The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • Community gets cassava processing facility

    Lagos State government has provided a cassava processing facility to help empower residents in Igbodu rural community and reduce post-harvest losses.

    Commissioner for Rural Development Mr. Cornelius Ojelabi, while handing over the facility, said the government provided it to boost their economic capacity.

    He explained that farmers can now operate to their full capacity because they are sure of a facility to process their yields if they don’t want to sell their cassava raw.

    He hailed the community for its warm reception and support of the Center for Rural Development (CERUD) a government research institute sited in their community.

    Ojelabi urged them to protect the facility, noting that it is how well they maintained it that would encourage the government to bring more developmental project to the area.

    He said the ministry has established a cassava multiplication field close to the community to supply enriched vitamin A cassava cuttings to the farmers to improve their nutritional value.

    Also, Director Rural Agriculture, Mr. Habeeb Giwa said the facility can process seven tonnes of cassava tubers per day to cope with the rapidly increasing demand of farmers in the community.

    Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter Otunba Femi Oke appreciated government for the gesture, assuring that the people would make adequate use of the facility.

    He noted that the facility has commenced production and is providing employment. He solicited the assistance of the government in the provision of tricycles to convey the cassava from various farms to the processing facility.

    Ojelabi said the government also provided six communal solar powered toilets to Oluwo fish market in Epe Local Government, as part of its measure in containing the spread of the spread of Ebola, adding that the toilets were provided for the traders to curb open defecation and to safe guard the health of the people.

    He urged them to always wash their hands after using the toilets and before touching foods.

  • LASU students gets ultimatum to pay fee

    LASU students gets ultimatum to pay fee

    A two week ultimatum was yesterday issued to external campus students of the Lagos State University, Ojo, to pay their tuition fee for the 2013/2014 Harmattan session. The university management said failure of the students to comply will lead to the forfeiture of   which they their studentship.

    Similarly, those with carry over and other forms of challenges should resolve them as quickly as possible as LASU will be phasing out external campus system by 2016.

    The university Vice-Chancellor Prof John Oladapo Obafunwa who gave the ultimatum, said would expire on Wednesday October 22, adding that the Harmattan examination which was earlier postponed indefinitely would commence on Saturday November 1 and end on Wednesday 12.

    The Senate Chambe, venue of the briefing was packed full of top management staff and technical partners of the university external system led by Chief Emmanuel Adeniyi.

    On the university side are Obafunwa deputies, Professors Sena Bakre (Management) and Fidelis Njokama (Administration), Bursar Adetayo Hassan, Librarian Adebambo Oduwole, Registrar Akinwumi Lewis Oladapo and the Director, External System Prof Tajudeen Abanikanda.

    The Nation’s investigation gathered that the briefing may not be unconnected with  a protest three weeks ago at the Government House, Alausa,  by some students in the Agege external campus of the institution over their inability to graduate, having enrolled in the university as far back as a decade, or even more.

    But Abanikanda refuted it, saying the event was just to clear the air on some misconceptions making the round about the External Campuses.

    The postponement of the examination, according to Obafunwa, was necessitated by the discovery by management that large numbers of students are yet to pay their tuition.

    He said of the about 33000 students in the External Cystem, only about 5,366 have so far paid their fees.

    Obafunwa used the occasion to warn students bent on threatening the system that they would not have their way.

    He recalled that in 2011, his administration inherited challenges in the External Campus ranging from loss of students’ scripts, poor record of students, unpaid honorariums to resource persons, issues bordering on accountability as well as fake students who were mere attention seekers parading themselves as students at the External Campus.

    Obafunwa said management then directed the Information and Communication Technology unit of the university to set up a link where students were registered with their biodata.

     “We had students who claimed they have finished in LASU many years back but by the time we went into their records, we discovered that some were not even students while those who claimed to be have backlogs of outstanding results.

