Category: City Beats

Some traders at Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market have urged the Lagos State High Court to restrain Mushin Local Government from demolishing their shops or ejecting them.

In a motion ex-parte, they are praying for an order of interim injunction restraining the council from “unlawfully” carrying out any demolition in the market or ejecting them from their business premises at Ladipo Main Market, Mushin, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

They are also praying for an order maintaining the status quo and suspending actions relating to their ejection from the market, or its closure, pending the determination of their suit.

The traders are Nnamdi Chukwuka, Franco Offai, Vitus Okoyeagu, Felix Okafor, Peter Benson, Richard Olisakwe, Godwin Onyeka, Emeka Ikeh, Romanus Ezimora and Darlington Ugochukwu.

The applicants/claimants through their lawyer Mr Richard Nwankwo, is also seeking the court’s leave to argue their motion ex-parte for interim injunction and motion on notice for interlocutory injunction during the long vacation.

The traders claimed that on June 29, without any prior notification, the council’s agents brought a letter addressed to the Chairman, Ladipo International Auto Spare Parts Market Association, ordering the market’s closure.

According to them, the  agents allegedly demolished parts of the market, damaged their shops, good and property with the help of miscreants, hoodlums and “rented policemen” some of whom were armed.

They said despite the intervention of the Commissioner of Police who met with the parties on July 21 and the pending suit, the respondents continued to threaten and harass them with ejection and demolition.

In a supporting affidavit, Chukwuka said the traders have current and subsisting rents at the market, adding that they pay their rents as when due.

Despite their tenancies, he claimed that the council through its Executive Secretary, Jide Bello, has been threatening to demolish their shops under the guise of redeveloping the market.

He said a letter from the council ordered the market’s immediate closure, despite the plaintiffs being legitimate tenants.

“The respondent also deployed some earth moving/heavy equipment, breaking down shops, removing roofs, not minding that it was drizzling…The hoodlums went on looting spree, carting away some expensive motor parts, cash and other valuable.

“The downpour also damaged several vehicle parts like brain boxes, which are sensitive to water,” the deponent said.

According to him, if the council is not restrained, it may result in “more vicious violation and infractions of our rights and forcible ejection without recourse to the court.”

The council has given a final notice and reminder about its redevelopment of 60 per cent of Ladipo Main Market which it claims it owns.

The notice, signed by Project Consultant Abbas Adenekan and Developer Onyekachi Chris, directed the traders to evacuate all their good and belongings before Friday.

It added that there would be full scale demolition of the structures on the 60 per cent of the market, and advised traders who need temporary space to contact the project consultant.

“The construction period will not exceed five to six months as scheduled,” the notice added.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

The era of indefinite blackout because of equipment breakdown is over, Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) Plc, Mr Pekun Adeyanju has said.

Adeyanju spoke with The Nation last Saturday following the replacement of a faulty transformer servicing Odogbolu and Oseni streets, among others, in Palmgrove, Lagos.

Residents are excited because power supply has improved since the transformer was replaced two weeks ago.

“The residents have every reason to be excited at the timely replacement of the equipment because many still believe that the status quo remains in our operations. But all that has gradually changed since over a year ago when the privatisation of electricity distribution took place. To us at IKEDC, the consumer is king. The time when faults were left unattended to is over; this is a new order which consumers must be alive to.

“The transformer in question would have been replaced much earlier if not for the fact that we realised that a bigger one would be needed to service the affected people in the area. And as soon as it was available, we did the needful. This is the spirit that we operate with and which consumers must realise,” Adeyanju said.

He urged consumers not to tamper with equipment in their domains, advising them to give prompt information on any fault that could disrupt electricity distribution in their areas.

“Although, our monitoring teams are always on their toes, consumers will make us serve them better if they can make information about any fault available to us without delay. It is our avowed commitment to prevent consumers’ agonies,” he added.

A Lagos Island Customary Court in Lagos has saved the seven-year-old marriage of Mr and Mrs Taiwo Dallas.

