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Mrs Omawumi Beatrice Udoh is a fourth term member of the Delta State House of Assembly representing Warri South 1, Constituency. In this interview she, among other issues, spoke on developmental issues in Delta State.
What is your assessment of the level of physical and human capital development in Delta State since it’s creation 25 years ago?
It's heart-warming to witness our state's silver jubilee. I can tell you that we have much to celebrate despite the onerous challenges we continue to grapple with. I am wired as a positivist and it is my nature to see a glass as half full rather than half empty.
In Delta, we have much to look back on and great cause to give glory to God for how far we have come as a state. A quick look into history points to the fact that this state has been a major contributor to the success of the Nigerian project, a status of glory that can never be denied us. Delta State is unique for its contribution to the overall success of the Nigerian project.
I can hazard a safe guess that right from the colonial era, what is presently Delta State remains the biggest contributor to the national cake amongst all the states presently existing today. Quite apart from our oil wealth, we have always contributed to the national purse through timber, rubber, oil palm and what have you even before the era of crude oil. We have always been more of a net producer than a net consumer and that is something worthy of positive pride on our part.
On challenges
There are always challenges to be met. You can be sure that a serious government like the present Governor Okowa led administration is committed to tackling them head-on. But we must always remain focused on the brighter side as an inspiration to further excel. If you undertake a detailed assessment of all the indices of development in Nigeria, Delta State is always amongst those at the top.
This is a state of achievement and achievers. In any area of human endeavor we are there to be counted and recognized not just among those who participated but amongst those who truly excelled.
How independent is the House of Assembly in the current dispensation?
Contrary to ill-informed comments out there, this is certainly one of the most independent if not the most independent House of Assembly in the country. The facts incontrovertibly indicate that we are not by any means a rubber stamp to the executive arm.
Do not forget that we are Deltans and as we say over here: "Delta nor dey carry last!" The executive arm always provides the first citizen of the state but don't forget that as a parliament we are the first arm of government being those who make the laws to be executed by the executive and later interpreted by the Judiciary.
If you recall, contrary to expectations, we once historically overturned an executive veto with regards to the prescription of the death penalty for kidnapping in last dispensation. With regards to all the bills so far passed and undergoing legislation in the hallow chamber, what we are witnessing is an absolutely free legislature partnering with a non-interfering executive arm to deliver the dividends of democracy in this state. Once again, I must celebrate Governor Okowa for demonstrating his democratic disposition as exemplified by his commendable non-interference in the entire process.
You were a member of the third, fourth and fifth Assembly. Now you have been returned as member of the present 6th Assembly, and Chairman, House Committee on Commerce and Industry. What is the secret behind this consistency?
I would rather not describe anything that happens in my life on physical terms. At the end of the day, we are all under the protection of God Almighty. The Lord has been my strength and will continue to be.
My grassroots appeal, after all is a product of God's grace and the empathy I exhibit whenever my people are in distress. What I can say I have learnt from the flood of blessings the Lord Jesus has showered on me is to thank Him by giving back to the society. The servant-leader relationship between I and my constituents best exemplified what is noble and endearing about my person.
My records shout decibels for themselves, as I have tirelessly use my privileged position to empower those in my sphere of contact and allow their long-nursed hopes and dreams to become reality.
I have no doubt, and I say this without any spirit of immodesty, that in the course of my political career, I have not only creditably acquitted myself in the discharge of my legislative functions but has brought sterling experience and added inestimable value to governance which historians and the coming generations will certainly regard as imperishable.
Having sponsored an impressive array of Bills including Delta State Waste Management Bill, Delta State Ecology Bill, Delta State Sickle Cell Bill, Delta State Micro-Finance Bill as well as Delta State Estate Regulatory Authority Bill, my productivity in the area of legislative representation remains both astounding and creative.
They demonstrate my grassroots orientation and unwavering dedication to the welfare of the masses. Indeed, I believe I have creditably acquitted myself, having robustly delivered on my legislative mandate. I respect all my predecessors and acknowledge my colleagues in the struggle with me.
As for my constituents, I can only say that what they can expect from me is to continue to give thanks to God by fighting for their interests all the way.
On Okowa’s administration
They should expect governance re-energized and reloaded to do exploits in delivering genuine dividends of democracy that even the common man can see, feel, benefit from, acknowledge and attest to.
Governor Okowa is arguably the most detribalized and people-friendly Deltan I know. His emergence as Governor is a milestone in forging a Delta of pan-Deltan values rather than one of ethnic champions. He is presently plugging the loopholes in government. He is engendering a sustainable template for managing our finances.
He is committed to effecting a departure from a business as usual format for conducting public affairs. He is restructuring, reforming, revamping, reengineering and reconstructing. Above all the Okowa administration is effecting a paradigm shift in governance that rightfully places the interests of the electorate at the core of governance.
As for us in the 6th Assembly, we are resolutely determined to support the executive arm of government as ably led by His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who came on board with an overriding sense of responsibility to serve Deltans as his motivation, vision and mission. As we mark our anniversary, I can only assure my beloved constituents of Warri South 1, Constituency that this is an eminently able House prepared to excel under the leadership of our Speaker, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya.
Don't forget that Igbuya is an experienced legislator with a wealth of experience from the executive arm as well. I believe that under his leadership and the able assistance of the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Friday Osanebi and other Principal officers, we are poised to deliver on our law making and oversight functions.
