The Nation Newspaper

Category: Saturday Magazine

  • A new chapter in luxury: Chris Aire’s artistic reinvention of jewelry culture

    A new chapter in luxury: Chris Aire’s artistic reinvention of jewelry culture

    • By Oluwatobi Babalola

    There are evenings in Beverly Hills when the air itself seems to keep a secret, when glass cases glow like small hearths and the hush before a reveal feels almost liturgical. In such hours, the name on everyone’s lips is the same: Chris Aire. Collectors write from Dubai and Doha, Los Angeles and New York, Lagos and London; stylists trade whispers; vault doors sigh open. Anticipation gathers like silk. Another unveiling is near.

    The new flood of interest in Chris Aire’s new  high quality  pieces have not only increased traffic and mails for inquiries and appointments via his website; his Instagram handle and the Facebook page of ‘Chris Aire Fine Jewelry & Timepieces’ have equally recorded massive upsurge in interest.

    What’s coming, they say, is a confluence, rare stones chosen for soul as much as clarity; motifs lifted from ancestral looms and sharpened by American modernism; the molten warmth of Red Gold®, that singular Aire alchemy where metal remembers fire. Clients speak of him not as a merchant of sparkle but as a keeper of meaning. The sketches hint at it: geometric echoes of Nigerian textiles held in dialogue with the clean lines of California minimalism; shields and crests pared to their eternal shapes; blue sapphires like midnight translated; emeralds that breathe of gardens after rain. These aren’t ornaments; they are letters home written in light between Africa and America.

    “If he were in Japan, he would be a national treasure,” Melinda once said, a smile at the edges of her voice. She meant the reverence for craft that refuses haste, the mastery that feels less learned than inherited, the discipline that turns audacity into legacy. And there is legacy: in 2025, Former President of the United States, Joe Biden, honoring a lifetime of excellence and service, presented Chris Aire with a Life Time Achievement Award “for extraordinary and outstanding service and contribution to society.” In a world that often confuses shimmer with substance, the citation rang like a clarifying bell.

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    Aire’s ascent reads like good music—unexpected, inevitable. Born in Nigeria, raised where metal and rhythm both carry history, he crossed the Atlantic with more hunger than capital and found in America a studio large enough for his dreams. He learned the old ways the old way, by hand, by heat, by repetition, then tuned them to a West Coast cadence: clean, architectural, quietly fearless. Six years of apprenticeship pressed patience into his bones; then, in 1997, with $5,000 and a clear gaze, he opened his own door. Destiny knocked in the shape of a dog tag, simple, precise, unreasonably beautiful. Word leapt from mouth to mouth; Gary Payton placed a $50,000 order; soon Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Jay-Z, Wyclef Jean, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, names that usually gild others, found themselves gilded. The story wasn’t celebrity; it was chemistry. His pieces seemed to understand the people who wore them.

    Yet fame, in Aire’s house, is a guest—never the host. The creed here is CAF—Customers Are Family, not a slogan but a vow. The private appointment becomes a conversation about inheritance. The look book becomes a mirror where a client recognizes who they were always becoming. Even the headline commissions, like the NBA “Top 75 Greatest Players” ring in his signature  Red Gold® carry the hush of intention. They are celebratory, yes, but contemplative too, like jazz that lets you hear the spaces between notes.

    Africa is not a mood board here; it is the source. America is not a backdrop; it is the workbench. Aire invests directly in African mines, insisting on conflict-free stones, fair wages, and future-facing practice; he mentors artisans in Nigeria while also nurturing talent in Los Angeles workshops, where Hollywood craftsmanship meets American engineering and when timepieces are at stake, Swiss precision. He speaks of an African luxury renaissance and lives an American design renaissance in the same breath: not extractive but generative; not a brief trend but a long remembering. He supports the Fortune of God orphanage in Abuja and partners with nonprofits in the United States, arguing gently, firmly, that beauty must answer to responsibility on both shores.

    Step into his Beverly Hills flagship and you meet the thesis in wood and light. Cherry panels glow; engineered beams fall exactly where they must.

    A black-and-white leopard greets you at the threshold, sleek, watchful, unafraid. Inside the vitrines, the diamonds are brilliant, yes, but it’s the intent that dazzles. Signature Red Gold® doesn’t shout; it warms. Platinum leans into sapphire like dusk taking the hand of evening. Every surface is restrained, refusing to compete with what the jewels are saying.

    For all the orbiting star power, Aire remains resolutely terrestrial, anchored by his marriage to Diana Atinuke Durojaiye and their three children; by a code learned early: faith, respect, love, kindness, unity, vision. He talks about business the way some talk about gardens: seasons, care, patience, fruit. The future he sketches is not merely an expansion of boutiques but an expansion of impact, scaled vocational programs for young makers on two continents, deeper nonprofit partnerships, and designs that keep one eye on heritage and the other on tomorrow.

    Industry labels have tried to capture him—“King of Bling,” “Design Revolutionary”—but the work transcends taglines. In a culture that changes outfits every season, Aire’s pieces keep their vows. A signet ring that feels like lineage. A timepiece that reads like prayer. A necklace whose stones seem to remember the mountain that gave them.

    These are heirlooms that understand the future, artistry with investment gravity, and the market has noticed. Waitlists form quietly. Vaults make space. Collectors and collectors in the making register interest not merely to own, but to belong.

    And now, the threshold again, the soft thrum before curtains lift on a new collection. The rumors are tender and precise: ancestral symbols pared to their essence; discreet family crests for those who prefer their stories kept close; stones chosen for the way they speak to skin. As always with Aire, the promise isn’t that a jewel will dazzle a room (though it will) but that it will recognize its wearer, meet them where history and hope cross, and hold that place.

    In the end, that is Chris Aire’s genius. He does not merely set stones; he sets intentions. He does not simply sell; he stewards. And in an age that mistakes noise for news, he keeps making objects that outlast the moment, pieces forged at the meeting point of African heritage and American imagination, pieces that will be worn, yes, and, more importantly, remembered.

  • Residents of Imo communities in tears as bandits leave schools, health centres in ruins

    Residents of Imo communities in tears as bandits leave schools, health centres in ruins

    •Demand declaration of emergency

    The once-thriving schools in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State now stand as haunting monuments to the devastating impact of banditry.

    In almost half of the local government area, schools, particularly public primary and secondary schools, have been vandalized, their structures reduced to dilapidated shells that seem to whisper tales of despair.

    The bandits, who have taken control of significant parts of Okigwe, have left no stone unturned in their bid for total destruction of public facilities. Among the schools affected are Umulolo Central School, Umulolo Girls Secondary School, Umulolo Boys Secondary School, Agbobu/Ndizuogu Community Primary School, Agbogu Central School, Agbogu Community Secondary School, Umuowa-Ibu Technical School, Umuowa-Ibu Primary School and schools in Aku community.

    The aforementioned schools, once filled with pupils, now stand in ruins. Classrooms which once buzzed with the chatter of eager students now lie in ruins, their roofs torn apart, windows, walls shattered, doors ripped off and iron doors and protectors pilfered. Classrooms are abandoned while blackboards have gathered dust.

    Worse still, most of the children in the affected communities have either dropped out of school completely or are scattered and left to struggle in faraway schools where their parents could manage to send them to.?????

    The situation has led to widespread disruption of education, with many students forced to abandon their studies due to fear of attacks.

    A generation lost to fear

    A resident expressed concern that the bandits’ activities have instilled deep-seated fear in parents, prompting them to withdraw their children from school. This has resulted in significant disruption of the children’s education and future prospects.

    He said: “Fear has become a constant companion as sounds of laughter and learning have been replaced by the silence of abandoned classrooms taken over by bushes.

    “It’s heartbreaking to see our schools in such devastating conditions.”

    A retired teacher, who preferred anonymity due for security reasons, said the children are the innocent victims of senseless acts of violence. “Our children are forced to abandon their education due to people in army uniforms,” he said.

    The parent noted that it was difficult to distinguish between Nigerian soldiers and bandits who are often dressed in military uniforms.

    According to him, insecurity has created an environment where parents prioritise their children’s safety over their education, leading to a worrying trend of children missing out on their right to learn.

    Another resident, who gave his name simply as Boss, said there were no functional government-owned schools in Okigwe as the structures of the schools have been damaged beyond repairs.

    Boss said: “I’ve witnessed firsthand the devastation in Okigwe. The truth is all the six communities mentioned have no functional government schools. Agbogu’s primary and secondary schools are in a shambles, with roofs removed or damaged beyond repairs.

    This destruction, which occurred in 2022 due to rumours of military camps, has left a lasting impact. Now, parents are forced to send their children to private schools mostly outside Okigwe with exorbitant fees.

    Healthcare in jeopardy

    The health sector in Okigwe is also facing an unprecedented crisis. It was gathered that the two health centres at Agbogu, built with federal funds, and the one built by Senator Athan Achonu in 2021, have all been vandalized.

