The Nation Newspaper

Tag: COMMUNITY

  • Olanipekun seeks growth of Ikere community

    Former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Chief Wole Olanipekun has called on indigenes of Ikere Ekiti in Ekiti State to assist in developing the community.

    He made the call on Saturday while inaugurating an ultramodern administrative building constructed at the palace of the Ogoga by an oil magnate, who is also an indigene of the town, Otunba Sola Adewumi and his wife, Oluwakemi.

    The legal luminary called on Ikere indigenes to avoid acts capable of breeding disunity and crisis in the state. He also called on them to give an unflinching support to the town’s traditional ruler, the Ogoga, Oba Samuel Adejimi Adu Alagbado.

    “I want to plead with you all in Ikere, we should desist from any act of disunity. Oba Adejimi Adu is our king in Ikere. Look at positive things that have been happening since his enthronement and this is an indication that Ikere is moving forward,” Olanipekun said.

    Olanipekun said the gesture of Adewumi was worthy of commendation, noting that the donor had earlier built and donated a non-profit event centre in the town and also building a hotel to create job opportunities for the indigenes.

    The senior lawyer revealed that he had just secured a licence to establish a radio station in Ikere to contribute his own quota to the development of his birthplace.

    Adewumi, the chairman/chief executive of Equatorial Energy, revealed that facilities in the building include offices for the monarch, his wife, their secretaries and a hall that can seat about 150 people at a time, among others.

    The Ogoga urged his subjects to always seek the good of Ikere and contribute to its growth

    He praised Olanipekun for his impact in rallying indigenes for the community’s progress.

  • Edo community ‘celebrates’ one year without electricity

    It was an unusual ‘celebration’ for residents of Eme-Ora in Owan West local government area of Edo state recently when they recently ‘celebrated’ one year without electricity supply from the Benin Electricity Distribution Company.

    The celebration was not the normal gathering of persons but at the heart of residents of the community who had endured one year of darkness and paralyzed business activities since electricity supply to the town was cut off in 2015.

    Problem of the community started in April 2015 when the transformer serving the community packed up, just after the community had come out of an eight-month old darkness.

    National President of Eme-Ora Progressive Union (EPU) Prophet Emmanuel Ojo Akhigbe-Agge said the problem of lack of power supply has continued despite the purchase of a transformer to replace the obsolete one.

    According to him, “We have 10 quarters and as we speak, Eme-ora has not had electricity for the past one year. The place has been in darkness. The electricity in Eme-ora, the transformer was packed up on April 20th, 2015. In 2014, there was no light for about eight months. In 2013, Eme-ora had no light for about five months. As you could see, I donated a transformer for our community to help alleviate the situation but those in charge have not deemed it fit to give us electricity.”

    Besides the problem of electricity, Prophet Emmanuel said Eme-Ora has no potable water and that the only secondary school in the community is like an abandon house.

    He said: “Our secondary school is like abandoned.It’s not functioning well.It’s not running like a school. The primary school is what I don’t want to talk about it. Is it the bad roads? The only road linking Uhunmora and Eme-Ora was inaugurated during the time of Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia pioneered by one of our aged father, Pius Uduehi. He led that good work as the only road we have.

    “The major issue confronting us is that the Eme person is not empowered because we are a minority. In fact, the entire Owan west is not empowered. Owan west has not gained anything from the government. So Eme did not gain anything.

    “I want to invite the people of Eme-ora to be attracted to EPU so that we can work on our focus for a possible achievement for the community. Because if I want to look at our challenge of what we are confronted with I will be talking about government and I don’t want to talk about the government. You know, it is my believed that Eme-ora have children that God Almighty by Himself have blessed. If we put our heads together, we can build our community.”

    When contacted for comments, the management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) said the community was owing the firm N3 million.

    Managing Director of BEDC Mrs Funke Osibodu said the transformer was being repaired but that the community should pay  or it would continue to celebrate darkness.

     

  • Rotary donates borehole to Lagos community

    Rotary donates borehole to Lagos community

    It was prayer answered for residents of four communities-Olusanya, Papa Uku, Agbajowo and Ifesowapo Community Development Association (CDA), in Fanimokun area of Agege Local Government Area when they took delivery of a borehole donated by the Rotary Club of Agege.

    The communities, located around Ipaja Road in the Agege suburb, had been living under acute shortage of potable water over the last two decades, with children and nursing mothers, running the risk of being knocked down by reckless motorcyclists or motorists as they move about busy roads, scouting for water in the adjoining neighbourhood.

