The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mainland

  • Multi-million naira Lagos community project under threat

    In this report, Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME writes that serial burglaries at the Prince Claus fund sponsored multi-million naira workstation at Iwaya, Yaba, Lagos, Mainland are threatening the project.

    •Facility looted four times since August

    A multi-million naira Workstation of Communal Re-Imagination, Iwaya, Lagos, a project funded by Prince Claus Fund, is under threat. The multipurpose space that provides alternative art school for the youth of Iwaya community has been burgled  four times since its inception last August.

    The first two burglaries occured last October 24 and 25. Some people allegedly broke into the workstation through the window and ceiling and carted away valuable items, such as bead works by participants, materials for bead workshop and paints bought for the space. Bulks of the books destroyed were donated to the library by an artist Abraham Ogbobase who relocated to Canada last year. Some of the books and artworks destroyed and stolen include InterInvention by Wole Soyinka,  Lagos Street Maps Unifying Africa by Uche James Iroha,  The Contemporary Art Book by David Hodge And Charlotte Bonham- Carter  Lagos: A City At Work by Kunle Tejuosho (Glendora Books),  We Face Forward ( Art Form),  Techniques Of Photography by Available Light by Colin Glanfield,  Limbus- Saara Estrom by Kiasama, Between Man And Nature by Sunmi Smart Cole,  Time Frames (The Story Of Photography) by Ian Jeffrey and Element of Philosophy by B. E Nwigwe.

    The project is worth about 20,000 Euro and will last for one year.

    Executive Director, Workstation of Communal Re-Imagination, Aderemi Adegbite, who raised the alarm, said in a statement that the latest attack on the facility was on January 29, when almost all the books were destroyed and thrown outside the workstation.

    He said going by the spate of attacks and vandalisation of the workstation, it was clear that those behind the attacks were on a mission. Their intent, he added, is to stop ‘’us from using the space for the purpose for which it was built, which is education. They know that without the books and materials, we will not be able to do anything and thereby get frustrated’’.

    Communal Re-Imagination was conceived and proposed by Mr. Aderemi Adegbite, for the Next Generation Project of Prince Claus Fund, to  help engage the minds and hands of youths in the community. The workstation was built as part of the project as a meeting point for participants and other youths in the community, who are creative and talented.

    Adegbite, an interdisciplinary artist, who works with media photography, is very depressed about the losses. He said his main reason for creating the project was to show youths that there are other means of making life meaningful.

    He recalled that his challenges started when he reported last October’s attacks to the traditional head of Iwaya community, who summoned other chiefs for explanation. He noted that the traditional ruler advised him not to report to the police because a “formal report at the police station will not solve the problem, because the workstation is built in a volatile section of the community, where the police will not even bother themselves to go to.”

    “Two Baales who attended the meeting said to the king that before they could reckon with the project, I must pay N500,000 to them as bribe. My response was that the project was conceived and created for the community to complement what the community leaders are doing in the community by re-channelling the untamed youth energy in the community through art. They all said they understood the motive behind the project, but I still must make the payment for them to fully endorse the project. I made them realise that the funding received from Prince Claus Fund has been used to build the space, so it could be useful for the project and as well the community. But they were adamant,” he said.

    On the third break-in, Adegbite recalled:”When we arrived at the workstation on November 13, 2018, we realised that some of the books in our library were missing. Project manager of Communal Re-Imagination, Taiwo Ayeidogbon, asked participants if they took some of the books home for research and they all said no. So, we were disturbed by the number of books that were missing on the book shelves. We searched every corner of the workstation and saw some book covers in the dustbin. It was appalling the number of books that had been destroyed overnight. The contents of the books were taken away and the covers were dumped in the dustbin.”

    Adegbite stated that he reported the burglaries to two of the three Baales (chiefs, sectional community leaders) who are fully aware of the project from the inception and they promised to look into it. But, that after two days, three Baales were summoned to the palace and were acquainted with the theft case.

