The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southwest

  • Yewa/Awori’s place in Ogun, by ex-council chief

    Yewa/Awori’s place in Ogun, by ex-council chief

    Chief Femi Odufowokan is the immediate past chairman of the Ijebu North East Local Government, Ogun State. In this interview, he speaks about Ogun politics, his experience in office and the Yewa/Awori quest for the state’s leadership. Excerpts: 

    ow has life been, after leaving office as a council chairman?

    It has been very interesting, but there has been no vacuum. I resumed in my law office the following day our tenure as LG chairman expired. That was Friday, July 24th 2015. I started again where I stopped before going into the local government office. My usual practice in my law office on most Fridays, when I am not in court, is to do research into new areas in law, particularly going through the law reports on newly- decided cases. Of course I had a lot of law reports that had piled up for about two or three years to go through. Also I had to see files and the level of work done by my colleagues in the office. That same day, I regularised my board membership of few companies I relinquished when I was elected as local government chairman. Aside, I was able to do my routine activities such as my work out (exercise) in the morning and evening. This was not regular or I was not doing it for sometimes while I was in office as LG Chairman. Also I received less telephone calls, I started receiving about twenty per cent of the calls I was receiving on my official lines while I was local government Chairman. Then I am free and focused on my private life than when I was in office. These and many more make it interesting.

    How was the experience as a local government chairman?

    Yes, it was a wide experience for me. It was a kind of consolidation of my public service experience. Don’t forget I was briefly a caretaker chairman of the same LG about ten years earlier, but the intensity of activities was not much because of the duration I was in office then. This time around, I was able to see, in practical terms, human relations, human resources, financial propriety and impropriety and of course, issues in governmental architectures in Nigeria at a very close range. These experiences have shaped my views on some issues generally.

    Are you interested in running for any office in 2019?

    For now, I don’t know. My style in running for political office or any other office for that matter is a little different. I don’t just wake up one day and say I am vying for this position or the other. It is my people around me, be it politics or even traditional chieftaincy titles, that say they want me for this position or the other. Mostly when that is said, it is also subject to critical consideration and then I talk to God about it, so if God sanctions it, I throw my hat into the ring.

    In Ogun State, there is this agitation that the next Governor should come from Yewa/Awori zone; since nobody has ever occupied the post of governorship of the state from the zone since the creation of the state.  Do you support this view? 

    Personally, I am not a zoning politician. Yes, some people will tell you we have two divisions, some will also say four divisions, while some will tell you three senatorial districts. They are all right in terms of categorisations or classifications. While some take it from historical angle, some are looking at it from the current constitutional arrangement. There is a constant fact in all these: nobody has occupied the position of a governor form Yewa axis. There is no area, zone or senatorial district that does not have competent people in abundance, and constitutionally there is no zone or senatorial district that is not entitled to be the next governor of Ogun State. Political competency and capability are not the same, which is why Yewa/Awori Zone, otherwise called Ogun West Senatorial District is likely to be lucky this time around as they are closer to governorship than ever before with a particular aspirant. When I said political capability, it includes general acceptability across the state and ability to convince other areas within the state for support.

     Which of the governorship aspirants from Ogun West District are you referring to?

    I know and I can talk about only one aspirant, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola popularly called YAYI.  He is the only aspirant that consulted me. I think he has not declared formally but he is still doing consultation. In his interaction with me, I got to know his political philosophy, his personal outlook to life, his professional inclination. Above all, he was able to diagnose my local government. If somebody is consulting with me and he is telling me the major problems in my local government and those one to be prioritised, I think I have to give such person closer attention. His consultation is similar to that of Chief Segun Osoba in 1999. It was at consultation/campaign time that he told me that he would construct our main road from Erunwon to Ijebu Igbo. He not only did that, but did electrification of seventeen towns and other projects in my L.G. Apart from Senator Solomon Adeola’s physical interaction with me, I have watched five television broadcasts of his contributions on the floor of the senate and I did analysis of his submission and I was left with no doubt about the quality of his intellect and his idea of political economy.  When I even tried to do some status enquiries and checks on Senator Solomon Adeola’s consultation, I discovered that twelve of my colleagues that we served as local government chairmen out of twenty of us are with him. Similarly, about 200 of 236 councillors that serve with us in the state are with him ditto some immediate past state legislators, commissioners and advisers.

