The Nation Newspaper

Tag: lagos

  • Ambode hails Fashola for achievements as governor

    Ambode hails Fashola for achievements as governor

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Saturday lauded his predecessor, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola for his achievements during the eight years he was governor of the state.

    Governor Ambode, who spoke when he received Fashola and some top officials of the Ministry on a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Ikeja, described the visit as historic, adding that it was gratifying to receive the Minister for the first time at the Lagos House, Ikeja since he left office on May 29, 2015.

    “On behalf of the people of Lagos State, I would like to wholeheartedly welcome Mr. Babatunde Fashola, my predecessor and now Minister for Works, Power and Housing and especially back to the Alausa office where he actually left about 22 months ago.

    “I want to say that this is a historic moment for us, notwithstanding that the Honourable Minister lives in Lagos, this is the first time he is stepping his feet into the Alausa premises and we need to honour him for that and say a big thank you for coming back home.”

    Governor Ambode also lauded Fashola for serving the State meritoriously, saying that his administration improved on the template already laid down during the previous administration.  

    “We want to say that whatever it is that we have done in the last 22 months is just more or less a fall out of the great achievements the former governor had already put in place.

    “We have decided that we would carry on with a sense of continuity in all the things that have been done. I had always said that what we wanted was this continuity of the last 18 years, but continuity with improvement and we are happy that all that has been done in the last 22 months is just a continuation of the template the former Governor left behind.

      “We are happy that the sense of collaboration that we have expressed here is what we believe can carry whatever it is that Lagos stands for, moving forward. As you may be aware, Lagos is celebrating its 50 years of existence this year.

    “The last 18 years has been so dramatic and historic in terms of the growth and development that we have seen in Lagos, commencing from 1999 when Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu came into office and the eight good years spent by you and the two years we have done. So, obviously, there is a remarkable change between 1999 and now,” Governor Ambode said.

    The Governor also pledged to expand the existing collaboration with the Federal Government, saying that it would not only benefit Lagosians, but Nigerians in general.

    He assured that the requests made by the Minister in regard to Housing projects of the Federal Government and other road construction would be accelerated, while also expressing optimism that the debts owed Lagos would be refunded.

    “I continue to say that we would support the Minister in every way that is possible, everything that we have actually talked about in terms of debt by the Ministry as it relates to projects, the Minister is actually more vast than me in these areas and in this agitations having done the same thing for eight years, obviously he is not somebody that we would want to convert to our passion or our request because he used to be part of what we have always asked for,” Ambode said.

    Earlier, Fashola who described the visit as home-coming for him, said he had come with his team to Lagos as part of a nationwide project monitoring exercise to inspect the job done so far on Federal Government projects.

    He assured that the Ministry had made representations to the Federal Executive Council on modalities to pay debts owed State Governments including Lagos State for rehabilitation of federal roads over the years, saying that the debts would be paid through bond instrument.

    The Minister also expressed readiness to assist Lagos State power initiative, especially in the rural areas.

    It would be recalled that Governor Ambode recently set machinery in motion to attain 24-hour power supply through generation of 3,000 megawatts of electricity by 2022.

  • Tola Solomon rules Lagos, Abuja social circles

    Erelu Tola Solomon is a popular name in the Lagos and Abuja social circles, and for good reason too. She is the life of any party, the star attraction at any event she decides to grace with her stylish presence. The woman of means is always on hand to honour invitations, and this has made her the toast of party hosts in Abuja and Lagos.

    One look at the warm and charming woman would clear any lingering doubts about her top notch sense of fashion and style. Never would she be seen sporting mismatching outfits. She is trendy without being outlandish, stylish without being loud, and carries herself with the confidence of a queen.

    The beautiful woman maintains a range of fashion wears designed right from her fashion house, Hair Xcellence. Most of what she wears is based on her own designs. She is a proud ambassador of locally-made products. Her fashion house and boutique are in the business of making others look good.

    Since her marriage to Alfred Solomon crashed, she has pitched her tent with Otunba Lekan Osifeso, the man who now means the world to her.

