Adeyinka Adeniji 
Dr. Jonathan Oyedeji (Second left), Mr Chukwuemeka Chibuzor, Hon Sunmi Odesanya and Mr. Idris Olopade
The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to the mandates of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Samwo-Olu on DAWN Commission and Southwest Integration, Hon. Sunmi Odesanya emphasised the state’s unflinching belief in the regional body and its ordinances towards the integration of member States.
Odesanya, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly said this when a team of US-based Nigerian researchers paid him a visit in his office at The Secretariat, Alausa Ikeja.
The three-man team of Nigerian-born scholars, comprising two PhD students from Universities in the United States, and a lecturer in the MIVA Open University, Abuja, were at Alausa to inform the state government through the cabinet office, of an intended research work, which will be conducted on the streets of Lagos.
According to Idris Olopade, a PhD student of the Department of Political Science, University of California who spoke for the group, the visit was also to seek the Government’s support, especially in the area of security, adding that panels of experts will be flying into Lagos from the United States, Ghana, Uganda and other African countries.
Idris, former Executive Assistant, Office of the Director General, Commission, said the study would be conducted across three senatorial districts, just as he said the choice of Local Government Area or LCDA will be based on urban-suburban criteria.
Dr Chukwuemeka Chibuzor, another PhD student from the Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin, further explained that the proposed experimental study is coming after a similar exercise was carried out in Kampala, Uganda.
How however noted that no study about Africa may be complete without the involvement of Nigeria as a country and Lagos as a major hub on the continent.
Dr Jonathan Oyedeji, the University lecturer who said the study was meant to cover the six southwestern states of Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Oyo, explained that the choice of Lagos is informed by its diversity and population size.
He added that data outcomes from the pro-social experiment, which will start with online training on 6th July, followed by enumeration proper for two weeks between 8th to 21st of July 2024, would also be at the disposal of the state and remain explorable assets to the in aiding informed decisions and formulation of policies.
In his remarks, Hon Odesanya averred that civic engagement is part of the mandates of the Dawn Commission. He added that it is in line for the state to support all initiatives geared towards the fulfilment of its mandates.
While assuring the group of readiness of the Sanwi-Olu administration to support any cause geared towards the integration of the South West region, added that he is favourably disposed to efforts towards any research work that will fulfil the integration agenda.
Odesanya also expressed hopes that engaging the academic and intellectual community by supporting the proposed research efforts would advance the integration agenda of the regional body.
The former Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, while noting that the philosophical thrust behind the DAWN Commission, covers civic and political engagement, food security, homeland affairs and infrastructural development, also said that the state appreciates the importance of engaging academics towards their fulfilment.