    What was reported in the dailies is that the governor said those that have consulted with him may not be governor as they lack leadership qualities; is your candidate one of them and if he is one of them, why are you and others that served in his administration still with him?

    Let me start by telling you that I am not the spokesperson for the governor. Secondly I doubt if Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola is one of those His Excellency, Governor Amosun was referring to, if at all he said that. Personally, I do not take what is reported in the dailies hook, line and stinker. Assuming without necessarily conceding that he said so, he is entitled to his own opinion like any other person, but what I know for sure is in Senator Amosun’s saying to the effect that whatever we say, God owns the final say. Also Tony Agenmonman, the present President of National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), said in his book “Excellence is not by luck”, that “any position taken by a man, regardless of status, knowledge or expertise has a certain degree of probability with regard to the outcome. It is in this senses that we are considered finite beings- not God”. And lastly, why those of us that served in Senator Amosun’s Government during his first term are with Senator Solomon Adeola; personally I do not believe in rumour. I have not heard it from the governor that he is not favorably disposed to Senator Solomon Adeola’s candidacy. Secondly, if I establish that the governor is not favorably disposed to senator Adeola’s candidacy, I have told you earlier that everyone is entitled to his own opinion and choices. Serving in one administration or the other does not prevent people from taking decisions about who to support for subsequent elections. The idea of democratic tenure is to enable the operators review their policies and even political relationship that is what is called re-alignment in political parlance.

    But there is insinuation that your candidate is not from Yewa, but from Lagos?

    I have heard that too and I have been hearing such since the time I joined politics, and I will continue to hear such stories until our nation’s democracy get matured. When such insinuation was made, Senator Solomon Adeola family tree was published. He is from Ago Ishaga Pahayi in Ilaro. Those who are alleging that he’s not from Yewa did not bother to investigate the authenticity of their claims. From my experience, it is usually the candidate to beat that politicians, mostly opponents, insinuate or raised doubt as to where they come from or claim are not from the zone they perceive that the next office holder should come from. Have you not heard about it even in traditional title or kingship tussles, when all sort of stories emanate from opponents about the leading contenders not being an indigene or settler of a particular ruling house or town?  It is the extension of that practice that politicians bring up when their candidates are losing ground to the leading candidate. I read one of such antagonist that claimed that Senator Adeola built a mansion in Ilaro about five years ago because he wanted to contest for senatorial seat from Yewa zone. Even such antagonist has confirmed that he has a house in Ilaro, Yewa, but he failed to investigate his family root. I know as a fact that over sixty percent of Southwest political office holders be it governor, senators, House of Representatives members, commissioners, ministers are based in Lagos. You tell me anybody that has been governor in Ogun State that was not based in Lagos before becoming governor? None.

     

  • FERMA begins rehabilitation of Alapere/Old Toll Gate Road

    The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has begun filling of critical portions of the Alapere/Old Toll Gate Road on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited the site on Monday, reports that FERMA is laying asphalt on the Ibadan-bound carriageway from the Ketu Junction to the Old Toll Gate Bus Stop.

    FERMA had deployed men and machines including asphalt-paving machines and rollers on the outer lane of the road.

    A source in the agency told NAN on condition of anonymity that FERMA moved to site on Tuesday to lay asphalt on various sections of the road, beginning from Alapere.

    Mr Tayo Awodu, a FERMA engineer in charge of the project, said that the agency was working on distressed portions of the highway.

    “We are filling distressed portions of the pavement and overlaying them with asphalt.

    “We have evolved a new plan to finish the work this month if all things work out according to plans.’’