  • Tenstrings, ‘The Lagosian’ partner to promote tourism in Lagos

    ONE of the leading music schools in Nigeria, the Tenstrings Music Institute and The Lagosian magazine are partnering to  promote and sell Lagos as a tourist destination for music, leisure and business.

    This was made known during the signing of the agreement between the proprietor of the institute, Mr. Emmanuel Akapo and the Editor-in-Chief of the magazine.

    With the synergy between the two organizations, Mr. Akapo became the Chairman of The Lagosian magazine. He said the decision to make a foray into the media was to sell destination Lagos to the world and also promote entertainment.

    He said: “Media is key to whatever sector you belong to. I know the best selling news apart from sports and politics is entertainment. In the world of entertainment, I have had huge experience. I always tell people, if you give me any amount of money for showbiz, it can never go down the drain again. Even if it appears an unwise investment, it can never go bad. I am sure of that.

    “One of the reasons why I am coming into the media is that I am very sure that when it comes to the world of entertainment, we can’t get it wrong. I have paid the price. I have failed severally and learnt on the job.

    “The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, when he was coming in, I was excited about Operation THESE (Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment, Sports and Exhibition). I said this governor was going to support, but it is events and activities that he is pushing. This is not sustainable, it is not generating trade, it is a structure, a system that needs to be created for the whole industry.

    “So, I see this now as a springboard to the  agenda-tourism, hospitality, entertainment and so on-to launder it the right way and then get all stakeholders to come in”.

    Tenstrings, apart from being a music school, has also been generating visitors to the Lagos as school has students coming from different parts of Africa.

    The signing of the agreement  with The Lagosian was done at the marking of  10th  anniversary of the  Tenstrings Music Institute.

    Akapo spoke also on the school and the vision for the future: “To do more of the things that I have been doing because there are chances that we could succeed moving further than where we are coming from. If I start a music school now, I can sell more than I sold last year. This is because I understand the business more. I am evolving.

    “I will be foolish to be doing something totally different .  It is to keep doing the same thing since I have learnt so much on the job. Music is my passion. I discover recently that I am also a businessman. Business is also a talent, trading ideas and creativity.

    “The business of creativity is also something that I am passionate about. One of the reasons that we have done this little that we have done over the years is that I have been able to take a role in the business I am doing which is to manage. I don’t struggle to be in the limelight with the artists.

    Speaking also on the partnership, the Editor-in-Chief of The Lagosian ,said: “We will be talking tourism and entertainment because of this marriage. We said from Lagos to the world, that is the mantra of The Lagosian.”

  • My husband wants to make me mad, woman tells court

    A Lagos-based caterer, Mrs Nike Adegboyega, on Friday pleaded with an Agege Customary Court in Lagos to end her 8-year-old marriage to  her husband.

    Adegboyega  made the plea in her testimony to the court  presided  over  by Mr Phillips Williams.

    She said that the divorce, if granted, would free her from the husband’s alleged  fetish ways and  his threats to her life.

    “My husband constantly beats me and has turned me to a punching bag.

    ” I have never enjoyed my marriage and have been responsible for the upkeep of the house, still  he does not appreciate all my efforts.

    “He is too abusive and often threatened to kill me,” she told the court.

    She  also said  that there was no love lost between them again.

    Nike described her husband of eight  years as an irresponsible man, who has refused to take proper care of her and the children.

    She said she had been solely responsible for the feeding and upkeep of the children since her husband has refused and does not care to know how they are faring.

    “My mother kept warning me not to marry my husband , that he doesn’t look responsible but l refused because l was already pregnant before we legalised our marriage

    According to the caterer  who works with Isalu Hospital, Ogba, Lagos, her husband is a gold digger with dubious character.

    She said  that he once planned to dupe her friend by conspiring with a herbalist to defraud her.

    She alleged that her husband is too fetish.

    “He keeps all sorts of assorted charms at home and whenever l demand what they are meant for, he tells me they are for protection and progress in business.

    “ I became scared for my life and my children when we had a misunderstanding over feeding allowance after l became fed up bearing all the financial burden.