    A medical practitioner at the General Hospital Okigwe noted that health centres, once beacons of hope for the communities in the senatorial zone, are now barely functional due to bandits’ activities.

    This, he said, has resulted in significant decline in healthcare services, putting the lives of residents at risk.

    He noted that the situation is dire, with “everything totally down.”

    “If this persists, Okigwe will be plagued by high illiteracy rate and poor healthcare,” he said.

    A visit to health centres at Umulolo, Arondizuogu, Agbogu, Aku, Umuowa-Ibu, Ihube and Ezinachi revealed a devastating scene: facilities that once brought hope to mothers, children and the elderly are now non-functional. These health centres, which were once vital to the well-being of the communities, have been ravaged, leaving a gaping hole in the healthcare system in the zone.

    In fact, reports indicate that these areas have been severely affected, with children missing out on immunization, pregnant women lacking access to antenatal care, and the sick having nowhere to turn. The health centres in these communities are reportedly looted, vandalized or abandoned.

    Sources said in the last three to four years, children in these communities have not been immunised. A concerned mother, Mrs. Nneoma, said “pregnant women have no safe place for antenatal care in Okigwe while the sick have nowhere to turn.”

    “Residents are living in fear, and the lack of access to medical care is alarming. While the bandits have special nurses for their needs, residents are forced to rely on God’s grace.

    “Some seek treatment in Okigwe town or at the Amaoru health centre, but many aren’t so fortunate,” she said.

     Calls for action

    Residents and leaders are urging the government to take decisive action to address the insecurity that has led to the killings.

    Boss said: “I liken Okigwe to a ghost town, where businesses have collapsed, and people have fled.

    “Landlords are struggling to make ends meet as tenants abandon their homes.

    Our representatives seem indifferent to our plight, prioritizing their own interests.

    He noted that Okigwe Zone has a considerable number of leaders, including a sitting Senator for Imo North, two members of the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly from Ihitte Uboma, five other assembly members, six local government chairmen, and hundreds of councilors.

    Despite holding significant positions entrusted with moral and political responsibility to represent the people, many have remained silent in the face of escalating insecurity. This collective silence has been likened to “the silence of the lambs,” sparking widespread criticism and concern among residents.

    He however commended leaders like Senators Athan Achonu and Samuel Anyanwu who refused to remain silent or to be intimidated in the face of the destruction and killings in Okigwe. “One notable exception is Senator Athan Nneji Achonu, also known as the “One-Arm General,” who has been vocal about the insecurity plaguing Okigwe zone. He has called for urgent action to address the crisis and has been critical of the government’s handling of the situation.”

    He pleaded that insecurity issues be addressed in the both Okigwe and Orlu, adding: “Gentle De Yahoo’s influence still looms large, and until the government takes decisive action, the situation will remain volatile.”

    He called on the government to declare a state of emergency in Okigwe.

    “I demand a state of emergency be declared in Okigwe. The government must equip and empower local vigilantes to restore peace. Until then, developmental projects will remain a distant dream,” he said.

    Igbo group condemns killings, dilapidated schools, health centres in Okigwe

    Ogbako Ndígbo Nile Worldwide, a prominent Igbo organisation, expressed deep concern over the security situation in Okigwe, where government forces have failed to restore peace.

    The organisation’s President General, Amb. Dr. Akpelu Azunna, called for a community-driven intelligence and security approach to address the crisis.

    The organisation noted that the Imo State Government, in partnership with federal security agencies, must adopt a targeted, precise and professional approach to security, avoiding indiscriminate force that harms innocent residents.

    Residents, it said, must also actively collaborate with authorities to provide credible intelligence and information to identify and isolate criminal elements.

    According to the organisation, the restoration of peace in Okigwe is essential to boost local economic activities, attract investment and ensure that infrastructure projects are not abandoned due to insecurity.

    Education and healthcare are the bedrock of a people’s development, and all stakeholders must prioritise making schools and health centres functional again.

    The organisation called on the Imo State Government to balance firmness with fairness, and on the people of Okigwe to stand united against criminality.

    “Religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth leaders and women’s groups are also urged to work together towards community reconciliation, peace-building, and moral reorientation.

    “Peace is the foundation for prosperity and development,” the organisation reiterated, urging the government and residents to work together to restore peace and rebuild the affected areas.

    Also, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Congress, Comrade Igboyaka O. Igboyaka, expressed deep concern over the current state of affairs in the country, particularly in the Southeast region, describing it as worrisome.

    According to him, individuals agitating for Biafra in the Southeast are merely a gang of criminals exploiting the cause to perpetuate crimes.

    “We’ve asked the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu because most of these criminals are using the Biafra liberation narrative to commit crimes,” Comrade Igboyaka stated.

    In his contribution, the Coalition of Southeast Youth Leaders (COSEYL) also expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation in Okigwe, where schools and health centres have become non-functional due to banditry.

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    “We are deeply alarmed and saddened by this unacceptable situation, which has left residents at the mercy of fear, disease, and ignorance,” COSEYL President General, Comrade Goodluck Ibem, said.

    The organisation demanded immediate intervention from the Imo State Government and federal authorities to restore normalcy in Okigwe.

    COSEYL also called for the deployment of well-trained security personnel, reactivation of abandoned schools and health centres, and community-based intelligence partnerships to identify and flush out criminal elements.

    Additionally, COSEYL urged the government to invest in youth empowerment programmes to prevent young people from being lured into criminality.

    “Enough is enough. Okigwe deserves to live in peace, not fear,” Comrade Ibem emphasised.

    The organisation appealed to the media, civil society, and international partners to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Okigwe.

    As the situation in Okigwe continues to deteriorate, stakeholders have called for urgent step to address the root causes of these woes as well as collaborative efforts to develop strategies to protect these vital institutions and ensure the well-being of the people.

  • Yinka Fasuyi @ 70:My life as socialite, businessman, philanthropist

    Yinka Fasuyi @ 70:My life as socialite, businessman, philanthropist

    • Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme will be game changer
    • Ebenezer Obey has played at all my birthday celebrations in last 17 years

    From a playboy who wanted to become a petty businessman to a storied career that began with the Federal Government, Ministry of Education, to Total Plc, now TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc, and renowned management consultant, Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi’s life at 70 years is one lived beautifully, amid a legacy etched in purpose.

    Fasuyi, the 16th child of his father, grew to become an achiever, a mobiliser and a philanthropist of note, will on October 25, 2025, celebrate his platinum birthday in Ilesa, Osun State.

    In this interview, he shares with Assistant Editor EMMANUEL BADEJO, his life, principles that have sustained him, and his legacy. How God used a music legend, Chief Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, to predict his installation as the Asiwaju of Ijesaland and the place of communities in Nigeria’s economic growth.

    You’re turning 70 in a few weeks, but you look 50. What is the secret of your youthful look?

    I would not like to be deceived. In life, there are basic principles that should guide an average human being. If we live and abide by these principles, the chances are very high that as you’re growing and advancing in age, you may be avoiding associated stress that will make you look older than your age. What are these principles? Work when you should, and rest when you should. Then, be content.  Don’t aspire to own the world, but aspire to be the best in whatever you do. Learn to appreciate God for the gift of life.  I will say that the combination of all these is responsible for the favour and the gift of God I have received.

    How feasible is it to work and rest when you are faced with economic challenges in Nigeria?

    Are you saying Nigeria’s economy is good or bad? For you to appreciate what you have, you have to situate it in contemporary time, situations and scenarios. Over 45 years ago, that popular highlife artist, Tunde Nightingale, sang a song “Ilu le o, ko’sowo lode”, meaning things are hard, there’s hardship in town.  Also, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey waxed similar music about 40 years ago.  Are you saying we are now living at the same time as those respected musicians sang? Things keep changing. Money is like another want by human beings. We can never satisfy all our wants. If I ask any of you to list your wants, you’re likely going to list a private airport, private jets, an estate built in your name, and the list will be endless. If you remember that I said content is one of my principles in life, I doubt anyone in the world would agree that he or she has enough money in his pocket.

     What was your growing up like?

    I was born to Chief Jacob Olowokeere Fasuyi and Madam Felicia Sijuola Fasuyi on October 25, 1955. I attended Otapete Primary School at Ilesa, Osun State, between 1962 and 1968. I attended the famous Ilesa Grammar School between 1969 and 1973. I worked at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Tinubu, Lagos, and at the National Electric Power Authority, Marina, Lagos. After a few years of working experience, I went to the University of Ibadan and left in 1982/83. Then, I served in the Gongola State, now Yola. After my NYSC, I worked at the Federal Ministry of Education and from there, I moved to Total Plc, where I worked for seven years. I resigned voluntarily to begin a career in management consulting through the establishment of arguably the oldest consulting firm in Nigeria today, established in 1991, but started operations in 1992. In addition to my education in economics, I also obtained three master’s degrees – Labour and Industrial Relations from the University of Ibadan, 1986; Business Administration at the Obafemi Awolowo University, 1992; and, in 1994, I also enrolled for a master’s degree in information science at the University of Ibadan, 1994.

