The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oshodi

  • FIIRO, NIRSAL, PTDF to enhance agric value chain

    The Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, (FIIRO), Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF)  are collaborating to enhance growth and improve food production.

    FIIRO Director-General Prof Gloria Elemo said the tripartite agreement would utilise indigenous technologies to diversify the  economy, create jobs, improve the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and impact on the socio-economic wellbeing of citizens.

    According to her, the partnership will fast-track development of the agricultural sector through special focus on commodities that the nation had comparative advantage in producing.

    Elemo said FIIRO will utilise its competency to fabricate and install processing machinery and equipment for micro, small and medium enterprises as well as render technical consultancy services to large scale enterprises in the agric value chain.

    The partnership, she stressed, would focus on the agricultural sector based on its strategic role to drive the nation’s diversification plan.

    NIRSAL Managing Director, Alhaji Aliyu Abdulhameed, also said the agency was well funded by government with over $500 million to finance agric projects and its value chain.

    According to Abudulhameed, the government had empowered NIRSAL to play an active role in tackling and coordinating key issues in agriculture sector to ensure that increased food production and proposed industrialisation agenda become a reality.

    He reiterated NIRSAL’s readiness to adopt FIIRO’s Tomato Catalytic Model Plant already operating in Kano as a model for enhance agricultural value chain in the country.

    NIRSAL’s interventions, he said, would increase producer’s access to credit, boost income and standard of living and assist in the realisation of a stronger post-oil economy.

    PTDF Executive Secretary, Bello Aliyu, said the agency was in the partnership to develop human capacity towards transforming the country into an industrial hub through indigenous technology.

    He said technologies would assist the country stem the tide of post-harvest losses in agricultural commodities and boost activities of farmers and agro-processors.

  • Fake herbalist dupes man of N190m to cure diabetes

    Fake herbalist dupes man of N190m to cure diabetes

    The Police Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) Force Headquaters Annex, Lagos has arraigned a man, Adeniyi Adewunmi, who allegedly obtaining N190million from a businessman to cure his diabetes, asthma and spiritual attack.

    Adewunmi, 43, of Ajao Estate, Oshodi, is standing trial before Chief Magistrate F.O. Botoku on a four-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing.

    According to Prosecuting Sergeant Friday Mameh, the defendant and his alleged accomplices committed the offences between February 2016 and January this year, at Ajao Estate.

    Mameh said: “The defendant and others still at large approached the complainant, Mr Lawrence Akanbi, and told him he was suffering from diabetes, asthma and spiritual attack.

    “The complainant believed them because those were the ailments he was suffering from.

    “The defendants then persuaded the complainant that they could cure his ailments with herbs for a fee.”

    According to the prosecutor, Akanbi was persuaded to begin giving them money for bogus treatments.

    The treatments became more and more expensive and continued for several months with Akanbi having to travel to Ekiti to make some of the payments.

    They eventually obtained a total of N190m, yet the complainant’s condition did not improve.

    When they sensed that the complainant was becoming suspicious, the defendant and his accomplices disappeared.

    Sometime last week, the defendant returned to the complainant to request for more money, but Akanbi grabbed him and raised the alarm following which the police was called.

    The claimant was absent in court on Monday.

    Mameh told the court that the offences contravened Sections 287, 314 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Botoku granted him N20 million bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    She remanded Adewunmi in prison custody pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
    The case continues on February 12.

  • NAFRC prepares 40 Generals for retirement

    NAFRC prepares 40 Generals for retirement

    To ensure a well balanced and productive life after service, the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre ( NAFRC ), Oshodi on sunday commenced a two-week entrepreneurship and management training programmes for 40 senior military officers of the general cadre.

    The officers comprising 15 from the Nigerian Army (NA), 10 from the Navy (NN), 10 from the Air Force (NAF) and five from NAFRC are expected to within two weeks, come up with viable business plans that would be scrutinised by the training facilitators, Empretec Nigeria Foundation.

    Inaugurating this year’s second edition of the course in Lagos yesterday, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin urged the participants to take the training seriously.

    Olonisakin, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Administration, Rear Admiral Muazu Salami, said: “As senior managers of the military enterprise, you are now being prepared to deploy knowledge already acquired in the course of your career to more civil use. There is no doubt that life after service presents peculiar challenges, one of which is the need for retired officers to be able to still engage in meaningful economic activities with the aim of ensuring a productive and wholesome life after military service.

