By Ifeanyi Okolie

Members of the Kirikiri Town Community Development Association, CDA, and its Elders Foundation, have faulted attempt by the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs to remove the present Baale of the community, Chief Babalola Shabi and replace him with a man they said they don’t know.

Some members of the CDA leadership and elders of the community who spoke with Vanguard during the weekend expressed dismay at the Lagos State Government for allowing itself to be dragged into a matter that ought to be addressed by the Local Government or a competent court of law.

They said that the move to remove, Chief Babalola Shabi, who was crowed, the Baale of Kirikiri town, on July 18, 2020, by the Alahun of Imoore and Apapa, Oba Adegboyega Toafeek, who is the paramount ruler of Imoore, Kirikiri and Apapa areas of Lagos State and the subsequent certification of his stool by the Oriade Local Council Development Area, would not be accepted by the people of Kirikiri Town, adding that Chief Shabi, met all necessary requirement that certified his eligibility of becoming the Baale of community.

The CDA stated that there are no ruling houses in Kirikiri Town, as the community is a cosmopolitan town, inhabited mostly by non-indigenes and people from various part of the country, adding that all previous Baales in the community, were appointed by the CDA and elders of the community before they were crowed by the Alahun of Imoore.

They said that Chief Babalola Shabi’s, crowing as the Baale of Kirikiri Town, followed the same process and anyone who is not pleased with it, should approach the court and seek redress, stressing that the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs is not a court of law and its recommendations will not be accepted if they are not in line with the Laws of Lagos State.

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One of the CDA Chairmen, who spoke with Vanguard on the development, Prince Monday Abejoye, said that some officials of the Lagos State Government are only trying to cause a complete break down of law and order in the Kirikiri community, by asking that Alahun of Imore and Oriade LCDA to install one Anthony Folami, who they said is not a resident of the community as the Baale of the Community.

He said; “it is said that the State Government and its officials brought themselves this low to interfere in a matter that is constitutionally under the purview of the Local Government. Baales are third class chiefs in Lagos State and their activities are regulated by the Local Government and not the State Government and anyone who is not comfortable with Shabi’s appointment as the Baale of Kirikiri Town, haven met all requirement, should go to court and seek redress.

We have seen the report of the committee set up by the state government to investigate the appointment of, Chief Shabi, as the Baale of Kirikiri Town and the recommendation that one, Anthony Folami, who is not a resident of our community, who is also unknown to us to be installed as the Baale, is unacceptable and illegal.

We are sad over this development and we are also worried that the State Government could go this low. Chief Shabi has lived with us for over 40 years and has served our community in various capacity in the past, including being the community chief security officer and has also brought in lots of investment in our community.

That was why we decided as a community to appoint him as the Baale of our community after the demise of the last Baale and we also sent letters of recommendation to the Alahun of Imoore and the Oriade LCDA make. He is an Awori man and also a community man, therefore we are asking anyone who is not pleased with his appointment should go to court and should not use state functionaries in causing confusion and disharmony in our community.” He stated

Vanguard News Nigeria