    Handing over the borehole to the Baale-elect of the community, before a crowd of dignitaries among who were the past District Governor for D9110, Dr. Dele Balogun, the Baale-elect Taiwo Oke, and other

    community leaders, the President of the club, Mr Kolawole Ojelabi said the project was borne out of a needs assessment conducted by the club for residents of the area.

    He said: “When I was coming in as the President of the club, I carried out the assessment of the needs of the people of this area. In this particular community, it was discovered that water is a very critical issue. Incidentally, as we were rounding off our assessment, I witnessed a kid carrying water that was hit by an okada as she made to cross the road into this community. That confirmed to me that this project is a must, to give relief to these people and put a stop to avoidable loss of life while looking for this essential commodity.”

    He described the project as one of the six focal areas of Rotary International, under water and sanitation, adding that the club couldn’t embark on the second leg, which is sanitation, because it was usually school-focused.

    He said the borehole, which is about 165 feet deep, was partly funded by District Grant and contributions from members of Rotary Club of Agege. He said the project was located in front of the Baale’s house in order to ensure that the community would take ownership of the project, maintain it and to ensure that there is regular supply of electricity with which to pump the water.

    He assured that the club will always be available to maintain the borehole, even as he urged the community to set up a community corps to monitor all Rotary projects in the community.

    “The next phase of the project is to provide a generator with which to power the borehole so that people would not lack water anytime there is electricity outage in the area.”

    The former District Governor Balogun said the club had been active in so many public schools and other public institutions in the area, pledging that more infrastructure would be donated to the communities if proper care is taken of the water project.

    “We promise that if they take very good care of this water project, many more projects would come to other communities around here,” Balogun said.

    A community leader Bishop Julius Babatunde Olusanya commended Rotary Club of Agege for bringing such a laudable project to the area, adding that the project will, no doubt, serve millions of residents living in the

    area.

    He assured that the community will take care of the project and ensure that it is preserved even for generations unborn.

    The Chairman of the CDA, Alfa Ayodele Ayuba, popularly called Baba Sala, who spearheaded the location of the project in the area, commended the club for a promise fulfilled. He said the community will not forget the gesture as it would put a stop to their frustration concerning water.

    “We know how much we spend on water in these communities and to now think that we can get water free. It is unimaginable. We are very happy, may the Lord continue to keep all members of the club who made this dream possible,” Ayuba said.

    Another community leader, Mr Sola Lawal Tijani said: “We are happy that Rotary Club of Agege could give us life in this community, because water is life. We have been mounting pressures on politicians who used to come here to campaign to give us water. But look at a club that has come to provide water for us with no strings attached.

    The Baale-elect Taiwo Oke said residents of the community cannot express how happy they were to see that they have water. He said he is happy that the risk associated with looking for water around the neighbou-rhood would drastically reduce and no child would die of accident, which he said was a usual occurrence in the area.

    Southwest Report gathered that the four communities of Olusanya, Papa Uku, Agbajowo and Ifesowapo, in Animokun area have no fewer than 3,500 residents and have survived without potable water for ages.

  • Ebonyi to feudiing community: Sheathe your swords

    Ebonyi to feudiing community: Sheathe your swords

    The Ebonyi State government has urged all combatants in the Ezza/Ezillo community in Ishielu Local Government Area of the state to bury the hatchet and embrace peace.

    The Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Kelechi Igwe, a lawyer, who made the call at Ezillo, noted that the David Umahi administration is intent on stamping out violence in Ishielu using every legal means.

    He regretted the economic hardship and mutual distrust the protracted crisis has caused the people while assuring that with understanding and commitment to peace from the affected people, peace would be restored to the area.

    According to him, the administration of David Umahi is bent on fulfilling its campaign promise of ensuring that peace returned to Ezillo before it clocked one year in office.

    He explained that Governor Umahi while serving as deputy made concerted efforts to resolve the crisis and that as the incumbent deputy governor more effort would be invested to end the communal war.

    He said, “Government is aware that some forces are fueling the crisis for political reason and for selfish interest. But I want to warn that our government is not a go-slow government that is upwardly mobile, and we are not ready to entertain the exigencies that will come from people who think that they are untouchable.

    “Therefore if you are one of those orchestrating the war, the eyes are on you and the government will stop at nothing to resolve the crisis and make the people one for the safety of the next generation.”

    The deputy governor who also doubles as the chairman on boundary dispute, further warned those masterminding the crisis that there is no hiding place for them in the state.

    He said that government will use its resources and gadgets to fish out perpetrators and sponsors of the Ezza/Ezillo crisis.

