The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ota

  • Tale of two cities: Oyedepo’s Canaanland and Ota

    I visited Covenant University in Pastor Oyedepo’s Canaanland last week Tuesday, January 15, and left on Thursday 17 to participate in a weeklong mock United Nations General Assembly.

    This was a conference hosted by the university’s research clusters. The university also benefited from the United Nations Information Office in Lagos which provided information and intellectual support. Students came from many Nigerian universities such as Afe Babalola, Redeemer’s, Babcock, and the University of Liberia and several other institutions and officials of eight countries to mention a few. There were about 200 students as well as invited academics from a variety of Nigerian universities.

    I was one of the old hands invited to give a lecture at the plenary. It was an interesting and revealing experience for me. The students impressed me with their knowledge of the United Nations operations. I heard some of the students had previously participated in such conferences in Argentina and had been to the NewYork headquarters of the United Nations. Needless to say the conference which was hugely successful must have been a learning experience for the young people. I pray that some of these students will find their ways into their countries’ foreign services.

    I first visited Canaanland some 20 years ago out of curiosity. My unforgettable wife, Abiodun was then the pastor in charge of Jesus Chancery, a parish of the RCCG in Bodija Ibadan. She had heard about the magnificent edifice in Canaanland that could hold 50,000 worshippers at the same time and we were determined to see it. I drove her to the place because I knew the way to Ota which I had visited several times from 1979 onwards at the invitation of General Olusegun Obasanjo who then lived in his farm in the town. There was much traffic then between Lagos and Ota by members of the diplomatic corps who went there to visit Obasanjo as a way of escaping the boredom and chaos in Lagos. I remember the terrible state of the road leading to Ota. I wondered why the road did not catch Obasanjo’s attention before he left power in 1979. But as a Yoruba man, I understood his predicament. It is part of Yoruba morality not to favour oneself especially when one had others looking up to one in position of power. But when Obasanjo miraculously came back to power in 1999 after returning from Golgotha, I had thought he would fix the road before leaving in 2007. But nothing has changed in Ota. The motor-able road stopped at the boundary of Lagos. As one progresses to Ota, the situation becomes more and more intolerable. Finally, one gets to the flyover under which one has to turn left to the “express international highway” to the Republic of Benin and one grinds to full stop of absolute chaos with everybody struggling for the right of way while policemen and traffic wardens and highway marshals watch helplessly. The underpass under the flyover is blocked in a section while the sides of the underpass are lined by decrepit humanity at different stages of physical decay begging for alms. When eventually one makes it out of the underpass of the flyover, then one is faced with the dirtiest town on earth!

    Ota is an industrial town just outside Lagos. Several industries that cannot find space in Lagos have their manufacturing plants in Ota . This has led to flooding the town by Nigerians from everywhere in the country many bringing their dirty village ways of disposal of refuse right on the road of the town. The indigenous Awori people have been swamped and overwhelmed by the new immigrants while the people have been abandoned to their fate by the Ogun State government and the federal government. Ota is the headquarters of Ado- Odo/Ota Local Government. An international highway connecting Nigeria to Porto Novo in the Republic of Benin runs from Ota to Idi-Iroko to Benin. If only to put our best face forward, an international highway providing an opening to our West African world should not be left like this. This has security and foreign policy dimensions. My colleague,Professor Tony Asiwaju, an expert on borderlands has argued over the years that our borders should be well developed to engender the feeling of nationalism by citizens on the borders of the country so that they do not begin to look at the neighbouring country with feeling of desire. This could lead to some of them becoming fifth columnists in times of crisis. The people of Ota should not be put in a situation of this kind of temptation which will make them ask of what benefit is their remaining in Ogun State and Nigeria. Some of them, if given the chance would want to join their Awori kith and kin in Lagos State. But in the meantime Ota remains the dirtiest town in Nigeria.  Why has Ogun State abandoned the town? Is it because of the dispute with Lagos State over the manufacturing industries in Ota paying taxes to Lagos? Ogun State should force the issue by employing legal measures to collect taxes due to it.

    I suggest the whole town be closed down for some Saturdays and the inhabitants should be forced to sweep and remove their garbage from the roads while the Ogun State government should provide vehicles to remove the rubbish from collecting points. Legal action should be taken to compel the local government and the state government to discharge their responsibilities to the citizens. If this does not work, the people should be mobilized to demonstrate against their government.

