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Ugly Weekend: 7 Die, 3 Injured in Lagos
By Ifeanyi Okolie
Tragedy struck in most part of Lagos State, weekend, when seven persons lost their lives in separate incidents, including an auto crash which claimed the lives of four traders and left three others seriously injured.
Sympathisers wept when the remains of four roadside traders were being pulled from under a trailer with number plate XB 121 FEE, which ran over them along Old Ojo Road, by Agboju Bus Stop.
The 35-year-old driver of the ill-fated truck (names withheld) who is currently in Police custody at Satellite Police Division, was said to have been driving at top speed when he lost control and ran into the traders, whose stalls were in front of the popular Agboju Market.
Eyewitness account
An eyewitness, Solomon Okolie who spoke with Vanguard, said the incident occurred at about 9:30 p.m. He said the truck driver was being chased by some Policemen from Oluti Bus Stop, after he had ran over a jeep and left its occupant injurred.
According to Solomon, the truck driver on arriving Agboju Bus Stop, lost control and swerved several times before running over the traders which include two women, simply identified as Mama Uche and Mama Samuel.
Along Ajah-Epe, too
In a similar incident, two persons, simply identified as Felix and Peter Ahmed, lost their lives in an accident and one other Emeka Onyedima sustained serious injuries. Their car number plate GD 87 EKY, which was said to be moving at high speed, somersaulted repeatedly at Abule-Folly Village along Ajah-Epe Expressway. The injured victim was however rushed to the hospital.
Electricity pole kills one
Evangelist Favour Amechi lost her life at Olodi Apapa area of Lagos State, when an electrical pole fell on her at 8 Akpiri Street, off Emody Street, Olodi Apapa.
She was rushed to Tin Can Hospital, Apapa, where she was later confirmed dead. Her body has been deposited at the Isolo General Hospital for autopsy.
However, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, while confirming the report, advised Lagosians to steer clear of all electrical poles and other Power Holdings Company of Nigeria, PHCN, installations and to report all defects to the appropriate authorities.
Source: Vanguard, 26th July 2010.
Lagos Govt Criticises BBC Over Documentary Series On State
LAGOS State Government has formally raised a very strong objection to a three part documentary series titled "Welcome to Lagos" which is currently airing on BBC 2 on Thursday evenings, saying Lagos does not deserve such negative coverage particularly at this stage of rapid development, just as Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has described the programme as colonialist and condescending.
In a formal letter of complaint signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, the state noted that negative representations would only damage the state government's efforts to build a better state for its ever growing population.
Also reacting to the documentary in an interview with The Guardian of London published as part of a news report on April 28, this year, Soyinka said that the BBC2 observational documentary, which follows various people in poor areas of the city was the most "tendentious and lopsided" programme he had ever seen.
According to him: "There was no sense of Lagos as what it is -a modern African State. What we had was jaundiced and extremely patronizing. It was saying 'Oh, look at these people who can make a living from the pit of degradation".
"What I saw I found very unjust and sensational. What I saw was not an honest reportage. The problem is the title- it programmes the mind of the viewer in advance and sets the overall context."
"One could do a similar programme about London in which you go to a poor council estate and be speaking of poverty and knifings. Or you could follow a hobo selling iron on the streets of London. But you wouldn't call it Welcome to London because that would give the viewer the impression that that is all London is about," Soyinka added.
In the letter to the BBC, Mr Bamidele voiced the state's concern about the promos for the series, which began running several weeks before the first part of "Welcome to Lagos" which was aired on April 15, this year.
Mr Bamidele also said: "The challenges of keeping Lagos moving forward are huge; and we are proud of the work we have done to improve Lagos in just three years while consolidating on the proud achievements of the preceding administration which handed over to us on May 29, 2007."
He noted that the vast majority of Lagosians live life far from the image portrayed in the series adding that the state government has made huge strides in the area of health, particularly in maternal care and has also made progress in providing clean water for its rapidly expanding population.
Bamidele in the letter also objected to the series being titled 'Welcome to Lagos", adding that it is often tempting for broadcasters to commission programmes that show the worst of countries particularly when that country is in Africa. "For too long, we have seen only the most negative of images and stories about Nigeria make it on to foreign TV.
"We are aware that independent production companies are often tasked with delivering the most eye catching and sensational stories. In this case, the producers of "Welcome to Lagos" chose to seek out such stories in the worst part of Lagos. But calling the series 'Welcome to Lagos' is akin to a Nigerian production team filming a rubbish heap in Peckham and calling the programme 'Welcome to London", the Commissioner added.