    According to him, peace is paramount to the state and that the state government will deal decisively with anyone connected with the crisis irrespective of his political affiliation, stressing that the peace of the citizenry is important to government.

    His words, “After today, the grace of pardon shall no longer be available. We shall deal with any man or woman for fomenting trouble in Ishielu”

    Barrister Igwe further directed that a prayer and fasting summit should be organized with the theme, “Lets peace of God prevail in our heart, to do that thing which will be invariably acceptable to all” for peace to reign in Ishielu.

    He instructed the Caretaker Chairman of Ishielu Local Government Area to mobilize stakeholders from Ezza and Ezillo to participate in the prayer, noting that attendance will be taken at the prayer summit.

    The deputy governor commended security agencies for their steadfastness in maintaining the peace in the buffer zone while assuring them that government will always give them the needed assistance.

    He however challenged the traditional rulers to support the government to achieve peace in Ishielu.

    The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Matters, Samuel Okonkwo, a lawyer, appealed to the warring communities to search their conscience and avoid rancour, pointing out that the greatest virtue on earth is peace.

    He urged the people to pray against it.

    In a remark, the Ishielu Caretaker Chairman, Henry Eze promised that the people will follow the path of peace.

  • Rivers community looks beyond oil

    The Bille Community Welfare Association (BCWA), Abuja gathered the people of the community for a one-day sensitisation programme in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State.

    The theme was: “Bille Beyond Oil” . They also launched a book titled “Who’s Who in Bille.”

    In a lead paper delivered by a prominent son of the town and a retired Director from Rivers State Civil Service, Dawari Boisa, he traced the history of the people which he said started in the 9th Century and later became one of the five distinct Eastern Niger Delta Ijo Communities.

    In the paper titled: “Bille Beyond Oil: Strategies for Present and Future Sustainable Economic Development of the Kingdom” Boisa argued that the discovery of crude oil from Bille in 1958 has made his people to drift from fishing to crude oil dependent economy.

    Borisa blamed this drift on the “very heavy polluted rivers and creeks due to oil spills from oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities like oil spillages and gas flaring in the area which made fishing to be unviable economic occupation.”

    The situation, he also said, has been aggravated by the illegal crude oil refining activities.

    He marshalled out six points which the people should latch on to enable them improve their lot and these include  show of love and commitment to Bille Kingdom as well as effective participation in politics.

    Addressing the people, the Chairman of the occasion, Elder Boma Benebo said the event was an outcome of the dialogue the chiefs and stakeholders of Bille had in Abuja in 2014.

    Benebo also said that the theme of the event is an indication that “Bille is well located geographically and possesses enough potential for tourism and large scale fishing.”

    A Cchief of Bille, Barrister Iyalla Igani recalled that town used to be a sanctuary for those who wanted to rest from the hustle and bustle of the cities, lamenting that over the years, the town has lost this tourism status.

    In a goodwill message, the Bille Kingdom Development Committee Chairman, Asatubo Kemuel,  said Bille Beyond Oil requires a sustainable and healthy environment which supports economic activities and wealth creation.

    Kemuel  also called on oil companies operating within their territory to adequately carry out human capital and infrastructure development initiatives by way of corporate social responsibility because globally, this is regarded not as a mere moral obligation “but as legal obligation that arises out of the industry regulatory framework.”

    A Director from the Rivers State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs Ine Olumati who represented the ministry, commended the people for  the event.

    The highlight of the occasion was the unveiling of a 166-page book titled: “Who’s Who in Bille” written by another son of the soil, Mr Harvest Emmanuel-Olu in which he profiled prominent sons and daughters of the land who consequently launched it with some millions of naira.

  • Community gets modern events centre

    Community gets modern events centre

    Ipaja, a Lagos suburb in Alimosho Local Government Area is wearing a new look. Corporate and leisure offices are springing up very fast.

    In the light of this, Raybam was inaugurated last weekend to the delight of residents of Peace Estate, Ajasa. Some stakeholders described it as a one stop events centre.

    There was extreme celebration in the community as residents expressed their happiness that they will no longer have to go into town to have classy venues for their events or go far off to banks in search of automated teller machines (ATM) to withdraw money for their personal needs.

    The Chief Executive Officer of Raybam, Otunba Bamidele Ologun initiated the construction of the events centre. The real estate developer said he was motivated to provide convenience for people in the society by providing them modern and standard facilities.

    Not only is there a hall, there are lodging rooms therein.