    “At the beginning of the project, I met with the Oba-in-Council (King-in-Council) to inform them about the grant and what the project was all about. I was asked series of questions by the king and the chiefs present at the meeting. I explained to them in details all about the project phases and payment procedures by the funding organisation – Prince Claus Fund. Their major concern at that time was about raising fund to build a proper space for the school project and the property that could be used. This was because there is no community owned property in Iwaya community.

    “In fact, some of them mentioned the fact that there is no community cultural centre and therefore it would stress the fund meant for the project because a lot of unforeseen payments have to be made. I assured them that I already have a space I started developing four years ago but couldn’t develop it beyond foundation level and it will be used for the workstation, which will be built as a multipurpose space where the alternative art school project will take place and other community events. And the workstation was built for that purpose. In September 2018, there was Iwaya Community Celebration, I was made the Chair-of-Art/Cultural events. The workstation was used for rehearsals and meetings for the Regatta that was part of Iwaya Community Day celebration. And all the chiefs visited The Workstation during this event in September 2018,” he added.

    On the latest attack, he said: “On 29th January, I received a call from the workstation Manager, Olufela Omokeko, that our library has been once again attacked and almost all the books destroyed this time and thrown outside the workstation.”

    It will be recalled that the image of the community changed from its infamous hoodlum ridden status in the recent time because of the community art projects. In 2015, Adegbite started his community art projects in Iwaya as an alternative engagement for the young people to see and choose alternative means of life through art. In 2016, he created a community-based international art festival to help the youth shun violence and embrace art.

    The international artists invited for Iwaya Community Art Festival, for one month, lived and carried out research in collaboration with the youth in the community. Between 2016 and last year, the festival hosted 13 international artists from Africa, Europe, South America and Middle East.

     

     

  • Beggars, stinking refuse worry Ikotun residents in Lagos

    Increased numbers of beggars and heaps of stinking refuse at the Ikotun Central Roundabout in Lagos State are giving Ikotun residents a cause to worry.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 50 beggars daily seek alms at the roundabout where about 10 heaps of decaying refuse ooze stench.

    The roundabout connects about 10 communities on Lagos Mainland.

    Many commuters alight at the roundabout or board vehicles from there to their various destinations including Egbeda, Igando, Abaranje, Ejigbo, Ijegun and Isheri Osun.

    The beggars, mostly women and children, sit on the refuse and seek alms from pedestrians and motorists.

    The beggars and the stinking refuse, besides reckless driving, cause heavy traffic on the roundabout.

    Some residents and commuters in Ikotun told NAN that the beggars were constituting a nuisance while the stench emanating from the refuse had become unbearable

    A clearing agent, Mr Abiodun Ajayi, said on Wednesday that he had abandoned the route because of the situation.

    “My worry is the beggars who disturb motorists trying to go through thick traffic. I could no longer tolerate it; so I had to change my route.

    “The government should do something about these because they are a nuisance to the community,” he said.

    Mrs Blessing Ibekwe, who owns a cake shop near the roundabout, also told NAN that the stench from the refuse had become source of worry.

    Miss Rita Oburota, a school teacher, who plies the route daily, appealed to the Igando/Ikotun Local Council Development Area (LCDA) to address the situation to avoid an epidemic.

    A petty trader on the roundabout, who simply identified herself as `Mama Shade’, told NAN that the presence of beggars and the refuse denied her patronage.

    “Many people have stopped buying from me because they said it is not hygienic to buy goods near heaps of refuse.

    “I am trying to get another spot for my market,” she said.

    A worker in the LCDA , who pleaded anonymity, said that the beggars had been sent away several times but they returned.

    “These beggars are stubborn, they will always find their way back because of what they get from the people,” he said.

    A generator seller near the roundabout, Mr Jude Udemba, advised the council to plant flowers on the roundabout as a strategy to send the beggars away.

    “If the government plants flowers on Ikotun Roundabout as in some other parts of Lagos, the beggars will have no space to hang around,” he said.