He lamented that Paul Glyn and his team spent several months in Lagos and indeed stayed in a comfortable hotel in the heart of the city and had ample time and opportunity to film alternative images of the city but chose to focus on the poorest and most desperate parts.
"The vast majority of Lagosians live life far from image portrayed in the series. It must be noted that most viewers will never see Lagos for themselves. Therefore surely the BBC and other reputable media organizations have a duty to provide a balanced and fair representation of the city".
The Commissioner assured that the state would welcome the BBC back to the state and would like to offer any assistance the team requires to produce a programme that offers a broader insight into what life in Lagos is really like.
Source: The Guardian, 1st May 2010.
Fashola assures on Lagos rail project
By Joseph Onyekwere and Abimbola Aboyemi
THE Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola has said that his administration is committed to the building of the Lagos Railway Project before the end of his tenure, to ease transportation crisis in the city.
The governor explained that the infrastructural challenges in the state are due to the emerging mega city status of Lagos State.
According to him, the natural habitat of human beings in the villages was being abandoned for a fast city life, thereby increasing the demand for energy and other infrastructure.
"Clearly, in a city, that is, as at the last count, about 18 million people, growing at the rate of about three to five per cent yearly, would have enormous challenges," he said.
Fashola, who spoke recently in Lagos at the public presentation of the book: Law, politics and development, the challenges of an emerging mega-city, essays published in his honour, said the mega city status was bestowed on Lagos by the Urban Habitat Development Agency of the United Nations.
"They have shown clearly that over 50 per cent of the world's population have moved into the cities compared to what happened about 30,40 years ago. Cities of 10 million and above fall into that category. So we have become a mega city since 1999," he said.
In his own address, the chairman of the Ikeja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dave Ajetomobi described the governor as one of the greatest administrators of our time, who has restored hope to Nigerians that this country will not continue in the wilderness of lack of leadership.
He stated that the rapid transformation of Lagos State since inception of the governor's administration is unprecedented, adding that his administration has become a bench mark to measure the performance of others within and outside the state.
On the decision to publish the book, Ajetomobi said: "This honour is meant to send a strong signal to all and sundry that the governor's constituency (the bar) is solidly behind him as he strives to make Lagos a truly a centre of excellence."
He, therefore, condemned the documentary of a foreign media organisation, which portrayed Lagos as a slum city, saying it was borne out of envy.
Source: The Guardian, 29th April 2010.
Fashola Commissions Oluwole Market
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), on Wednesday offered a recipe for the accelerated infrastructural renewal of the various slums in Lagos saying the way to go is for the various land owners in the areas to pool their lands together to attract big investment support.
Governor Fashola, who spoke at the official commissioning of the first phase of the New Oluwole Urban Market in Central Lagos, also disclosed that the state government is embarking on a total re-planning of the Island along with other parts of the state.
The governor said the successful development of the former Oluwole slum should serve as an eye-opener to families owning lands in other slums that now constitute eyesore on the Island adding, "I have often said, the Lagos of our dreams is daily getting within our reach."
Pointing out that the Oluwole Model could be used to rebuild offices, create new flats and apartments for residential purposes in the Lagos Central Business District, Governor Fashola solicited, "We encouraged families to do what we have done here whenever they can agree and pool their small parcels of land together to attract investment support.
"This is the way we can re-build Isale Eko, Offin, Olowogbowo, Oke-Arin, Balogun, Kakawa and so many other parts of our historic and beautiful Island", he said advising that all involved should use the services of professionals such as Architects, Estate Surveyors, Lawyers, Town Planners and others in order to ensure that the proper thing is done.
Reviewing the journey that finally led to the emergence of the New Oluwole Urban Market, Fashola recalled that the decision to acquire the Island of Lagos was made in 1951 by the Colonial Government which, by its Acquisition Notice, acquired over 2, 500 hectares of land "with the intention of renewing it into an urban model of re-development."
He said the acquisition extinguished all legal titles to the land leaving the former owners with only the right to seek compensation: "The truth is that compensation was paid to owners and occupiers, but for various reasons, they did not move out", adding that while the project tasked previous administrations, lack of continuity and stability in the polity made implementation elusive.
"As the years wore on, Oluwole area assumed a notorious reputation not only as a slum but as an enclave of criminals who specialized in forgeries and sophisticated crime such as international passport racketeering, credit card fraud, drug cartel, certificate, currency and visa forgeries among others," he said.