    The arena can conveniently contain 1, 300 people. The banquet hall accommodates over 600 people and the gallery over 700 guests. With a fountain in front and ample parking space, locales couldn’t have wished for anything better.

    Manager of the centre, Adeyemi Akinsowon said they not only have state-of-the-art multimedia gadgets and sound systems with lightenings, there is also audio-visual communication system and close circuit television (CCTV) cameras for maximum security.

    The Baale of Aiyetobi, Habib Lawal described the edifice as one of the best qualities that can be found in Alimosho Local Government Area and a relief that they don’t have to go far to access their money.

    To encourage up-and-coming artistes in Ipaja, management will stage a performance next month for the people in the neighbourhood.

  • Edo community’s youth hail Dangote

    Edo community’s youth hail Dangote

    An Edo State community’s group, Okpella Youth Forum (OYF), has congratulated the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on the successful ground-breaking ceremony of N1 billion cement plant in the community.

    In a message by its National President, Dr Gerald Adewole, the forum praised Dangote for his rare business acumen, which it said had led to the rapid expansion of the Dangote conglomerate across Nigeria, Africa and beyond.

    The forum noted that the phenomenal growth of the Dangote Group had impacted the Nigerian economy, created thousands of jobs for youths, empowered local communities and stimulated socio-economic activities across the country.

  • Texan donor gets rousing welcome at community school

    Texan donor gets rousing welcome at community school

    WHEN the founder, The Nigerian School Foundation (TNSF), Deena Grushkin, returned to the school the body built for Tomaro-Onisiwo, a coastline community in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State eight years ago recently, sshe received a rousing welcome from citizens of the community.

    Those who welcomed him include the Baale of Tomaro, Rafiu Rufai, who presented her with gifts, and robed her in the traditional attire of the community.

    Tomaro Junior Secondary School came to be because of an appeal by the Baale to Grushkin, when she visited the community in 2008.

    She said: “I’ve been around since 2004 erecting schools on the mainland,” Grushkin a schoolteacher from Texas, United States told our reporter.

    “In 2008, I came to one of the communities on this island to see a health clinic a colleague of mine was doing. The Baale of this place came to find me and brought me here. Then he stood on this property and asked me to help him build a school for his community.”

    Today, the school, which serves 19 other coastal communities, has a senior secondary school arm.

    Project Coordinator, TNSF, Rev. Andrew Duya, said the school has since added a six-apartment quarters, which houses about 15 teachers paid by the PTA; a perimeter fence to protect the school’s property as well as the solar system given the school by the Lagos State government because of its incredible performance in BECE exams; and a new building that houses both JSS and SSS sections.  The building that housed the junior school  serves administrative purposes.

    Duya said the school has excelled in Basic Senior School Certificate Examination (BECE) exams.

    Principal of the school, Mr Ekuigbo Dumas, who was transferred from Alakoto Junior High School, attributed the school’s progress to a culture of excellence he introduced.

    “When I tell people we now have teachers, they always wonder how Tomaro which started few years has achieved it in big way.

    “When I took over, we were nowhere near 100 (in ranking), but now, we are 33 in ranking in the state in 2014. Last year, we moved up to 19 and in Amuwo Odofin, we are no. 1,” he added.

    Head Girl of the school, Beauty Anani, recalled how she was unwilling to join the school at inception.

    “I told my parents this place is local and so I would not enrol; but on a second thought, I stayed back, and I did not regret it.  Today, I can type, do tie and dye, make beads and do other vocations. That’s what we are exposed to here,” she said.

    Baale Rufai, who thanked the foundation for the gesture, however, urged the government to post teachers to the school.

    “The teachers we have here are on support from the community; so, we are urging the government to give us teachers.  We also need electricity and a general hospital. We have a borehole but it stopped working long ago,” Rufai lamented.

    Other coastal communities the school serves include Araromi, Irede, Sagbekoji, Ifako, Oko Ata, Siku and Igala (1&2).

  • Free medical checks for Lagos community

    Free medical checks for Lagos community

    It was an exercise the people of Ketu and areas around it would it holds every day. The opportunity to know their health status was presented to them courtesy of the Nigerian Legion, Corps of Commissionaires, Ketu Division, as part of its community health outreach programmes.

    The free health service, according to the corps, was aimed at strengthening their relationship with the community in which they operate. And expectedly, the people trooped out in droves to benefit from the exercise.

    The programme, which had representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) as part of the medical resource personnel, had more than 100 beneficiaries who waited patiently as the medical personnel checked them one after the other.