    “This is the aim of this training workshop. l have been reliably informed that this training will expose you to discussions and exercises that would adequately prepare you to handle challenges encountered in retirement, particularly concerning that of starting your own businesses.

    “I therefore congratulate you all on your nomination to this workshop and urge you to take full advantage of the benefits it offers. I also expect that some of the skills you will acquire would add value to your productivity at your respective services.”

    Noting that it was the first time the training was being conducted at NAFRC since its inception in 2011, the CDS said the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) was working towards a review of the mandate of the centre to accommodate new thinking in line with modern trends.

    Aside the inauguration of the training, Olonisakin unveiled NAFRC’s remodelled 50 bedroomed guest house and a newly built resource centre.

    Earlier, NAFRC Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Ajibola Jekennu over 42 thousand servicemen and women have benefitted from the skills acquisition programme of the centre.

    Represented by his deputy, Maj.-Gen. Edward Nze, Jekennu said the participants would be taken through various modules specially designed to meet their needs.

    He said: “Records and feedback we get indicate that a good number of out trainees are doing well in civil life. The centre is not stopping at juts training servicemen. The desire of the CDS to extend our services to commissioned officers informed our collaboration with Empretec Nigeria Foundation.

    “The senior officers entrepreneurship and management training workshop is designed to equip them with essential tools and requisite information towards positioning themselves for productive life after service.

    “The objective is mainly ri refocus attention to the fact that a meaningful and productive life can be pursued even after service. Managerial experiences and skills accumulated while in service could be skillfully put to use in civilian pursuits in order to live a wholesome, fulfilling life and still contribute to the progress of the country after military service.”

    Giving a run down of the programme, Empretec’s Country Director, Mrs. Onari Duke tasked the generals to give in their best, adding that those with good business plans would have access to local and international grants available.

    According to her, the initiative was from the United Nations and was currently running through 33 countries.

  • Oshodi and the Lagos megacity blaze

    Oshodi and the Lagos megacity blaze

    For a first time visitor to Lagos, particularly Oshodi in the recent times, the place is a sight to behold and a whole construction site of an emerging mega business and commercial centre. Night and day are almost now same; the street lights never fail and activities are round the clock

    The once infamous slum greatly feared and loathed for its high level of criminality and scoundrels has become the epicenter of the Lagos megacity initiative.

    Just over a decade before now, going through the place was a nightmare. Movement for vehicles and commuters on the ever busy Agege Motor Road, a well paved expressway, was near impossible; the human traffic hardly had space to walk on, vehicles were holed up in traffic for as long as it takes traders to close shops as street traders occupied every each of the road.

    It was same for the Gbagada, Oshodi, Murtala Muhammed and Apapa Expressway, which equally passes through the area. Oshodi was a heaven for street urchins, pick pockets, day light robbers and drug peddlers. The miscreants do their drug and freely smoke cannabis unchallenged, puffing smoke into the air amidst the hustling and bustling centre in a no man’s land Oshodi became.

    The place was a dread, boys and girls, carrying bloodshot eyes, who no doubt abandoned their homes from across the nation, hibernated under the Oshodi bride, smoking, drinking and engaging in sodomy from nightfall. The miscreants totally lost their minds, they copulated freely   before traders and passersby, Oshodi turned a centre, producing social miscreants, drug addicts, touts, thugs of all sorts and social misfits.

    Going through there at day or night was dreaded, yet, it undoubtedly remains the centre of Lagos, the nation’s economic engine room. All routes into and out of Lagos converge on Oshodi, The major roads in and out of the nation’s gateways, the Apapa seaports of Tincan Island and Wharf and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) go through Oshodi. The same for going from Lagos by road to any of the neighbouring West African countries or coming in.

    Oshodi needed to be reclaimed from the vultures and marauders, exactly what the State Government is doing now in the pursuit of the megacity goal even though it is taking a toll on the ways and life of the people.  Until recently, the people enjoyed wild parties; celebrations and their countless festivals all year round. Roads were closed and every each of space occupied for feasting, drinking and winning; but that is not anymore. The government has long put a lid on that and not even such public places as schools are permitted anymore to host parties and public celebrations of any sort.