     “It was then we discovered that many who claimed to be students did not pay school fees. Some were even owing up to three or four sessions, yet we said let all of them continue to receive lectures. When we wanted to start the exam in September six, we discovered that over.27000 students have no yet paid, so we had to postpone it. How can you call yourself a bonafide student when you have not yet paid your fees? How do they expect us to pay resource persons teaching them?

    “So after a meeting of stakeholders in the External Campus, it was resolved that they should given two weeks grace to pay up their fees for the current session or otherwise forfeit their studentship”, he said.

    Obafunwa said students who owe more than a session need not fret but pay for the current session to enable them write the exam, adding that management is currently working out modalities on how outstanding fees would be paid.

    Abanikanda said the Directorate of the External Campus hav so far graduated 33,486 between 2012 and 2014.

    He said since 2012, the university external campus started conducting its transaction electronically. Despite this, he lamented that some technophobia students who prefer doing it manually decided to register online through proxies in which he said they might have been defrauded in the process by their agents.

    He said for students who have already paid their fees and registered online, ICT would generate dockets for them between Thursday October 23 till Saturday, noting that collection and distribution of dockets in LASU various external campuses would be from Monday October 27 till Thursday.

  • One Card partners with Redeem church

    One Card, a fast moving consumer goods company has signed an agreement with the Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG), for the production, distribution and sales of its customised multiple service recharge cards.

    With this agreement, Redeem members in all its 32,000 parishes across the country now access top-up solution at any parish while also receiving God’s Blessings

    Speaking on this unique service, the Founder/ Director of One Card, Prof Olurinde Lafe  said this initiative is borne out of the company’s commitment to making life easier for Nigerians via easy –to-use and accessible top-up solution .

    The Chairman of the company, Mr Tunde Odulaja thanked RCCG for the exclusive opportunity given his company to avail it of one of its services.

    The Church’s representative, Pastor J.K Odesola, said RCCG approved the production and distribution of its customized cards, because One Card is providing an innovative card that is a bridge to all Nigerians service providers, adding that their product will make it possible for any denomination of One Card purchased to be loaded on any service provider of one’s choice.

  • Judge shows mercy to drug dealer

    A 26-year-old man, John Daniel, escaped a lifetime in jail after he pleaded guilty to dealing in 14.3 kilogrammes of cannabis.

    Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court jailed him for only two years because he was repentant.

    “The court has considered the convict’s plea for mercy and the fact that he is remorseful. The 26-year-old convict will be given another chance in life to turn a new leaf.

    “Accordingly, the convict is hereby sentenced to a two-year term of imprisonment with effect from September 23, 2013, the day of his arrest.”

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arraigned Daniel on one-count charge of dealing in the banned substance after he was arrested on September 23 last year at Jass 38, Lekki, Lagos.

    He was charged for being in possession of the narcotic without lawful authority contrary to Section 11(c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    The prosecution said the substance was later confirmed to be cannabis sativa or marijuana, a substance similar to cocaine in effect.

    NDLEA’s Deputy Superintendent, Narcotics, Mr. Taupyen Sunday said Daniel confessed to the crime.

    He said the substance were scientifically analysed and confirmed to be a outlawed narcotic.

    He tendered before the court a certificate of test analysis, a packing of substance form, a request for scientific aid form, Daniel’s statement, a drug analysis report and an exhibit of the seized drug sealed in big brown envelope.

    Daniel, who was not represented by a lawyer, pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy. He vowed not to return to the illicit business.

    After sentencing him, Justice Buba directed NDLEA to destroy the narcotic.

  • Female church member charged for stealing pastor’s N52,000

    A female member of a church, Kemi Abbas, yesterday appeared in an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on a charged of allegedly stealing her pastor’s N52, 000.

    Abbas, 26, who resides at No 216 Railway Line, Ilupeju.

    The Prosecutor, Mr Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offence on September 30 at St. Christopher Spiritual Church, C&S Ilupeju.

    He said the accused stole N52, 000 belonging to her pastor, one Kolawole Oye.