    The Information Officer, Igando/Ikotun LCDA, Mr Tope Kuku, told NAN that the council did not have the capacity to relocate the beggars.

    “The council does not have what it takes to take them away; where do we take them to?

    “The state government made efforts to take them away but these people are stubborn,” he said.

    He urged the state government to provide the council with the means to evacuate the beggars and the heaps of refuse.

     

  • The coming of 4th Mainland Bridge

    Infrastructure development is critical to achieving human capital development in any society. The economic impact that infrastructure improvement has on nation building cannot be over-emphasised. Considering that about 85 percent of the people in the world reside in the developing world and transition economies, and with 67 percent of that population below age 35, the need for infrastructure development to support enduring development remains a matter of major concern for all nations of the world.

    Across the world, provision of crucial services is still far below required expectation as almost 1.6 billion people have no access to power, 1.2 billion people lack access to safe and potable drinking water while 2.4 billion are faced with the challenge of insufficient medical facilities. Ironically, the infrastructure’s budget of many developing countries is dwindling.

    Without a doubt, the growth of any country’s economy hugely depends on the status of its infrastructure. The dearth of needed infrastructure in a given society places serious limitation on human capital development.  It is in view of its crucial role to achieving rapid economic growth that advanced nations of the world commit huge investment to infrastructural development. J.F. Kennedy, a former President of the United States once put the relationship between infrastructure development and economic prosperity into a proper perspective when he affirmed that: “America has good roads, not because America is rich, but America is rich because it has good roads”.

    Essentially, the prosperity of a nation depends on the state of its infrastructure. From the ancient Roman Empire to the super economic powers of the 21st century, it has been clearly demonstrated that no nation can accomplish true greatness without evolving pragmatic strategies for long-term infrastructure development.

    According to the World Bank, every 1% of government funds spent on infrastructure leads to an equivalent 1% increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which invariably means that there is a correlation between any meaningful inputs in infrastructure development which reflects on economic growth, indices, hence the value of infrastructure cannot be underplayed.

    It is in view of the centrality of infrastructure development to the advancement of socio-economic course of the society that the Ambode administration in Lagos State, since its inauguration in May, 2015, has been at the forefront of infrastructure regeneration and development in the state. That Lagos has become one massive construction site, of late, is not in doubt. Presently, the list of concluded and on-going infrastructure development projects in the state is endless. Today, in Lagos, new blocks of classrooms are springing up in public schools, new roads and bridges are being constructed and commissioned while existing ones are being re-habilitated at different locations with quality delivery being the watchword.

    Similarly, the Light up Lagos Project has continued to improve safety for drivers, commuters, riders and pedestrians, thereby ensuring they don’t suffer from decreased visibility at nights.

    In a bid to enhance service delivery of the BRT scheme, the Ambode administration equally launched over 400 air-conditioned buses on the ever busy Ikorodu road from Ikorodu roundabout to CMS. It is now the in-thing for residents of this area to board these buses which now make their journey more predictable. The proposed Oshodi Transport Interchange is another project aimed at improving the face of public transportation in the state.

    In-spite of the numerous strides of the Ambode administration in infrastructure improvement, perhaps the most audacious of the administration’s infrastructure initiatives thus far is the proposed construction of the 4th Mainland Bridge.

    At a brief state event, the Lagos State Government recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set in motion the construction of the 38km bridge. With that singular act, Lagos is set to achieve a landmark feat in its 50 years of existence. The bridge, which is principally meant to address the perennial Lagos traffic gridlock concern, is equally geared towards socio-economic growth in the state. A Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative to be financed by Africa Finance Corporation, Access Bank and other private investor at a cost of N844billion, the project is to be delivered in three years.

    The bridge is to be made up of eight interchanges to facilitate effective interconnectivity between different parts of the state. It would be a four-lane dual carriageway with each comprising three lanes and two meters hard shoulder on each side. It will be constructed with a generous median to allow for both future carriageway expansion and light rail facility.