    Welcoming the beneficiaries, the Commander of the division, Major Babalola Fanipe, said the programme was organised in order to provide basic health check services to members as part of the corps’ contributions to the well-being of its community.

    “We intend to contribute towards sensitising the community to the importance of health checks and taking issues around our health and well-being seriously.

    “The exercise is part of our pro-active and concrete steps to promote and foster the health of members, their families as well as members of the community,” he said.

    Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke with Southwest Report, expressed happiness with the exercise. Mrs. Sherifat Murtala thanked the Legion for coming up with the programme, which she said would avail many indigent people of the opportunity to know their health status.

    “It was my husband who came home to tell me about the exercise. We both decided to come and benefit from it. And I want to say a big thank you to the organisers,” she said.

    Mrs. Folake Ogunleye also commended the organisers, who according to her have provided a platform for people who are ignorant of the need to check their health status.

    “I think this is a very good gesture from these people. You know that most people are ignorant of the need to check their health status, and many simply die as a result of illnesses that are not supposed to lead to death. But with this development, many of us would go home happy that we know a little about our health status,” she said.

    Fifty-Eight-year-old Matthew Bashorun was initially scared to present himself for the HIV and AIDS check. But after he tested negative after the test, he smiled and said: “Today is one of the happiest days of my life. I was scared at first, but I just summoned courage and did the test. Now that I have my result, I am very free from any fear.”

    Speaking on the importance of the exercise, Mrs. Diana Udoh, representative of the Lagos State Action Committee on AIDS, said it was necessary that everyone knows about his HIV and AIDS status.

    While commending the Legion for organising the exercise, Udoh urged other notable Nigerians to emulate the corps in the task of providing health facilities for the people, saying it is a tough job for the government to do alone.

    The residents were offered free health checks on HIV and AIDS, diabetes, genotype and malaria, among other health issues.

  • Tension in community over land

    Tension in community over land

    THERE’s tension in the sleepy Okolomi community in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State. The traditional ruler and members of the community are quarrelling over the sale of land.

    The dispute has been festering for eight years. It all started in 2007 when some politicians and Oba Tajudeen Elemoro were said to have teamed up to acquire on the land.

    The plots are Okolomi Olomi land owned by Okunelekun of Olomiland, Imolete land owned by Idogo family, Otunla community land owned by Otunla family, Adeba family land at Onikola, Lakuwe community land owned by Ojonu family and Itapapa community land owned by Anifowose family.

    A property consultant and the Chairman/CEO of Otofem Property Limited, Prince Femi Bakare, claimed that the crisis started when a former Permanent Secretary in the Bureau of Lands and some politicians showed interest in the land. They were said to have approached the owner-families, requesting them to present parameters surface documents for the gazetting of the land.

    The community, Bakare said, thought the government officials meant well but when they returned weeks later, it was found that the documents they brought for signing had slashed 80 per cent of the land, leaving the owners with 20 per cent. The officials claimed that the government had acquired the 80 per cent.

    The families refused to sign the documents, stressing that it is strange that the government did not talk with them before reaching such a decision. But undeterred, the former permanent secretary and his agents allegedly got some customary tenants to sign the documents to legitimise the acquisition of the land.

    Worried by the turn of events, the community stormed the Alausa, Ikeja office of the Ministry of Lands where the government said it has not acquired the land.

    At a meeting, former Governor Babatunde Fashola reportedly said there was no plan by the government to take over the land. He advised them to demand from those making such claims, memorandum of understanding, letter of acquisition and compensation.

    Following this development, the monarch was said to have lodged a report at the Elemoro Police Station, alleging threat to his life and those he sold land to. Bakare was arrested over the matter and asked to sign an undertaking that he would not interfere in the land matter again, but he refused.

    This led to his detention at Elemoro Police Station. He was released at the instance of a senior police officer at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

    Bakare was rearrested following a petition to Zone 2 Command at Onikan, Lagos, alleging that he is an armed robber. He was detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) at Panti, Yaba, for days. He was released after the Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP’s) advice that it was a civil case that should be handled by the court.

    The thugs were said to have been consequently unleashed on the community. The thugs shot Rasheed Adeniyi.

    The thugs were said to have attacked members of the community in the presence of the police. The community is calling on the local, state and Federal Government.

    “I am now being haunted for not selling my conscience. They even tell me that I am the stumbling block to the bid to deprive the rightful owners of their land, Bakare said.

    Oba Elemoro said on Monday that “land grabbers” are threatening him and members of the community, including those who bought land from him. He did not speak on demolition of a N200 million edifice under construction in the area.