He recalled that the plan to renew the slum was revisited in 1999 when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu took up the challenge and "reached an out of court agreement with the various parties involved in the litigations on Oluwole" adding that the consultations with a private investor – Messrs ARM Properties Limited to raise funds to rebuild the place into a modern market as well as the design, had been completed before the advent of his administration.
"Our responsibility when we assumed office was to keep that process going," the Governor said adding, "We finalized the terms with the developer, met with the families, to explain our purpose, renegotiated compensation with them and provided 39 flats for the 39 families to relocate in Shasha Housing Estate."
Fashola commended all those who took part in the negotiations including the state Commissioner for Planning and Urban Development, Town Planner Francisco Abosede, his Justice counterpart and Attorney General, Mr. Olasupo Sasore (SAN), the General Manager of the LSDPC Mr. Biodun Oki and Mr. Yemisi Coker who, according to him, "acted more as an arbitrator between the Government and the various family interests."
The governor also commended the state's Judiciary which, he said, "acted with the utmost dispatch and in a most investor-friendly manner by refusing to stop the development as it is done in other commercially bustling capitals across the world and instead proceeded to deal with the case on its merit."
Expressing joy that this is yet another private partnership transaction concluded by the state government for the benefit of the people, the Governor declared, "It demonstrates the capacity of this Government to negotiate complex and challenging transactions, it demonstrates the compassion of the Government to secure a better life for her people."
Speaking on the occasion with journalists, Chairman of the Lagos Island Local Government, Mr. Wasiu Sanni commended the commitment of Governor Fashola's administration to the infrastructural development of the State adding that the feat performed by the administration in the renewal of Oluwole is a testimony to the Governor's passion and love for Lagos.
"What we are seeing today is what has been long expected. Today, we can sit comfortably in our homes and in this vicinity without being harassed by gun men as was the case during the Oluwole days," the chairman said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Lagos East Local Council Development Area, Hon. Mufutau Kadiku, said the development of the New Oluwole Urban Market "is going to enhance the rapid development of the Island. It will attract investors and make life more comfortable with the residents."
"We are happy about what Governor Fashola is doing. He is a man of action. We will continue to follow and support him," the Chairman said adding that the Governor has demonstrated that he is a man to be trusted.
Also speaking with journalists on the New Market, Elder Statesman, Senator Habib Fashinro thanked Governor Fashola for succeeding not only in improving Oluwole but also demonstrating that it is not only for government to take away peoples' lands but to improve the land and the life of the people.
Pointing out that in the former acquisition in 1951, the government neither consulted the people nor valued the land, Senator Fasinro declared, "But today, particularly in this Oluwole case, I praise the Government for their concern for other peoples' feelings".
"I should say this like a Yoruba man. The Oluwole people may be grumbling today, but they were given compensation worth what the value of money was at that time. But unfortunately they sat down instead of moving out until the money in their hands was no longer enough to do any meaningful thing. In spite of that, this government came to their aid and still paid them for this. I praise this Government for this," he said.
Source: Daily Champion, 29th April 2010.
N20bn Fraud: Uneasy Calm in Lagos Secretariat
By Gboyega Akinsanmi
Sequel to the arrest of a major contractor of Lagos State Government, Dr. Olatunji Olowolafe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged N20 billion fraud, the public servants were seen at groups in different blocks of the state secretariat, discussing allegations of financial scams brought against the administration of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN).
THISDAY checks also revealed that members of the State Executive Council spent the early hours of yesterday discussing the arrest and its implications on the administration, a situation which brought about an uneasy calm in the council meeting.
At the Office of the Deputy Governor, Princess Adebisi Sarah Sosan and the state Ministries of Education and Health among others, the civil servants were curious to glance through reports related to the on-going investigation into allegations of alleged financial misappropriation and contract inflation.
THISDAY gathered that top government personnel in such ministries as Health, Education and Finance have been invited by the anti-graft commission for questioning and clarification on some issues before the end of this week.
Among those invited include Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris; at his finance counterpart, Mr. Rotimi Oyekan, and the deputy governor, who oversees the state Ministry of Education may be invited as the probe progresses.
According to THISDAY checks, the civil servants at the ministries of health, finance and education were gripped with fear because Olowolafe, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Messrs. Deux Project undertook most of their projects.
It was also revealed that that Olowolafe supplied most of the state hospital equipment, and that the scam largely involved the ministry of health where Dr. Jide Idris, a former permanent secretary in the ministry, supervises as a commissioner.
Source: This Day, 27th April 2010.
