THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE MAY 12, 2018
Ikorodu residents, business owners count cost of Oro Festival (Punch)
Tope Ajayi, a 28-year-old fashion designer is working tirelessly at raising N600, 000. Apart from planning to expand his two-year-old business, the young man needs a large chunk from that amount to rent a decent accommodation around the Jibowu area of Lagos from where he can easily connect his shop at Surulere, an upbeat neighbourhood within the city. Moving all the way from Ikorodu to the place on almost a daily basis has not only affected his income but also denied him the opportunity of catching up with important appointments on some occasions. A town with a large population of traditional worshippers, the Ondo State-born entrepreneur has had to stay away from Ikorodu in the past week as a result of an annual ritual – Oro – which took place there. He had put up with a friend at the Maryland area of the city for the period the festival lasted. Read more
Lagos announces free-Wifi installation plan for public schools, bus terminals (Vanguard)
Lagos State Government has disclosed plans to install free-wifi in public schools and bus terminals, basically to aide accessibility to information in the state. Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Hakeem Fahm, who disclosed the plan at ongoing ministerial press briefing held in Ikeja, yesterday, added that the provision would serve as another avenue for residents to enhance social activities. He said: “We have provided free-wifi in three parks, Ndubuisi Kanu and Johnson, Jakande Tinubu Parks in Ikeja and Muri-Okunola part in Victoria Island. Aside this, we will be providing free-wifi in public schools. “Also, we will be providing additional free-wifi acdcess at bus terminals and several parks and garden in the state. “The projects represent a quick win for the state government towards the vision of making Lagos a smart city,” the commissioner added. Read more
Lagos assures protection for abused children, citizens’ rights (Nation)
The Lagos State government has called on citizens of the state to embrace peace and eschew violence at all times. The Director , Directorate for Citizens’ Rights under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice, Omololu Idowu Adesina, made the remark during the sensitization programme held at the Ikeja Local Government and environs. Adesina stressed: “The prevalent cases of domestic violence, violation of human rights and abuse of drugs by the youths was becoming worrisome as an abused mind cannot access the privileges the human rights law could proffer . :The sensitization programme was also to intimate the public that they can take advantage of the free legal services the directorate offers and this could be accessed either at the Ministry of Justice in Alausa or the One Stop Child Justice Centre domiciled within the premises of the Ikeja Local Government Council.” Read more
4 million residents register with LASRRA (Guardian)
Mr Hakeem Fahm, Commissioner, Lagos state Ministry of Science and Technology on Friday said some four million residents had registered and had their data captured by the Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA). Fahm made this known at the 2018 Ministerial Press briefing in commemoration of the third year of the administration of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that LASRRA is an agency under the Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology saddled with the responsibility of registering residents and issuing them residency cards. Read more
Smart City: Lagos to deploy 10,000 CCTV Cameras (Nation)
The Lagos State Government on Friday, said arrangement is in top gear to deploy additional 10,000 High Definition (HD) CCTV cameras across the state as part of the comprehensive Smart City Programme designed to provide a 24-hour driven economy. Speaking at the annual Ministerial Press Briefing to mark the third anniversary of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration, Commissioner of Science and Technology, Hakeem Fahm, said the smart city initiative, was intended to allow the citizenry and companies operate in a safe and secure environment, thereby creating more jobs and increasing the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State. Read more
Rent-to-own: LASG allocates 650 houses to residents (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has so far allocated 650 houses to residents under the rent-to-own scheme, the Commissioner for Housing, Gbolahan Lawal, has said. Lawal stated this on Friday at the handover of keys to 150 subscribers in the fourth batch of the allocation. He said that last year, 500 people were given keys to houses ranging from one-bedroom to three-bedroom flats under the scheme. The commissioner stated that the country, Lagos in particular, was presently in the throes of housing deficit occasioned by the demand for decent, secure and affordable housing, which was far higher than supply. Read more
30 Years of living and working in Lagos (PART 2) (Thisday)