    I am engaged in management consulting.  And because of this, I’ve attended business schools around the world to improve my knowledge base and the worldview of my consulting.  I attended the University of Manchester Business School, a university in Washington DC.  I also attended the University of California, Los Angeles, and I did a certificate course at Queen’s University, Canada.

    Before all these certifications, how was your secondary school life?

    Right from my secondary school days in 1971, precisely when I was in form three, I became socially radical. I loved parties, and it happened that I was the one sponsoring some of those parties.  Occasionally, I had privileged access to my father’s drawer. I remember a particular scenario in 1971, when we wanted to bring Fela Anikulapo Kuti to Ilesa, but he was not willing.  Then, Segun Bucknor was next to him. I paid Segun to bring Fela to Ilesa just to enjoy ourselves.  On July 26, 1972, Ebenezer Obey released a record, ‘Board Members’. When I heard the music, I loved it so much.  Obey praise sang some individuals in that record, and I wondered if they were spirits or human beings.  Right then, I resolved that if those people are human beings, I would love to be like them. To the glory of God, that determination had since come to pass.

    With your social life, yet, your academic resume is encouraging.  How were you able to balance the two?

    Back then, I never loved education.  I was hoping to be a businessman like my father. All my focus then was to have two to three shops selling building materials.  But this mindset changed when I relocated to Lagos. One of my uncles challenged me to further my education. That counsel clicked a dot in me.  I sat again for my WASCE and passed in flying colours; went for my A Level, and then to the university.  During my A-levels, something unpleasant happened.  I was accused of instigating a riot I didn’t know anything about. I was implicated because the teacher assigned to look into the matter was pursuing a girl I was befriending. And, I was suspended for an offence I never committed, though they allowed me to write my WASCE.  When the results came out, I had the best result in chemistry, biology and economics, with which I entered the university.

    I read Economics at the university. I’d thought it would be easy, but I was wrong. That made me contemplate changing to either political science or sociology. The problem with me was the mathematical aspect of the course. But with Chief Ebenezer Obey’s music and Gulder drink, I was able to surmount that challenge.

    You’ve mentioned Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi, an Abeokuta music legend, now a minister. What’s the relationship between you?

    If you remember that I’d said earlier that I never loved education. Rather, I loved attending parties and listening to music. Chief Ebenezer Obey’s music was the most appealing to me growing up. I used to listen to his music in cafeterias back then. And I have grown to love the man and his style of music. He, in turn, has developed a love for me. When Chief Obey turned 80, you won’t believe that I was the chairman at the occasion. This is the same person I was listening to his music at the cafeteria. To the glory of God, in the last 17 years of my life, he has played in all my birthday celebrations, and he has also waxed three full records for Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi. This is one of my lifelong dreams, and I would say God has made that fulfilled.

     In what type of family did you grow up?

    My parents were both into business.  I grew up under their tutelage. You must have heard of the ‘Osomalo’ in Ijesa, and that means we were taught to be streetwise. I grew up in a polygamous family.  My father had seven wives with 23 children. I’m number 16. My mother had six children, and I am the third, but the first son of my mother.

    What were the challenges growing up in that kind of family?

    That is one area my family, with due respect, stands out. In our family, the relationship among us, the children, was so unique and fantastic that we became a reference point when we talked about unity in a polygamous setting. In the entire family setting, we discovered that the closest confidants are always from different mothers. That was a huge legacy.

     What were the lessons you learnt from your parents?

    Integrity, integrity and integrity! My father was a chief in a church, and he never took the community chieftaincy title. I remember that one of the kings, Loja Agunlejika, approached my dad to be made the Oba Odo, one of the highest chieftaincy positions, but my father declined.

    How many chieftaincy titles do you have apart from Asiwaju Ijesaland?

    I’m the first Balogun of Ijebu-Jesa, Baba Oba, Ila Ijesa, Baba Oba, Ayetoro Ijesa, Baba Oba, Idi-Oko, Ijesa, Baba Oba, Iwaraja, Ijesa and Baba Oba, Ogbara, Ijesa.

    Your father didn’t take any chieftaincy title. Do you think he would have approved of all these titles?

    This is why I didn’t take traditional titles; I took honorary chieftaincy titles.

    With all these titles, how best would you want to be introduced at functions?

    I never loved the chieftaincy title in my life. I’ve always had cause to correct people at public functions where they often recognise me as a chief and my wife as Dr. (Mrs) Fasuyi. I will always introduce myself as Mr and Dr. (Mrs) Yinka and Bisi Fasuyi.  I’ve been offered chieftaincy titles, but I never took one.

    In most cases, honourary titles are paid for. How much did you pay for your Asiwaju title?

    My journey to the Asiwaju title began with Chief Ebenerzer Obey. It’s an interesting story.  Obey and Chief Sunny Ade used to come to Ijesa in the 70s to perform.  Though I couldn’t gain access to the field where they used to play, I and some of my friends were happy hanging around the venue just to hear their voices from the outside. These musicians would not only come to Ilesa if the population were not huge. But when I moved to Lagos in 1974, I was shocked when I started seeing the same Obey playing in Lagos at the backyard, in sitting rooms with just 40 people. This is the same Obey that would not come to Ilesa if we didn’t have 1,000 or 2,000 people in attendance. Seeing the same man with just a few people got me thinking to replicate that at Ijesaland. That made me invite three of my friends – one of them was the Managing Director of African Petroleum, Tunde Falasinnu; he was a former General Manager in Total Plc; another was Rotimi Aboyesan, a known businessman; and the other friend, Wale Shodipo. I sought their understanding to invite Obey every quarter to Ijesaland. They agreed.  I reached out to Obey. He came.  But when he came, they met about 28 people. The son of Chief Obey, Sina Obey, expressed disappointment because we were few and we were not among the popular socialites at the time.

    But when Obey started, each of us stepped forward and sprayed him naira notes of N500,000 notes at intervals. They were dazed and that made them curious to know who we were. They wanted to be sure we were not into any illicit deals.

    After that incident, three months later, we invited Sunny Ade.  Three months later, we brought Obey back. It was at that time Obey started calling me Asiwaju Ibadan group of four. At another time, he will refer to me as the Asiwaju Ibadan group of friends.

    (Cuts in)… Sir, the question is how you influenced your Asiwaju title?

    Yes, that is the story I’m narrating. 10 years ago, at my 60th birthday, Obey was the guest musician. I had the party in Ibadan and not in Ilesa.  I invited some chiefs from Ilesa who were there. All through the period Obey was playing, he was calling me Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi.  The news spread to the extent that my older brother from Lagos, two days after, called me and expressed his displeasure over my non-disclosure of my chieftaincy title. In my response, I told my brother I didn’t have any such title.  He said to me, ‘Was I deaf to Obey’s music? I said to him, it was only the Asiwaju Ibadan group of friends.  He didn’t believe me and said I should keep deceiving myself.

    As God would have it, one of the chiefs that attended the event, Chief Ayo Agbede, went back to Ilesa, got a brochure of my Ibadan Business School and that of my management consultancy service, Supreme Management Consultancy Service, and the programme of events and pictures of attendees.  Prof. Wale Omole, former Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), was the chairman of the occasion. This chief took all these to Ilesa, met the late Owa, Oba (Dr.) Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, and narrated what he heard, saw and his exchanges with me during the party.  According to him, he said the party was a carnival and also discovered that they were calling me Asiwaju and that his further findings revealed that the man in question (that’s me) had never taken any chieftaincy title. He thereafter pleaded with the Kabiese to confirm me as the Asiwaju of Ijesaland.

    Coincidentally, Kabiesi Aromolaran knew my family so well.  My late younger brother was a confidant of Owa Aromolaran.  Then, the discussion of the Asiwaju title began.  That was 2015. Along the line, when the news filtered to Lagos, many highly placed men of Ijesa descent opposed it. It was a big tussle. But, on July 6, 2016, after the late Kabiesi concluded his consultations, I got a text message from the palace saying that the late Owa had graciously accepted to make me the Asiwaju of Ijesaland. It so happened that when this message came in, I was at a party in Lagos where Chief Ebenezer Obey was the musician. Immediately, I got the message, I took it to him (Obey) on the stage, and he immediately stopped the music. And, he asked if his prediction had not come to pass? In a nutshell, God used Chief Obey to make me Asiwaju of Ijesaland. It was actually Commander Obey that God used to give me that honour. The honour didn’t come to fruition until all opposition had been resolved. I remember a case that, after Owa Aromolaran’s communication to me, oppositions still arose, and that led to another round of heated debate. Consequently, I was invited to Owa Palace, where I met all the major traditional rulers in Ijesaland. They resolved not to make me Asiwaju of Ijesaland, but Asiwaju of Ilesa, with a promise that if my performance was impressive, they would elevate me to Asiwaju of Ijesaland.  That became a reality four years later.