    Nigeria which sees itself as the leading country in this subregion must do something on the inaccessibility of Ota to Lagos and the Republic of Benin. The road linking the two countries is a “prestige road” which cannot and must not be left in its present state of disrepair. Perception is sometimes decisive in international relations. A person coming into Nigeria from another West African country and entering Nigeria through this garbage covered town will have a wrong impression of our country.

    However, Covenant University in Ota’s dirty environment is one of the finest and most beautiful universities I have ever seen. God knows I have been to many universities in Canada, the USA and Europe. Covenant University is a cross between Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, Yale, Harvard and Cambridge universities in their exterior. It was a pleasant sight to see a Nigerian place with no potholes on the road and all the roads lined with trees. The staff buildings, student housing and auditoriums were simply impressive. I did not enter the library, the class rooms and the laboratories but saw the outside of them and the impressive stadium. I know the cloth does not make the monk but what I saw made me to pray for Bishop David Oyedepo who had the vision and followed that vision to the point of execution. Live long my dear Bishop! How I wish all our educational institutions were conceived and delivered like Covenant University. Whatever may be missing in in this citadel of learning within which academic excellence and innovation would thrive would be added to this God-inspired university as it matures. When Ota is cleaned up, many Nigerians would be able to visit and marvel at the miracle of Covenant University. If all private universities in Nigeria, 74 at the last count, were like Covenant University, the public universities would have to close down out of lack of patronage and shame of their underdevelopment.

  • Man docked over alleged N65,000 goods theft

    A 28-year-old Chukwudi Ndukwe was on Friday brought before an Ota Magistrates’ Court, Ogun, for allegedly breaking into a house to steal a cellphone and a sandal, valued at N68,000.

    Ndukwe, of no fixed address, is facing a two-count charge of stealing and burglary.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Chudu Gbesi, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Oct. 24, at about 11.00 p.m, at Veepee Estate, Ota.

    Gbesi said that the accused broke into the house of the complainant, Benson Uwomah, to steal an Infinite phone, valued at N58,000 and a sandal, valued at N7,000, totalling N65,000.

    He said that the accused was caught by security guards and handed over to the police.

    Gbesi said that the offences contravened Sections 390(9) and 413 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006.

    Read Also: Man, 41, docked for fraud, stealing

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

    The Magistrate, Mrs A. F. Ojelade, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N400, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    She ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed, with evidence of tax payment to the Ogun Government.

    Ojelade adjourned the case until Jan. 2, 2019, for further hearing.

    NAN

  • We’ll bridge gap between rich and poor in Ota to save our future – Olota

    The Olota of Ota, Aworiland, Oba (Prof.) Abdulkabir Adeyemi Obalanlege, has said he would leverage on his experience in academics and office as a traditional ruler to mobilise people and resources towards bridging the gap between the rich and poor in his domain.

    Obalanlege said he has noticed that the yawning gap between the “haves and the have nots” is so pronounced, and attributed the security challenges often experienced in Ota area of the state, to it.

    The monarch spoke in Ota shortly after the launching of a Foundation For Economic Development Initiative(FECODEIN) during the resuscitated Iganmode Day Cultural Carnival celebration.

    He said with FECODEIN, the poor would be assisted to get up in life economically through – soft loan and other communal welfare system.

    He warned that if charities fail either “for lack of money or failure of governance,” it would tell on the health of the society and nation.

    According to him, enabling environment and equal opportunities would be created for his talented people to reach their destined heights in terms of social mobility and hierarchy while whoever chooses to be lazy afterwards and take to the path of deviance, should also be ready to have his days in court.

     

     

     

  • Seven suspected cultists arraigned in Ogun

    Seven suspected secret cult members were on Monday arraigned in an Ota Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ota Ogun state.

    The accused are: Olaogun Azeez, 18, Tijani Azeez, 22, Jelili Adeniyi, 20, Sulaiman Owolabi, 24, Murainan Shakiru, 25, Tunde Olanisa, 22, and Abinuwaye Abraham, 25.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Abdulkareem Mustapha, said the seven were arraigned on a two-count charge of being members of unlawful society and causing breach of peace.

    Mustapha told the court that the accused and others still at large, committed the offences on Sept. 28, at about 12.00p.m. at Aniserere area, Ota.

    He alleged that the accused and their accomplices belonged to Aiye Confraternity.

    According to him, they conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by threatening the community with dangerous weapons such as knives, axes and cutlasses.

    The offences, he said, contravened Sections 3, 249 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006.

