The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Computer Village

  • We’re going through much pain, widows

    The Computer Village in Ikeja Lagos State is popular for one thing. It is the hub of electronics in the Western part of Nigeria, even as the Alaba International Market Ojo, also in Lagos is also well known for electrical and electronics which traders from outside the country patronise.

    But last week, the Computer Village seemed overstretched as a result of more people that visited it that day, in addition to the normal heavy human traffic that has become its feature.

    That day, women, especially widows and their children were there in their numbers on the invitation of the Happy Moment for Widows and Children Foundation (HMWCFO), a non-governmental organisation (NGO). The NGO had invited them to interact and fete with them.

    That day was a day of celebration for many of the widows and their children when a fellow widow, Princess Yeolade Adetona, founder of Happy Moment for Widows and Children Foundation (HMWCFO), extended love to them.

    They could not hide their delights. They danced, played games, listened to motivational talks, ate and drank. They were also given food items including sugar, salt, groundnut oil, tin-tomatoes and matches, among others.

    According to Princess Adetona, it was not the first time she had carried out such gesture, even as she promised to do much more for widows and their children both in Lagos State and beyond.

    She said the gesture was borne out her zeal to make widows and their children happy.

    Princess Adetona said: “Today’s programme is all about widows and their children. The country’s economy is in a shambles and many people are suffering.

    “I am a widow; I lost my husband to a plane crash in 2007; we were together for 15 years. I know what it takes to be a widow, it is not easy. I have gone through a lot and that is why I established the foundation.

    “The aim is to put smiles on the faces of widows, their children and orphans, and to empower them and encourage them to face the future with hope.

    “Many of them feel all hopes are lost and I am here to let them know that they still have hope. I don’t want to see them cry, I want to see them happy. I pray God takes me up so that I can do more.”

    She said the widows and their children received food stuffs including sugar, salt, groundnut oil, tin-tomatoes and matches among other things.

    “They have also eaten several delicacies and drinks. They had dancing competition, and the winners received gifts. They are all happy,” she said.

    The founder of the organisation revealed that the NGO has plans to provide accommodation for some of the widows and their children.

    “The accommodation that the organisation plans to establish will be home for widows and their children. They would also have the opportunity to learn several vocations, including fashion design and hairdressing, to enable them to be empowered and make life meaningful for them.

    “I have to do this because when I lost my husband in a plane crash, I had problem with accommodation. I was living from one place to another; there was a time I slept in my car for two days with my children because we had nowhere to stay,” she said.

    She, however, said she was yet to get over the death of her husband, noting that God has been faithful.

    She urged widows to have hope in God. “What I am doing here today resulted from my placing my hope in God.  I have four children and God has been faithful. I am reaching out to widows to tell them that they still have hope.”

    One of the beneficiaries, Mojisola Ajiroba said the gesture will relieve some of them of the burden of caring for the families alone.

    “What we widows are passing through is terrible; from handling the kids, feeding and to send them to school is never easy for us,” she said.

    She said the programme has helped them to know that they need to depend on God to help them train the children.

    “I thank Princess Adetona because without her we will not be here today. She has showed us that she cares for us; she remembers what we are passing through.” She said.

    She urged government to remember widows and their children, noting that what they are going through is much for them to bear.

    “We suffer a lot and we have many problems. If government can help us, they will wipe our tears, alleviate our suffering and life will be better for us,” she said.

    Another beneficiary, Kate Okoye, described the programme as good and life-changing. She said Princess Adetona has made them become hopeful, made them have a sense of belonging.

    “She has touched our lives in a positive way. She has made us to realise that to be responsible for the upkeep of our children and ourselves is not the end of life; she urged us to move on and remain strong.

    “I can only plead that government should support her; she is good, she makes us happy, she touches lives, she made us not to feel that we are hopeless. This is what government is meant to do but government cannot do it alone. So, government should assist her.

    “We all left our wares to be here to feel happy. It is one thing to be happy; it is another thing to sell our wares. Happiness is more important than any other thing, because when you are happy, you have every other thing you need in life. I pray God will bless and grant her long life,” she said.

    Lagos State Commissioner for Youths and Social Development, Mr Agboola Dabiri, represented by Mojisola Abiola, said the ministry is ready to support the foundation.

    “The state government has several programmes for widows and children, which has brought positive impact on them.  The Child Development Department in the ministry has been equipped to protect and enforce the rights of children in various ways. The department organises different programmes that was aimed at enlightening the public on various ways to prevent child abuse. We have also put in place several legal and social policy frameworks that would ensure the protection of the rights of children at every stage in life,” he said.

  • Man arraigned for allegedly stealing

    An unemployed, Olumide Kolawole, who allegedly stole two phones valued at N379,000 at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, on Tuesday appeared in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    Kolawole, 41, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge bordering on stealing.

