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Tag: communal

  • O’dua’s N500m ACE Estate redefines communal living

    O’dua’s N500m ACE Estate redefines communal living

    After a lull in the real estate industry, Odu’A Group, once the pride of real estate development, has staged a cameo comeback.

    The Group on Tuesday inaugurated its N500 million estate in Jericho, a government reserved area (GRA), in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    Simply called the ACE Estate, the luxury mini-residential estate of three units of five-bedroom duplexes and four units of four-bedroom duplexes was developed on 4,400 square metres of land, that used to be occupied by a colonial storey structure.

    A tour of the ACE Estate revealed that it is fitted with modern amenities to attract the middle class and ensure luxury living. The facilities include street and perimeter lighting, swimming pool, fitness centre, uninterrupted electricity and water supply, underground drainage system and stone-paved roads. There is a dedicated generator for common use, but with provision for each house to have its generator. Each duplex also has quarters for domestic staff, with en suite facilities, and outdoor space for recreation, including a parking lot of three vehicles per unit.

    Although there is provision for individual generator usage, regular supply is guaranteed in the estate as it is connected to a dedicated 33KVA line, making the need for generator use very minimal. Yet, in the event of  power outage,  street lights and water pumping machines will be powered by the facility manager; and there will be an agreed sharing formula for its maintenance.

    To regulate inconvenience that may arise from the use of individual generator, the deed of agreement between an offtaker and the developer stipulates a maximum of a 60 KVA sound proof generator for an individual. This is why the developer also provided a generator platform for each unit, to ensure that the placement and location of the generator will muffle the noise such that it won’t disturb anybody.

    Inside the buildings are spacious rooms of between 23 and 30 sqm each, including a study in the four bedroom unit. The interior also boasts of top notch finishing for a house of its class, with marble floor tiles, solid wood finishing, installed fittings for air conditioners, television and satellite cables, gas and electric cookers, steel stairway railings, family lounge upstairs, and wardrobe section in the master bedroom. In the kitchen is a fitted cabinet with marble worktop.

    “The ACE Estate is an architectural masterpiece quintessentially designed and tastefully finished as a manifestation of aesthetics, quality and luxury rolled into one. Within the context of Ibadan, it stands out. Our view is making a statement of what we believe is the expectation of people when it comes to residential living particularly the middle income level expectations of consumers. So, we decided to start with this and we will ensure that we cater for all cadre of people in residential accommodation,” the Managing Director, O’dua Investment Company Limited, Mr. Adewale Raji, told The Nation Property.

    He explained that the ACE Estate project would bring the O’dua Group back as a major player in property development as it represents the Group’s view of making a statement of what it believes in, which is to meet the expectations of customers.

    Raji further explained the concept of the estate to be tailored around communal living, in the hope that it will meet the expectation of the middle class. For him, the idea is that whoever acquires it, it will not only meet their social desires, but they will have a comfortable place to live.

    “As you know that Ibadan is the base of O’dua investment, then Ibadan is also the best place to start this. This development is more of a choreography in terms of the design. It is very contemporary, appealing and infused with amenities that meets expectations. This is a secured environment, and very serene, and more of community living which is the bedrock of the Yoruba life, which is very important; civilisation should not start tearing us apart, which is what urban development is doing. We want to make sure that we don’t forget our past because we still believe in community; hence this is built as a small community where people can also interact,” he explained.

    Experts said Raji’s reasoning is quite understandable because having been out of property development for some time, there is the need to win public confidence by sending the best signals to potential offtakers. In future developments, the Group hopes to accommodate semi-detached and terraced houses in its estates.

    “ACE, in a competition, is the masterstroke. It means that at a quintessential level of quality, you can flaunt this place. Our objective would have been met when other competitors are able to do something better than this place. That will be fantastic for Ibadan as it would have lifted the city’s living profile. When people come here, they should be able to compare it to places like Lekki, in Lagos. Ibadan can afford Lekki, Banana Island standard. So, we are redefining the standard of Ibadan as a whole,” an excited Raji said.