A coalition of civil society organisations led by Conscience Nigeria and Center for Public Accountability, in partnership with other 30 civil society organizations groups, is set to submit a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over the corruption allegations leveled on principal officers at the House of Representatives as regards budget padding.
Dogara and Jibrin
In a statement signed by Comrade Tosin Adeyanju, Executive Director, Conscience and made available to pressmen, the group urged Nigerians to join them as they set to embark on a road walk to the EFCC office in Lagos to submit a petition on the need for Speaker Dogara,Hon Jibril and House of Reps leadership to be investigated and prosecuted over budget padding scandal.
According to the group the activities will be a national movement whic will be kick started in lagos and extended to other states of the federation until justice is done.
“The program is slated for 10am on Monday 29th August, enjoins intrested Convergence Point will be St. Gregory College Junction by Awolowo way, Ikoyi from where there will be a March to the EFCC Office at 15, Awolowo way Ikoyi before Falomo Round About.
“We call on all well meaning Nigerians in Lagos and tax payers to Join in this walk against corruption in the House of Representatives and give their full support to this call for Accountability in our body polity. The Civil Society organisation also invites media houses to come and cover this historic walk.” Adeyanju noted
On the 27th of August, Delta State would be celebrating her 25th Anniversary. The attainment of self-governance within the federation of Nigeria by Deltans did not come cheaply. Traditional rulers, intelligentsia, community and religious leaders both at home and abroad among others were at the forefront of the vanguard for the realization of the age long dream.
Today, we are celebrating the victory of the war, fought not on the battlefield. I salute Deltans on the joy of today which goes down in history as a remembrance of a day of liberation as we now put our fate in our hands and determine the place of our future.
As we savor the sweetness of the invaluable victory, we have to soberly reflect on the journey so far. Whereas from the indices of development, our state is no pushover in Nigeria, nevertheless, the state's comparatively less than desired level of development vis-a-vis our abundant human and natural resources has occasioned gloomy anniversary commentaries over the years which in some quarters, unfortunately tend towards despondency about the Deltan condition.
This assertion is clearly an exaggeration. Granted, our state's journey since 1991 has been marked by heady hopes and dashed dreams; by steps-forward followed frustratingly by steps- backward.
We have made both avoidable and inevitable mistakes as a people in the course of our very challenging journey to statehood. We have however learned crucial lessons through bitter experiences along the way. We have learned that for democracy to deliver developmental gains, the people must be placed at the centre of policy design and must be its drivers.
And so, contrary to the naysayers, we have come a long way. We have come from a time when internal colonialists in the guise of military dictatorships plundered our collective patrimony and debased our values, to an age in which our main concerns are deepening democracy and ensuring broad-based prosperity for all.
This transition is worth commemorating even though it is true that while the old is dying, the new is not yet fully born. Great sons and daughters of Delta State, both known and unknown have made tremendous sacrifices to bring us to this point.
As we bask in the euphoria of the silver jubilee of our dear state, we must not fail to pay tribute to those illustrious sons and daughters of Delta; patriots who expended their energies in pursuit of a state we can all equally call our own in love and brotherhood. We remember them on this day and honor them.
Even so, it is abundantly clear that we are not yet where we want to be as a state. This anniversary which is coming months after the celebration of the 1st year in Office of the Okowa administration is therefore an opportunity for us to examine how far we have come and our areas of focus going forward.
Anniversary Day not only gives us an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come but also on how far we have to go.
However, the enormity of the distance to be covered towards achieving a functional state should not discourage us from taking the necessary first steps.
In this regard, it is significant that the commitment of our transformational Governor, Senator Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, to equity, justice and fairness in the governance of our state has been exemplified and reiterated these past months as has recently been echoed by key actors within the state and national level alike. The recognition of the need to re-examine the fundamental pillars of our oneness is commendable. Without being immodest, the Okowa administration has consciously studied our common problems and come up with a practicable roadmap to the overall development of the state as espoused in the S.M.A.R.T-Agenda. The contract that Governor Okowa signed with Deltans at inauguration is to spread prosperity across the nooks and crannies of the land.
The governor have tried to live up to his contractual obligation in the face of low revenue receipts Rather than wallow in dejection, the governor has challenged us to bring out the ingenuity in us in view of our God given endowment of creativity and innovation to make a turnaround in our fortunes.
He is quite convinced that we have what it takes to change our story of insufficiency and want. Happily enough, this reorientation has already begun. This is why the Okowa administration is vigorously pursuing the policies of citizens' self-actualization through the YAGEP and STEP programmes.
This is clearly being replicated in other areas of governance. With the purposeful leadership been shown by Governor Okowa, coupled with a cooperative populace, there is bound to be socio-economic sufficiency.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right); Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ajibada Caster Bade-Adebowale (right); Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson (2nd left); his counterpart for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare (left) during the Governor's inspection of the ongoing construction of multifaceted expansion projects at Berger Bus Stop, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, at the weekend.Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd left); with Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare (left); Special Adviser on Transportation, Prince Anofi Elegushi (right); and Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson (2nd right) during the Governor's inspection of the ongoing construction of multifaceted expansion projects at Oworosonki, Lagos, at the weekend.Ongoing construction of Iyana Oworo Bus Stop, Oworosonki, Lagos, inspected by Governor Ambode at the weekend.Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right); Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson (right); Project Manager, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Mr. WuYao and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ajibada Caster Bade-Adebowale (2nd left) during the Governor's inspection of the ongoing construction of multifaceted expansion projects at Berger Bus Stop, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, at the weekend.Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), flanked by Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson (right) and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ajibada Caster Bade-Adebowale (left) during the Governor's inspection of the ongoing construction of multifaceted expansion projects at Berger Bus Stop, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, at the weekend.