    The prosecution alleged that the accused stole an iPhone valued at N325, 000 and an Infinix phone valued at N54, 000, property of the complainant, Mr Samuel Orimoloye.

    According to the Police Prosecutor, Insp. Vincent Atagamen, the accused committed the offences on March 31 at the Departure Hall of the airport.

    Atagamen said the accused, who was said to have unlawfully gained entry into the Departure Hall which is a restricted area, stole the two phones which the complainant forgot in the toilet.

    “The complainant escorted his mother to the airport and forgot his phones after using the toilet.

    “The accused stole the phones and took it to Computer Village for sale.

    “”The accused was caught after he was unable to unlock the iPhone. The buyer suspected that the phones must have been stolen and alerted the police,” Atagamen said.

    The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015. (Revised)

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section stipulates three years imprisonment for offenders.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 with one surety in like sum.

    Kubeinje said the surety should be gainfully employed with an evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    She adjourned the case until June 16.

  • SON raids Computer Village, seizes products

    The Surveillance, Investigative and Monitoring (SIM) Unit of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has stormed the Computer/GSM Village in Ikeja, Lagos, where it raided shops that stocked  phones, computer products and accessories that had not been registered to ascertain their quality and ensure traceability.

    In the operation carried out with the aid of security agents, during the week, 21 shops were shut and products put on hold by SON SIM unit officials for infractions on non-registration and fake import documents.

    The affected business owners, according to the team leader, Azeez Tijani, were given a grace period to conform and register their products during a raid last year. They, however, neglected the overture, hence, the sting operation to seal off their shops and put the sale of the products on hold.

    Mr. Tijani advised the business owners to visit the SON Operational Headquarters in Lekki, Lagos, for corrective actions before their shops would be unsealed.

    He explained that the raid  was as result of the unyielding attitude of some of the business owners to comply with SON’s product registration.

    According to him, importers were required to register computers, phones and accessories to ensure that their products meet the Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) for imports.

    Also, the SON’s SIM Unit raided a suspected firm, which specialises in the re-bagging and re-branding  imported super quality plaster, a foreign brand of white cement, into five kilogramme (kg) and one kg bags with the brand name Joy White Cement and Joy Super Cement.

    The team leader said the company importing a foreign brand of cement only to re-bag and sell under a different brand name was committing an illegal act that does not conform to quality assurance procedures in Nigeria.

    He advised importers and manufacturers to adhere to check with the SON in import and manufacturing to avoid doing illegal things.

  • Be safety-conscious, govt tells computer village traders

    Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC) Director-General Mr. Hakeem Dickson has advised businessmen and traders in Computer Village, Ikeja, to adhere to safety laws in order to avoid disaster.

    During a visit to the village on Monday, he observed some infractions, such as, lack of proper safety measures, poor parking, improper stacking of goods and lack of signage amongst others.

    He advised the traders to have a budget line for safety in order to accommodate all these requirements and Personal Protective Equipment.

    The parking arrangement, he said, should be improved upon to allow free movement, noting that in case of fire, accessibility will be difficult.

    Mr Dickson appreciated the cooperation of the Computer and Allied Products Association of Nigeria (CAPDAN) noting its readiness to ensure a safe and conducive environment for business to thrive at the village.

    Dickson advised the association to insure their business premises and other assets against losses during any evenfuality.

    CAPDAN President Alhaji Ojikutu Ahmed Adeniyi said the group would make the place safe, noting that it is only when it is safe that investors and customers will come.

  • Computer Village traders fret over relocation plan

    Traders at the Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos have expressed fears over the plan of the Lagos State government to relocate the market to Abule Egba, a Lagos suburb.

    Some of the traders lamented that the move would dislocate them and lead to loss of some of their customers.

    According to them, the proposed new site is prone to traffic, which is a disincentive for customers to come there and patronise them.

    One of them, Mr Emmanuel Obiakor, said the government should leave them where they were operating as it is at the centre of the state.

    “I have heard about the state government’s plan to move thus market to Abul Egba. That road is too busy. You can spend four hours on that road before getting to the market because of traffic gridlock. The state government should please just leave us where we are now because it is a market that is now known globally.

    “It is our own Silicon Valley. We have very young innovative young men and women that attend to all manners of problems with mobile phones and computers. There is virtually no mobile phone that cannot be fixed by engineers in the market,” he said.

    Another trader, Chichi Chiaza, said the state government should beef security in the market to address the menace of street urchins called area boys that cause traffic gridlock along the road.

    According to her, the miscreants that ply their trade along the road are part of the reasons the state government may be considering relocating the market to Abule Egba.