The judges, it was learnt, reconciled the couple after a mediation.

The petitioner, Mrs Monsurat Dallas, a 39-year-old businesswoman, had accused her husband of not trusting her.

She said: “When we got married, he rented an apartment for me in Ajah where I lived with his son, one of his workers and a maid but still he didn’t trust me or my movements. He also told me he was done with his first wife but few months after our union, they reconciled but they lived separately.”

Mrs Dallas said she moved to where her husband lives but that didn’t change anything.

Her husband, she said, was fond of beating her, adding: “There was a day he beat me mercilessly and I reported to his twin brother but he didn’t say what I wanted to hear at that moment. I was once admitted in the hospital because of the beating.

“He took our first son away from me when he was barely four-years old to live with his first wife and this is the woman I am not on good terms with. As I speak, my son lives with them,” she added.

The petitioner said her family once tried to reconcile them but her husband said he was no longer interested in the marriage.

She said: “Since he openly said that he doesn’t need me anymore, I moved on. In fact, I now live with another man whom I intend to marry. I also don’t need him anymore.”

The 48-year-old Dallas said he married her because she got pregnant few weeks after they met through a friend.

Dallas, a thrift collector (aka alajo) said:”The reason I rented a comfortable apartment for her was because she almost terminated the pregnancy. I just didn’t trust her because there was a day I visited my house and I was hinted by neighbours that a particular man visited her whenever I was away from home even if I never saw the man.”

The respondent said he took their son from her because she wasn’t taking proper care of him, adding that she doesn’t listen to him.

He said: “She had left the house I rented for her and I had no choice than to take our son with me to my previous wife’s place. At times, she came home at odd hours drunk.”

Mr Dallas said the only time he beat his wife was when she refused to sweep the house, adding that he slapped her when she almost dipped her fingers into his eyes.

The court’s President, Chief Awos Awosola, urged the couple to maintain peace always.

“I plead with you both to go home and continue in love and peace,” he said.

Airport policemen have arrested Lawal Oluwabusola for smoking on board on Arik Air Flight from London to Lagos.

A statement by Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Airport Command Livinus Chukwuma said the man was apprehended on arrival at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

According to Chukwuma, the suspect went to smoke in the lavatory, triggering off the emergency alarm system and causing confusion among passengers.

The PPRO said the suspect’s action negated the in-flight safety procedures.

Chukwuma said the suspect has been arraigned in court in accordance with Section 2(1) of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) bye law 2005 and Section 166(1) (d) of the criminal law of Lagos State.

The police also arrested another man for stealing $1,400 from a female passenger scheduled to fly on Air France.

Chukwuma said the passenger was resting  on a couch in Gabfol lounge at MMIA waiting to board the flight when she forgot her purse containing the cash.

Lagos State Task Force on Environment and Other Special Offences Unit yesterday arrested 132 miscreants.

Fifty-nine of those arrested were arraigned in the Special Offences Court sitting in Alausa, Ikeja. Twenty-three under-aged miscreants were referred to the correctional homes for rehabilitation in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development.

Thirty-five were arrested in Agege, Oshodi, Pen Cinema, Oko-Oba and Bariga; 20 were earlier arrested in Oshodi and other parts of the state. Fourteen hoodlums were caught in Oshodi with Indian hemp.

Task Force Chairman Mr Akeem Adedeji, a Superintendent of Police, said the arrest followed complaints on the rise in crime rate. Government, he added, would not fold its arms and allow criminals to overrun the state.

According to him, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is committed to protection of lives and properties in order to attract more investors and make life easy for residents

He said some of the suspects would be screened before being charged to court, adding: “It is better to allow criminals to go scot free than to punish the innocent.”

The 23 under-aged boys, he said, would be referred to juvenile homes for rehabilitation, adding that most of the “young miscreants” are between ages 12 and 15 and from broken homes.

Adedeji said: “The unfortunate part of the story is that these kids all have tattoos conspicuous on their bodies. They either have it on their arms and their foreheads. Many of them have on their chest. While most of them have distinctive features to show their superiority in the parks or their enclaves.