Abuja – Sen. Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment has called on unemployed Nigerians to register at the online job portal of the Social Intervention Scheme of the Federal Government.
Ngige's call is contained in a statement issued by Mr Samuel Olowookere, the Deputy Director, Press in the ministry on Sunday in Abuja.
The minister made the call over the weekend, while inaugurating the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) School-to-Work Programme in Calabar.
He said that it was imperative for all unemployed Nigerians to register at the online job portal in order to benefit from different categories of programmes which government was offering.
“You must register to benefit from the Social Intervention Scheme. Unfortunately, as we speak, by last week, the portal has only recorded about 1.2 million persons.
“We expect more persons to have been registered in the portal before our screening exercise; the registration on the portal is Npower.ng.org. The portal closes Aug. 31, which is just few days away.
“For those who are not computer literate, we advise state governments to encourage them by using local government chairmen to move into local government areas to register the unemployed persons there.
“So that they can qualify to be considered for the scheme. Each state of the federation is expected to recruit about 1, 500 persons,'' he said.
Ngige, however, said that the School-To-Work programme was a renewed vigour by the ministry to catch them young.
The minister said it was also a bold attempt to build a future Nigeria where white-collar jobs would be unattractive.
“We are building a generation of Nigerians where creative thinking, self-confidence and dignity of labour will challenge the prevailing unemployment scourge.
“We are building a generation of Nigerians who will not only create wealth with their hands, but are proud employers with skills from hands that God has given them, ''he added.
Ngige said that the programme which was a two-month vacation creative job learning scheme, was organised for students in JSS 1 to SSS 2 classes in order to provide them with early skills.
He added that this set of students would graduate to higher skills training during the next vacation, while others succeed them.
“By this, we are re-thinking a university education system where graduates fold hands and wait for food on their table," Ngige said.
Ngige said that 150 persons would be trained yearly from each of the states of the federation under the scheme.
He said that the headquarters for the six zonal training centres were Calabar, Anambra, Bauchi, Katsina, Kogi and Ondo. The minister said the programme was built with enough provision for decent work in line with the International Labour Organisation to foreclose the possibility of child labour.
Earlier, Mr Kunle Obayane, the Acting Director-General said that the NDE was constantly preoccupied with providing initiatives that would address the ever changing forms and patterns of unemployment in the country.
Obayan said the programme was designed to provide diverse vocational, agricultural and entrepreneurial skills training for secondary school students during long vacations.
He said that the age grouping was the best peak to tackle youth unemployment with acquisition of skills.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ngige had earlier paid a courtesy visit to the State Gov. Prof. Ben Ayade who commended the minister on his innovative approach to tacking unemployment.
Flood at Ladipo Bus Stop along Lagos Abeokuta express road before Oshodi due to heavy down pour which started at about 9pm on Saturday and lasted till Sunday evening in Lagos.Photo;Joe AkintolaFlood at Ladipo Bus Stop along Lagos Abeokuta Express Road before Oshodi caused by heavy down pour which started on Saturday and rained till Sunday evening in Lagos. Photo; Joe Akintola
Ladipo floodFlood at Ladipo Bus Stop along Lagos Abeokuta Express Road before Oshodi caused by heavy down pour which started on Saturday and rained till Sunday evening in Lagos. Photo; Joe Akintola
World number one Serena Williams is “pain-free” as she embarks on winning a modern era record 23rd Grand Slam title at the US Open, her coach said Sunday.
Ready to Roar – Serena
The American star, who is also chasing a record seventh crown in New York, has been struggling with a right shoulder injury which contributed to an early loss at the Olympics and forced a withdrawal from last week’s Cincinnati tournament.
“She has been pain-free for a few days now,” coach Patrick Mouratoglou told ESPN on Sunday.
“The shoulder is still not 100 percent but it’s very close and she will find a way. She has a lot more to her game than just the serve — she has the power and mental strength.
“She wanted to play the Olympics in Rio, it was very important for her but the shoulder was killing her. She was just putting balls in play, but that’s the past.”
Williams suffered a shock semi-final loss at the US Open 12 months ago at the hands of Italy’s Roberta Vinci.
She has an equally tough start to this year’s event when she faces Ekaterina Makarova of Russia, the world number 36, on Tuesday.
By Kingsley Omonobi Abuja – As part of efforts to further assist the internally displaced persons and enhance civil-military relations, troops of 21 Brigade, 7 Division Nigerian Army, have established a temporary school for the children at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp.
The 3, 000 capacity school is located in Bama town, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State and is operating, using military tents.
A statement signed by Col Sani Usman said “The school comprised 6 military tents in which soldiers not on essential duty served as teachers.
“In addition, some of the IDPs who were teachers before the their displacement, also teach in the school.
“Presently, the school has a population of over 3,000 children.
“The Brigade has also establish a section of adult education for women.
He said “Impressed with the laudable initiative, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) also assisted the Brigade with 2 additional tents and school bags for the pupils.
On its part, the Borno State Urban Education deployed a Principal to assist in running of the school.
“The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, Mr Toby Lanzer, and Borno State Government celebrated the recently held World Humanitarian Day with the IDPs in the school and commended the efforts of the Nigerian Army for establishing the school.
