new state from Lagos State, noting that such creation will lead to rapid development in many parts of the news state.The movement also denounced a publication credited to the Awori Welfare Association of Nigeria (AWAN), on the purported backing out of the Awori people from the clamour for creation of Lagoon State,Mr Olufunmilade Ayantuga, the spokesman of the group, called on the National Assembly to consider the creation of Lagoon State, 'for even development' in many parts of the Lagos State.The movement described the publication as 'mere fallacy and not in any way the true reflection of prominent Awori indegenes who had been actively involved in all meetings and conferences where the issue of Lagoon State creation was being exhaustively discussed and resolutions passed.According to him, 'the consultation with the Awori people began on Sunday, 2nd March 2010, at Odomola, Lagos State, at the Conference of Indigenous Associations of Lagos State, where the issue of Lagoon State creation was the main paper presented and exhaustively discussed with resolution passed that a proposal be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.'Ayantuga also added that ' It was after this that copies of the initial and subsequent amended copies of the proposal were sent to all stakeholders including eminent Awori indigenes and members of all the legislative houses of the affected areas in the federal, state and local governments. ''Another meeting , was the 7th Annual General Meeting of IBILE Forum held in Ikorodu on 16th May, 2012, where the issue of Lagoon State, again featured prominently and indeed took the centre stage, with the Awori indigenes present expressing their unalloyed support for the creation of Lagoon State but advocated for more dialogue and consultation with all the stakeholders,' Ayantuga addedAyantuga, while substantiating the active involvement of the Awori people in the clamour for Lagoon State, added that 'The last and most recent, was the last general meeting of Lagoon State Movement held on 7 June, 2012, at Ikeja, Lagos, where 11 eminent Awori sons present expressed their unflinching support for the proposed state without any reservations.Ayantuga maintained that the agitation for the proposed Lagoon State was not a ploy to break up Awori or its people in Lagos State, but a way of solving the perennial problems of marginalisation, over-population, complex transportation system, underdevelopment, unemployment and insecurity in Lagos State.In Ayantuga's words 'When Lagoon State is created the above problems will be minimised or solved for Lagos State and Lagoon State in particular and for all Nigerians living in the two states.
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