By RAZAQ BAMIDELE
A community in Badagry division of Lagos State, Apa Kingdom, is requesting for takeover of lands acquired by the state government in its territory, which has not been put into use since the acquisition.
The traditional ruler of the community, Alapa of Egun Awori, Apa Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Oyekan Adekambi Ilufemiloye Ajose (JP), in a statement said the lands in question are needed by the kingdom for community development scheme.
The statement was contained in a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) signed between the royal father and the Implementation Committee set up by the monarch and headed by a royal Prince, Ademola Bankole.
The 16-member committee, which was inaugurated in 2014, was mandated to put in place new town development schemes from Apa Kingdom and to implement the Blue Print for the kingdom’s development.
The monarch reasoned that, “for our community to strive and contribute its quota to the general development of the state, solid physical and infrastructural commitments must be in place to usher the economic development that will make Apa prosper and create many growth opportunity for our people.”
The committee was therefore mandated to design a new town development scheme that will be the envy of other communities in Lagos State and make Apa Kingdom the crest of the centre of excellence.
“This is what Apa Kingdom should be. After all, Apa was where the white man put his faith when he sought refuge from hostilities in the colonial times. It is not disputable that Apa was the first door through which the foreign traders/merchants came in the colonial era, to what is now Lagos State,” the monarch reminded.
He expressed excitement that, “Apa kingdom that was only good for agricultural purposes now appears to be good for everything,” mentioning, sea seaport, airport, University, agricultural town, hospitality town and technology town.
“The implementation Committee should let the whole world know that a disappointment has become a blessing where a situation that has once occurred seemed without promise now reoccurs with much promise.
“Our Kingdom is now good for convergence of security villages around it like the Nigerian army Reece Battalion, Nigerian Army Artillery Unit at Topo, Badagry, and the other numerous border enforcement units or posts in addition to the Nigerian Police formations to ensure adequate security in addition to the splendor for all concerned,” Oba Alapa of Egun Awori, Apa Kingdom stated.
The royal father therefore expressed optimism that, “the state government would not put any impediment on our path when we have provided solid plans for the use of acquired land to which we seek excision to execute these schemes.”