“Similarly, an American Non-Government Organization (NGO), Empower54, impressed with the fact that "despite the heavy responsibility of fighting off the terrorists daily, the soldiers are making time to teach the children", appreciated the soldiers of 21 Brigade for their selfless effort by establishing the school in a blog.”
For the past months rumours have been rife that ace Nollywood actress, aka Jenifa, Funke Akindele and singer and producer, Abdulrasheed Bello aka JJC Skillz are onto something in the romantic lane. Just when it seemed it was panning out, another one took to flight, only this time,it is a rumour that may have got out of hand. "JJC and Funke Akindele have wedded in UK", is the song being sung everywhere.
Reports have it that the alleged lovebirds wedded on the Thespian's birthday which was Thursday in the UK with no family members in attendance. Though a couple of the singer's family members, including his daughter were said to have been there with only Funke's sister standing in as family for her. It was reported that Funke Akindele's family and particularly her mother were strongly against her marriage to JJC, who, they believe has same profile as that of Funke's first husband, Alhaji Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede. Funke Akindele's first husband, Alhaji Almaroof has several children from 3 – 4 women, just like her supposed current husband who is said to have three children from three women.
There have been no confirmation from any quarters yet that the couple are truly married. Mr. Biodun Kupoluyi, publisher of E-24/7, who is Funke Akindele's publicist when reached on phone told Potpourri he has no knowledge of the alleged marriage, saying "when it is the right time, we will reach out to the media".
It is actually confounding to many that an occasion as precious and important as marriage could be kept in such absolute secrecy. Neither of the couple, has said anything or posted any picture on social media to express their joy of the union. The only thing posted by Funke was a birthday 'thank you' note she sent out to her fans. For JJC, there was a post on Instagram that could or could not be giving a hint to the wedding having taken place.
"Faith in Almighty God has never led me wrong. Even when I had dark times, I was filled with hope. Knowing everything is for a reason or for a season. I'm not lucky, I'm blessed. #grateful #godisgood," he wrote. Whether this is in connection with the marriage is yet to be made clear.
However, Funke on Thursday reportedly posted a video on her Snapchat page, wearing a wedding ring. This comes after months of speculations that the famed Jenifa got engaged to JJC on a movie location in Lekki, Lagos. Another video had surfaced in the past in which Akindele and Skillz were seen kneeling before an elderly woman (who is believed to be Skillz' mother). The woman prayed for the couple, and implored them to make her a grandma soon by giving birth to twins, to which the couple replied with a fervent 'Amen.'
But the big question is, why the secrecy? Isn't marriage a thing of joy to be celebrated openly? The answer may not be too far away to the contention that the Funke Akindele's family are not in support of the marriage and the fact that no qualified family member had been around to properly give the actress away.
The butchers from the north are better known as the Fulani militants and herdsmen. They have unleashed horror and levied war against the people of Nigeria over the last one year.
*Fani-Kayode
The saints are the Christians that they have slaughtered all over the country in that same period of time.
I consider every single saint that they have killed as a martyr because they died for their faith. I honor them with this essay and I dedicate it to their memory.
On 24th August 2016 Mr. Phil Smart wrote the following on Facebook:
“Catholic seminarian butchered, pregnant woman’s stomach cut open….as Fulani herdsmen continue killing in Enugu”.
The words were accompanied by a picture of a Catholic priest whose body had been shredded into pieces like fresh mincemeat or a Japanese sirloin steak. There was another of a pregnant woman whose stomach had been slit open right down the middle and whose unborn foetus and guts were hanging out for all to see. Clearly she had been carefully and clinically gutted.
Many other bodies were strewn all over the burnt out fields and compounds of the village and some were so badly mutilated and chopped up that it would have been difficult to convince anyone that they once belonged to human beings. Not even babies were spared.
In truth this was not the work of men but rather of demon-possesed hybrid entities that the famous British conspiracy-theorist Mr. David Icke describes as “shape-shifting reptilians” and sociopathic beasts.
Worse still this was the second time in a matter of weeks that the relative tranquility of Enugu was desecrated by the presence of these nomadic beasts and murdering bastards.
On the previous occasion they caused as much havoc, slaughtered as many people and engendered as much consternation and outrage as the succeeding one.
Yet it doesn’t stop there. On the very same day that the latest attack in Enugu was going on other Nigerians were being attacked and “burnt alive” by people of the same radical Islamist bent and spirit in far away Zamfara for “blaspheming against Islam”. Other similar attacks by the same fanatics and jihadists took place on that day in southern Kaduna, Benue, Niger, Ondo, Plateau, Delta and various other parts of the country.
If the truth be told this carnage and butchery has now become a daily occurence in our country and it is always the same people, namely the butchers from the North, that perpetrate them.
The worst aspect of it all is that no-one has ever been arrested, prosecuted or brought to justice by the govermment for these hideous crimes mainly because President Buhari himself is a Fulani and consequently the authorities seem to have cultivated a soft-spot for them.
Indeed Buhari is actually the life Patron and “protector-in-chief” of the umbrella organisation of all the Fulani Herdsmen in Nigeria which is known as Miyetti Allah.
There is of course another view which is that the herdsmen are actually a tool of conquest who are being carefully cultivated, co-ordinated, controlled, organised, armed and funded by a sinister and dark hidden hand: that they are something akin to a Fulani “death squad” or armed militia.