    The people are the worse for it, the cost of the proliferating private event centres from this policy have become highly prohibitive and far beyond the people. Parties and celebrations have literarily gone on hold and with complaints about all of that almost going cacophonous, community leaders in the area under the umbrella of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area recently took the decision to embark on a fund drive to complete the community hall project it began some years back and make it available to the people.

    Started over a decade ago with the support of Oshodi/Isolo Local Government, which as well   provided them with the space within the council secretariat, paucity of funds has stalled it at the level it has remained since then.  To overcome this, the community has mobilized all business houses, including banks, hotels, hospitals, filling stations, celebrities, politicians and public office holders of  its localities of Oshodi, Shogunle and Mafoluku for a N50 million fund raiser on Thursday, November 16, 2017 under the chairmanship of Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola aka Yayi, representing Lagos West Senatorial District.

    Scheduled to hold at the Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji Legislative Council Hall in the Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Secretariat, two prominent residents of the community, Alhaji Abdul Razaq Sanni aka Provida and Alhaji Soliu Ibrahim aka Too Much Money  will lead the pack of the fund  launchers as chief launchers while the Lagos State Commissioner  for Local Government and Community Affairs, Alhaji Muslim Folami will be Special Guest of Honour at the ceremony in which a number of frontline residents of proven contribution to the development of the community will be honoured.  The Chairman of the Local Government, Hon. Idris Bolaji Muse-Ariyoh is the Chief Host while the Elewu of Ewuland, Oba Shakiru Adeshina Kuti will be on hand as Royal Father of the Day.

    For the people of Oshodi, this is an opportunity to realise their dream of a common meeting house that would once again enable them to resonate their age-long cultural and traditional festivities and free celebrations in a way that would not offend the now emerging megacity status of Lagos.

     

    Rev. Babajide Otegbade is the PRO, CDC of Oshodi/Isolo LGA. He can be reached on 08022436116 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • What Oshodi‘ll look like on completion of work, by govt

    What Oshodi‘ll look like on completion of work, by govt

    For those asking what the popular Oshodi Park and market will become after the ongoing construction, the Lagos State Government yesterday gave an insight.

    Ministry of Works and Infrastructure Permanent Secretary Mr Olujimi Hotonu, said there will be a world class Central Business District (CBD) with focus on transportation, security, environment and urban renewal.

    The interchange has three-multi-storey bus terminals with waiting area, loading bays, ticketing stands, drivers lounge, parking areas, conveniences, surveillance tower and CCTV gadgets.

    Other features, Hotonu said, include accessible walkways, pedestrian bridges/sky-walks to link the three terminals, shopping malls with street lighting and a dedicated security team on ground.

    The project is being handled by Messrs Planet Projects.

    He urged motorists and other road users to strictly adhere to safety rules put in place to prevent any disaster.

    The project, he said, has reached advanced stage, adding that upon completion, the project would redefine public transportation and foster economic growth and job creation.

    Planet Projects Managing Director Biodun Otunola said over 1,000 piles (22m) and pile caps have been installed, while the three-multi-storey bus terminal buildings were at advanced stage of construction.

    He said the cars and taxis parks were ongoing with massive walkway under construction, while lighting of the entire Oshodi area was ongoing, all of which were being done by over 500 workers on site.

  • Educationist underscores early grooming

    Proprietor of Flower Mound children’s School, Mafoluku, Oshodi in Lagos State, Mrs Irene Dumuje, has underscored the need to discover talents early.

    In an interview, she said the first six years of a child’s life were crucial in grooming his/her potential.

    She said to facilitate such early start for as many children as possible inspired her to set up the school.

    “Knowing the standard of education and quality of schools abroad, I needed to set up an early years school to give our children an adequate head start. With our blended curriculum, we focus on the unique potentials of each child by building a long lasting foundation. We believe that a child’s early years, from birth to age six is the time when tremendous amount of learning is achieved,” she said.

    Mrs Dumuje said the school boasts of requisite equipment to develop the pupils’ potential, adding that regular review ensures the school remains up to date.

    “Our classes are fully equipped with proper Montessori materials covering all aspects of our curriculum -practical life, sensorial, mathematics, language, and culture.  We are also proud of our well furnished playground which aids learning and improves our children’s motor skills. We constantly update our facilities and books,” she said.

    Regarding teachers, Mrs Dumuje said the school trains them to deliver its mandate.

    “We have been fortunate to have qualified and seasoned teachers along with experienced support staff.  With constant training and new ideas there will always be improvement,” she said.