    What does 70 mean to you?

    At 70, one needs to appreciate God. When I was at Total Plc, we used to call two or three of my bosses, baba, who were in their late 40s. If you go biblically, 70 is an advanced age.  If you also look at statistics, life expectancy in Nigeria it has steadily improved and is now at 62.  Within the country, it is like someone is already living beyond expectations. At a global average, life expectancy is 73.  For me, age 70 is a period to give glory to God, and I’ll always thank God. As part of appreciating God, events spanning nine days have been planned.

     You’ll be nine years old as the Asiwaju. What can you list as achievements in Ijesa communities?

    Development is not something only the government can bear. We have several communities.  I remember those decades back then. Our communities were building schools, health centres and others.  This was before the advent of the oil boom in 1956. But today, the communities are no longer participating in these noble courses. Through the Ijesa Community Development Assembly, we’re bringing back community participation as the fourth realm of development. While the other tiers of government play their parts, the communities should also play their part.

    A few days ago, we received a release from the presidency on the ‘Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme.’ I give the glory to the almighty God for that.  That initiative will be a game-changer. I invented the concept of a world-based development initiative.  And I am happy that the Federal Government wants to replicate this in the 8,809 wards in Nigeria.  In Ijesaland, we have 64 wards from our six local governments. Since last year, the body, Ijesa Community Development Assembly, has been advocating and sensitising the communities to accept a community-based development approach. This initiative is good for Nigeria. We at Ijesa have evolved this idea.  With our population of 1,230, 399 people, only about 240 people have been contributing the huge money we have been spending on development. But we have evolved another template 10-level concept that will capture everybody. Development can be sustained through this approach.

    Kudos to our immediate past king and the current Owa, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Clement Adesuyi Hastrup, Ajimoko III, who gave us the backing on the Ijesaland Independent Development Monitors (IIDM) through which we have been monitoring the use of money that comes to the local governments. The committee, which the late Kabiesi inaugurated and was endorsed by our current Owa, enables us to monitor what they (the local governments) have delivered.

     Why have you been avoiding partisan politics?

    When you ask an average Nigerian why going into politics, he or she will often say, I want to go and serve.  But my answer is that you don’t have to be in politics before you serve. I’ve been serving Ijesa land in the last nine years without holding any political office. If your true objective of going into politics is to serve, I am already doing that, and I don’t have to be in partisan politics to do what I’m currently doing.

    Despite the government’s efforts, inflation is still high. As a management consultant, how best do you think Nigeria’s economy can be better managed?

    When you talk of inflation and a drop in purchasing power. You and I are the causes of inflation. How do you and I contribute? What are the root causes of inflation? As a correspondent, you are paid a package at the end of each month.  If what you spend overshoots what you earn, you’re going to be in trouble. What you earn is the result of your production.  What you consume is your business.  Do you take from what you earn to buy land, invest in stock, obtain further knowledge and enhance your capacity? Many of us consume rather than produce. With this lifestyle, inflation will continue to be a challenge.

  • Ondo police bust child trafficking syndicate, rescue missing 4-year-old girl

    Ondo police bust child trafficking syndicate, rescue missing 4-year-old girl

    The Ondo State Police Command has uncovered a child trafficking ring operating across Ondo, Delta, and Anambra States, leading to the rescue of a four-year-old girl reported missing earlier this year.

    Police spokesperson DSP Olayinka Ayanlade said the case began on February 3, 2025, when Sunday Kingsley of Alagbaka Extension, Akure, reported that his daughter, Jesinta Sunday, had disappeared while in the care of her mother, Sunday Happiness.

    The matter was initially charged before the Family Magistrate Court, where Jesinta’s mother and another woman, Nneka Onah, were remanded at the Ondo Correctional Centre before later being granted bail.

    Ayanlade said a breakthrough came on July 9, 2025, when the missing child was sighted in Asaba, Delta State. Detectives from the Command’s Gender Desk Team swiftly rescued Jesinta and reunited her with her family.

    During the operation, police arrested 30-year-old Amaka Chukwuemeka, who allegedly confessed to buying the child for N3.7 million.

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    She later revealed that her friend, Chinaza Owoh (38), introduced her to 58-year-old Mabel Esimai, who handed over the child under the guise of adoption with forged documents.

    “Further investigations revealed that Esimai had obtained the child from Chioma Okechukwu (37), who instructed her to find a buyer.

    “This chain of confessions exposed the activities of a well-coordinated trafficking ring operating across three states,” the police spokesman said.

    The Commissioner of Police, Lawal Adebowale, commended the professionalism of the Gender Desk Team for their swift and coordinated response, which ensured both the safe recovery of the child and the arrest of key suspects.

    Adebowale directed further investigations to expose all collaborators and ensure the prosecution of the culprits.

    This case marks the second breakthrough for the Command in its fight against child trafficking this year.

    In January, operatives of the command arrested three suspects – Lukman Isiaka (42), Abosede Olanipekun, and Sabira Izuorah (62), who allegedly kidnapped 14 children from Ondo and Osun states.

    Investigations revealed that the children were sold to Izuorah, who ran an orphanage in Ihiala, Anambra State, for as much as ₦1 million each.

    Police stormed the orphanage, rescuing the victims and apprehending the suspect.

    However, the police command reiterated its commitment to dismantling trafficking syndicates and protecting vulnerable children across the state.

  • Demolition threats spark disputes, legal battles in Ogun

    Demolition threats spark disputes, legal battles in Ogun

    In late 2024 and early 2025, the Ogun State Government launched an ambitious urban renewal drive to transform major towns into modern, smart cities through infrastructure upgrades and housing projects in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, Sagamu GRA, and Ijebu-Ode GRA. However, what was intended to beautify and modernise the state has sparked tensions, as legal disputes and accusations of political targeting now threaten to overshadow the government’s developmental intentions, reports ERNEST NWOKOLO.

    In its drive to transform Ogun State into a modern, sustainable and smart region, the Dapo Abiodun-led administration has embarked on significant urban renewal efforts. These initiatives are being delivered through widespread infrastructure upgrades, new housing projects and improved connectivity. Between late 2024 and early 2025, the government launched a major push to modernise key towns across the state. This transformation effort includes upgrading infrastructure, developing new residential estates, and revitalising existing ones—particularly in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta; Sagamu GRA; and Ijebu-Ode GRA.

    Historically, the Ibara GRA estate has been a strategic residential hub in Abeokuta, providing accommodation for civil servants since Ogun State’s creation in 1976. However, over the years, the area became underutilised and lost much of its value—prompting its inclusion in the government’s urban regeneration scheme. The renewal efforts are also set to extend to Ilaro and Ota, located in the Ogun West Senatorial District, as part of a broader agenda to create urban environments that foster sustainable development, attract investments, generate jobs, boost economic activity, and enhance the visual appeal of major towns and cities.

    A key part of the initiative involves auditing existing developments to verify permit compliance across all types of properties, including homes, schools, hospitals, and commercial buildings. Recognising that meaningful progress cannot be achieved without reforming land and property administration, the government enacted a new law in 2022 and introduced technology to streamline operations in that sector. This includes the digitalisation of land records and civil service functions. One of the major innovations supporting this transformation is the Ogun Land Administration and Management System (OLARMS). Initially deployed to process 2,000 cases under the Property Registration Programme (PRP), OLARMS has enabled the issuance of over 15,000 Certificates of Occupancy. This digital system has significantly improved decision-making, planning, and service delivery—laying the foundation for a comprehensive and impactful urban renewal across Ogun State.

    According to the Special Adviser to Governor Abiodun on Lands, Princess Oyindamola Oyelese, the Ogun State Government remains committed to fully digitising land title documentation. The aim, she explained, is to enhance transparency and efficiency in land administration—ultimately improving the quality of life for residents. However, the initiative has not been without controversy. In some parts of the state, it has sparked opposition and, at times, brought the government into direct conflict with citizens.

    One notable flashpoint emerged in Egba, where some indigenes opposed the demolition of parts of the Ibara GRA housing estate and the subsequent sale of the land as part of the urban regeneration scheme. In March 2025, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and its leadership—including Chairman Otunba Olufemi Soluade, State Secretary Comrade Samson Okunsanya, and Alhaji Moshood Adesina—filed a motion ex parte at the Federal High Court in Abeokuta. The suit (marked FHC/AB/CS/43/2025) named several high-ranking officials as defendants: the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Abiodun; the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; the Commissioners for Housing, Works, and Finance. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were also listed as defendants.

