Ogun West Stakeholders Forum Presents Yewa South, Yewa North Memorandum For Ogun Assembly Consideration

The Ogun West Stakeholders Forum, on Wednesday, 13th July 2022 on behalf of the eminent stakeholders of Ogun West Senatorial District presented a memorandum to the Ogun State House of Assembly on the importance of the Assembly’s concurrence to the bill of the National Assembly on the Fifth Alteration of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Altered) on amendment of Egbado South and Egbado North to Yewa South and Yewa North respectively.

Recall that the Senate and the House of Representatives had earlier voted to alter the 1999 constitution where the two chambers considered 44 amendments, including changing Egbado South and Egbado North to Yewa South and Yewa North in the constitution and transmitted same to State Houses of Assembly. The altered provisions, according to sections 9 (2 & 3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria must be approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the States of the Nigerian federation.

Presenting the Memorandum on behalf of the Forum, the leader of the Forum, Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose noted that the Change in the name is in line with the desire as well as the legitimate and fundamental rights of the Obas, Chiefs, stakeholders, and good people of Yewaland who have since 1993 conducted a referendum and resolved that their area hitherto known as Egbado be renamed as Yewa with necessary approval of the then military authority in the State and provisions of the Ogun State of Nigeria Gazette No 51, Vol. 22 of 18th December 1997 on Decree No 107 of 1993 which provides a Legal notice for the suspension and Modification of the 1979 Constitution as Constitution ( Suspension and Modification) decree No 107 of 1993.

Dr. Bamgbose reminded the Honorable House that the promulgation of the Decree has never been revoked by any succeeding laws of the National Assembly and thus, it remains an act of the State under the Nigerian constitution.

Dr. Bamgbose noted that the concurrence passage of this bill by the Assembly, its eventual passage into law by the National Assembly, and assent by Mr. President will put an end to the needless, avoidable, and unhealthy confusion that the reference to the two local government areas has witnessed since 1993 where they are referred to as Yewa south and Yewa North in Ogun State by the existing Decree and Gazette; Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies still contend they are Egabdo South and Egbado North as listed in 1999 constitution especially when official forms have to be filled with INEC, NIMC, JAMB; Nigeria Immigration Service, among many others. He appealed to the House to, not only, concur with the Bill but also go a step further to ensure other Houses of Assembly give a nod to the Bill to scale through the passage of the National Assembly and eventual assent of Mr. President to become law.

Responding, the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo noted that the change in name and alteration of Egbado South and North to Yewa south and Yewa North in the Constitution is long overdue. He assured the delegation that the Assembly will do all necessary to ensure the bill and others get the required numbers to make it passed through and ensure prompt transmission of same to the National Assembly as required’, the Speaker submitted.

Other representatives of the Forum at the Public hearing includes Chief Dapo Oke; Prince Femi Dokunmu; Com. Abdul-Jabar Ayelaagbe; among others