    The proprietor hopes that the school’s focus on early child development would soon set it apart from the pack.

    “In the next five years, Flower Mound Children’s School will be known as a school for setting the foundations that helps children become independent, confident, happy, creative, disciplined and productive individuals in the society,” she said.

  • Oshodi LG chief tasks empowered youths

    Oshodi LG chief tasks empowered youths

    Mr Daisi Oso, the Vice-Chairman, Oshodi Local Government Area, Lagos State, on Saturday advised the empowered youths in the area to be engaged in productive ventures rather than indulging in frivolities.

    Oso gave the advice at the end of a five-day skill acquisition programme organised by Spin Club, in collaboration with Leo Club, at the Oshodi Youth Centre.

    He urged the youths to be focused in a particular business, and get acquainted with it, before learning another trade, thus becoming a Jack of all trade, and master of none.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Spin Club is a humanitarian organisation established in May 2016 in Lagos State.

    It was the third skill acquisition training programme the club would organise since inception.

    The programme entails bead, bag and shoe-making; make up, soap and wig-making, and catering.

    “I want you all to make use of your time wisely and don’t engage in gossips, as this could rob you of success in life.

    “This is a beautiful opportunity for you all.

    “I won’t want you to go back home doing nothing, know that we all cannot go for the white-collar jobs,’’ he said.

    Miss Hulaimah Kolawole, President of Spin Club, congratulated the participants and urged them to ensure they become self-reliant and financially independent through the knowledge gained at the programme.

    Kolawole called for more sponsors for the programme, as the club intended to eradicate poverty in youths through the skill acquisition training, thus minimising crime rate in the society.

    “I want you all to make a living for yourselves and affect the lives of other less privileged individuals out there.

    “That way, we can all be happy when our pockets are full.

    “We want more sponsors so that we can reach out to more jobless youths out there; so, we call on private individuals and corporate organisations to help us out,” she said.

    Miss Louisiana Iwule, the Chief Executive Officer of Luzkara Media, who became an entrepreneur at 21, charged the participants to be successful in business through hard work and remaining focused.

    “If you must be successful as an entrepreneur, don’t rely on anybody but yourself, depend solely on your hard work and be focused,” she said.

    NAN reports that the 175 youths, who participated in the training, were issued with certificates.

  • Lagos flags off Oshodi-Int’l Airport road

    Lagos flags off Oshodi-Int’l Airport road

    The Lagos State Government on Monday flagged off the reconstruction of the Oshodi-International Airport Road, with a pledge to complete the project within the next fifteen months.

    The State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode had last month at the quarterly Town Hall Meeting held in Badore area of Ajah, announced that the reconstruction of the road, which is a major gateway to the country, would commence in September, and that the construction would facilitate the transformation of the road to a world class standard.

    Specifically, the design of the project include the reconstruction and expansion of the existing carriage to three-lane Expressway on both directions, construction of two-lane Service Road in both directions, construction of Ramp Bridge to provide a U-turn from Ajao Estate to Airport, construction of a flyover at NAHCO/Toll Gate and drainage works.

    Others include the removal of existing Pedestrian Bridge at Ajao Estate and construction of Pedestrian Bridges at Ajao Estate and NAHCO/Hajj Camp, construction of Slip Road to provide access to Ajao Estate, construction of Lay-bys and installation of Street Lights, among others.

    Speaking while flagging off the project, the State’s Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Engr Adebowale Akinsanya said the commencement of the project was in line with the commitment of the present administration to transform the entire axis, being the major gateway to the country’s commercial nerve centre.

    He said the State Government took it upon itself to undertake the reconstruction of the road being one of the busiest roads in the State with vehicular volumes averaging 50,000 vehicles daily, and that its poor state was not acceptable for the status of the State as the fifth largest economy in Africa and the nation’s commercial hub.

    He said some of the fences along the corridor have been identified to be within the right of way, but that government would minimize the impact of the project on property owners.

    He said in order to properly carry along people of the area, a stakeholders’ meeting will hold on Thursday to sensitize the people whereby they will have an opportunity to ask the necessary questions.

    He said to fast-track the project, three group of workers will work on the project and they would work day and night, while upon completion, the project will be linked to the Oworonshoki reclamation project, which is also ongoing and is aimed at transforming the corridor to a major entertainment and tourism hub.