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    The motion, dated March 21, 2025, was filed by Prof. Yemi Oke (SAN) of MJS Partners, a firm of legal practitioners and consultants. The plaintiffs sought nine reliefs, chiefly concerning the disclosure of the identities and details of allottees in various Ogun State land and housing schemes across its three senatorial districts. Specifically, they asked the court to issue a Mandamus Order compelling the governor and the other listed officials to provide names, payment details, and other documentation related to allocations under the GRA Regeneration Scheme in Abeokuta, the Idi-Aba Housing Scheme, and the Igbeba Housing Scheme in Ijebu-Ode, among others. The plaintiffs argued that they required the particulars of the allottees and evidence of payment for the contested properties in order to transmit them to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for verification. This, they stated, was in line with Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011.

    While the legal proceedings remain unresolved, tensions have continued to rise—particularly in Egba land—where some local chiefs recently voiced strong objections over the proposed use of a portion of land they claim was originally donated by their forebears to the technical college in Idi-Aba. According to these chiefs, the state government plans to annex part of that land for its Idi-Aba Housing Scheme under the broader urban renewal initiative. They have since appealed to Governor Abiodun to intervene and halt the move immediately.

    However, what has stirred even greater public concern is the manner in which the Abiodun-led administration is implementing the urban renewal programme, especially following two high-profile cases that have drawn significant attention. First, a “Notice of Default” was recently served on the Ode Remo property of Oladipupo Adebutu, a former federal lawmaker and the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State. The notice demanded the payment of over N72 million in amenities charges—an amount many have described as excessive, especially for a property located in the relatively rural Ode Remo, far removed from high-value real estate areas like Lekki in Lagos or central Abuja.

    The notice, marked Notice Number: 17000062, reads: “Please, be informed that this property is in default of payment of Land Use Amenities Charge which is valued at N72,867,004.15. Failure to make payment within the next seven (7) days will make the property liable to enforcement. N.B. – Removal of this notice is an offence against the state, which attracts stiff sanctions. Signed: Ogun State Ministry of Finance.”

    In a second case, the state government issued a demolition notice targeting the Aseludero Court—the private residence of former Governor Gbenga Daniel, along with his Conference Hotels and its annex, all situated within the Sagamu GRA. These actions have added fuel to the debate over whether the urban renewal scheme is being executed in good faith—or being selectively enforced for political reasons. Together, these controversies have raised questions about transparency, fairness, and public interest in the urban renewal efforts, suggesting that the government may need to adopt a more inclusive and consultative approach going forward.

    Adebutu rejects amenities charge, alleges harassment and contempt of court

    But Adebutu has strongly rejected the recent N72 million amenities charge imposed on his property in Ode Remo, describing it as a ploy to harass and silence him politically. He argued that the notice undermines ongoing court proceedings and violates judicial due process. Through Afolabi Orekoya, Director of Media and Publicity for the Ladi Adebutu Development Organisation, he revealed that the matter has been in court since 2018 and is currently the subject of two separate suits before the Ogun State High Court sitting in Sagamu. The cases—HCS/275/2018 and HCS/409/2024—are against the Ogun State Ministry of Finance and the Land Use and Amenities Charge Committee, with the next hearing scheduled for October 8, 2025.

    Adebutu contended that it amounts to contempt of court for the Abiodun-led administration to attempt enforcement while the issue remains sub judice. He further argued that the Ministry of Finance lacks the legal authority to impose such charges without a proper assessment in accordance with Ogun State’s Land Use and Amenities Charge Law. The notice, he insisted, was issued without due process, hence the ongoing legal challenge. He stated: “The attention of the Ladi Adebutu Development Organisation has been drawn to a Notice of Default posted on one of Hon. Ladi Adebutu’s properties, which is located at Ode Remo in Remo North Local Government Area by Ogun State Ministry of Finance under the watch of Governor Dapo Abiodun, undermining the court process on the same matter.

    ”We state categorically that this action is nothing but a ploy by the government to silence and harass the opposition in Ogun State. This latest move is a clear misuse of state power to intimidate the opposition, particularly Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, and a distraction from the administration’s failure to deliver good governance to the people.

    “For the record, the matter of land use and amenity charge on the said property has been before the High Court of Justice, Sagamu since 2018 and currently the subject of two separate suits quoted below: N1.HCS/275/2018–Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu vs. Land Use and Amenities Charge Committee, Ogun State Ministry of Finance, Abeokuta, coming up on October 8, 2025;  N2.HCS/409/2024–Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu vs. Land Use and Amenities Charge Committee, Ogun State Ministry of Finance, Abeokuta, is still pending without a date fixed.

    ”It is, therefore, laughable and contemptuous of the judiciary for the government and its agents to attempt to enforce charges that are already being contested in competent courts of law. We must remind the public that, by law, the Ministry of Finance cannot unilaterally impose land use charges without proper assessment of the property in line with the Land Use and Amenities Charge laws of Ogun State. In this particular case, the so-called notice was merely posted on the property without due process, hence the ongoing litigation.

    ”The Ladi Adebutu Development Organisation condemns this reckless abuse of power and calls on Governor Abiodun’s government to stop weaponising government agencies against perceived political opponents. Ogun State would be better served if the same energy was channeled into providing quality governance, infrastructure and real service to the people.”

    Daniel alleges political targeting over demolition threats in Sagamu

    Earlier, on August 9, a similar controversy had erupted in Sagamu as former Governor Daniel accused the Ogun State Government of targeting him with demolition threats. Daniel claimed that notices were issued on his private residence and Conference Hotel, sparking a row between him and Governor Dapo Abiodun. He argued that the administration lacked the moral authority to issue such notices while exempting Abiodun’s own private residence in Iperu, which, he alleged, also violates planning laws by lacking a setback along the Iperu-Ode Remo federal road.

    The state government, however, defended its actions, stating that enforcement of physical planning laws applies to all developments, regardless of when they were constructed, and that the aim is to uphold public interest—not victimise individuals. Daniel questioned the timing, pointing out that Aseludero Court Hall, now allegedly in violation, was the venue where he publicly endorsed Abiodun in 2019. He asked why it only became a concern six years later. According to official notices, the Sagamu properties lacked building permits and proper setbacks.

    Daniel, through his spokesperson Steve Oliyide, warned that the governor’s actions—if perceived as politically motivated—could spark unrest, urging caution to prevent chaos in the state. “Does his house in Iperu that faces Iperu-Ode-Isara Road has approved setback? That house should be demolished. If the administration had not pasted any notice of contravention on his property, it does not have the moral right to demolish any property in the state,” he said. And consolidating his position further, through a statement, noted that the action was not an isolated incident, said the act followed a similar pattern of illegal demolitions allegedly carried out by Abiodun’s administration, citing demolition of DATKEM Plaza Ijebu Ode, a property belonging to his wife, Yeye Olufunke Daniel in the midnight of September, 2023 by thugs believed to be working on the orders of the governor.

     He stated: “We strongly condemn this latest act of political persecution by Governor Dapo Abiodun, as evidenced by the recent issuance of these Notices which were dated August 8, 2025, as a clear demonstration of the governor’s malicious and vindictive abuse of power, hiding behind a newly-enacted law retroactively to target a political opponent. The documents concerning these properties cite ‘suspected’ offences related to construction without adequate permits (which is laughable). This is a ludicrous and flimsy excuse, as the properties in question have been in existence for many years.

    “For instance, the Asoludero Court was built in 2004, while the Conference Hotel Sagamu was built in 2013, and the Annexe since 2015. The governor’s administration is now attempting to use the Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law No. 61 of 2022 to demolish buildings that were legally constructed long before the law was even in existence. This action is not only politically motivated but also a blatant disregard for due process and the rule of law. The Notices in themselves are clear breaches of procedures which allow adequate time intervals between Notifications on contraventions, Quits and the penalties. If indeed there was any, is not a demolition or a threat of it.

    “Governor Abiodun’s administration has completely bypassed this procedure, issuing a “Notice of Contravention” and a “Notice to Quit” simultaneously, with an immediate threat of demolition. This is not a legal process; it is a thuggish tactic designed to intimidate and inflict damage.

    ”It is worth noting that this is not an isolated incident. This latest act of persecution follows a similar pattern of illegal demolitions carried out by Governor Abiodun’s administration. We recall with disgust the illegal demolition of DATKEM Plaza Ijebu Ode, a property belonging to the wife of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Yeye Olufunke Daniel in the midnight of September, 2023 by thugs believed to be working on the orders of the governor, as no government agent will be sent on such assignment at ungodly hours of the night, even on a weekend on equally flimsy excuses. The matter is currently in court, and the state has already lost several applications at the Ogun State High Court and another at the Court of Appeal in Ibadan, a clear indication that their actions lack legal merit.

    ”Governor Dapo Abiodun is taking political vindictiveness to a shameful and dangerous level, without any regard for extant laws or common decency. We call on all well-meaning citizens, human rights organisations and legal bodies to stand with us in condemning this egregious abuse of power. We will not be silent in the face of this injustice and will use all legal means at our disposal to ensure that Governor Abiodun is held accountable for his lawless actions.”