    “Yes, it is true that stolen phones have been recovered in this market. This may be one of the issues but the government can strengthen the security of the market. There are so many honest traders in the market. They pay taxes and levies to the state government and they also create jobs to help reduce the social effects of joblessness,” she added.

    They lamented that the economic recession in the country has affected their business in the market as sale has dipped considerably.

    A trader, Mr Obinna Obiobi who shared  his experience, lamented that the environment is no longer conducive for business as sales have not only dropped, traders are daily confronted with myriads of challenges such as heavy human and vehicular traffic.

    “Sales have dropped significantly because of the foreign exchange crisis facing us. We depend on forex to import these things into the country as they are not manufactured here. So, when we source for forex at cut throat rates, the impact is passed onto the final consumers by way of cost. But because the disposable per capita income of the ordinary man on the streets has been so badly shattered because of hyper-inflation, many people will prefer to manage whatever phone they have now to buying a new one. They had rather use such money to buy food for their families,” he said.

    Another trader, Chichi complained  about the harassment of Area Boys, who on several occasions have collected money forcefully from their costumers even going to the extent of fighting them.

    “Our sales have gone drastically. Our situation has been made worse by the menace of Area Boys, who forcefully collect money from our customers. They even fight them. So, we appeal to Governor Akinwumi Ambode to sanitise the market of these miscreants. They should go and get something to do and stop harassing us and chasing our customers away,” she said.

  • 12 years after, Computer Village elects officers

    Twelve years after its establishment, the popular multi-billion naira Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos, has conducted an election for the first time.

    The Electoral Commission of the umbrella body of the traders in the market, Computer and Allied Products Dealers Association (CAPDAN), conducted the election to fill the posts of President, Vice President, Secretary and 11 other executive positions of the market union.

    The election result, which was announced at about 10:00 pm same day, saw Ojikutu Adeniyi emerging as president, pulling 991 votes to defeat his opponent, Oluwunmi Debayo, who scored 22 votes.

    The third contestant for the position of president, who happened to be a woman, Adenike Shittu, made a last minute withdrawal.

    Also victorious in the election were Boniface Ana, Vice President; Jerry Mba, Secretary; Shedrack Egbule, Assistant Secretary; and Olaifa Davis Ademola, Public Relations Officer.

    Others are Ibadia Presly, Assistant Public Relations Officer; Chukwudi Okoye, Financial Secretary; Okuwobi Kunle, Chief whip; Olabamiji Muritala, Organizing Secretary, Tunji Adeoye, Social Welfare and Jeje Johnson Oluwaseun, Treasurer.

    Also, elected was Ezimoha Jude, who won the Assistant Chief Whip position.

    The only position occupied by a woman was Auditor, won by Mrs Idayat Lageda, who remarkably won the position despite contesting as the only woman in the executive with seven others who were returned unopposed as ex-officio.

    The election was described by many as free and fair though some claimed that the office of the chief whip was keenly contested more than others on account of alleged interest by a major stakeholder in the market.

    The Chairman of CAPDAN electoral commission, Cletus Dike, while declaring the winners expressed joy that after over 12 years without elected leaders, they have written their names and that of the computer village in the annals of history.

    He thanked the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and the Ministry of Civic Engagement, and urged the winners to be magnanimous in victory by closing ranks with all to move the computer village forward.

    Chairman of Heads of Plazas in computer village, Andrew Okwara and the Chairman of elders at the market, Joseph Nnaji, expressed satisfaction with the efforts of the electoral committee in giving the market a credible election for the first time.

    He commended the traders for their peaceful conduct during the elections regardless of all odds and expressed the group’s willingness to cooperate with the newly elected leaders to help them succeed.

    CAPDAN President-elect, Ojikutu Ahmed, extended his hands of fellowship to all and close rank with to build a computer village that will be the envy of all.

    Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Affairs, Tajudeen Quadri, led the state government delegation to the election.

    With the coming of the new executive body, it is expected that the computer village, which is described as the biggest ICT hub in the African sub region, would attract many more ICT investors into the market. This, many believe would not only speed up economic activities, but boost revenue generation for the government.

  • Business as usual at Computer Village

    Business as usual at Computer Village

    IT was business as usual at the Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos despite concerns about security threats.

    Last Saturday, the Department of State Service (DSS) said it had uncovered plans by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to bomb the market.

    The market was in full swing when The Nation visited. Traders displayed their wares; buyers flocked in and traffic was heavy.

    There was, however, heavy security presence. A police van paraded the market.

    A trader, Mr Seun Balogunl, told our reporter that traders are unperturbed about the security threat. He said they would still come to the market for business.

    “My sales today is the same as before, I am not scared because they can’t bomb this place,” he said.