    The Commissioner, however, urged residents and motorists to cooperate with government while the construction will last, saying that the intention was to transform the area.

    “There will be some minor inconveniences but we are going to try to mitigate the impact. The work will be accelerated. The project is to make life easier for everybody. We just want to appeal to people to cooperate with us. We will be here to talk to the people in case of any issue and we are also working with our partner, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),” the Commissioner said.

    Also speaking, Managing Director of Planet Projects, the firm that designed the project, Mr. Biodun Otunola said prior to the commencement of the construction, adequate feasibility studies were carried out, and that the project, upon completion, would facilitate total transformation of Oshodi and International Airport corridor.

    He said in as much as there would not be alternative roads created specifically for the project, adequate measures have been put in place to educate the public on the staging that would be developed, saying that the project would be executed in phases, while motorists will make use of other sections of the road during construction work on a particular section.

    Otunola, whose company is also handling the construction of the Oshodi Transport Interchange, said by the time the road project and the interchange are completed, the whole axis would have been transformed to world class standard.

    “The desire of the State Government under Governor Ambode is to ensure that this whole corridor is turned into an international corridor so that investors and the people can be proud that we have an international gateway that we all can be proud of.

    “We are not just building roads, we are thinking of the transportation implication and so there is a bus reform project that is ongoing and every part of Lagos will be connected by bus and that is why this road project will be linked to the Oshodi interchange. So, there will be about 20 lay-bys, bus terminals and so on which are all flowing from the same Master plan for this area,” he said.

  • Five arrested for ‘lynching’ suspected kidnapper in Oshodi 

    Five arrested for ‘lynching’ suspected kidnapper in Oshodi 

    Five persons have been arrested in connection with Tuesday’s lynching of a suspected kidnapper at Oshodi.

    The suspects were Wednesday paraded by the Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni at the Officers’ Mess, Ikeja.

    They are Ogbonna Nwankwo, Oyetunji Abimbola, Akeem Jimoh, Kingsley Okoro and Iris Adebisi
    According to the police, the suspects instigated the mob action against the suspect kidnapper, who allegedly abducted three children around Akinpelu.

    The Nation reports that one of the children kidnapped by the suspect was found dead inside a bag they were put in.

    Owoseni said despite warnings to residents to shun mob justice, thr suspects pepertrated same act.
    He said: “It is however appalling to note that despite this warning, some hoodlums descended on a yet-to-be identified man and lynched him to death under the guise that he is a kidnapper. Five suspects have been arrested.”

    Similarly, two commercial motorcyclists were arrested for allegedly abducted one Coporal Ojo Taiwo, after they were prevented from parking in front of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp, Ipaja Agege.

    According to Owoseni, the Corporal was rescued by military personnel attached to the camp, adding that 12 abandoned motorcycles were recovered from other fleeing suspects.

  • Task force arrests suspected kidnapper in Oshodi

    Task force arrests suspected kidnapper in Oshodi

    The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Task Force) have arrested a 31-year-old man, Idama Endurance for allegedly abducted a six-month-old baby, Darasimi Akinyemi, at 55, Oshodi Road, Oshodi, Lagos.

    A statement by the task force said Endurance was arrested during a midnight patrol by officers of the taskforce on Monday night.

    Its chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police, said the suspect was saved from been lynched by a mob.

    The suspect, who stays in the same compound with the mother of the baby, he said, illegally entered her room at mid-night.

    “The baby’s mother, Mrs Banke Akinyemi, 29, said the suspect came into her room around mid-night while she was asleep and took her baby.

    “She claimed that it was the cry of the baby that woke her up and immediately the suspect dumped the baby and ran outside. Mrs Akinyemi said her mother who is staying with her and other neighbours apprehended the culprit,” Egbeyemi said.

    Endurance, who hails from Obiakuruku area of Delta State, debunked the allegations.

    He said he was drunk at a birthday he attended and when he got home at mid-night he had to jump the gate because he could not locate the key.

    “Yes it was after I jumped the gate that I entered into their room looking for a key to the gate as their door was not locked. Since I moved into the compound a year ago I have been eyeing the mother of the child and when our landlady told me she was two months pregnant then I immediately stayed off,” he said.

    The landlady, Mrs. Johnson Esther, said she was surprised when the matter was reported to her, claiming that the activities of the suspect looked suspicious as he comes home late and usually jumped the gate to enter the compound most times.