Fellow Nigerians, I started what would easily pass for my mini-biography last week in this column. The response from readers has been truly humbling. It is not easy starting a career with a bang and maintaining the ovation consistently for 30 years, and still counting. My story reassures us that our youths can still achieve a lot if they work very hard and tenaciously on their dreams. I was certainly not born with spoons, be it bronze, silver or gold, but education opened my eyes to uncommon possibilities. Rather than bemoan my humble background or begrudge successful people or government officials, as architects of my poor economic condition, I arrived Lagos in 1988 with a vengeance. I promised myself something; I will work as if work was going out of vogue, and I would leave the rest to God to sort out. And God answered my prayers beyond my asking. Things happened so fast and till this day, I’m still in a daze, some kind of wondrous haze. Read more
Ambode commended as rights group inspects projects (Nation)
The Executive Chairman of the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government, Comrade Valentine Buraimoh, has commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the ongoing construction of the Agidimo Road, Mile 2, in the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area. The road had been a nightmare to the people of the area over the years as the gridlock effects extended to Mile 2 Link Road. He said: “A few months ago when the construction started, it was as if we won a jackpot in Amuwo –Odofin. The completion of this road will bring succour to the people of the area and ease transportation and business problems.” Thanking the governor on this, he said: “ I am equally calling on my good governor to come to our aid by completing the school for the physically challenged at the Unity Primary School Complex, Mile 2. This is a huge facility that has been in comatose for years.” Read more
Lagos PDP condoles Bode George over son’s death (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday condoled with the former Vice-Chairman (South) of the party, Chief Olabode George, over the death of his son, Dipo. Dipo died in the early hours of Thursday at the age of 42. He had been suffering from a protracted illness before his death in a Lagos hospital. The state’s party Chairman, Mr Moshood Salvador, in a statement issued after a condolence visit to the George family, said that the Lagos chapter was devastated by the news. He said the party shared in the grief of the family at the trying period. Salvador prayed for the peaceful repose of the deceased, while praying to God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss. Read more
LASG to turn Sabo Industrial Estate into Silicon Valley in 18 months (Guardian)
The Lagos State Government said on Friday that it had concluded plans to transform the Sabo Industrial Estate in Yaba into a technology hub and a silicon valley within 18 monhs. The state Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr Hakeem Fahm, made the disclosure at the 2018 Ministerial Press Briefing in commemoration of the third year of the administration of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode. Fahm said that the transformation meant that a new set of entrepreneurs and innovators would be raised to address the challenges confronting the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector. Read more
Abuja overtakes Lagos in Foreign Capital Inflows (ThisDay)
The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has become the leading recipient of foreign capital inflows, commencing from the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2017. In the first quarter (Q1) 2018, the nation’s capital also overtook with an inflow of $3.54 billion, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has revealed in its ‘Capital Importation (Q1)’ report, which has just been released. This indicates an increase of 32.24 per cent from the figure recorded in the previous quarter, when it reported $2.68 billion. At the same time, capital importation to Lagos increased marginally by 4.59 per cent from $2.55 billion in the last quarter to $2.67 billion in Q1, 2018, while Capital Importation to Akwa Ibom was $43.62 million, which is a decline of 65.05 per cent from the figure reported last quarter ($124.85 million). Read more
The Future Project holds symposium for young leaders (Guardian)
Ahead of this year’s Future Award Africa, the Future Project (TFP) is set to hold the fourth edition of The Nigeria Symposium for Young and Emerging Leaders on May 31, at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos. Themed Shaping New Narratives, the Symposium will bring together leaders and influential personalities in politics, business, advocacy, media, and more – to engage and discuss issues of governance, public policies, and civic engagement. As an annual knowledge-exchange and mentorship event between present and emerging leaders in government and the public sector to facilitate learning and youth inclusiveness, the event provides a platform for young Nigerians to engage public officials on democratic institutions and national development. Read more
Toolz steps up, launches lingerie line (Guardian)