Those that share that view, and yours truly is amongst them, often refer to the butchers from the north as Nigeria’s “Janjaweed”, after the ruthless camel-riding Arab Muslim militia which Sudanese President Al Bashir commissioned, armed and employed to decimate, slaughter and commit genocide against over one million defenceless black African Sudanese Christians in the vast region of Darfur for many years.
It is also why the U.S.-based Global Terror Index describes them as the “Fulani Militants” and has designated them as the “fourth most deadly terrorist organisation” in the world.
Whatever one chooses to call them, whoever is behind them and whatever their motives may be one thing is clear: their actions are outrageous and barbaric and such behaviour has no place in a civilised society.
I feel a deep sense of anger and outrage on the one hand and utter shame and frustration on the other about what is going on in our country today and what these butchers from the north are doing to our people.
Theirs is a scorthed earth policy and they take no prisoners. They rape, kill, abduct, kidnap and terrorise people and they rob, burn down, destroy and pillage their homes, churches and farmlands at will. Worse still they commit these atrocities with total impunity and without any fear of the law enforcement agencies or security forces.
And all this is done in the name and under the guise of herding cows and looking for grazing land for their cattle.
I feel a deep sense of anger and outrage towards President Buhari and his government, because they seem to believe that the constant spilling and shedding of innocent Christian blood is something that brings them good fortune. It also appears to give them immense pleasure and joy otherwise they would have put a stop to it long ago.
I feel shame and frustration because the Nigerian people themselves seem wholly incapable of standing up to that which is nothing less than pure evil. They seem incapable of protesting against anything, no matter how bestial and barbaric that thing may be.
I wonder who has bewitched us? Is this the work of the “mai chanji” sweeping broom brew? Have the Nigerian people been charmed? Are we under a spell? Are we like the biblical Galatians who the Apostle Paul says were “bewitched”?
Our people appear to be wholly incapable of resisting and facing down those that have enthroned sadism and wickedness in their hearts and that take pleasure in indulging in mass murder, genocide and ethnic cleansing in our land.
It is not only the government that has failed but the political leaders from all the opposition parties, the traditional rulers, the clerics, the religious leaders, the media practitioners, the publishers, the columnists, the writers, the human rights activists, the editorial boards of newspapers, the bloggers, the intellectuals, the businessmen, the teachers, the students, the writers, the elites, the middle class, the workers, the unions and the ordinary people themselves have all failed too.
They have all been gripped by the spirit of fear. They have been bullied, intimidated, brow-beaten and shocked into pitiful submission and a sickening and cowardly timidity.
They have all failed to defend and speak up for the defenceless, the weak and the vulnerable in our midst.
They have failed to protect and shield the thousands that are hacked to pieces and burnt alive on a regular basis by the rabid islamist beasts and terrorists in our midst for no just cause other than the fact that they are perceived as being nothing but Christian, Middle Belt and southern slaves.
I am going to say some hard things and speak some home truths in this conbtribution and frankly I do not care who takes offence, whose ox is gored or who feels hurt by it.
People are being killed by the demons in flesh, the tsetse flies and the religious and ethnic bigots in our land every day. Buhari’s Nigeria is awash with blood and most of it is Christian blood that is being shed by his misguided and dark-hearted Fulani kinsmen.
It is time to speak the truth no matter how ugly that truth may be and no matter how politically incorrect it may be to speak it.
It is time to stand up to the evil in the land, to damn the consequences and to bear the threats and insults that always come for speaking and exposing the truth in what has essentially become a police state.
It is time to coin that famous Ghanaian phrase that says “all die be die” and to remember Shakespeare's words when he wrote “even though the heavens fall, let the truth be told and let justice be done”.
And that truth is that the evil that has seized our land has two columns, two heads and two primary sources of motivation. The first is the forceful and bloody quest for Fulani supremacy, ethnic hegemony and racial domination.
The second is the morbid obsession by the radical Muslims of core northern Nigeria to shed innocent blood, to take life in the name of their god, to effect Jihad against those that do not share their world view, to wipe out Christianity, to enslave our people and to islamise our country.
The truth is that every single CORE northern Muslim leader that has ever ruled this country has either died on the throne or been removed from power in a military coup. Not one of them ended well.
Whether the second coming of Buhari will end any differently remains to be seen. One thing that is clear to me though is that the whole thing is spiritual. It is being orchestrated and effected by the finger of God and not by any man.
It is God’s way of saying that they were never meant to rule and be there in the first place and that He has rejected them. It is the work of the Ancient of Days and the Lord God of Hosts.
They believe that they were “born to rule” but in actual fact they have been rejected by the Living God.
Those that employ mass murder, ethnic cleansing and genocide as a tool of conquest and a legitimate weapon of war, that consider their fellow Nigerians to be sub-human and that believe that those fellow Nigerians are nothing but chattel and serfs that are destined to be ruled over by some distant caliph are in grave error: they have not fully understood God’s plan and purpose for this country. They cannot comprehend or understand what is slowly unfolding. They do not appreciate the fact that no matter how much evil they visit on the rest of us that God is at work and His counsel alone will stand over our people and in the affairs of our nation.
The truth is that the Lord regards them as nothing more than unbelieving slaves and they are far below us. They are of the darkness and we are of the light.
The bible describes it is a “great evil under the sun” when “the children of slaves ride on horseback” whilst “the sons of Kings walk around barefoot”.
That is what has been happening in Nigeria since 1960. The children of the “bonded woman” have been riding on horseback whilst the children “of promise” have been walking around barefoot.