    Read Also: Police arrest 20 suspected cultists in C/River

    The News Agency of Nigeria, however, reports that the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Chief Magistrate Matthew Akinyemi granted each of the accused bail of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Akinyemi ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed with evidence of tax payment to Ogun government.

    He, thereafter, adjourned the case to Dec. 12, for hearing.

  • Communities urge Ambode to provide U-turn on Lagos/Abeokuta expressway

    Four communities along Idi-Mango/Onipetesi to Dopemu under bridge on the Lagos/Abeokuta expressway have appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to create a ”U”-turn on the road to ease difficulties and ensure safety of lives.

    Chairman of Onipetesi Community Development Association, OCDA, Elder Kunle Amosun made the appeal at a press conference he addressed at the secretariat of OCDA at Onipetesi over the weekend.

    He also called on the Federal Government especially the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola to intercede on “this matter of urgent public importance.”

    The communities concerned are: residents of Onipetesi, Onilekere, Cement and Santos Layout with a population of about 980,000.

    Amosun said though the communities have been agitating for the “U”-turn since 2001, they are however stepping up the agitation because of the on-going construction of BRT lanes in the axis, so that government could take advantage of the construction to creat at least two “U”-turns for the communities.

    This he said would save residents coming from Oshodi the difficulty of having to go as far as to Egbeda, a distance of about 5km to turn back to their homes or for residents who want to go to Iyana Ipaja to go to Agege Motor road, a distance of about 2km to turn.

    Read Also: Who did this to Governor Akin Ambode?

    “It is important to know that the expressway was constructed many years ago without regard to the fact that there would be rapid development with the adjoining communities and they are disadvantaged because of location as it is bounded to the East by Murtala Mohammed International Airport, making the expressway the only route that leads to the community”.

    The chairman wondered why their case should be different because “similar projects like the Lagos/Ikorodu road and the Agege Motor road have “U” turns almost at every Bus stop.

    “Our frustrations are premised on the fact that if the construction continue without a “U” turn in our axis it will creat untold hardship for residents.

    “A lot of man-hour will be wasted, lives have been lost as a result of traffic gridlock in the expressway as many patients who would have ordinarily be saved have died in such traffic gridlock and furthermore the traffic on completion of the BRT lanes will be heavier than experienced at present”,

    “We strongly believe that one or two “U”-turn along this axis will save citizens the needless  hassle of facing agonising traffic to Dopemu and beyond, it will also alleviate the traffic gridlock for those going beyond our communities to destinations such as Egbeda, Idimu, LASU, Abule Egba, Ota etc.”, Amosun said.

    Speaking on efforts the communities have made before now, Amosun said a lot has been done in the area of sensitization and correspondences with the relevant authorities.

    “Two former Ministers of Works were contacted with promises to look into the issues but to no avail”; they have also written to the state government on the matter but the “commissioner of works gave flimsy excuse in one of his replies that a “U”-turn in the axis would further worsen already heavy traffic on the road; this is false, on the contrary it will ease traffic.

    “We met the contractor working on the road but they said there was nothing they could do as they were working on a plan given by the Lagos state government, their client”, though they said “U”-turn can be created if they are so directed, Amosun said.

    Present with him at the briefing were other prominent elders and exco members of OCDA like: Mr. Sam Emiowele, a chartered quantity surveyor, Chief Victor Oyolu, a chartered accountant, Ayo Omobowale, Engr. Jimi Taylor, vice president of OCDA etc.

     

  • Man, 28, arraigned for allegedly raping woman to death

    A 28-year-old man, Kelvin Michael, who allegedly raped a woman to death, was yesterday arraigned in Ota, Ogun.

    Michael Tunde Akinola,  of  No. 21 Abebi St., Sango-Ota, is facing murder charge at an Ota Magistrates’ Court.

    A state counsel, Mr. Bale Nimnan, told the court that the accused committed the offence on August  14 at 11.00 a.m. at his residence in Sango-Ota.

    Nimnan said the accused had several rounds of sex with the 40-year-old woman, Monsura Idowu, which resulted in her death.

    Counsel to the accused, Tunde Akinola,  urged the magistrate to grant the accused pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    He noted that since advice from the DPP usually takes a long time, the accused may be locked up  longer than necessary.

    Most accused persons stay between five to six years in prison pending DPP’s advice, he said.

    The offence contravened Section 325 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006.

    In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Mathew Akinyemi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Akinyemi said the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and should be gainfully employed with evidence of tax payment to the Ogun Government.

    The case was adjourned until Oct. 19.

