; SANWO-OLU TO REVIEW PRESERVATION LAW AS A STAND AGAINST RACISM
Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa enjoined other Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to issue an Executive Order for all streets, gardens and notable areas named after colonial masters or beneficiary of slave trade be changed all around the Country.
The House also resolved to call on Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State to direct the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture to liaise with the Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice to look at the Listed Sites (Preservation) Law, 2015 with a view to remove all vestiges of slave trade and colonial superiority as a stand against racism.
The Speaker of the House made this call in order to correct the impression of colonial masters’ supremacy by the Whites-skinned and to decry the incessant racist attacks and ill treatments of Black people across the world.
Hon. Noheem Adams, the Prime mover of the motion, noted that the brutal murder of George Floyd drew the attention of the world to the realities of continuous police violence, systematic racism, oppression and domination of Black people by White people in spite of the abolition of slave trade.
He emphasized on the need to correct erroneous impression of colonial masters’ supremacy and condescension by reviewing aspect of the Listed Sites (Preservation) Law Ch. L.86 Vol. 1 Laws of Lagos State 2015 which is aimed at preservation, protection and restoration of historical properties of the State.
“We need to delist monuments that depict racism and promote values and culture, as slave trade is not our culture but a part of our history. Black people should not see themselves as inferior beings because of their skin colour. We must also encourage our children to know that Black people is superior”. Hon. Abiodun Tobun stated.
In his contribution, Hon. David Setonji charged the Black people to value and uplift each other as well as look for legitimate ways to utilize opportunities of the western world.
Hon. Abdul-Sobur Olayiwola who also lent his voice to the issue expressed that the motion is particularly germane as the common motivator of racism is the belief that Whites are superior.
“The basic step toward eliminating racism or racist acts is to promote our indigenous languages as it boost confidence among our people”.
“We should not shy away from history by maintaining monumental structures for generations to come but existing streets that carries foreign names should be changed if they add no value to the present”. Hon. (Mrs.) Mojisola Meranda opined.
Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh reiterated that history must be written from our perspective and our culture must be preserved as history has been documented and cannot be changed.
In another development, the Assembly has confirmed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s nominee, Mrs. Kafilat Ogbara as a member of Lagos State Audit Service Commission.
Mrs. Ogbara was confirmed after thorough screening and cross examination by the Hon. Members.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa thereafter directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni to forward a Confirmation letter to Mr. Governor