    “My husband insulted me and threatened to kill me instead.”

    She said that the respondent told her openly in the presence of the children that the money he has is to enjoy himself with his girlfriend.

    She claimed that the respondent later confronted her, threatening to charm and make her run mad, that she will not enjoy the fruits of her labour.

    “I am fed up with the marriage; there is no love between us again. I can no longer bear the pains and humiliations,” she said.

    She, therefore, urged the court to dissolve the marriage and compel the respondent to be responsible for the welfare and education of the children.

    The respondent, Moshood Adegboyega, 40, however, denied the allegations and pleaded with the court not to dissolve the marriage.

    According to the father of two, there has been frictions between himself and his mother –in- law since he got married to her daughter.

    The respondent, who lives at  No. 2, Oremeji St., Ogba, Aguda, Lagos, claimed that the petitioner keeps late nights and  go to parties a lot.

    He said that his wife does not give him any regard,  neither does she inform him of her movements.

    “Whenever she is wrong, instead of being apologetic, she will be proving stubborn.’’

    The respondent , who urged the court not to dissolve the marriage, said he made efforts and begged his wife to return, especially for the sake of the children, but she remained adamant.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president of the court invited the estranged couple to his chambers for a possible resolution of the crisis.

    He adjourned the case to April 25 for further hearing.

  •  I may join politics – Cobhams Asuquo

     I may join politics – Cobhams Asuquo

    Renowned visually impaired songwriter and producer, Cobhams Asuquo, has given a hint that he may delve into politics in the not too distant future.

    In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos the multi-talented entrepreneur said that he intended to pursue other passion in his life of which politics is one.

    Cobhams spoke against the backdrop of the maiden Quantum Awards Ceremony, where he was conferred with an award for his dedication to excellence at the prestigious Civic Centre, Victoria Island in Lagos.

    The Quantum Awards was organised under the auspices Verdan Zeal.

    NAN reports that Cobhams’ first shot into fame was in 2004 after he teamed up with Bukola Elemide, popularly known as Asa, and he had since produced numerous award-winning songs.

    He had also produced for the likes of  Banky-W, Omawumi, Darey Art Alade, Timi Dakolo, Waje and others too numerous to mention.

    Cobhams also collaborated with Verdant Zeal on a number of iconic theme song project such as “Catch the Fever’’ which heralded the launch of DAARSAT.

    He was also responsible for the song “Rivers of Possibilities’’ theme song for the Rivers State Government.

    Cobhmas added that apart from his current calling as a musician, he would also focus on other ventures that would be worth his while.

    “There are other things I want to do which is government and politics or real estate. Hopefully, I will be a politician one day.

    “I want to join politics because I feel that people of integrity needs to step into the political arena and occupy the position of leadership and help to make intelligent decision.

    “We need to move this country forward and to do that successfully, we need men of honour to steer the political ship of the country.

    “We cannot afford to be laid back and watch things deteriorating without rising to the challenge,” he said.

    Asuquo said that he was well aware that music made him to be what he is today and that he had reaped bountifully from the proceeds.

    “I am happy that music is working for me and also opening doors for me.

    “I don’t have any favourite in my multi-tasking activities, I only express myself in various forms and I enjoy doing that.

    “Either I write music or being a producer or director, I have only one goal and that is good music. I just release an album now which I want everybody to enjoy.

    “I am also excited about my marriage, it teaches me a lot of things like love, goodness and patience,” he said.

    NAN reports that other awardees of the Quantum night includes Tade Ogidan, a television screenwriter, Kehinde Tijani, a printing and publishing mogul and Frank Oshodi, a fashion entrepreneur.

     

  • Police: no bomb at U.S. Consulate in Lagos

    Police: no bomb at U.S. Consulate in Lagos

    No bomb was planted at the American Consulate in Lagos, Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni said yesterday.

    Owoseni told reporters the bag suspected to contain an explosive and kept in one of the vehicles at the Consular General Office on Victoria Island, had medical equipment in it.

    “We got a call at about 7.40a.m concerning the strange bag. I immediately dispatched the anti-bomb team, Marine Police and Anti-Terrorist personnel to the scene.