  • Fuel scarcity: Ex-CBN director urges FG to repair refineries

    Fuel scarcity: Ex-CBN director urges FG to repair refineries

    Dr Titus Okunronmu, a former Director, Budgetary Department, Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ), on Monday, advised the Federal Government to repair all the four refineries in the country.

    Okunronmu said in Ota, Ogun, that the revamping of the nation’s refineries would increase domestic supply and end current scarcity of petroleum products.

    According to him, the government would also earn foreign exchange from the importation of  refined products if the refineries are working at optimal level.

    “By earning foreign exchange from importation of its refined products, the Federal Government would be able to diversify the economy effectively and create jobs for unemployed youths,’’ he said.

    He also urged the government to halt export of crude oil so as to reduce borrowing and pressure on the nation’s currency.

    NAN

  • Ex-ANAN Chief advises FG on early passage of 2018 budget

    Ex-ANAN Chief advises FG on early passage of 2018 budget

    Dr Samuel Nzekwe,  a former President, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria ( ANAN ) has advised the Federal Government to push for early passage of the 2018 budget.

    Nzekwe said in Ota, Ogun, on Wednesday that the early passage of the budget would facilitate rapid infrastructure  development.

    He urged the National Assembly to pass the budget on time to allow the government undertake massive infrastructure development in power, roads and rail sector in 2018.

    “There is the need for the Federal Government to work according to the budget so that it could achieve most of its goals in 2018. ” he added.

    Read also: 2018 budget: Expert advises Govt, NASS on early passage

    Nzekwe noted that the late passage of the 2017 budget led to the non payment of local contractors and imposing hardship on the people.

    The former ANAN president said that infrastructure deficit was the major problem facing the nation.

    “Stable power supply and other amenities are the backbone of any nation because no economy can thrive and move forward positively without infrastructure development. ” he said.

    Nzekwe also said that power supply was imperative for the nation’s industries to thrive and provide employment opportunities for youths in order to eradicate poverty in the country.

    The former ANAN boss, however, implored the government to formulate people’s-oriented policies that would benefit all Nigerians in 2018.

    NAN

  • Ogun Traffic agency decries reckless driving by tanker drivers

    Ogun Traffic agency decries reckless driving by tanker drivers

    Mr Seni Ogunyemi, the Corps Commander, Ogun Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps ( TRACE ), on Monday decried the rising rate of fatal accidents caused by  tanker drivers’ reckless driving.

    Ogunyemi spoke in a telephone interview in Ota while commenting on the death of four people allegedly caused by tanker drivers between Oct. 19 and Oct. 21.

    The corps commander said that the increasing road crashes involving tanker drivers was due to reckless driving and poor maintenance of their vehicles.

    Ogunyemi said that the tanker drivers were not heeding to the corps’ campaign on road safety and the need to update their training.

    According to him, this attitude is not helping the corps in its efforts to curb carnage on the roads.

    “Ogun Government can no longer tolerate and allow the tanker drivers to continue to kill innocent souls in the state.

    “The state government will not hesitate to prosecute and subject erring drivers to psychiatric tests and sometimes jail if found guilty in the court of law,” he said.

    Ogunyemi, however, urged the drivers to exercise caution while driving on the highways so that lives and property would no longer be wasted through needless and avoidable accidents in the state.

    NAN

  • Woman docked in Ota for threatening neighbour’s life with cutlass

    Woman docked in Ota for threatening neighbour’s life with cutlass

    A 56-year-old woman, Blessing Oyetu, was on Monday arraigned in an Ota Magistrate’s Court in Ogun, for alleged threatening a neighbour’s life with a cutlass.

    Oyetu, who lives at No. 16, Fatade Street, Akeja, Ota, is facing a two-count charge of breach of peace and threatening of life.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Chudu Gbesi, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Aug. 19 at about 5.00 p. m. in Akeja, Ota.

    Gbesi said that the accused conducted herself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace, by using a cutlass to threaten one Bode Olabisi and forcefully entering the complainant’s compound to make trouble.

    He said that the offence contravened Sections 80 and 249 (d) of the Criminal Code Vol. 1, Laws of Ogun, 2006.

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

    The Senior Magistrate, Mr S. O. Banwo, granted her bail in the sum of N150, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Banwo said that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and swear to an affidavit of means of livelihood.

    He also ordered that the sureties should submit four recent passport photographs to the court and show evidence of tax payment to Ogun Government.

    The case was adjourned till Oct. 10 for hearing.