    Ogun State Government defends its actions

    Responding through the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, TPL Tunji Odunlami, the government stated that the goal of physical planning laws and regulations is to aid urban development and control land use in the public interest. Clarifying this before newsmen recently, Odunlami noted that the goal of the ongoing exercise in Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode local government areas is not to victimise any law-abiding citizens but to ensure that development laws are obeyed.

    He justified it by saying the step is aimed at verifying the permit status of all types of developments, including houses, schools, hospitals and other commercial buildings. Odunlami said that Daniel and other property owners who were served due notices to approach the Ogun State Planning and Development Permit Authority, an agency of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, to present relevant documents in conformity with existing building laws and regulations. “It is pertinent to note that this is a daily routine and ongoing activity of this agency and is devoid of witch-hunting and, therefore, not designed to harm the interests of any individual. It is a simple and transparent approach that is known and adopted worldwide, including in most states in Nigeria. What we are currently doing is no exception.

    “This exercise has been done in Abeokuta and is now extended to Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode, where there is no fuss except this one. It is also going to be carried out in Ota and Ilaro, where we also have GRAs,” he said.

    He harped on the need for the owner of any building served with the notice to approach the office that issued it and present their permit and other documents for verification. “As we speak, Otunba Gbenga Daniel has yet to do so or make any representation to that effect. That is why whenever OGSG issues enforcement notices, genuine developers respond through the proper channels by justifying their developments or seeking plan adjustments and ratifications,” he said.

    TPL Odunlami affirmed that the state government has a standing mandate to enforce its physical planning laws and does so every day across the state, considering only the law and public good. The identity of developers, the commissioner maintained, does not feature in its considerations, adding that the current enforcement notices issued are not different, as they form only a small part of several enforcement notices issued this month. “While OGSG does not concede the stated ages or stages of these developments, the law is clear – the State Physical Planning Law and all regulations under it are enforceable at any time and for all time on all developments in the state, including developments that preceded the law,” he said.

    Highlighting the content of the law, the commissioner said: “Section 73 of the State’s Physical Planning Law provides that an enforcement notice may be issued under sub-section (I) of this Section, notwithstanding that the unauthorised development, renovation, alteration, repair, addition or violation took place before the commencement of this Law.”

    Court halts planned demolition of Gbenga Daniel’s property

    The legal battle over property demolitions in Ogun State has intensified, with the Ogun State High Court in Sagamu granting interim ex parte orders restraining the state government from tampering with the properties of Senator Daniel and his wife, Yeye Olufunke Daniel. In suit HCS/371/2025, Justice O.S. Oloyede granted the order following quit notices and demolition threats pasted on their Aseludero Court residence in Sagamu GRA on August 8. The respondents include Governor Abiodun, the Attorney-General, the Planning and Development Permit Authority, and the Commissioner for Physical Planning.

    A Certified True Copy (CTC) dated August 12, 2025, and signed by Principal Registrar W.T. Ogundele, restrains the state and its agents from demolishing, trespassing, or disturbing the Daniels’ possession of the property, which is backed by valid Certificates of Occupancy dated 2005 and 2010. Similarly, in suit HCS/372/2025, two corporate entities—Conference Hotel Limited and Blue Chapel Limited, in which Daniel has interests—secured a similar ex parte order against the same respondents. The court barred any interference with the hotel property, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suits, which are currently ongoing. 

  • Paved for prosperity: How new roads are lifting livelihoods in Lagos community

    Paved for prosperity: How new roads are lifting livelihoods in Lagos community

    On a Monday evening at Agric-Ishawo Road in Ikorodu, two women playfully argued over a few feet of roadside space as they prepared their goods for the evening rush.

    “Na me get this place. You no see the line wey I draw for ground last week Thursday?” one of them said, hand on her waist.

    “Na lie,” the other replied with a smirk. “Na so you dey do every time. You too like trouble. This side na me dey stay always. No wahala. Carry the space make you chop am.”

    It was a few minutes past 4 p.m., the time when evening commuters begin to pour out of buses, and hawkers like these women set up to catch their attention. The two, later identified as Madam Joy, a vegetable seller, and Iya Kike, a tomato trader, quickly settled their banter and turned to business.

    The Market Routine and New Opportunities

    Madam Joy sells fresh ugu and waterleaf, her wares stacked neatly in woven baskets. Beside her, Iya Kike displays tomatoes and peppers in small bowls, each glistening under the fading light.

    As they spoke, their banter shifted into business. Customers were already stopping by even before their tables were fully set. One woman paused to ask for peppers. A young man in office wear bought a bunch of ugu. The evening rush had barely begun, yet sales were rolling in.

    “Before now e no be like this,” Madam Joy said, arranging her leaves. “Those days we go dey beg people make dem stop. Everybody just wan rush go house.”

    What had changed?

    “Na this road,” Iya Kike cut in. “When the place dey bad, e dey muddy. Rain go turn am to swamp. People go just jump bike for junction straight go house. Who wan trek inside mud come buy tomato?”

    She laughed, shaking her head. “But now, dem dey waka small, dem dey buy. The road don open.”

    Madam Joy buys her vegetables directly from farms in the interior parts of Ikorodu. “I go farm two times a week. Before na wahala. Bad road, bike men go dey vex. I go talk price tire before dem gree carry me. Transport go chop all my gain.”

    For Iya Kike, it is Mile 12 Market. “I dey wake 4 a.m., go Mile 12. Sometimes tomato go don soft before I sell am finish.”

    Both recalled the frustration of losing a portion of their goods to spoilage. Now, travel time is shorter, and the evening foot traffic has improved dramatically.

    The transformation of Agric-Ishawo Road has turned evening foot traffic into a steady market. Traders who once battled poor sales now report healthier earnings.

    In response to questions about their daily earnings, they fell silent for a moment, either reflecting or hesitating.

    Madam Joy eventually smiled. “I dey take home about 10,000 every day after I remove cost. Sometimes more when sales dey mad.”

    Iya Kike added: “My own na between N5,000 and N7,000. Fridays and Saturdays na the best. E fit reach N10,000 sometimes. Before? Hmm. If I see N2,000 for night, I go thank God.”

    She said she used to return home with unsold goods, some of which rotted. Madam Joy nodded in agreement: “Those days if I carry N5,000 go house I go dey praise God. People no get time stop buy anything. Na home dem dey think.”

    Now things are different. The new roads have opened up the evening market. People stop to shop before heading home. As Iya Kike put it, “Now, na for mind dem dey plan: make I buy wetin I go cook tonight.”

    Over a four-day period, Madam Joy’s daily earnings grew steadily. She moved from about N5,000 before the road improvements to figures between N9,800 and N10,500 after, an increase consistently above 100 percent each day.

    On the same days, Iya Kike’s earnings rose from as low as N2,000 to as high as N6,000, showing growth of between 128 and 180 percent.

    Evidence from the Ground

    To place their stories in context, records from the Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Agric-Isawo office, located off the Isawo-Owutu Road, which monitors traffic in the axis showed that daily vehicle counts on Agric-Ishawo Road rose from about 3,200 in 2022 to more than 5,800 by mid-2025.

    Council officials explained that the jump was driven by multiple factors: increased visitation to the area, a growing number of new residents settling in Ikorodu, and the rising flow of buyers and suppliers heading to pig farms and other agricultural holdings that dot the interior. They also noted that schools, churches, and new residential estates springing up around Agric and Isawo have become fresh magnets, further boosting movement.

    For the market perspective, Iya Lase, who acted as spokesperson for the Iya Loja and assisted with interpretation, described how the demand for evening stalls has surged around the Agric bus stop area and even stretched into adjoining roadside spaces. She estimated that demand has risen by about forty percent since the road improvements, stretching into adjoining roadside spaces.

    Her explanation confirmed what traders like Madam Joy and Iya Kike had shared earlier: better roads have not just brought more people but also reshaped the rhythm of commerce in Ikorodu.

    On the other side of Ikorodu, along Elepe-Ijede Road, Gabriel Achibong, an okada rider, picked up a passenger from Itamaga to Ewu Elepe. When asked about the road, he laughed and said, “If you see this road before eh, you go cry. Every week I dey mechanic. Fuel dey high. I dey pay hire purchase 15,000 every week, and to make that money ehn, na wahalla. Money no dey stay my hand. Before I go home na pain killer first.”

    Fatigue from navigating potholes had reduced his working hours, but the improved condition of the road has now changed his fortunes. “Before, I dey struggle make 7,000 for day. Now I dey make 12,000 steady,” he said with relief.

    Gabriel’s earnings over four days reflected this change clearly. Where he once struggled to make around N7,000 daily, his income after the roadworks consistently surpassed N12,000, peaking at N12,500. This marked an increase of about 74 to 76 percent across the four days.

    At Ewu Elepe, Aunty Bisi, as her customers fondly call her, hawked rice from a pushcart. Under the midday sun, she made her way through Ikeja Street and Oladehinde Street, recounting how her fortunes had changed.