    More importantly, the bridge will provide the requisite transportation support to the rapidly developing Eti-Osa – Lekki – Epe corridor of the state. This is evident in the proposed alignment of the bridge which will pass through Lekki, Langbasa and Baiyeku towns along the shoreline of the Lagos Lagoon estuaries, further running through Igbogbo River Basin and crossing the Lagos Lagoon estuaries to Itamaga Area in Ikorodu. The alignment will also cross through the Itoikin road and the Ikorodu – Sagamu Road to connect Isawo inward Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at Ojodu Berger axis. The bridge, among others, would accommodate cyclists, pedestrians, two service areas as well as additional pedestrian crossing.

    Considering Lagos phenomenal population growth rate, it is obvious that if the recurrent Lagos traffic gridlock is to be tackled headlong, something more daring must be done. This has made the necessity of a 4th Mainland Bridge that will serve as an alternative route to the eastern axis and decongest traffic in the state a compelling one.

    Undoubtedly, vast gain would stem from the project as it is particularly anticipated to make life more comfortable for Lagosians. According to Governor Ambode, the significance of the bridge will be entirely treasured when it is imagined what the Lagos of today would have looked like without the 3rd Mainland Bridge.

    Aside improving the quality of life of the people, the bridge would also be a big asset that would be handed to the Lagos State Government at the end of the concession arrangement. The significant and value of the proposed construction lies in its capacity to rapidly decongest the traffic within Lekki Corridor and redistribute traffic towards Lagos Mainland which serves to meet increased future road infrastructure demands.

    For any government that worth its salt, particularly in developing countries, infrastructure development remains crucial to attaining growth across all sectors. This explains why the Lagos State government is continuously thinking and working to improve infrastructure across the state.

     

    • Ogunbiyi is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

  • The Fourth Mainland Bridge

    •Federal Government should partner with Lagos in providing this critical infrastructure

    Palpable fears that the Lagos State government may be forced by paucity of funds to shelve construction of a Fourth Mainland Bridge is a cause for concern. The Bridge was designed in response to practical challenges arising from population explosion and anticipation of need of its greater  as the city of Lagos, known as Nigeria’s mega city. The bridge, if constructed, will be a major lift for communities along the Lekki-Ajah axis and the Ikorodu corridor, which have begun to suffer from the overflow from the congested main Lagos city centre. It is a major component of a 23-kilometre ambitious modern road project.

    In April, while briefing the press on activities of the ministry of works, the former commissioner in charge of the ministry, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, pointed out that the only way the government could sustain the plan was to redesign and down-scale it. He pointed out that this had become inevitable as a review of the cost indicated that compensation to property owners along the right of way could amount to more than fifteen billion Naira.

    However, such a review might not keep faith with the vision behind the project. Lagos is a sprawling city, the commercial capital of Nigeria and the most cosmopolitan in the West Africa sub-region. It is, therefore, important for all involved to ensure that Lagosians heave a sigh of relief from the traffic congestion and poor planning that have defined its existence for some time.

    We call on the federal government to come to the aid of the state government if the project is to come to fruition. The Lekki-Ajah-Epe axis, with the plan for an airport and a Free Trade Zone, requires careful planning that could only be boosted by the Fourth Mainland Bridge as originally designed.

    We appreciate the load being carried by the state government that is at the moment handling and financing the Badagry expressway and the Mile-12-Ikorodu modern avenue. When this is added to the light rail project,  it would be beyond the capacity of the Lagos State government alone to accomplish.

    One of the advantages of a federal arrangement is that the central government intervenes in situations like this. The people of Lagos who are from all parts of the country would feel a sense of belonging if the Buhari administration steps in. It has been argued many times that the former federal capital deserves a special status. Other state capitals may be clamouring for greater attention from the federal government, too, but the case for Lagos is unassailable. This is devoid of political undertone as the contribution of the state to federal revenue from the Value Added Tax, income tax and manpower calls for compensation. The pressure on the available infrastructure is so enormous that it would be unfair if it were left for the state government alone.