This is indeed “a great evil under the sun”. It is a spiritual affliction. It is witchcraft. It is an abomination. It is unacceptable.
It is a total reversal of the way things ought to be. It is a rejection, usurpation and total corruption of God’s original plan. It is ungodly and it is anti-Christ.
I blame no-one but the leadership of the body of Christ in Nigeria for this mess.
There are a few good ones amongst them who stood firm and spoke out when it mattered the most but sadly there are others who are more interested in collecting tiny crumbs from the President’s table and buying fine clothes, expensive jewelry, fast cars and private jets than they are in standing up for their flock and effecting God’s purpose and plan for Nigeria.
Worst still there is also a small handful, like that short and vocal Rev. Father from Enugu, who have chosen to sell their souls to the devil, collaborate with the enemies of Christ and serve as the principal cheerleaders to the tyrant.
If our men and women of God were bold and courageous and if they were doing their job properly the radical Muslims could not have turned Christians in Nigeria into second class citizens and toilet paper and a sharia-loving, Muslim-fundamentalist, closet- jihadist and Fulani supremacist like Buhari would never have been in power today.
The bottom line is this: if you are not ready to die for Christ or to lose your life or liberty for defending and protecting the gospel, God’s children or the faith then you are not worthy of being called a Christian.
We must help the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to stand firm and strengthen their collective resolve but we must not leave it at that.
We must also organise ourselves as well, not only in the political arena, but also by setting up strong Christian militias and defence squads to protect our churches and our people from the terrorists and butchers.
We must aspire to emulate the Christian Phalange militia in Lebanon which was formed just before the Lebanese civil war broke out in the ’70’s and 80’s.
They were disciplined, well organised, gallant and courageous and they defended the lives of their people and the honor of their faith. The truth is that had it not been for the Phalange the Christians of Lebanon would have been wiped out by the Muslims in that war.
I abhore violence and neither do I advocate its use. However we must accept the fact that, whether we like it or not, ultimately this matter will be settled not just by prayers, politics, long essays and press statements but also with guns and bullets.
This is because violence is the only language that the butchers from the north appreciate and can comprehend. If the state is either incapable or refuses to protect the Christian community in Nigeria we will be left with no choice but to defend ourselves and protect our own.
Permit me to conclude this contribution with the following.
I would urge all those that still love and support this government to take a long hard look at the pictures that are strewn all over the internet of their fellow Nigerians that have been mutilated and carved up like Christmas turkeys and sallah goats. This is the work of Buhari’s kinsmen, the Fulani militias and herdsmen.
He has refused to arrest any of them let alone bring them to justice. Instead he has ruined our economy, impoverished and destroyed the lives of our people and aborted their God-given destiny, divided our nation on religious and ethnic lines, demonised us before the international community and labeled every Nigerian, apart from himself, as being incompetent and corrupt.
This is a man that spends his time pontificating about corruption with long and boring speeches and pointing fingers at others. This is a man that told Mr. Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan at the Tokyo summit in Nairobi just yesterday, that Nigeria’s “business environment is not friendly to investors” and that consistently tells other world leaders how supposedly “corrupt” his own people are.
He has conveniently refused to tell those same world leaders how his presidential campaign was funded, how much money those that ran his campaign paid Mr. David Axelrod, President Obama’s campaign advisor and publicist, and how many cars and how much “allowance” he collected from Col. Sambo Dasuki, President Goodluck Jonathan’s National Security Advisor, before being “elected” President.
The Bible says “let he who is free of sin cast the first stone”. Nigerians may not know the truth today but God does and He cannot be mocked. Let Him judge between us.
Yet the truth is that President Buhari’s administration is not only essentially hypocritical but they also have no shame. All those that continue to support them and cheer them on are equally shameless.
Worst still their supporters are cowards because they cannot find the courage to admit that they were wrong in supporting a government that is manifestly divisive, insensitive, incompetent, corrupt and intolerant of criticism and dissent.
They are the ones that we must hold responsible and accountable for what has happened to those unfortunate people in all those pictures.
They are the ones that we must blame for what has been happening to thousands of others at the hands of the Fulani militants and herdsmen all over the country for the last one year and three months.
I say this because they are the ones that have encouraged the beast and cheered him on. They are the ones that have fed his blood-lust and encouraged him in his morbid quest to steal, kill and destroy. They are the ones that wanted, and still want, “mai chanji”.
I say a pox on all their houses! Shame on them and shame on the beast and tyrant that they worship.
May the souls of all the saints, believers and Christian martyrs that were cut short by the butchers and barbarians from the north rest in peace and may the Lord God of Hosts avenge them speedily. Shalom.
Manchester City were left top of the Premier League heading into the international break following a 3-1 win at home to West Ham United on Sunday.
While there was plenty of excitement at Eastlands, the same could not be said of Sunday’s earlier clash between two of the league’s lesser lights as West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough played out a dispiriting goalless draw at The Hawthorns.
Raheem Sterling may have become the poster boy for England’s woeful Euro 2016 campaign, which culminated in the embarrassment of a defeat by Iceland, but there was no denying the City forward’s class as he scored twice against the Hammers at Eastlands.
Sterling finished off a slick move in the seventh minute to put City 1-0 up before Fernandinho doubled their lead when he headed in a Kevin De Bruyne free-kick 11 minutes later from seven yards out.
City could easily have scored a third goal before Michail Antonio’s header in the 57th minute gave West Ham an unexpected lifeline.