    “Before, na two paint of rice I dey cook. My hand go pain me push am. Bad road no gree me waka far,” she said. “Now I dey cook four paint. Money don double.”

    Her daily earnings, once about N4,000, had risen to between N8,000 and N9,500. For Aunty Bisi, the difference was just as dramatic. Over four days, her earnings more than doubled, rising by between 105 and 126 percent.

     

    How Earnings Have Shifted

    The additional income has practical effects. Madam Joy said she can now pay rent and school fees without begging relatives for help. Both women said they have increased their daily contributions to ajo savings groups, which allows them to build some security. For them, the road has meant a shift from survival to progress.

    Limits and Solutions

    Despite the visible improvements along Agric-Ishawo and Elepe-Ijede, residents and traders in Ikorodu are quick to point out that not all problems have been solved. Feeder roads linking to the main corridors remain in poor condition, and drainage is inconsistent. Without deliberate upkeep, many fear that the progress could unravel.

    For okada rider Gabriel Achibong, the anxiety is personal. “Na drainage. If small rain fall, everywhere go flood again. We no wan return to old suffering,” he said, recalling how waterlogged streets once damaged his motorcycle and cut short his daily earnings.

    Experts echo these fears. Urban economist Dr. Kehinde Adebajo underscored that new construction alone cannot sustain livelihoods. “Infrastructure is the spark, but sustainability is the fire. Maintenance and feeder links are the next steps,” he explained, urging a shift from celebratory openings to consistent management.

    Research supports his point. Dr. Ademola Farinmade, whose 2025 study examined road-infrastructure management in peri-urban Lagos, including Ikorodu, observed that reactive, stop-gap repairs remain the norm. Pavements and drains often collapse, he noted, because planned upkeep rarely follows initial investment. “Without establishing maintenance routines and community monitoring, the roads will soon return to their former state,” he warned.

    Local government officials also admit to constraints. One council staff member, who requested anonymity, explained that limited budgets make it impossible to cover every inner street. “We have to prioritize corridors with the highest traffic flow. But we know many residents are still waiting,” he said.

    This gap between promise and delivery is what worries community members most. Residents recall the politics of road contracts, where projects stall or decay once political will fades. Traders also voice concern that even with smoother roads, inflation could chip away at their increased income.

    Still, solutions are emerging from the ground up. Trader unions suggest regular grading and clearing of drains in feeder streets, building simple market shelters to protect goods during rainy seasons, and improving access to microcredit so businesses can scale beyond survival. These are modest interventions, but they address real gaps.

    Analysts emphasize that improved roads already show multiplier effects – reduced transport costs, higher disposable income, and the birth of new micro businesses. Smoother travel has also drawn buyers from outside Ikorodu, injecting fresh capital into the local economy.

    But sustainability, experts warn, will depend on inclusivity. Professor Taibat Lawanson, urban planning scholar at the University of Lagos, cautioned: “Spatial justice must guide road improvements. If informal areas and feeder communities remain disconnected, infrastructure can deepen inequality rather than reduce it.”

    Her caution captures the heart of the matter: good roads can open markets and raise incomes, but without long-term governance, equitable planning, and community involvement, the present prosperity could remain fragile.

    The Sound of Opportunity

    As evening falls on Agric-Ishawo road, the bustle intensifies. Madam Joy knots the day’s earnings into the corner of her wrapper while Iya Kike gathers what remains of her tomatoes. Motorcycles hum steadily along the smooth tarmac, carrying workers and shoppers back into the heart of Ikorodu.

    For traders, the new roads have already brought relief. Customers now stop to buy food for dinner, where once they hurried past muddy tracks. Community members speak of opportunity and resilience, but they also recognize that progress remains fragile.

    Experts stress that prosperity cannot rely on asphalt alone. Professor Taibat offers a reminder that the work is far from complete. “Road projects must be accompanied by inclusive planning so that inner communities and informal markets are not left behind,” she said.

    Her words underline a central truth: infrastructure’s value is measured not only in asphalt but in the lives it transforms. If Lagos sustains these roads, extends improvements into inner streets, and embraces inclusive governance, today’s trickle of prosperity can become a steady flow, lifting thousands out of poverty.

    The story of road infrastructure in Ikorodu demonstrates both possibility and risk. Roads can open markets, raise incomes, and improve daily life. Yet the gains will only endure if maintenance is consistent, feeder streets are addressed, and community voices continue to shape planning. With these steps, what is now a trickle of prosperity can become a steady flow, lifting thousands of families out of poverty.

    This story is made possible with support from Nigeria Health Watch as part of the Solutions Journalism Africa Initiative

  • Police arrest kingpin of notorious vehicle vandal gang in Lagos

    Police arrest kingpin of notorious vehicle vandal gang in Lagos

    The Lagos Police Command has smashed a notorious criminal syndicate specialising in vandalising exotic vehicles across the metropolis, arresting its suspected kingpin, 46-year-old Jude Onouha.

    According to the Command, Onouha, described as the gang leader, was arrested by police detectives after a discreet operation that trailed the syndicate’s activities.

     The gang was notorious for disguising as security operatives, donning fake uniforms and using a modified Mercedes-Benz car jack crafted to resemble a firearm to deceive estate security personnel.

    Once granted access into residential estates under the pretense of conducting security checks, the criminals targeted luxury vehicles including Toyota Hilux, Toyota Highlander, Lexus 650, Mercedes-Benz, and other SUVs. 

    They systematically dismantled and removed vital parts such as brainboxes, wiring systems, tapping glasses, side mirrors, and control devices.

    Items recovered from Onouha at the point of arrest include a Mercedes-Benz car jack and a face cap bearing the inscription Special Force, which he used to perfect his disguise as a security agent.

    Confirming the development, the spokesperson of the Command, DSP Babasayi Oluseyi, said the suspect had confessed to the crime and was cooperating with detectives in their ongoing investigation. He added that efforts are underway to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang and their accomplices.

    The Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, while commending the operatives for the breakthrough, urged estate managers and residents across Lagos to be vigilant and verify the identities of individuals presenting themselves as security agents before granting them access.

    “The safety and security of Lagosians remain our priority, and through vigilance, cooperation, and timely reporting, we will continue to dismantle criminal networks threatening peace in our communities,” he said.

  • The making of a terror: How Gentle de Yahoo graduated from land mediation to banditry

    The making of a terror: How Gentle de Yahoo graduated from land mediation to banditry

    • Tales of Imo communities devastated by his bloody reign

    • Notorious bandit’s arrest enmeshed in controversy

    The notorious self-acclaimed Commander of the Biafra Liberation Army (BLA), Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta widely known as Gentle de Yahoo, had wreaked havoc in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State for years before his recent arrest by security agents. His reign of terror has left a tale of destruction, death and displacement among residents who were caused to live in constant fear of the unknown.

    Okorienta was accused of orchestrating numerous high-profile attacks, kidnappings, and killings in the region. His gang had taken control of several communities, imposing their rule through violence and intimidation.

    An indigene of Aku autonomous community in Okigwe Local Government Area, he was reportedly chased out of Orsu in Orlu LGA about four years ago before he took his nefarious activities to his hometown, committing numerous atrocities including the murder of a soldier couple returning home for their traditional marriage.

    In a particularly gruesome incident, the woman, an army officer, was beheaded, causing terror to loom endlessly over the communities under his sphere. Yet his reign had begun in an innocuous manner as he and members of his group were only involved in mediating in land disputes. Families who had land quarrels would report to them and they would intervene.

    The trend continued until their mediation began to wear the toga of violence and caused people to lose their lives.

    In the process, they graduated into kidnappers, targeting members of the political class in particular to the extent that many were forced to quit politics. As a result, Okigwe LGA saw significant decline in political participation, as people were afraid to identify themselves as politicians for fear of attack.

    Okigwe residents were then forced to pay homage to Gentle Yahoo’s group and seek their approval for even the simplest of social activities like marriage, burials or festivals.

    An Imo resident said: “We cannot step a foot into Okigwe Local Government Area even as Imo indigenes because of these bandits.

    “They mount checkpoints in all the villages, break into houses and occupy properties without approval. Even houses built by people in the diaspora are not spared.”

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    The atmosphere became so tense that many residents fled their homes, seeking refuge in neighbouring communities. Businesses have collapsed in the area and social life has come to a standstill.

    Once-thriving communities like Ihube, Aku, Umulolo, Agbobu, Amuro, Umuowa Ibu, Umualumoke, Ezinachi and others are now like ghost towns.

    A culture of violence

    Gentle de Yahoo’s group has been linked to numerous atrocities, including organ harvesting, kidnapping and armed robbery. They have also been accused of seizing people’s farmlands, harvesting the crops and claiming ownership. Traditional rulers have been forced to pay homage to the group, with some even cooking for them.

    It was gathered that nearly all the traditional rulers in the affected areas pay homage to the group to avoid being harmed. No monarch in Okigwe dared organise a programme or celebrate the new yam festival without first obtaining their approval.

