- Raises hope of reconciliation within Afenifere
Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical organisation, Afenifere, has criticised the realignment of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project by the Federal Government.
The group’s Secretary General, and a former commissioner in Ondo State, Chief Sola Ebiseni, told reporters in Akure the state capital that the realignment would pose problems, as it was inconsistent with the earlier proposals.
He advised against deviating from the coastal alignment, especially the country’s oil-producing areas.
Besides, he said the modification is unacceptable to the people of Ondo State and Nigeria’s other coastal states.
According to him, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has long-standing historical roots dating back to colonial times.
His words, “We have archival records showing that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was proposed as far back as 1900 when the Ilaje coastal territory of present-day Ondo State was still part of the Lagos Colony,” he said. “A telegraphic line had already connected Lagos through Ilaje to Warri along the Atlantic corridor”.
Ebiseni referenced a colonial agreement signed in January 1904 between Sir William Macgregor, then Governor of Lagos Colony, and Sir Wyndham Roseberry of the Southern Protectorate, which outlined the coastal alignment of the route, to buttress his argument.
He said, “There is growing concern following statements by the Minister of Works suggesting the road would no longer follow the coastline from Ondo to Delta and other states. This raises questions and dissatisfaction among communities along the original alignment”.
The former commissioner stressed that many of the advantages associated with the project, including economic opportunities, lie within the undeveloped coastal regions outside Lagos.
His words, “It is in the best interest of the administration to pursue a legacy-driven approach, prioritizing equitable development over political considerations”.
However, he commended President Bola Tinubu for initiating the current phase of the project.
On internal developments within Afenifere, Ebiseni said the emergence of Oba Oladipo Olaitan from Osun State as the group’s leader has helped resolve long-standing concerns over regional dominance in leadership.
He said, “From Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1951 through Chief Michael Ajasin, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, and Chief Ayo Adebanjo, leadership had alternated primarily between Lagos/Ogun and Ondo/Ekiti zones. The current leadership from the Oyo/Osun axis represents a natural progression”.
Speaking on reconciliation within the group, Ebiseni expressed optimism, saying Afenifere remains grounded in its welfarist and ideological roots.
His words, “There has always been ideological contestation within the group, reflecting the dynamics of national politics. The current disagreements are, in my view, not irreconcilable’.
He expressed confidence in the ability of the Oba Olaitan leadership to unify the group and navigate the current internal challenges.