    “The anti-bomb team professionally removed the bag from the vehicle. After scanning the bag, they discovered that all items inside were medical tools.

    “We are, however, investigating the reason why the bag was left there and who is the owner. We don’t want to leave anything to chance.

    “We want to also allay the fears of people in Lagos and the diplomatic communities that there is no cause for alarm. There is no bomb planted at the American Embassy in Lagos.

    “The police in Lagos assured foreigners and citizens of their safety. We are ever ready to live up to our constitutional responsibilities.

    “Since the bag was removed from the embassy, normal activities have resumed,” Owoseni said.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the items in the bag displayed before reporters by Owoseni, included bandages, scissors and plaster.

    The content of the bag was taken to the anti-bomb office for further investigation.

  • What Lagos needs

    SIR: At a time “cities of the future”, “sustainable cities,” “resilient cities”, “smart cities”, and “sustainable urbanisation” are the norms, Lagos State is still far from the city of our expectation. In one word, it can be described as a “city-of-the-past” or, at best, “work-in-progress”. Considering the numerous shortcomings of the state, many dislike it, while many, who can afford to, avoid it entirely. A first-time experience of traffic hold-up in Lagos is an experience that cannot be forgotten in a hurry. The traffic challenges affect the movement of goods and services, and industries and people are now moving out of Lagos to a more conducive environment like Ogun and Oyo states. Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry could benefit from these developments, if planned by the state government.

    The occupancy ratio of man to land is too high. This high density is casing unbearable stress to the residents and regular visitors to Lagos. “Societal stress boundary” is being broken daily in Lagos as the population grows with the attendant health implications. Societal stress boundary is the limit of stress a man can experience without falling sick. Lagosians suffer traffic problems, housing quantity and quality inadequacies, lack of electricity, lack of drinkable water, poor health and educational facilities and inadequate roads. The market sites are horrible and most communities need urban renewal. It is understandable when water is scarce in the hinterland; but for a state surrounded by water to lack drinking water, this is not excusable.

    Flooding is an annual event in Lagos due to inadequate and poorly managed drainage, and Lagosians look forward to it every year. Researchers after researchers have highlighted the importance of green areas, parks, fields, gardens and open lands in the life of human beings, especially in reducing settlement density and enhancing the ecosystem. Lagos State lacks parks, gardens, open fields, blue infrastructures, green houses and sustainable buildings. Personal vehicle usage is high with little concern for public transport system. Train, the best form of public transport globally, has poorly organised services in Lagos. By now, people should be riding trains to Ikorodu, Epe and Badadry.

    Pollution is very high due to the high number and poor quality of vehicles on the roads. This high volume of pollution contributes to global warming and climate change. Waste management is a big challenge. In other developed states, wastes are seen as opportunities to create wealth, create employment, source for raw materials for manufacturing of goods and products and generate income. Waste dumps are not conspicuous and do not become eyesores as in Nigerian cities. The waste dump at Ojota is a big menace and pathogen centre that ought to have been discarded. Official waste dump at Abule-Egba, which is being depleted for property development every day, should be eradicated.

    Three official waste dumps at Ojota, Igando and Abule Egba are inadequate for a state generating over 12million tonnes of waste annually. Waste transportation is a major challenge in waste management. Can we have other official waste dumps in Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry? Why is water transportation difficult in Lagos? There is water route from Badagry to Epe, to Ikorodu and to Ebute Metta that can ease the land traffic. Philip Thorn in 2011 did a module for cities development based on “Retreat-Defend-and-Attack” strategy, as a means to adapt to and to mitigate climate change. What he means is that flood risks should make cities “retreat” their coastal borders, then “defend” them by building higher bases (datum), and then “attack” by planning all future buildings not only to be resilient to climate change, but also to contribute as little as possible to it.