    Federal intervention in the infrastructural development of Lagos should not be limited to the bridge. Efforts by the state government in such critical areas that impact economic growth such as power generation and distribution, Water resources and manpower development also deserve attention.

    We also call on the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to revisit, review the project and come up with a policy on it. He should table it before the federal government. He has a duty, too, to undertake a comprehensive review of the infrastructural need of the state and seek new partnership with the private sector that would also be a beneficiary of improved facilities. We recall that President Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledged to pay adequate attention to Lagos if elected. This is the time to fulfill that solemn pledge. Governor Ambode should pressure the president in line with their dialogue on the hustings.

  • Why we’re organising Mainland Family Comedy Show

    Why we’re organising Mainland Family Comedy Show

    John Odiboh is the CEO, The Trevent Company. In this interview with OLUKOREDE YISHAU, he speaks on why it is organising the Mainland Family Comedy Show.

    What Is Mainland Family Comedy Show about?

    •Odiboh
    •Odiboh

    Mainland Laffs Family Comedy Show is an eclectic comedy event aimed at the restoration of the Arts as a worthy tool for the dissemination of values in all spheres of the Nigerian life exploring various innovative styles, including the pantomime comedy medium.

    What informed this idea in the first place?

    Firstly, The Trevent Company, as a complementary communication brand is very big on values, hence “clean entertainment” is the mantra of the show. This is because overtime, entertainment has become synonymous with vulgarity which is not supposed to be so.

    We, therefore, conceptualised this show with a view to showing that Nigerians can enjoy themselves and be entertained not necessarily under a  religious platform but on a normal secular ground using the same popular faces we know in the entertainment industry without been exposed to vulgarity. This is to us what is called “Clean Entertainment” and as a family oriented comedy show, it will uphold very high moral and family- friendly values, abhorring offensive acts and statements to the eyes and ears ensuring that we can entertain the adults as well as the kids simultaneously.

    Secondly, we discovered that, Mainland as the centre of entertainment in Lagos has become a shadow of itself in that regard. We consequently want to re-write history by returning Mainland’s lost glory by providing alternative Comedy entertainment haven for huge number of people who troop out of the Mainland to watch comedy shows elsewhere.

    What will make this show different from the rest?

    Yes, apart from our entertainment being clean, we are unveiling a masked comedian (first of its kind) in the Nigerian Comedy Industry called: Wokilumo.  

    Wokilumo is a Yoruba word meaning the boisterous one who needs little or no introduction. Here the word is personified in a masked comedian. He is Funny, Satirical, Boisterous, Analytical and Fun-Loving.

    What is the significance of the event’s date?

    The event will take place at Quad T Event Centre, beside Eco Bank and Opposite UPS, Gbagada – Oshodi Expressway, Gbagada, Lagos. The venue is a large tent with ample parking space and because of its proximity to Gbagada a highly residential area with numerous estates in Anthony, Ilupeju and its surroundings; we believe it’s well suited for such a family event.

    The date: Sunday May 31, 2015 just happens to be after the swearing in of a new government in Nigeria which we are happy about because people will be relaxed to come watch and enjoy our show.

    The event will actually commence at 4:00 PM but there will be Red Carpet from 3pm. Artistes lined up for the show include: Lepacious Bose, 1st Bon, Edo Charles, Alincology, Bowjoint, Iya Jogbo, Baba Sala Jnr (Mr Patua), Forever, Phronesis, Osaz, Wokilumo, MC JDLO etc. Other entertainment genres include, Kiddie Comedy, Music, Dance and more. Gate fee is Alley Seats: N1000, VIP Seats: N5000 and Table for Ten:   N50, 000.

    Are you expecting any special guest?

    Oh yes, we are expecting a member of the new Lagos State House of Assembly and Nollywood Megastar, Hon. Desmond Olusola Elliot who has promised to honour us with his presence. We want to assure Nigerians, Lagosians especially Mainlanders that they will have their money worth and not be disappointed at all.