  • Stop inciting communal crises, activist warns Delta govt

    •Allegations laughable, says govt

    The Delta State government has been accused of encouraging communal crises in anticipation of electoral gains in the 2019 general election.

    The warning, by human rights activist and constitutional lawyer, Oghenejabor Ikimi, came against the backdrop of similar allegations following crisis in Odimodi, Ugborodo and Ogbe-Ijoh/Aladja in Burutu, Warri Southwest, Udu local government areas of the state.

    Ikimi, in a statement in Warri yesterday urged the government to disband the Ugborodo Community Management Committee, which it allegedly instituted against the wish of the people.

    But Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Charles Aniagu, said the government was working to restore peace in the communities, noting that the allegation was laughable.

    Ikimi, who regretted the loss of lives and destruction of property, called on the government to release the White Paper of the report of the panel that looked into the Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh crisis.

    According to the activist, the communities could have continued living in peace, if the government did not instigate crisis, as is the case with Ugborodo, or refused to foster peaceful and harmonious living, as is the case with Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh.

    “The age-long communal boundary dispute between Aladja in Udu Local Government Area and Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South West Local Government Area is a case in point.

    “The Delta State government set up a panel, headed by Professor Abednego Ekoko last year, on the Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh communal crises. The panel submitted its report months ago. But the government is yet to issue a White Paper, while a cold war, tacitly fuelled by the government ahead of the 2019 general election, is escalating between them.

    “The intra-Ugborodo crisis  began when the last surviving trustee of the community died in March, 2015, and to avoid a vacuum, the Ugborodo Administrative Committee was inaugurated on May 13, 2017, to manage its internal affairs.

    “Rather than evolve confidence-building measures to promote peace in Ugborodo, the state government on the May 30, 2017, in collaboration with some multinationals, inaugurated a parallel Ugborodo management committee at the Government House Annex in Warri outside Ugborodo to run the community.

    “Finally, I call on the government to release and implement the White Paper on the Professor Ekoko-led Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh panel. I also call on the government to dismantle the parallel executives it set up on May 30, 2017, at the Government House Annex in Warri”, the statement said.

    Reacting to the allegation, Aniagu said the state cannot profit from communal crises, adding that the administration is sorting out the two cases.

    “It is laughable for anybody to say communal crises can be used for electoral gains, on the other hand, communal crises reduces electoral gains because No. 1, the money you need for the development of the people is what you will now deploy to quelling crises and when there are crises, we lose our people.

    “The governor is pained by what is happening in the two cases you mentioned and we are taking steps to address them. In the case of the Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh crisis, the governor has set up a committee, which submitted its report, but we cannot jump into action to produce a White Paper, it has to be studied. The tendencies that may likely deepen such crises will have to be dealt with.

    “In the case of Ugborodo, we are taking steps to ensure they live in peace. Such peace enables us to bring development to them, just as it enables us to have people who will support the government, and  key into government programmes”, Aniagu said.

  • Communal policing

    •The Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps will make the state safer

    The official launch of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) is yet another demonstration of the determination of the Ambode administration to ensure that Lagos State is safe and secure for all of its inhabitants.

    The launch is the natural outcome of the signing into law of the Neighbourhood Safety Agency Bill for the Regulation and Control of the Safety Corps Activities by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in August, last year. The law updates the obsolete Neighbourhood Watch law enacted during the Buba Marwa administration, streamlines the operations of the various vigilante and community watch groups in the state, and offers new approaches to the vexed issue of security in an emerging megalopolis.

    As a form of community policing, it is easy to see the advantages of the corps. In a country where the security agencies are over-centralised and disconnected from the communities they are supposed to be protecting, the LNSC will be the eyes and ears of local residents, attentive to their needs, respectful of their dignity, and sensitive to their fears.

