The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday called on Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to direct the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Adebimpe Akinsola, to make effort in preserving the state’s historical centres and cultural heritage.
This, according to the lawmakers, is necessary to promote tourism.
The call followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Sanai Agunbiade.
Agunbiade’s motion centered on the need for the government to list all historical centres and monuments in the state, with a view to preserving them.
He particularly noted that Epetedo in Lagos Island, where the
acclaimed winner of the June 12 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola, made his self-declaration as president should be given attention.
Agunbiade divided the historical centres and monuments into three grades – A, B and C.
According to him, Grade A would include all centres that the government would list and take over.
Grade B, he said, is to include those centres for which the state government would compensate the family of the owners.
He said that Grade C would be listed and marked without any compensation to the owners.
Several lawmakers, who took turns to support the motion, listed centres such as first storey building in Nigeria located in Badagry, Carter Bridge and other similar sites as monuments to be preserved.
The lawmakers said that such preservation had become important for future generations and for economic value.
One of them, Abiodun Tobun, representing Epe Constituency I at the Assembly, said preservation of monuments is beneficial.
“If such monuments are listed and preserved, it will enhance our value; it will enhance economic benefits,’’ Tobun said.
The Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Muyiwa Jimoh, added: “If we don’t know our history, we won’t know where we are coming from.
“Herbert Macaulay’s statue fell down but people don’t think of re-erecting it.
“If we don’t preserve our collective patrimony, it does not show we are humans,’’ Jimoh, representing Apapa Constituency II said.
Also speaking, Mr Bisi Yusuff, representing Alimosho Constituency, reiterated the need to preserve the Epetedo centre.
Yusuff, who noted that the state could not continue to abandon its important monuments, said that the late Abiola paid the supreme sacrifice to defend democracy.
Meanwhile, the Assembly summoned the Managing Director of the Lagos State Building Investment Company (LBIC) Mrs. Folasade Folivi to appear before it on Thursday.
The Acting Chairman of the House Committee on Urban and Physical, Mr Setonji David, had accused the MD of disrespecting the committee.
He spoke while presenting a report on a petition written by the residents of Ijaiye Low and Medium Housing Estate.
The residents of the estate had petitioned the House over a plan by LBIC to demolish the illegal structures in the estate.
Setonji said that the MD went ahead to demolish the structures, even when the committee had called for a stay of action on the demolition.