In what seems like a deliberate move to put into practice all she learned during her training at the London College of Fashion, popular media personality, Tolu ‘Toolz’ Oniru-Demuren, recently launched Sablier, a premium fuller bust lingerie line. Sablier, which is French for ‘hourglass,’ was created to cater to the often overlooked plus-sized market. Toolz, who reflected on her experience growing up as a full-bodied woman, further detailed her journey towards accepting her body shape and size. “The journey to accepting my body hasn’t been easy. As a curvy girl, you tend to feel out of place – my body type wasn’t the hot thing back then. I just didn’t fit in,” she said. Read more
Lagos on path to become Africa’s Brightest Tourism Destination (ThisDay)
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has revealed that the state is on the path to becoming the biggest and brightest destination for tourism and entertainment in Africa. The Governor made this known at the 2018 Lagos Tourism Summit held at Eko Hotel and Suite, Victoria Island, Lagos, recently. The summit, with the theme Destination Lagos: Towards a Sustainable Tourism Economy, was an avenue to collate resourceful suggestions, ideas and experience as content for tourism roadmap in Lagos State. Ambode declared that the tourism sector contributed $2.2 billion to the state’s Gross Domestic Product and with the infrastructure and resources being deployed in the sector, the target is to double or triple it in the next five years. Read more
How I paid Evans 232,000 euros for release of my boss – witness (Guardian)
An employee of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Mr Uchenna Okagwu, on Friday told an Ikeja High Court how he paid 232,000 Euros (about N99.76 million) to alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, to secure the release of an abductee. Okagwu said that he paid the sum to the Nnewi, Anambra-born kidnapper, to secure the release of his kidnapped boss, Mr Donatus Dunu, the Managing Director of the Maydon Pharmaceuticals Ltd. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Evans is facing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba. Read more
EFCC arrests 12 ‘fraudsters’ in Lagos (Nation)
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arrested 12 suspected internet fraudsters in an early morning swoop on a club in Ikoyi, Lagos. Also seized during the raid were 10 exotic cars abandoned by their fleeing owners. “Operatives of the EFCC early this morning raided Club 57 in Ikoyi, Lagos, acting on intelligence report of activities of suspected Internet fraudsters,” the Commission said in a tweet. “While some abandoned their exotic cars to evade arrest, some others resisted. 12 suspects were arrested with 10 cars recovered.” Read more
Pastor’s wife loses marriage for sleeping with church members (Guardian)
Wife of a pastor, Mrs. Uzoamaka Ibeneme, yesterday, lost her 21-year-old marriage, when an Igando Customary Court in Lagos dissolved the union on grounds of adultery. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the court President, Mr. Akin Akinniyi, who delivered the judgment, said the petitioner, Pastor Joshua Ibeneme, was adamant, in spite of the mediation by the court and family intervention. “Since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court is, therefore, left with no option but to grant him his wish and pronounce the union dissolved. Read more
Imported cannabis floods Lagos (Tribune)
Exactly a year back, Saturday Tribune published a report on the importation of hemp seed from Canada to Nigeria and the sale in major supermarkets in Lagos. But till date, government agencies, particularly the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) appear still at sea on how to contain it as it still floods Lagos. One year after, the product known as Gourment Nut Hemp, confirmed to Saturday Tribune then by the NDLEA through its former spokesperson, Mitchell Ofoyeju, as testing positive for marijuana following a forensic laboratory test, and which Jimoh Abubakar of NAFDAC tagged illegal, is not only still selling like a hot cake in the state, its availability is becoming commonplace as many supermarkets, big and small, now conspicuously display the product. Read more
Lagos hots up for African Sports-Tourism summit (Guardian)
All is now set for the African Sports Tourism Week, a four-day, 5-activity gathering of eggheads in the sports and tourism sectors. Organised in partnership with Supersports, Afrotourism, African Traveler Quaterly and The Afritraveller. The event also enjoys technical partnership with African League of Sports Tourism Stakeholders, Nigeria Travel Week and managed by Heventin Corporate Event Managers. The event will provide platform for stakeholders to engage and cross-fertilize ideas towards social-economic growth for Africa and her nations, taking advantage of opportunities provided by sporting events, monuments and collections through active sports tourism, event sports tourism and nostalgia sports tourism. Like a nation’s cup, it is hosted by different African nations – year after year. Read more