    In association with the Nigeria Police, the corps will serve to constitute a reassuring  physical security presence throughout the state, discouraging criminal activity by making it less easy to perpetrate and more difficult to get away with. The LNSC will also help gather the intelligence that is so vital to proactive security work, offer viable dispute-resolution alternatives to violence, identify and monitor career criminals, and be on a constant lookout for disruptions of the peace.

    Most significantly, the LNSC will help remove the rationale Lagosians often have for resorting to self-help, namely, the absence of law-enforcement officials when they are most needed. Recruited from the community, the corps will help to remake the image of law-enforcement as a necessary evil into a positive social benefit. Security will no longer be viewed as the preserve of grim-faced outsiders, but as the collective action of a community, symbolised by the familiar faces that will be found in the LNSC.

    Another advantage of the corps is that it is as much an investment in people as it is an anti-crime strategy. The LNSC plans to employ up to 7,000 members, many of whom will include the state’s vibrant youth demographic. By positively engaging so many young people, the Lagos State Government has simultaneously empowered them and largely neutralised any desire to engage in anti-social activity.

    It is vital that the momentum established by the launch of the LNSC is not allowed to die out. Comprehensive orientation and training programmes must be organised for the recruits; it is particularly important that they always remember that their role is meant to complement that of the police and not to compete with them. Clearly spelt-out rules of engagement must be drawn up to enable corps members to choose the proper procedures  in different circumstances. Those who fall foul of the LNSC’s code of ethics must be dealt with in accordance with the law.

    For their part, Lagosians must welcome the Neighbourhood Safety Corps as their own, which indeed they are. It would be counter-productive of the citizenry to view the LNSC as rivals to established vigilante groups in their districts, and thus refuse to co-operate with them on that basis.

    The police and other security agencies should see the corps as partners rather than competitors, and spare no effort to help build up their capacity to perform their duties effectively.

    If the LNSC does well, it could become a model for other states, and ultimately convince the Federal Government to finally begin the process of de-centralising Nigeria’s cumbersome and inflexible security apparatus. Like politics, true security is local.

  • Ten killed in Cross River communal conflict

    Ten youths were killed at the weekend in renewed  hostilities  between Usumutong and Ediba communities in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

    It was gathered that both communities had been embroiled in conflicts for years over the owner of a piece of land, leading to loss of lives and property.

    A resident, who spoke in confidence yesterday, said: “On Friday, there was a burial at Usumutong. The Ediba ethnic nationality used the opportunity of the other people participating in a burial to attack. The Ediba knew that the Usumutong, because of the burial, were unprepared for any attack.

    “They are still quarrelling over a piece of land. They are saying the last time there was a conflict, the Usumutong caused so much casualties on them, so they were looking for an opportunity to strike back, and they did so on Friday. It was a revenge attack.

    “The people of Usumutong, who suffered the attack, are planning a counterattack from what I am hearing, because it is like tomorrow (Monday) is the market day of the Ediba.

    “It is actually sad because the two communities are brothers and sisters; there is no difference between them. They are just killing one another like that. It is sad that in this age of civilisation, people are still doing such.”

    The State Security Adviser Mr Jude Ngaji said security agents had been drafted to the area and normalcy restored.

    He said the government would keep its eyes open to avert another outbreak of violence.

    Ngaji said: “The governor is livid by this development because great efforts have been made to bring peace to the area. We had got respected leaders of both communities and plans were still on to ensure both communities co-exist peacefully.

    “Then, all of a sudden, this happened. There will no longer be any Mr Nice Guy in dealing with this problem. The big stick will be employed this time to check the problem. The present administration will ensure that though the problem has been age-long, it will end once and for all. We will ensure that every perpetrator of this crisis will be brought to book.”

  • Two dead in Ebonyi, Cross River communal attack

    Two more persons have died in renewed hostilities between the people of Ochenyim village, Amagu community in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and Adadama community in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State over their boundary.