But with City’s lead reduced to 2-1, Sterling put the result beyond doubt when he collected David Silva’s through-ball late in the game and rolled the ball in from an acute angle.
“Reborn? I keep seeing that word,” Sterling told Sky Sports. “It was a difficult first season at a new club but the manager Pep Guardiola has come in and given me a lot of courage and authority to go forward. He even had a go at me for not dibbling as much.”
City now lead the table on goal difference from Chelsea and Manchester United, who’ve also made a perfect played three, won three start to the Premier League season.
“When you see how many chances we create, they scored with their first chance,” Guardiola told Sky Sports.
“They jumped more than us but we played a good game. Our fans enjoyed it and we are happy,” added the Spaniard, who said he did not see an incident in which Sergio Aguero appeared to elbow West Ham’s Winston Reid.
Meanwhile Hammers boss Slaven Bilic lamented his side’s start to the match.
“We did not start well and straight away they (City) had a couple of corners and then scored,” he said.
As for Aguero’s clash with Reid, Bilic added: “I did not see the Sergio Aguero incident. We were going to change the centre-half anyway to go four at the back.”
Elsewhere, West Brom manager Tony Pulis was keen to freshen up his squad before the transfer window closes on Wednesday after a forgettable stalemate with Middlesbrough.
“We have to bring some players in…we need new blood,” he said.
Boro manager Aitor Karanka was pleased by his newly-promoted side’s first clean sheet of the season as they maintained their unbeaten start to the league campaign after a sluggish start against the Baggies.
“I didn’t like the first 15 or 20 minutes, we didn’t play well and didn’t play with the spirit we have to play with,” said Karanka.
“The reaction in the second half was better. One thing we cannot lose is our spirit.”
Peggy Onah isn't exactly just another face in the crowd and definitely not one to be missed, that is, if you are one of those who still appreciate beauty and the gifts of life God has blessed us all with. She's beautiful, well-accentuated in the right places, with a nature, as quiet as a smouldering fire.
Peggy-Enoho
She's hot, even though she doesn't like to talk about her selling points, which are easily on display for all to see. Peggy, as she is called, shared her story with me; how she came to Nollywood and what drives her.
She said she has found herself in acting because that is all she had ever wanted to do. She started off by doing drama in high school. "A friend of mine introduced me to a producer who gave me few scenes to do. He encouraged me and recommended me to some other marketers. And from there they started starring me in their jobs. And that was how I got to the level I am today. I have done over 20 movies and still counting" she said.
Unlike most of her upcoming colleagues, Peggy said she is yet to experience sexual harassment in the industry, alluding the cause of sexual harassment to how an actress carries herself.
"I think it is an individual decision. None of such has ever happened to me. Like I said, it is an individual decision . No one forces anyone to sleep with anybody It's your personal decision. If you want to be harassed you will be harassed and it has nothing to do with how beautiful you are or not" she declared.
A small rodent, probably a mouse, caused the grounding of an Air France flight from Bamako to Paris, the firm said on Sunday.
It took several hours to remove the unwanted passenger from the flight bound for the French capital in the early hours of Saturday.
By the time the stowaway had been expelled, the cabin crew had reached the maximum time they are permitted to work to avoid fatigue, airline spokesman Christophe Paumier told AFP.
The flight was delayed by 48 hours and is expected to operate later Sunday.
Mice and other rodents are a significant danger to aircraft as they have a tendency to nibble through vital cabling.
“Air France regrets the inconvenience caused by this significant delay and recalls that the safety of its passengers and its crew is its top priority,” the airline said in a statement.
From left, gov Kashim Shettima of Borno state, his deputy Alhaji Usman Durkwa, Senate majority leader, Ali Ndume, Chairman Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and a popular world musician, Mr. Paul David Hewson of UNHCR with rescued children of Boko Haram combatants during Dangote’s one day of official visit to Maiduguri Sunday. Photo BY NDAHI MARAMA.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state has renamed the popular Baga road in Maiduguri Metropolis after Alhaji Aliko Dangote following his immense contribution and support to victims of Boko Haram especially the over 1.6 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) spread across various resettlement camps in the state.
Shettima made this know during Alhaji Aliko Dangote's visit to the Dalori IDP Camp in Maiduguri which is currently being occupied by 37,000 IDPs from Bama Local Government Area of the state.
In his address, Shettima expressed gratitude to Aliko Dangote Road for his sympathy to the people of the state who had suffered untold hardship in the hands of insurgents in the last seven years.
“I want to this opportunity and on behalf of the good people of Borno state to extend our appreciation to Dangote Foundation. In the last Ramadan season, 230 trucks of assorted food items were donated to our people by Dangote.
“Dangote Foundation has also donated the sum of N2 billion to our dear state for reconstruction and rehabilitation of our destroyed communities, in addition to N400 million donated to us by the same Foundation to assist our people.
“We in Borno are ever grateful and pray that Allah will continue to guide and protect Dangote and his family and that peace will return to our dear state. We also want to call on well to do individuals and corporate organizations to assist Borno in this our trying moment”. Shettima said.
The governor during the visit also took his August visitors to Bakassi camp which had 152,000 IDPs from Nganzai, Monguno, Gwoza and other local government areas, after which, the visitors paid a sympathy visit to families of Boko Haram combatants that were rescued by troops and now taking refuge at a secular place in Maiduguri.