    He noted that heavy vehicular traffic was a major challenge to construction in Lagos, saying that the company was working at night to speed up work.

    NAN reports that the road project was awarded to MJD Ventures in November 2016. It was scheduled to be completed by May.

  • Cleric denies assault over land dispute

    An Ado-Ekiti based Muslim cleric, Alhaji Abdul Rahman Sanusi, has denied complicity in assault, damages and stealing over a land dispute with a couple which landed him in prison in December last year.

    Sanusi, who is Ekiti State Amir I Ulama (commander of Muslims and Alfas in Ekiti), spoke with our reporter on Sunday.

    He maintained that he was innocent of the offence for which he was jailed.

    He explained that his experience in prison showed that there are many innocent people are in custody for flimsy reasons while others are there for unknown and accidental causes.

    Sanusi said he purchased one acre of land in Olorunsogo area of Ado Ekiti on which he built eleven flats of two bedroom backed with valid documents including Certificate of Occupancy, land receipt, survey plan, among others.

    He said the couple came one day claiming that they had bought a plot of land within his acre for N100,000 expressing surprise on the development since he had fenced the land with building foundation on it seven years earlier with valid documents.

    Sanusi said he sought for a peaceful resolution of the dispute being a religious leader but was surprised that he was dragged to court and slammed with charges of assault, damages and stealing as the couple had threatened to use their influence deal with him.

    Sanusi said: “The case was taken to a magistrate court where I was accused of assault, stealing of Nokia phone on the land premises, using cutlass to attack them, whereas I presented to the court the pictures where they were destroying the building I erected on the land, but all to no avail.

    “I was told at the court that the pictures were exhibits. The judgment was delivered on December 16, 2016. The m said he did not deliver judgement on land issue but “assault”  I was sentenced to three months imprison for assault, damages and stealing.

    “I didn’t commit any assault. My position as a religious leader in the state is so sensitive that I dare not hurt a fly! Not even fellow human being. For instance, you can imagine that I steal Nokia phone, when my children are using phones that are better off.  What an embarrassment!

    “It is high time for our judiciary to hammer on calling a spade a spade and disallow the negative influence of manipulation. From my experience in the prison, I discovered that a lot are there in the prison because of flimsy reason or unknown accidental causes.”

  • Foundation mentors teachers

    FundaWazi Foundation, a non-governmental organ-isation spearheading the welfare of children, will on Friday, March 10 host the maiden edition of Teachers Exploring through Mentorship (T.E.M).

    The mentoring programme, which is aimed at supporting and guiding teachers, school owners and care givers in their career, enhancing teaching practice and student learning; finance and other professional goals, as well as creating a plan towards achieving them will hold at the Multipurpose Hall, The Fountain of Life Church, 12 Industrial Estate Road, Ilupeju Lagos. Time is 10.00 am.

    The co-coordinator the mentoring programme, Mrs Abisola Soneye, said it  is borne out of the passion to restore mentorship, which is a missing puzzle, in the teaching profession in schools. She noted that the programme would be an important mechanism for teachers to build a high-performing and competent career which will guarantee the longevity of schools.

    The event, she said, will also provide career development opportunities as well as in capacity building and the ability to further duplicate the mentorship attitude in their profession and way of life generally.

    Professionals from leading sectors and educational institutions will be handling the programme. They include: Mrs Nomthi Odukoya, (Founder, Funda Wazi Foundation, educationist, life coach and writer); Mrs Lai Koiki (Executive Director Greensprings School Lagos, Nigeria); Mrs Olufunto Igun (Chief Executive Officer, Corona Schools Trust Council); Mr Olakunle Soriyan (Principal Transformation Strategist, Kunle Soriyan and Co); Mr Muktar Mohammed (Financial Analyst/Stock Broker); and Barrister Taiwo Akinlanmi (Principal, Taiwo Akinlanmi Academy).