    The victims – Okechukwu John Ogwa and Mrs. Nweke Nwankwo – are said to be from Ochenyim village.

    Also, the policemen on duty in the disputed land were reportedly attacked by the warring communities.

    The village head, Chief Peter Azuegu, said Mrs. Nwankwo was harvesting cassava in a farm near the disputed boundary when she was killed.

    Police spokesman George Okafor, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the incident.

    He said: “The matter was reported to the police that Nweke Nwankwo left her home at 9 a.m to harvest cassava and did not come back and that nobody could trace her whereabouts.”

    The spokesman said immediately the matter was reported to the police, it raised a team to support other mobile and conventional policemen to the disputed area.

    He said immediately the policemen arrived on the scene, the hoodlums opened fire on them.

    Okafor said: “They were even using real bullets, not even cartridges. They actually wanted to kill our men, but God, being on our side, no policeman was killed.”

    He warned the residents to avoid the disputed land.

    The spokesman pleaded with the residents not to take the law into their hands.

  • Health, unity through communal walk

    Health, unity through communal walk

    On December 28, another edition of ‘Walk for life’ was unveiled. The walk is an integral part of Ibobo Ujaligwa, a human development project of indigenous Umuavulu Abor community in Udi Local Government Area in Enugu State. The project evolved from a group of inspired members of the community but has quickly spread to neighboring communities in its effort to celebrate the strengths of collective heritage.

    The programme helps to unite communities and also keep their people in good health.

    The three-mile run around the town terminated in the same place it originated – the Orie market Square, approximately two hours later. After refreshments of okpa (a local delicacy) and cold drinks had gone round, the people were split into two factions. The first faction constituted the children aged between 13 and 18 while just about everyone else – infants, youths and the elderly –made up the other group.

    The children took part in an academic competition organised by the Ibobo Education committee. The competition was organized as written tests in four subjects – English language, Mathematics, Physics and History. The venue was the examination hall of St Theresa’s Girls Secondary School, Abor and students thronged in to register for the competition.

    The second group gathered on the side of the market square for the Medical Mission, another arm of Ibobo Ujaligwa. The outreach started with a health talk by Dr. Eva Offiah, a Chief Medical Officer (CMO) with Parklane hospital, Enugu. His talk was centred on the issues of dietary regulation, exercise and their relevance to the general well being of the human body. Questions bordering on the relevant issues were asked by attending members of the community and the CMO did justice to all of them.

    The medical mission then kicked off. It was organised into seven stations – the Clerking station where patients were registered and their bio-data filed; Blood pressure post, Blood sugar post, Urinalysis post, Body Mass Index (BMI) post and Consultation where practicing doctors analysed the results from the conducted tests and diagnosed accordingly. The last station was the drug dispensary unit where drugs were dispensed according to the doctors’ prescriptions. This recorded enthusiatic patronage as many turned up to be tested for high blood pressure and other ailments. They were also given medication.

    The chairman of the Medical Mission for Ibobo Ujaligwa 2013, Dr. Neze Njeze in a chat with this reporter, noted that the medical mission was a definite improvement over the past year’s affair; in addition to the increased number of stations available, there has been a greater turnout of people. She praised the members of the family and community who had participated and volunteered in all capacities.

    As has become the tradition, the events were summed up in the Ibobo Cultural Night, which commenced at 7pm on Sunday, the 29th of December, 2013. Opening formalities led to a talk that introduced the idea of Ibobo to the teeming audience gathered at the threshold of Dr. Gabriel Njeze, host for the evening. The talk which was delivered by Mr. Chidubem Njeze, an IT consultant and electronic engineer by profession, was titled “Ibobo: How it all began”. He described Ibobo as a pot cooking over a tripod stand whose three stilts were representative of Educational foundation, Health foundation and Entrepreneurial foundation.

