South-South Traditional Council of Chiefs Lagos State, SSTCCLS, has awarded the Governor of the year 2020 to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his sense of fairness and justice.

The group which made the dedication in a statement signed by its Chairman, Chief Vincent Ahwi expressed their gratitude to the Governor for granting recognition to the South-South geopolitical zone consisting of six states of Edo, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River as a stakeholder in Lagos State.

The group stated that the recognition of the indigenes of the South-South States resident in Lagos became a reality when they held a meeting with the Governor on the 12th November 2020 to brief him of the colossal damages done to the properties and infrastructure of the #END SARS protest.

“The people of the South-South were duly represented and sat side by side with our brothers and sisters of the South Eastern States with their corresponding representatives and their Commissioners. Same must have been done to the other Ethnic bodies like the Arewa, Middle Belt etc. in Lagos State.

“The representatives of the South-South people in that meeting include the Honourable Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Samuel Egube, and the political head of the zone, Otumba (Engr.) Isaac Emiyede, and our own Chairman in Council (SSTCCLS) High Chief Vincent Ogheneochuko Ahwi amongst other dignitaries,” the statement read.

The Group recognised the fact that Sanwo-Olu is the very first Governor of Lagos State to have given them such a recognition thus making it a historic and memorable affair for which the people of the South-South Zone are eternally grateful to him.

The Group commended Sanwo-Olu for his magnanimity and expression of love for both indigenes and non-indigenes of Lagos State.

While, thanking the Governor for his noble act to the South-South indigenes, the Chairman, who doubled as Osu R’Urhobo of Lagos, Chief Ahwi, however, appealed to him to involve people of South-South geopolitical zone resident in Lagos in the affairs of the State as a mark of appreciation.

Giving the brief history of Urhobos resident in Lagos, Ahwi stated, “Sir, this is the brief history of our heritage from our cradle of the ‘Ilu Sobo’ called “Ajegunle” from being part of the then Western Region to being part of today present-day Lagos State. “