  • Oke-Ogun… Oyo’s untapped goldmine

    Oke-Ogun… Oyo’s untapped goldmine

    The Oke-Ogun belt of Oyo State has a lot to offer but for myriad of reasons its goldmine remains untouched, writes OLUKOREDE YISHAU

    Its name is Ado Awaye. It is about 20 kilometre west of Iseyin in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State. In this tucked-away community lies one of nature’s greatest gifts to man. It is a suspended lake nestled on one of the crests of rocks, which surveyors love to call “sleeping lion”.

    To get to this Wonder of Oke-Ogun, you have 350 steps to climb from the base. All you need is about an hour. But as you go, there are ‘consolation prizes’ in the forms of historical shrines and others on the way.

    Once you climb up, Benin Republic border beckons. You have a full view of the border into this neigbouring country and a breath-taking view of a range of hills. Many who have got to a point called “Esekan Iku” (the verge of death) have their names etched permanently on the rock with pieces of stone.

    The inhabitants rely on the lake for water. The lake does not know dry or wet season. It retains the same volume of water all year round. The thick vegetation remains evergreen all through the year.

    The suspended lake is just one of the many good things about the Oke-Ogun axis of Oyo State, which are waiting to be fully put to profitable use.

    Apart from the suspended lake, other tourism potentials include the Royal Forest (Igbo-Oba) in Igboho; Old Oyo National Park; Asabari Hill, Saki; Rock formation (Agbele hill) In Igbeti; Ikere Gorge Dam, Iseyin; Akomare Hill Iganagan; Samuel Ajayi Crowther’s birth place, Osoogu; and Imofin Hill.

    Of the state’s 33 local government areas, Oke-Ogun has 10. These 10 local governments boast of land, which are suitable for agricultural and agro-allied uses, but 70 per cent of the population are engaged in subsistence farming and related activities.

    Oke-Ogun is not just about land alone. Inside the land, nature deposited mineral resources, which unfortunately still lie unused. These minerals have been found in commercial and mineable quantities.

    Marble and dolomite are in abundance in Igbeti, Olorunsogo Local Government and in Alaguntan, in Orile Local Government. Tourmaline is found in quantum in Budo Are and Komu, Itesiwaju Local Government.

    If tantalite is what interests you, Olodo in Egbeda Local Government and Seperati in Saki East Local Government are where to head to. There are large quantity of feldspar in Atiba Local Government and in Itesiwaju Local Government, quartz is in commercial quantity.

    Other resources include: Bismuth in Iwajowa; agate in Iwajowa and  Itesiwaju; cassiterite in Saki East; columbite in Itesiwaju and Saki East; talc in Ona-Ara; kaolin in Ado-Awaye in Iseyin Local Government; and coloured Granite in Irawo, Atisbo Local Government.

    From records, there are no exploitations of these resources on commercial scale to yield abundant wealth. No value being added to the abundant raw materials to generate jobs and wealth. Farming is still done at subsistence level, making it impossible for the cycle of poverty to be broken.

    The political angle

    Not a few have wondered why a people so blessed are so poor. Many in Oke-Ogun believe that its people have a lot to do with its under-development. Divisions among the people, lack of respect for one another and envy have been identified as reasons why the people have not been able to speak with one voice on the leadership of the state.

    Since the creation of the state, no indigene of the area has been elected governor. The best that has happened is producing deputy governor. Ibadan and Ogbomosho have mastered the art of taking advantage of the division in Oke-Ogun, a source said.

    As the countdown to the next general elections begin, traditional rulers in the axis are said to have begun underground mobilisation to get the political class to speak with one voice.

    Already names of some indigenes of the area are being bandied as likely governorship aspirants. On this list is Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s deputy, Chief Moses Adeyemo, who was born on April 4, 1950 in Igboho, Oorelope Local Government. A former Chief of Staff to Ajimobi, Deolu Akande, has also been named as interested. Akande also worked with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

    There is also Remi Olaniyan from Igboho, who was Permanent Secretary in Oyo State under Governor Rashidi Ladoja. The name of Ahmed Sani, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who hails from Iseyin, has also been linked with the 2019 race.