 “Our investigations so far revealed that they all belong to a secret cult called ‘Awon Boys’ where they operate in order of their ranks and superiority. This is glaring in the tattoos on their bodies. I wonder where our society is heading to with the growing number of these young miscreants.”

He added that the hoodlums, popularly called “Area Boys” are suspected to have been terrorising residents.

Adedeji said the government took steps again, especially in Oshodi to sanitise the state, explaining that the measure became necessary following public complaints about the rising cases of robbery in Oshodi, especially at night.

He urged Lagosians not to relent in giving tips on criminal hideouts, saying the task force is ready to follow up.

EMERITUS Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria Dr Sunday Ola Makinde and others have extolled the virtues of Mrs Ruth Awobiyi, outgoing Principal of Methodist Girls High School (MGHS), Lagos.

Mrs Awobiyi, wife of former Editor of Sunday Times Mr Tunde Awobiyi, was MGHS principal for 11 years. She was the longest serving Nigerian headteacher of the school.

At a send off for her by the school at the church diocese in Yaba, Lagos, Dr Makinde and some key officers of the church hailed Mrs Awobiyi for improving the school’s fortune.

“You have fought a good fight in the teaching profession and you have finished the race graciously,successfully, gracefully, credibly, and honourably-Angels do no more,” Makinde said, adding: “ She was appointed in 2004 when I was Archbishop of Lagos. But when other schools returned to us by the forward-looking Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu have changed their principalship three or four times within 15 years, this is not the case with MGHS.’’

He went on: “Under her, the school witnessed academic excellence, social stability , spiritual growth, development and staff discipline. It was like what we used to have at Wesley College, which I attended and United Missionary College which the principal attended. Two of my grand-daughters who attended this school under your principalship made an up-step-and-jump from there to the university’’.

Describing Mrs Awobiyi as a disciplinarian, Makinde who shared the same compound with the school as prelate , said,’’ I cherish your family life, with your husband and children, which your pupils, who will be mothers of tomorrow will emulate’’

Methodist Conference Education Board Chairman Rt. Rev Michael Akinwale described Mrs Awobiyi as an asset to the church, saying: “The good legacy you have planted in Methodist Girls High School will no doubt stand the test of time and it will remain indelible in our memory.’’

Rev Okon Ekerendu, former Education/Health and Medical Secretary in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, said  Mrs Awobiyi  is leaving an indelible legacy for our generation and generations yet unborn.’’

In her response, Mrs Awobiyi said: “I am just a pencil in the hand of the Lord who is the author of all that may be ascribed to me either as achievements or attributes. But I will not forget the cardinal role of my families especially my mother, Victoria and husband, Tunde, as well as the Church of God and dedicated staff’’

“When I assumed office 11years ago I never imagined I will end up as the longest serving Nigerian principal out of my 25 predecessors in this great school. “While our European predecessors as principals chalked up as long as 20 to 35 years, only one Nigerian, Mrs Modupe Senbore, defied the usual Nigerian ‘’banana peels’’ and hurdles for 10 years .

“When I came in 11 years ago, I never imagined that I would be able to beat the ‘’banana peels’’ that have made it impossible for any Nigerian principal to be at the helm. Only Mrs Modupe Senbore was principal for 10 years, unlike the Europeans who lasted between 20 and 30 years”.

During her tenure, Mrs Awobiyi paid workers 13th month salary, provided 15 flats as staff quarters, uninterrupted water and power supplies.

She also refurbished classrooms, Information Communication Technology (ICT) and science laboratories, and ensured regular staff training. Under her, the school also had a fleet of vehicles.

Before the ceremony started, Mrs Awobiyi led visitors round some on-going projects, including a multi-storey hostel, fresh landscaping of the entrance and premises of the school, among others. She said support never came from the government since it handed over the school 15 years ago, adding that the projects were being executed from about N130 million savings.