    Ibobo as a name, Mr. Njeze revealed, refers to the substantive quality of charm or beauty a person or people possess. The Ibobo Ujaligwa, consequently, identifies the substantive charm of the Ujaligwa people. The motto of Ibobo Ujaligwa – Eka di igwe na-aru ohue which literarily means ‘A Collaboration of Equal Partners’, he concluded, summarizes Ibobo’s laser-like focus on human capacity development and character formation.

    The second presentation of the evening was by Mr. Matthew Obodoechi and it was centered on the topic ‘History of Abor’. Ochiagha, as Mr. Obodoechi is fondly addressed, started his talk by stating that the history of Abor was entirely hinged on oral tradition, which by virtue of its nature, varied from family to family. He proceeded to recount his own version of the Abor roots. The founding fathers of Abor, according to Ochiagha, were majorly warriors who fought numerous wars conquering lands and domains over time. He emphasised the inherent greatness in the Abor heritage while noting that over time, the warrior-spirit of Abor sons and daughters had been channelled into more veritable ventures such as education, business and healthcare. Ochiagha concluded by charitably calling for other versions of the Abor origin from members of the audience, one of who was the traditional custodian of the Abor heritage and ruler, HRH Igwe Dr. C.C. Njeze, Ujaligwa II of Umuavulu Abor. The monarch needed no further prompting as he took to the stage with a presentation that added vibrancy and color to the picture of Abor roots already created by Mr. Obodoechi.

    The third and final talk of the evening was a topic, which questioned the modern Abor indigene’s commitment and loyalty to the presiding power vested in one’s Umunna (or kindred) by tradition; it was delivered by Sculptor Innocent Anidi. Aptly titled ‘I mawo ku ezhi di? I maru I mee gunu?’, the presentation encouraged indigenes to actively identify with their Umunna especially as distance was no longer a barrier in our technologically-advanced world.

    Other activities that spiced up the evening included Igbo speaking competition, traditional music competition, songs, dance and the Mr and Miss Ibobo pageant which yielded Mazi Nwachukwu Etta and Nwaada Munachi Orji as the newly-crowned Mr Ibobo and Miss Ibobo respectively.

    The highlight of the event however was the awards ceremony; first up was the awards for the academic competition. The chairman of the Education committee, Miss Somto Ukozor was on hand to introduce the Ibobo Education Foundation (IEF), a new initiative of the Education arm of Ibobo which had been formed to “battle the vices which are stealing the attention of our youths away from substance”. Supported by her committee, she outlined the many projects taken on by the IEF one of which was the ‘Donate a book’ campaign which recycled used books, originally belonging to older indigenes of the community, for the use of the younger students. The committee also announced the winners of their pioneer project – the education competition; while the winners in the four subjects were rewarded with books, the overall best three positions were rewarded with a high-tech mobile phone for third place, a laptop for second place and a laptop plus a scholarship of N150,000 per session comprehensively spanning the entire duration of a university education for the winner. Njeze Arinze took the third position, Ogbu Ifebuche was second and Ugwu Lucy was the deserved winner of the star prize.

    Other prizes given out for the evening were the Award for Personal development won by Miss Kanayo Anidi, Award for Ibobo person of the year won by Dr. Obinna Onodugo and Award for Sports person of the year which went to Chief Chilo Offiah.

  • Two killed, six injured in Kwara communal clash

    •Police arrest 15 suspects

    The communal crisis, which erupted at Ganmo in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State on Sunday, continued yesterday as two people – Shifaw Raji and Raheem Kolawole – were allegedly killed.

    Six people, including two policemen were said to have been injured. One of the policemen, said to be recuperating in an undisclosed hospital, was reportedly shot in the stomach.

    It was learnt that seven houses and three vehicles were torched during yesterday’s mayhem.

    The clash was said to have been caused by a dispute over a chieftaincy tussle between two groups claiming ascendancy to the title of Oluganmo of Ganmo and seeking the relocation of the community market to another place.

    The police command confirmed the death of two persons, but said no policeman died in the fracas.