    Also being mentioned is Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu, who has tried his hands on getting the seat in the past. The last time he tried, he lost the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to Ajimobi. This generated bad blood and led to a protest against his ministerial nomination.

    Aside these contenders, the talk in many circles in Oyo is about what someone has described as ‘the candidate hidden in the plain sight’: Debo Adesina. The Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, who as a federal commissioner under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua walked out and returned to the newsroom, is being encouraged to bid journalism bye and take a shot at being Ajimobi’s successor. The move to draft Adesina is said to have been led by Prof. Dada Adeniyi of Kishi, who was President of the Oke-Ogun Development Council. Kishi was said to have had the backing of many monarchs in the area.

    This accomplished journalist — and perhaps the most decorated in Nigerian journalism having been Editor of the Year seven times —  became the Editor of African Guardian at 27. It remains to be seen if the 51-year-old Okaka-born journalist, who edited The Guardian from 1999 to 2011, will join the race.

    But for Oke-Ogun to make impact in the race, unity of purpose, said a source, is important. “They have to speak in almost one voice. The majority have to buy into the idea and end the current situation where people from the area belong to almost all available political party.”

     

    Rotational leadership

     

    Apart from Akande, Shittu, Adesina and others who are from Oke-Ogun, Ibadan, which has led the state more than any other zone, is warming up again. Former Governor Ladoja is warming up. A deputy governor in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is also being prodded by Ibadan elite to join the race. There is also Soji Akanbi, who represents Oyo South in the Senate. His predecessor on that seat, Senator Femi Lanlehin, is also said to be interested in the coveted seat.

    A former candidate and an indigene of Ibadan, Seyi Makinde, is also said to be re-oiling his machinery ahead of 2019.

    Not a few, however, feel that for equity and justice, Ibadan should back off for Oke-Ogun. A former governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Dr Bayo Adewusi, believes rotation should be a factor in determining who becomes governor.

    Adewusi, a former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, said a situation where only a zone in the state produces successive governors is not in the best interest of the people of the state.

    Speaking with reporters on his 58th birthday, Adewusi, who hails from Eruwa, said: “If you have followed the politics and voting patterns of election in Oyo State since 1999, you will see that nobody will emerge governor without the active votes of all the other 22 local governments of the state. Ibadan votes alone cannot produce governor in Oyo State. In the last election, the votes from the Oke-Ogun part of the state produced the governor. For me, in the interest of justice, equity and fairness, the position of the governor must be rotated. Let everyone be a part of it. There should be a sense of belonging of every other part of the state. If there are other people from other parts of the state who indicate interests, they should be encouraged; that is my view.”

     

    Time will tell

    Analysts are of the view that Oke-Ogun deserves more than it is getting. T is also their contention that what tomorrow will bring to Oke-Ogun will also depend largely on how its leaders and followers play the political game.

  • Lions president installed

    Lions president installed

    A media consultant based in Lagos State Adedeji Olukokun has been installed president of Ikeja Dynamic Lions Club. The event, which held at Ikeja Business Club, was attended by Leos and Lions Club members from the multiple District 404 Nigeria.

    The club became the first Leo-Lion conversion club and the first to be chartered in the District. Since 2005, when the District was first bifurcated, Olukokun made history as the first past Leo District president from District 404B to be installed as a Lions Club president.

    District Governor (DG), Taiwo Adewunmi was happy that the newly formed club had 70 per cent former Leos who became strong members of Lions. Also, it was the first time a Leo Past District President would install and present another Past Leo District President in the history of Lions in Nigeria as the District Governor and the new president serves as the head of the youth arm with the latter serving as the Pioneer District President of Leo District 404B2 Nigeria.