    Olatunde said: “The pastor was attending to some members of his congregation during a counseling session when his phone rang. He could not hear the caller because of the noise of the generator set, so, went outside to receive the call.”

    He said when the complainant came back to his seat, he discovered that an envelope left on his table that contained N52, 000 had disappeared.

    “He quickly raised an alarm and threatened those he left in the office with death if the money was not immediately returned and confession made,’’ the prosecutor said.

    Olatunde said that the accused fell on the ground and confessed that she saw the envelope but only took N5, 000 and did not know who took the rest along with the envelope.

    The offence, the prosecutor said, contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 and stipulates a punishment of three years imprisonment if found guilty.

    She pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Magistrate, Mr Akeem Fashola, granted the accused bail in the sum of N25, 000 with one surety in like sum. The case was  adjourned to October 30 for mention.

  • Police recover N.7million gold from suspect

    Police recover N.7million gold from suspect

    The Police in Lagos has recovered gold wristwatches and necklaces valued at N.7million from a suspected armed robber in Agage on the outskirts of the metropolis.

    The suspect, Oluwasegun Olusola (33), was arrested by operatives attached to Pen Cinema Police Station after his gang had operated along Lagos/Abeokuta expressway where they allegedly robbed Mr and Mrs Akintola Sherifat of the items.

    Spokesperson to the command, Kenneth Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP) confirmed the arrest to our reporter.

    Nwosu said all the items stolen from the victims have been recovered, adding that the suspect is being interrogated and he is assisting the police in its efforts to apprehend his gang members who are at large.

    He said the incident occurred  on October 2 about 6.30pm at No 27 Alhaja Olowowewe Street in Ogun State but that the suspect was arrested during a stop and search operation by police operatives from Pen Cinema.

    Items recovered from the suspects are seven wristwatches valued at N110, 000; gold necklaces and ear-rings valued N560, 000.

    Nwosu said the victims have identified the recovered stolen items and that the police have been released to them, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti has advised armed robbers to relocate from the state as they would not be tolerated.

  • Council chair empowers constituents

    Council chair empowers constituents

    The chairman of Ikosi Ejinrin Local Council Development Area, Prince Ganiu Adetola, has distributed empowerment materials as part of his poverty alleviation programmes for the people of the area.

    He said it was in line with his vision to provide sustainable sources of income to unemployed residents, while also reducing the poverty level in the area.

    Some of the items include freezers, refrigerators, generators, tyres, batteries, vulcanizing machines, spraying apparatus, hair driers, barbing kits, sewing machines, catering tools, mobile phones, mechanic work boxes, motorcycles, popularly known as okada, and food stuff, among others.

  • ‘My husband is too stingy’, wife tells court

    ‘My husband is too stingy’, wife tells court

    A 43-year-old trader, Nimota Fatokun, has prayed the Customary Court in Alakuko, Lagos to dissolve her 16-year-old marriage to Moruf  Fatokun.

    She is alleging that her husband shirks his responsibility as a father.

    She said:”This is the 10th year that my husband stopped giving me any allowance. But each time he sleeps with me, I conceive. He pays only a quarter of our children’s school fees, leaving me to pay the balance .At times, he steals from my savings and gives our children as feeding allowance. My husband is stingy to us. On different occasions when I had gone into labour, he didn’t provide the medical bills.

    “He doesn’t seek my advice before taking any decision. He thinks I am not intelligent. My husband keeps lamenting that the landlord will show up soon, but I later got to know he owns the house through a neighbour.  As a result, I sold the shop he bought for me at a ridiculous amount because he wasn’t catering for our needs.”

    The 50-year-old spray painter, in his defence, said:”My wife has a problem, which I think can’t be solved. Whatever we discuss, she informs her relations. I can’t do without sleeping with my wife, so I had to give her money for family planning. But she literally blew the money.

    “How can I be happy with her, when she sold the shop I bought for her at a ridiculous amount? She doesn’t assist me with our children’s school fees. I had to visit my wife the next day after she was delivered of our last child because I was ill.