    It said it arrested 15 persons in connection with the crisis.

    Police spokesman Olufemi Fabode said the command had ordered that the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of Operations should take control of the situation.

    He said those arrested would soon be charged to court.

    Fabode urged residents and community leaders to ensure peaceful co-existence in the community.

     

  • 23 killed in Plateau communal clashes

    Twenty-three people have been killed in three communal clashes in Plateau State.

    Twenty of the victims were reportedly killed in a clash between Fulani settlers and indigenous Tarok of Wase Local Government.

    Eyewitnesses said in Dompar, Kurmin Dashe and Wadata villages of the local government, 19 people died in a clash between Fulani and Tarok.

    The Nation learnt that the clash between the two groups followed the discovery of a body in a bush near Dompar village.

    Twenty homes were razed during the clash.

    The villagers said the clash led to the death of many people because the police were not informed at their Wase Local Government headquarters, a long distance from the villages.

    Four days after the clash, the police have not ascertained the exact casualty figure.

    The police command, which confirmed the incident, only said it had despatched its officers to the area.

    Police Commissioner Chris Olakpe said he had despatched his men to the area but could not confirm the casualty figure and other details.

    At Foron Junction of Hepiang village, Barkin Ladi Local Government, two bodies were discovered. The deceased were suspected to have been killed by Fulani herdsmen.

    A relative identified the deceased as Pam Rwang, saying another member, Pam Dalyop, was injured and receiving treatment at the Vom Christian Hospital.

    Also in Ladura Ward of Du District, where Governor Jonah Jang hails from, a man was allegedly killed by unknown gunmen when he was returning from his farm.

    Special Task Force (STF) spokesman Capt. Mustapha Salisu confirmed the clashes at Barkin Ladi and Ladura Du.

    He said one of the attackers was arrested, adding that he was not in a position to say that there had been any killing in Wase Local Government.

    Capt Salisu added: “I have heard that there was an incident around Wase but I have not found what exactly happened.”

    Despite the clashes, the Eid-el-Mawlud (the birthday of Prophet Mohammad) celebration was peaceful in Jos, the state capital.

  • Five killed in Nasarawa communal clash

    Five persons were reported killed and 15 houses set ablaze in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State in renewed clashes between Koro and Eggon indigenes.

    Police Commissioner Abayomi Akeremale yesterday confirmed the death toll in Lafia, the state capital.

    He said several houses were destroyed by fire during the hostilities between the two tribes in Gwadanye area of Agyaragu.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the clash occurred after an unidentified person allegedly stole a motorcycle from Angwan Yakubu.

    The suspected thief allegedly ran into Gwadanye, inhabited by the Koro.

    The demand by the people of Angwan Yakubu to fish out the alleged culprit resulted in a fracas that led to the death of more than five persons and the burning of more than 15 houses.

    The constituency of the House of Assembly Deputy Speaker Elisha Agwadu was also razed.

    Akeremale said security agencies were on top of the situation, adding that security personnel had been deployed to ensure safety of life and property.

  • Imo denies acquisition of communal land

    Imo denies acquisition of communal land

    The Imo State Government yesterday denied the allegation that it has been acquiring some communal lands and re-allocating same to politicians and its cronies.

    Some aggrieved communities had accused the government of acquiring their lands without adequate compensation and converting same to personal use.

    The Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, Uche Nwosu, described the allegation as baseless.

    He said the government had paid the compensation for the lands it acquired.

    The commissioner said the government had not allocated any of the acquired lands to private individuals.

    Nwosu added: “Despite the fact that the government has the right to acquire any land for development, we have not applied force in the process. Rather, the communities concerned have always been involved in the process and compensation has been paid in good time.

    “Most of the lands were acquired by previous administrations. When we came on board, we paid the compensation and started the development of the areas. In some areas where we encountered resistance from the communities, we allowed for exhaustive discussions between the government and the community. So, we have not forcefully acquired any communal land.”