    Traditional rulers were forced to sympathise with the group and maintain communication with them; the only exemptions being Eze Acho, who was kidnapped and rescued but has since avoided Okigwe LGA, and Eze Aku, who has since fled the area.

    “The boys are well-armed with bombs everywhere, and that is why the military finds it difficult to get to them,” a resident said, preferring anonymity for safety reasons.

     “They have laid mines in many places, and one of the things they did was to subject the people to oath-taking, never to speak out or betray them.”

    Arrest enmeshed in controversy

    Reports quoting sources at the headquarters of the Nigerian Army had claimed that troops of Operation UDOKA had arrested Okorienta during a raid in Okigwe Local Government Area.

    The operation, carried out on a Sunday, was said to have followed credible intelligence on the hideouts of the criminal kingpin.

    Troops were also said to have recovered an English pistol, 120 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 25 rounds of 7.62 NATO ammunition, a live cartridge, six mobile phones as well as police and military uniforms.

    The Nigerian Army has since confirmed that Okorienta was the target of a major operation in his stronghold at Ihube. But while some reports suggest he was killed, others indicate that he might have escaped.

    Consequently, many residents remain skeptical despite reports of Gentle Yahoo’s arrest by the Nigerian Army.

     “As we speak, Gentle de Yahoo is alive, moving freely in Okigwe,” a resident who prefers anonymity said.

    “If the police or security agencies say they have arrested him, we challenge them to make the picture public.”

    A resident of Umuowa Ibu, who gave his name simply as Boss, claimed that the news that Okorienta was arrested or eliminated is fake.

    He said: “As we speak, Gentle de Yahoo is alive, moving freely in Okigwe.

    “If the police or security agencies say they have arrested him, we challenge them to make the picture public. There should be nothing secret about his arrest.

    “Remember, when Nnamdi Kanu was arrested in Kenya, it was not a secret. They brought him in handcuffs.

    “When Simon Ekpa was arrested, they made it open and showed us the picture.

    “There were many people before now who have terrorised other states, and when they are arrested, they would parade them.”

    He said Gentle de Yahoo has committed so many crimes that he should not be tried secretly if at all he is arrested.

    “I dare the Imo State Government, the military, police command, the Tiger Base or anyone who says that Gentle has been arrested to show the pictorial evidence. They should show us his corpse if he has been eliminated.

    “Among the five people they claimed that they have killed, two were ladies and the second in command escaped, so there is no evidence to show that one of other three persons is Gentle.

    “Now we are suspecting a foul play. Why the fake news and who sponsored it?

    “And the state government is yet to respond to the news of Gentle de Yahoo being killed. No official report from Imo State Government with regard to this issue.

    “We are now saying that the state government knows what they are doing. So the government and the military have alot of explanations to make. “

    He said a top military officer contacted also said he was not aware of Okorienta’s arrest, adding: “Since an army officer is not aware, who arrested Gentle.? Even all the security agencies in Okigwe denied the arrest.

    “So I am confirming to you 101 per cent that Gentle has not been arrested by anyone. I made all my investigations and found that this guy is still alive.

    “They did not even get to where he is. They went to where they suspected he was, but he was not there. The 2ic and his second in command were not there.”

    He queried: “How are they obtaining their weapons, considering they operate with machine guns?

    “How did they get those equipment, sophisticated weapons that are under the control of government?”

    He noted that the group engages in daily shootouts with security agents but never runs out of ammunition. “They have walkie-talkie gadgets with which they communicate with themselves,” the resident said.

    The question many are asking is how they are able to sustain their operations, given the kidnappings and other activities they engage in.

    Another resident said: “The government has not been able to identify who has been supplying them weapons for more than four years, and they have sustained their operation.”

    The situation, he said, has led to a mass exodus of residents, with many fleeing to neighbouring communities.

    “Social life is gone in Okigwe Local Government,” the resident lamented.

    “They have informants, and almost all the Okada riders in Okigwe are their informants.”

    A call to action

    Residents are calling on the state government to take decisive action to address the crisis. “We want the state government to block the source of supply of arms to this deadly group, equip local vigilante groups with arms, vehicles, and other facilities that will aid them to comb bushes and fish these bad boys out,” a resident said.

    As the situation in Okigwe continues to deteriorate, one thing is clear: the people of Okigwe deserve peace, security, and justice. The government must act swiftly to restore order and bring Gentle Yahoo’s reign of terror to an end.

  • Ibadan set for weeklong celebration of Ladoja’s installation

    Ibadan set for weeklong celebration of Ladoja’s installation

    The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) is rallying influential indigenes of Ibadanland to support the planned weeklong celebration of the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.

    Ladoja’s coronation as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland is billed for Friday next week.

    Recall that the President-General of CCII, Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole, recently inaugurated a committee headed by two of the city’s billionaire businessmen, Engr. Dotun Sanusi and Chief Adegboye Adegoke, to Co-Chairman a committee for the celebration.

    The state government had earlier inaugurated Chief Bayo Oyero-Committee to work out plans for the September 26 coronation of Oba Ladoja in line with its tradition of funding the coronation of first class traditional rulers in the state.

    But CCII on its own believed that unlike the previous Olubadans, the Olubadan-designate, being a successful billionaire businessman, former senator, former governor and elder statesman, deserves a better celebration.

    CCII therefore inaugurated the committee with some frontline Ibadan sons donating N10 million each for the celebration.

    The committee inaugurated by CCII however picked seven other days apart from the day chosen by government, to make the celebration a weeklong event.

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    Not only that, these influential individuals have facilitated live broadcast of the coronation with Arise, Channels and TVC television stations as well as Solution FM and Ilaji FM, among other frontline radio stations, to beam and air the event live.

    Part of the weeklong programme, according to Comrade Demola Babalola and Alhaji Kunle Junaid who are co-chairmen of the Local Organising Committee in charge of Media/Publicity Subcommittee, is the Monday’s September 22 inter-religious prayers at the Olubadan Palace, Oke-Aremo, Ibadan.

    There will also be a stage play on the progenitor of Kabiyesi Arusa at the Apex Hall, Yidi Agodi area; Tuesday’s Cultural Day holding at the Olubadan Stadium; a first Olubadan coronation lecture to be delivered by a renown Ibadan-born globally acknowledged historian, Prof. Toyin Falola, at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

    On Thursday, Oba Ladoja will clock 81years with special programmes for the day, including Islamic prayers at the Olubadan palace at 10am and mega praise and worship at the civic Centre, Agodi, Ibadan, beginning from 2pm.

    Friday is the coronation day at Mapo Hall from 9am while the reception organised by the monarch and his family holds at the Obafemi Awolowo stadium from 3pm.

    Later on Sunday, September 28, a thanksgiving service will hold at the Church of Ascension, Bodija, Ibadan, while a grand civic reception will follow at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan by 2pm.

    On Friday October 3, there will be a Jumat service at the Ibadan Central Mosque, Oja’ba and later on Saturday October 4, the traditional worshippers (Isese) will converge at Ose Meji Temple Oja’ba.

  • Police arrest 55-year-old suspect for murder, assault in Lagos Island

    Police arrest 55-year-old suspect for murder, assault in Lagos Island

    The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 55-year-old man, Samsideen Oladiti, popularly known as Shamelon, in connection with two violent crimes on Lagos Island, including a case of murder and another of assault occasioning harm.

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Babasayi Oluseyi, the suspect was taken into custody by detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti-Yaba, where discreet investigations are ongoing.

    Police said that on September 17, 2025, around 3:00 p.m., Oladiti allegedly attacked a dispatch rider on Lagos Island, hitting him with a helmet and fists. The victim, who sustained serious injuries, was rushed to the hospital and placed on oxygen, where he remains under treatment.

    A day later, on September 18, 2025, police received another complaint linking the same suspect to a previous incident that occurred on August 28, 2025. In that case, Oladiti allegedly used a metallic ring to repeatedly strike a man on the head and face during an altercation.

    Despite receiving medical care, the victim succumbed to his injuries on September 17, 2025, and was confirmed dead by a doctor. His body has been deposited in a mortuary for autopsy.

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    News of the death sparked unrest as sympathisers of the deceased staged a violent protest at Sandgrouse Market, Lagos Island, where the suspect’s office is located. The protest escalated when demonstrators set ablaze two motorcycles belonging to the suspect, causing tension in the area.

    The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, led a combined team of mobile policemen, conventional officers and tactical squads to the scene.

    Police swiftly restored calm, prevented further violence and reassured residents that the suspect was already in custody and would face prosecution once investigations were concluded.

    “The Lagos State Police Command wishes to assure members of the public that justice will be diligently pursued in all the cases against the suspect,” the statement said.

    CP Jimoh also appealed to residents to remain calm, law-abiding and avoid taking the law into their own hands while urging full cooperation with ongoing investigations.