    “I was shocked to find my wife and children missing because we were on good terms before I left for work and she had no reason to pack out of the house. I searched unsuccessfully for my family for several days. I then resolved to visit the welfare home for children. Upon my meeting with the management, they summoned my wife’s relations who refused to show up. I later found out that they were living with their grandmother.

    The union  has produced five male children: Ibrahim (15), Mojeed (12),Saliudeen (10), Idris (4) and Ismail (1).

    The court President, Chief Awos Awosola, ordered Moruf to be in custody of the first three children.

    However, he adjourned the case till October 23.

  • Collation of recovered illegal arms starts today

    Collation of recovered illegal arms starts today

    The Lagos State Police Command will start the collation of unlicensed firearms recovered by its Area Command todays.

    The Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti, on September 23 gave two weeks to those in possession of illegally acquired firearms to return them.

    The ultimatum expired on Monday.

    Aderanti who frowned at the high level of arms proliferation in the state, said a special task force would be set up to comb the state and recover illegal firearms after the expiration of the ultimatum.

    Aderanti ordered area commanders to create a desk for receiving such arms, adding that those who do not surrender theirs after the expiration of the ultimatum would be treated as armed robbers.

    “A lot of individuals that are not licensed use it to intimidate and harass innocent persons. After two weeks, anyone who does not return the illegally acquired weapons will be dealt with. We will not accept any reason for not returning the weapons.  We will treat anybody caught in illegal possession of firearms as an armed robber. I am not happy with the number of arms in wrong hands. We would deal with anybody who intends to unleash mayhem on the state. We are entering another phase and there should be a level playing ground’’, Aderanti said.

    The command’s spokesman, Kenneth Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), told to The Nation that after the sallah break, area commanders are expected to give report on the level of compliance.

    He said: “Yes the ultimatum has expired and after the holidays the area commands are expected to come and give their reports. The CP directed all Area commands to establish a desk for the collection. After their reports, the Command will know the next step to take”.

    The ultimatum followed the murder of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress of Nigeria (APC), Alhaji Azeez Asake last month in Lagos Island.

    Asake was allegedly killed by thugs loyal to the Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally, attended by President Goodluck Jonathan and the party’s National chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, among others.

  • Gunuvi cultural festival begins Badagry tomorrow

    Gunuvi cultural festival begins Badagry tomorrow

    All is set for the hosting of the First Gunuvi Festival of Arts and Culture in Badagary, Lagos.

    As the festival starts tomorrow, Egun festival leaders are advocating a change in the educational system.

    They urged the government to learn from Asia where indigenous cultural practices and studies are included in school curriculum

    They made the call at a briefing in the Palace of the Akran of Badagry, Oba Aholu Menu Toyi I.

    According to the organisers, the Gunuvi Rights Initiative of Nigeria (GRIN), the festival is expected to bring together sons and daughters of Egunland from within and outside the country, the Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast.

    GRIN National Speaker, Comrade Bukoh Eseyido said the festival is part of moves to galvanise the rich cultural heritage of Egunland. The festival, he said, would correct misconceptions regarding some mores and cultural practises that prospered the people before the advent of the colonialists, there will be series of lectures during the festival featuring seasoned dons led by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), Prof Sena Bakare, who will be presenting a paper on Nutritional benefits of local beverages as source of economic empowerment.  Other speakers include Dr Henry Hunjo and Dr Anthony Dasu.

    “In my opinion, the Westerners helped to under-develop us. Before the coming of the colonialist, our people have their practices and values that have kept the sanity and sanctity of the African society. There were wars and crisis but the people had their ways of solving them which were very effective. We would be revisiting such prosperous aspects of our culture. One of the lectures is focused on Education System in Oguland before the arrival of the Western World, which focused on re-orientating our leaders to revisit be looking at some of those One of these is through its educational We hope to showcase the rich cultural heritage of our land. It is hoped that the festival will unite all the people of Oguland.”

    It will feature lectures, awards, cultural exhibitions and displays and so on.