    Olukokun praised the Ikeja Dynamic Lions Club members for picking him. He promised to sustain the legacy of service for the benefit of humanity. He said he would engage in projects revolving around relieving hunger, engaging the youth through various empowerment programmes, sharing the vision by fighting against blindness and protecting the Environment.

    The chairman of the occasion Adediran Olukokun, an engineer, charged the president not to relent in his quest for infusing diverse innovation to the Lions programme and that he must strengthen the pride of service by bringing smiles continuously to the face of the needy.

    An inaugural lecture titled: “Promoting service culture as a panacea for national development” was delivered by Ladi Awotinde. It was preceded by the presentation of the clubs charter certificate, decoration of Olukokun and an official parade around the hall by the DG.

    Other members inducted along with Olukokun were Senbanjo Tolulope; Oluseun Onigbinde; Team Lead of Budgit; Ayoola Sogbesan, Sanyaolu Caleb, Owoyomi Olamide, Adebimpe Balogun.

  • Olowu elevates baales

    The Olowu of Owu, Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu, has crowned Baale Oluwasesan Ajani Ogunmuyiwa as Elejio of Ejio land. He also crowned Baale Wasiu Koleosho as Olu of Abule-Owu land. The two communities are in Ewekoro Local Government Area, Ogun State.

    The presentation of the staffs of office, crowns and certificates was held on Saturday, February 11, at the palace Olowu of Owu in Oke-Ago Owu, Abeokuta.

    Oba Dosunmu said: “It is not all Baale that will become Oba but you have been chosen out of many.  The reason for installing both of them as Obas was to elevate them to work hard for their communities.”

    He advised the new monarchs to continue to keep Owu flag flying.

  • Prompt payment of salaries, allowances of pensioners must continue, says Amosun

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has pledged the prompt payment of public servants’ entitlements, despite the recession.

    Amosun, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Taiwo Adeoluwa, spoke at the decoration of 289 newly promoted officers of Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    He said he had been working tirelessly to ensure that the salaries and allowances of public officers, including the pensioners, were paid on time.

    The governor urged the TRACE officers to reciprocate the gesture by being dedicated to their work, adding that this is their reward for hard work and that they should ensure that TRACE became a reference in traffic management in the country.

    He urged them to be committed, loyal, honest and cultivate good attitude towards road users, enjoining them to be polite with the public in enforcing the traffic laws.

    Amosun urged the officers to see their new ranks as a call to higher responsibilities and more dedication to their duties.

    The newly decorated officers include the Corp’s Assistant Director, Road Traffic Sola Bamidele, now the Deputy Director, Road Traffic. Those promoted from the rank of Senior Road Traffic Superintendent Officers to Principal Road Superintendent Officers were: Adekunle Ajibade,  Omotayo Rinaye, Ebunoluwa Akinkunmi, Deji Daudu,  Morolake Filani and Sonde Olubori.

    Congratulating the officers, the Corps Commander/Chief Executive ‘Seni Ogunyemi, urged the officers to see their promotion as a reward for excellent performance, service and responsibility.

    He said the corps has 585 staff of which 289; 169 officers, 120 junior cadre and nine operatives who have upgraded through the Inter-Cadre Transfer Window are decorated with their new ranks.

    Commander Ogunyemi thanked Amosun for approving the result of the 2015 promotion in spite of dwindling resources, especially from the Federation Account.

    The TRACE Commander thanked the government for providing three hectares of land for the construction of the Corps Headquarters and training facilities. He hailed the state Deputy Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly Olakunle Oluomo for facilitating the donation of a space in Ifo Local Government premises for the construction of Ifo Divisional Command’s Office.  The office was inaugurated at the event.

    Responding on behalf of the promoted officers, Commander Ajibade thanked the government for approving the promotions and the TRACE management for making their welfare a priority. He expressed appreciation to the management for creating good operatives atmosphere. He said the promotion signified motivation for them to continue to contribute their best to the development of the Corps and the state.

  • Why Lagos won’t experience Lassa fever epidemic

    The fear of Lassa fever is the beginning of wisdom for many states. Experts are of the view that Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital, has all it takes to prevent a Lassa fever epidemic, writes PETER EJIOFOR

    A man, Livinus Okeke (not real names) lives in a rat-infested house for decades, but unknown to him that rat is death in the house until the outbreak of the ravaging hemorrhagic disease, Lassa fever, in Lagos and other states in January 2016, caused by rats.

    States affected then include Niger, Bauchi, Kano, Edo, Nassarawa, Borno, Kogi, Oyo, Taraba, Plateau, Ondo, Ebonyi, Ogun, Rivers, Ogun, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. On the whole, more than 154 people died of Lassa fever in 24 states in 2016.

    In some areas, it is common to find people killing rats and dumping them carelessly in front of their homes and in the streets without knowing that the dead rat is still poisonous. Unknown to many too, people fail to protect their foodstuffs against rats.

    Rats and rodents generally are vectors that transmit life-threatening infections, especially Lassa fever.

    Vector-borne diseases are infections transmitted by the bite of infected arthropod species, such as rats, mosquitoes, ticks, triatomine bugs, sandflies and blackflies.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) says vector-borne diseases account for more than 17 per cent of all infectious diseases, causing more than 1 million deaths annually.

    No sooner than the first case of the disease was confirmed on Jan. 14, 2016, by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Lagos State Government set out to curb the menace.

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode instructed the health officials and Environmental Health Officers to rid the state of the vector. This led to the health officers killing rats in markets in the state.

    They say that more than 77,000 rats from different markets were eventually killed. However, the fight lost steam.

    But the government among other things set up surveillance and quarantine centres in the different parts of the state apart from ensuring that schools and public institutions and even homes had sanitizers.

    To ensure that the fight against Lassa fever is won, the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment with Dr Babatunde Adejare as Commissioner, in conjunction with Phosgard Fumigants Nigeria Limited adopted a novel approach to the vector control.

    Phosgard Fumigants introduced a slogan, “Operation Kill Rats, Make More Money In Lagos’’, to depopulate rodents in the state by putting a price on rats. The effort is also to make residents to join in the fight to rid the state of the vector.

    The Chief Executive Officer of Phosgard, Mr Oluwasegun Benson, explains that under the project, rodents multiplying ubiquitously across the mega-city state are to be exterminated from residential places and markets using hi-tech chemicals and equipment that will make their decomposing bodies non-infectious.

    “Everything is going to be water-tight as we are not just going to kill the rats, we are going to collect them using our trained and well-kitted personnel,’’ Benson said.

    Describing rats as destructive and hazardous to nature, the company’s CEO added: “We cannot completely eradicate rodents, but we can control it to a tolerable level.’’

    He notes that with the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos, if measures are not put in place to exterminate rats, it may be difficult to control an outbreak of epidemics.

    Launching the project on October 27, 2016, at Obalende Market, Adejare said that it was pleasing to note that the traders in the markets were complying with set environmental laws.

    He disclosed that to enhance clean environment, the government was promoting the “kill rat, make money ’’in Lagos because of numerous health and economic benefits associated with it.

    Adejare, who noted that the major vectors in the markets included flies and rats, said that rat bites and scratches could result in disease and rat bite fever, while rat urine is responsible for the spread of Leptospirosis which could result in Liver and Kidney damage.

    Another major disease transmitted by rats is Lassa fever.

    He said that economic effect of vectors were funds spent to treat diseases, reduction of profit as a result of contaminated or damaged product and increase in cost to manufacturers who compensate the retailers for items lost to vector invasion.

    Also, fire outbreaks due to the nibbling of wires by rats, pollution of the surrounding with faeces and other waste and other environmental hazards are other effects of vectors.

    The state government also donated logistics, including two Toyota Hilux vans to the Phosgard to ease movement of men and materials in the course of the deratisation.

    The vector control programme approved by Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has moved to the implementation stage, according to Benson.

    Benson says that in between the launch and January 25, 2017, his company had engaged the market executives with the permission of the chairperson of men and women in the markets (Iyalojas) and the Iyaloja-General of Lagos, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo.

    “We have had meetings with her since October 2016 together with the members of her Executive Committee and tried to come out with modalities for safely carrying out the project without any cause for alarm to the market women or contaminating their foodstuffs and so on.

    “We have done sensitisation in markets but we are not stopping at that; part of our resolution is that our advocacy team will go into the markets for continuous sensitisation.

    “The local government we are going to be working with this time is Ikoyi/Eti Osa Local Government Council and will be working at Obalende Market and Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) Market, Ijeh Barracks.

    “Our advocacy team has gone there to sensitise them on the need to key into the project and the overall aim of preventing Lassa fever in Lagos. So, they have keyed into the project and opened their doors to execute the programme,’’ he said.

    He says the advocacy team is also reaching out to individuals after the exercise, and will get a number of people and in turn we buy the rat.

    “We are going to engage in full blown deratisation in Eti-Osa where we will commence the killing of the rats.

    “For some of the rats that we have killed before, we have the statistics per market and at a later date, we are going to publish the statistics of rats that we have been able to kill and the location in which they are killed.

    “This will help us in the future to draw a survey and a basic data collating in terms of the efficacy of the project.’’

    Benson adds that the company had simulation exercises in Census market in Surulere under Coker-Aguda Local Government Council, and a couple of streets. The project proper will now be carried out in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Ikoyi-Obalende market and POWA market in Ijeh barracks.

    Benson says the traders have been mobilised and are now interested in the project such that “some people are not interested in selling the rats because they take it as a civic duty.

    “They believe that if they are not doing anything and the rats within the environment is being killed that part of their contribution is to get the rats and give it to us free instead of selling.

    “But some people are selling it to us and of which we have been doing skeletal purchases. The Phase Two of the project is to recognise key environmental champions, corporate key environmental champions that will provide the amenities and resources for the sustenance of buying of the rats. For now, the company will buy a rat for N10.’’

    With Lassa fever recurring in Ogun which shares border with Lagos State and in some others, it is pertinent that Lagos State residents embrace the project to exterminate vectors in the environment and live a life free of haemorrhagic fever. A stitch in time saves nine.

    • Ejiofor is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

  • Why I want to be Ejigbo chairman, by aspirant

    THE Chairman of the Committee on Revenue Generation in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, Mr. Peter Ajayi, has declared his intention to vie for the chairmanship ticket of the party in the forthcoming local government election.

    Ajayi said the people of Ejigbo have been yearning for a positive change and that he has the ability, desire and leadership skills to consolidate on the visions of the APC in Ejigbo LCDA this time around. The aspirant believes he is ripe for the position, because he had yielded to the advice and decision of the party leadership to step down several times in the past.

    He said their persistent calls for a brilliant and creative chairman as an agent of positive change that would improve their welfare and well-being serve as great incentive and motivation for him to contest as chairman of the council. “Therefore, I cannot, in good conscience, resist or reject the call to give my service and sacrifice to my people,” he added.

    Ajayi, who is also the publisher of The View Magazine and the Executive Director of the Salvage for Development Initiatives (SDI), a non-governmental organisation, described himself as a passionate and committed member of the APC who has volunteered and worked to assist other APC members win elections in the area on a number of occasions.

    He said: “Having lived all my productive adult life in Ejigbo, I have a sincere appreciation for this thriving community. I care about Ejigbo and see its potentials. I want to be involved in the decisions that will shape our city’s future. I want to execute a vision of leadership, accountability, transparency, and creating partnerships with other progressives in Ejigbo community.

    “I have held different positions in Ejigbo LCDA such as Supervisor, Market and Revenue Generation, Consultant on Revenue Generation, and a two-term Chairman of Committee on Revenue Generation. Serving in these capacities has been interesting and it is an experience for which I will be forever grateful and very proud of.”