    Cities are what the authorities want them to be. They can be active or mundane; effective or commonplace or difficult or user-friendly. Cities are the causes of urbanisation and the authorities must live up to the challenges by always being ahead of development. They must plan and review the blue prints of cities regularly until it becomes working city. Could planners in Lagos State draw inspiration from Cape Town, Dubai, Durban, London or New York with a density of over 300 people per square metre? If not, they should, at least, find solutions to some of the numerous problems of Lagos.

    What Lagos needs now are: widening of the major roads and separating the traffic at strategic junctions so that transiting from Ajegunle (a border town with Sango-Ota in Ogun State) and Ojodu (another border town towards Lagos-Ibadan Expressway) to Victoria Island and Ikoyi will take less than one hour; construction of social housing on the Island so that the average man can live close to his or her workplace and completion of the light rail project being constructed from Abule Ado through Mile 2 to Iganmu. Lagos State also needs improved supply of electricity and potable water.

     

    • Olufemi . A. Oyedele,

    Lagos 

  • 26 ships with petroleum products, food, arrive Lagos

    26 ships with petroleum products, food, arrive Lagos

    Twenty-six ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods are expected to arrive Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports in Lagos from March 23 to April 15.

    The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) made this known in its publication- Shipping Position- a copy of which was made available on Thursday in Lagos.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that four of the expected ships would berth with petrol.

    NPA said the remaining 22 ships contained buck wheat, general cargoes, bulk sugar, steel products, soya bean, base oil, crude palm olein, frozen fish, bulk corn, empty containers and containers laden with goods.

    It said that nine ships had arrived the ports, waiting to berth with bulk fertiliser, buck wheat, diesel, crude palm olein and petrol.

    The 18 other ships at the ports were discharging empty containers, bulk wheat, containers, gypsum, bulk sugar, containers, bulk gas, aviation fuel, diesel and petrol. (NAN)

  • Defilement: 38-year-old man gets N500,000 bail  

     

    A 38-year-old man, Ifeanyi Eduputa, who allegedly defiled a seven-year-old girl, was on Thursday  released on a N500,000-bail on the order of a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    The ‎ chief magistrate, Mrs Ipaye Nwachukwu, also ordered the accused to provide with two sureties in like sum as part of his bail conditions.‎

    Nwachukwu said one of the sureties must be a civil servant who must not be less than Grade Level 14 while the other must be a landlord in Lagos state.

    She added that the sureties must provide evidence of tax payment to the state government and their addresses verified by the prosecutor.

    The magistrate also directed the prosecutor to duplicate the case file and sent a copy to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for legal advice.

    The magistrate then adjourned the case until May 8.

    ‎‎The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Eduputa, a resident of No. 28, Ogunsanmi St., Itire area of Lagos State, is being tried for defilement and indecent treatment.

    Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Anthonia Osayande, had told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 3, at his residence at about 3.00 p.m.

     

    ‎‎She said the accused, unlawfully and indecently, defiled a seven-year-old girl by sitting on her buttock and inserted a tissue paper into her virginal.

     

    She alleged that the girl’s parents who were residing in the same compound with the accused reported the case to the police after their daughter had narrated the incident to them.

    Osayande said that the offences contravened Sections 135 and 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

     

    ‎The accused, however, pleaded innocence of the offences.

  • Police arrest man with fresh woman skull, hands in Lagos

    The police in Lagos have confirmed the arrest of a middle-aged man found in possession of a fresh woman head and two hands at Muwo area of Badagry.

    An eyewitness, Mr Solomon Adube, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Badagry that the suspect was seen carry a sack with blood dripping from it.

    “The man was seen carrying a bag with blood dripping from it but when he was asked what was in the bag, he claimed it was bush meat, saying he had just finished hunting.

    “The people insisted on seeing the bush meat but he didn’t oblige, so we suspected foul play and the bag was collected from him.

    “Upon searching the bag, a head and two hands of a lady was seen in the bag and that was how people descended on him,’’ he said.

    “The timely intervention of policemen from the Area K Command, Morogbo saved the suspect from being lynched by angry mob,’’ Mr Deji Sebonji, another eyewitness told NAN.

    Lagos State Police spokesman, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, told NAN that investigation was underway to ascertain the identity of the victim.

    He added that the matter would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti