Deportation Row: Actor Jide Kosoko Weighs in, defends Lagos
Jide Kosoko
Veteran Nollywood actor, Jide Kosoko, on
Thursday said there was nothing wrong with the alleged deportation of
the destitute to their home state by the Lagos State Government.
Kosoko, a Lagos prince, stated that the
government deported people who constituted a nuisance in the state to
their hometowns because the metropolis was becoming over populated.
He said, “I disagree with the people
criticising the deportation. There are reasons for everything. Since
there have been negotiations between Lagos and the state concerned and
the government believes their home state would take better care of them,
I think the action was appropriate.”
Kosoko said even though Nigerians were
free to live anywhere in the country, people should not abuse the
privilege by becoming a nuisance.
“We don’t need to shy away from the fact
that Lagos is over-populated because of its commercial
advantage.
Anybody doing a legitimate work here is entitled to stay but a situation
where they are turning themselves to a nuisance in the state and they
would go as far as inviting others to come is not acceptable,” the actor
stated.
He said when the okada business began,
it started with skilled riders until some people took advantage of the
business idea and started creating problems.
He stated that there were actually
states with worse laws than Lagos, where people got their arms cut off
because of crimes and such people saw Lagos as a place for greener
pastures.
He noted that with the Lagos State government’s policy, the roads are safer.
Kosoko said that the action should not be restricted to Lagos.
“Let’s not deceive ourselves, look at
the highways, are they not better? I am not speaking for the government
but for myself. To me, whoever constitutes a nuisance in any state, not
just Lagos, let them be sent back home.
“It is very unfortunate that we are in a
multi-ethnic country; that is the major problem we are having. We find
it difficult to say the truth,” he said.
