By Saminu Ibrahim
Senator Tolulope Odebiyi’s (Ogun West) bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 CAP C23 LFN 2004 to make provision for change of name of the area referred to as Egbado in Ogun state to “Yewa” as contained in the first schedule of the Constitution has passed second reading at the Senate.
The bill seek to alter provisions of the Nigerian constitution to change the name of the area referred to as Egbado to Yewa in Ogun state.
Leading the debate on the bill at plenary of the Senate, Odebiyi said there is in a name not only a natural tie to language and culture which conjures up images of experience, gender and national origin, but also a dynamic linkage to matters which border on representation.
He explained that while the factor of name is, no doubt, rooted in historical traditions, emphasised that “it remains a rallying point which informed the doggedness with which the “Egbado” people of Ogun West senatorial district have consistently demanded and chosen to be addressed as “Yewa”.
He said “It was consistent within this moorings that pundits, political and religious leaders of the geographical area referred to in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) as ‘Egbado”, have been in the vanguard at ensuring that, they are addressed as the ‘Yewa’.
Continuing, the lawmaker noted that their consistent yearnings to have the name changed yielded positive results on the 10th, December 1997, when the military administrator of Ogun state, approved the change of the geographical area previously known as “Egbado” to “Yewa”, as gazetted in Ogun state Gazette No.51 Vol. 22 of 18th December 1997.
Consequently, Odebiyi sought the support of the Nigerian Senate for the alteration of the section set out in the bill.