    Another trader, who pleaded not to be named, said she would no longer come to her shop if the threat persists.

    “This village is not so big, a single bomb will end all of us and I am not ready to die. I pray that God will scatter their plans and they will not bomb this place,” she said.

    Buyers and passers-by said they were unaware of the security threat. Some of them said they saw security officials in some parts of the market.

    Chairman of Ogunbiyi Community Development Association, Computer Village and Environs, Ikeja local Government Adeniyi Olasoji urged the traders and buyers not to panic. He implored the security officials to be on top of their game.

    He said soldiers, police and other security officials have been parading the community since Saturday, adding that the situation is being well handled.

    The association’s Public Relations Officer, Murphy Akinsanya, said they have always sensitised traders to be observant about goings on around them.

    He said the law enforcement agencies have also deployed their officials in the market to avert any untoward situation.

  • Council chief seeks peace in Computer Village

    Council chief seeks peace in Computer Village

    Ikeja Local Government Sole Administrator Mr Taiwo Abiodun has charged business owners and stakeholders at the Computer Village to embrace peace.

    He spoke in his office during a meeting with the business owners. He promised to give them “a vibrant association” that will represent the interest of every stakeholder in the market.

    According to him, the peace of every area and zone in Lagos as a whole and computer village is very important to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and he will never tolerate truancy.

    He said: “There must not be any breach of peace in Computer Village ýand everyone, especially the leadership of the market must ensure justice, fairness and equity among every stakeholder.

    “The Governor of Lagos State has keen interest in Computer Village and he will never condone any act of thuggery from anyone especially as the traders and business owners are preparing to elect their leaders into different offices, he said.

    He said revenue collection has been put on hold until after the election, pointing out that the market’s leadership must off set the debts two weeks after the poll.

  • Ikeja Sole Administrator advocates for Peace among business owners

    Ikeja Sole Administrator advocates for Peace among business owners

    The Sole Administrator of Ikeja Local Government, Engr. Taiwo Abiodun has charged business owners and stakeholders of computer village to embrace peace among themselves.

    The Sole Administrator made this plea in his office during a meeting held with business owners association of computer village assuring them of his supports and commitment in ensuring that traders in computer village have a vibrant association that will represent the interest of every stakeholders in the market.

    According to him, the peace and orderliness of every area and zone in Lagos as a whole and computer village is very important to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and he will never tolerant any form of truancy by anyone in the state.

    In his words, “there must not be any breach of peace in computer village  ‎and everyone, especially the leadership of the market must ensure justice, fairness and equity among every stakeholders.

    “The Governor of Lagos State, has a keen interest in computer village and he will never condone any act of thuggery from anyone especially as the traders and business owners are preparing to elect their leaders into different offices, he said.

    For over 12 years, the traders and business owners in computer village have not had any meaning association or election to vote their representatives into different offices and thorough the intervention of the newly appointed Sole Administrator, every effort is being channelled to ensure that the traders have a structural administration.

    Engr. Abiodun has pledged his supports and commitment towards the election scheduled to hold later in the month.

    He reiterated further to the traders that non of the revenue collectors in Ikeja Local Government has been authorised to collect money from the traders in the market until after a successful election has been conducted and pointed out that the leadership of computer village must off set their debts two weeks after being elected into various offices.

    Computer village is known for trading of different kind of phones and computer systems without any organized association for over a decade.

     

     

     

  • ‘How I was caught with 27 phones’

    ‘How I was caught with 27 phones’

    A 19-year-old man, Saliu Oladunni, Thursday narrated how he was caught by the police with 27 phones burgled from a shop at Wole Ajeboriogbon Street, Sabo, Ikorodu.

    The Nation gathered that the property is said to belong to one Mrs. Wasiu Omolabake.

    Oladunni, who was arraigned before a magistrate’s court in Ikorodu Thursday, told The Nation that he wasn’t part of the gang that stole the phones, but he helped the thieves to deliver them to phone sellers.

    He said: “I was taking my broken phone to a mallam for repair when the guys asked me to take the 27 phones to the same mallam.

    “The mallam repairs and sells phones, but I didn’t know he was working for the police too.

    “It was when the police came and arrested me there that I knew the phones were stolen,” Oladunni claimed.

    The Prosecutor, Corporal Mary Ajiteru, told the court that on August 31, 2015, Oladunni and several others at large at about 3:30am burgled Mrs. Omolabake’s shop and made off with 44 different phones and accessories worth N180, 000.

    When the three-count charge was read to him in Yoruba, Oladunni pleaded guilty to conspiracy and stealing punishable under Sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011 respectively. He denied the second charge of burglary.

    The magistrate, Mr. O. O. Olatunji, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison and adjourned the case till October 22 for facts and sentencing.