Lagos Mega City Dream And BBC Documentary
By Bayo Olupohunda
A new documentary feeding on the stereotypical image of Lagos is currently running on the BBC. Cynically titled "Welcome to Lagos", the documentary is a three-part observational series that explores life in what it called the sharp end of one of the most extreme urban environments; a city that is negatively considered by some to be an apocalyptic vision of the urban future. Lagos is the fastest growing mega city in the world.
The documentary reveals a different side to life, focusing on the humanity, resourcefulness and compassion of the people who live and work in some of the roughest parts of town of Olusosun dumpsite site and the slums of Makoko.
This documentary would not be quite what the state government had in mind when it launched a massive transformation of the city through infrastructural upgrade to counter the prevailing negative stereotypes that prevail abroad.
The documentary has set the Nigerian blog-sphere alight as debate rages on the true purpose of the programme. This latest stereotype, coming just a few months after the mega city was rated by the Economist Intelligence Unit, a think tank body of the influential Economist magazine as the fifth worst city to live globally, did not however take into consideration the transformations that have occurred in Lagos through the vivid and frantic efforts of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, which have also received global recognition culminating in governor addressing audience at Harvard University recently.
Nigerians have always been sensitive about the negative portrayal of the country abroad and many have claimed that the international media and in particular BBC has rarely had the country's true interest in mind in their depiction.
The BBC indeed commissioned this latest documentary series on Lagos looking at some of the less attractive sides.
In the three part programmes, series producer Will Anderson assembles a number of hugely likeable, articulate and witty people who live on garbage heaps, in beachside, shanty towns, slums and on stilts in the Lagos lagoon. Their tales build a compelling portrait of a city brimming with entrepreneurial flair, resilience, tough-mindedness and hope.
The series starts with the scavengers who pick over piles of fetid rubbish at the 100-acre Olusosun dump to find scraps of anything that can be recycled and sold. The dump has generated a self-contained community, providing a livelihood to 5,000 people, with its own cinemas, barber-shops, bars and restaurants. It is highly ordered and managed by an elected chairman, who metes out discipline to anyone that breaches the mutual trust on which the community's many businesses depend
It is rare to see the dynamic of the informal sector captured so vividly in the documentary, which official statistics often fail to recognise - and which the authorities tend to see as a nuisance - but which in large parts of Africa provides the main source of employment. The documentary also presented young men working in the slums of Makoko, who plunge to the bottom of the lagoon and return with buckets of sand for building material.
Also in the documentary, there is the agricultural college graduate with a steady trade in animal feed made from boiling the blood of cattle slaughtered at the market. The series presented the precarious situation in which these people live.
In the background is the threat of state intervention by authorities through the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) and the Environmental Task Force who are clearing these slums and trying to instill civic pride. To them, these micro-entrepreneurs with their capacity to spread into any available space are obstacles to a more grandiose future in which Lagos could be Africa's answer to Singapore.
Apart from the documentary itself, it is ironic and bewildering that Will Anderson and his BBC crew members were driven in a motorcade complete with sirens and mobile policemen to their hotel when they arrived Lagos for the filming of the documentary.
Anderson posted the following statement on the BBC TV blog "Everyone thinks of it as a noisy, dirty, dangerous city, probably because all we ever hear about it on the news is the corruption, religious violence and dodgy email scams, our insurers had insisted that we were met at the airport by a team of armed policemen, who would escort us and all our expensive filming equipment safely to our hotel. I have never been so embarrassed in my life. As our convoy sped through town, sirens wailing, blue lights flashing, it seemed to me that this was by far the best way to advertise our arrival to all the criminals in the city."
Several interpretations are being read into this remarkable and counterintuitive new BBC television documentary about slum dwellers in the distressed mega-city of Lagos. It is said to provide a compelling case for Nigeria's economic potential and its greatest but often overlooked asset: its people. The aim of the documentary is that slum dwellers in mega cities such as Lagos are the future and their ingenuity has something to teach developed countries as cities everywhere become more crowded and resources dwindle.
The Federal Government through the Nigeria's High Commissioner to UK, Dalhatu Tafida, in a strongly worded letter to the Controller of BBC2, Ms. Janice Hadlow, called the documentary "sinister".
The protest letter also noted "that sites of slums and ghettos were global phenomena, arguing that "even in London, it is not uncommon to see people (not Nigerians) scavenge dustbins in search of food and other valuables."
But it seems Alausa, the seat of Lagos State government, would not be distracted by such negative stereotypes of the mega city as the governor has not responded to this latest documentary. I think it is not just enough for the Federal Government to condemn continuous media assaults such as this one on Lagos, maybe it is time the special status on Lagos is reconsidered because this city is our window on the world.
Source: The Guardian, 25th April 2010.
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