Addressing the rescued women and their children, both Dangote and the popular musician, BONO advised the families especially the women to support government policies and programmes as Dangote Foundation will do everything possible to ensure safe upbringing of their innocent children educationally.
Dangote also called on the rescued victims to continue to pray for Allah to grant peace not only in Borno, but the country as a whole.
“We are here in Maiduguri with this popular world musician to sympathize with you over the unfortunate crisis of Boko Haram, I came with this musician so that he can see things for himself and see how best he could do with his talent to tell the whole world your predicaments and how best to assist you be reintegrated back into the society”. Dangote told the rescued women and children.
Some Lagos-based lawyers have condemned parading of arrested suspects by the police, saying it is unconstitutional and damaging to the person involved.
Suspected cultists
They said that often those paraded were innocent and in the event of their being pronounced innocent by the courts of competent jurisdiction, the police never re-parade them.
Mr Olawale Apanisile, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that parading suspects undergoing investigation was illegal and could not be justified.
Apanisile said that parading suspects before the public and media as criminals was damaging to the reputation and personality of the individual.
He said that it was a violation of Section 34 (1) and 36 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
According to Apanisile, Section 34 states that every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person and (1) (a) no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment.
“In a bid to show to the public that the police are working and are up to the task of safeguarding the country, they display suspects like medals and trophies to the media,'' he said.
The lawyer said that during arrest, investigation and arraignment, the accused should be treated with respect as they were presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“The police and other law enforcement agents should treat an accused the same way they will treat any other law abiding citizens.
“Most Nigerians do not know their fundamental human rights, but if the police had been slammed with law suits by paraded suspects, then such impunity will not be the order of day.
“Some who know their rights are too scared to press charges,'' he said.
He urged human rights activists to educate and come to the aid of the populace to put an end to the practice of media trial by the police.
“This practice must stop no matter how grievous the crime an accused committed.
“We should leave it to the courts to administer justice so that after the accused has been acquitted or convicted he can go back to living his life in peace,'' he said.
Apanisile, however, said that the only time the law allowed for an accused to be paraded was during identification parade.
According to him, in identification parade, an accused will be placed with people who have similar physical appearance with him and paraded before witnesses to know if they will recognise the suspect.
“The parading of suspects before newsmen is not obtainable in Britain but in America, they do perpetrators walk commonly known as `perp walk'.
“In Britain, accused are brought to court in vehicle with tinted glasses which makes it impossible for the public to see them,'' he said.
According to Wikipedia, perp walk is a common custom of American law enforcement, the practice of taking an arrested suspect through a public place at some point after arrest, creating an opportunity for the media to take photographs and video of the event.
Mr Chris Okani, urged the Nigerian police to stop the parade of suspected armed robbers and other alleged criminals before the public prior to arraignment. Okani said that parading suspects by the police prior to charging them to court for trial and being found guilty was an aberration.
He also noted that a suspect was presumed innocent until proven otherwise by a court of law after full trial.
He said the police was only permitted to parade suspects if there was need for identification of the suspect by a witness who claims to have seen the suspect commit the alleged offence.
Mr Alozie Nwoke said: “The police are usually under pressure to clean up their image before the public and the Federal Government has given rise to this kind of practice.
“Owing to the pressure, suspects are often paraded so as to show that the police are working.
“The police then get some kind of approval that they are doing well but most times they parade innocent persons.
“Our law provides that every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction''.
The legal practitioners decried the act, saying that should the suspects be acquitted, the police would not re-parade them as being innocent.
Gabon’s main opposition candidate Jean Ping claimed Sunday he had been elected president, unseating Ali Bongo as leader of the oil-rich Central African country.
Official results are not due out until Tuesday and some voters voiced fears of a repeat of the violence seen after a disputed 2009 election.Jean Ping
“I have been elected. I am waiting for the outgoing president to call to congratulate me,” said Ping, 73, in the capital Libreville, prompting jubilation from hundreds of his supporters.
“Ping president!” they chanted.
“You have foiled the congenital fraud of this regime which we are finally going to see off,” the veteran politician told them.
Bongo, 57, has been in power since the 2009 election held after the death of his father, Omar, who had ruled Gabon for 41 years.
Ping, like the current president, worked for many years in Omar Bongo’s administration.
Both frontrunners had already predicted victory and accused the other of cheating.
Shortly after polling ended on Saturday, the president’s spokesman said: “Bongo will win… we are already on our way to a second mandate.”
Bongo’s camp has acknowledged the election is “tight, but we are ahead”.
Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet Boubeya has said official results would be released around 1600 GMT on Tuesday and stressed it was “illegal to declare results before the relevant authorities do.”
The head of the Pan-African Democracy Observatory, an NGO based in Togo, played down the significance of Ping’s declaration.
“We should not be surprised if one or the other declares victory. It’s all part of the game,” Djovi Gally told reporters.
– Coup d’etat? –
Fearing a repeat of the violence that followed Bongo’s victory in 2009, many residents, who had stocked up on food, stayed indoors.
The streets of Libreville were deserted with even shops and stalls that are usually open on Sundays shuttered.
The French embassy warned its citizens not to travel within the country unless absolutely necessary for the time being and to keep themselves informed.
“There is no trouble in this district for now but we want to get the results soon,” said one citizen, who gave his name as Honore.
“We’ll see how the candidates react. I hope it won’t be like last time,” he added.
Back then, several people were killed in the clashes, buildings were looted and the French consulate in Port Gentil, which saw the worst of the violence, was torched.
Ping’s campaign coordinator, Jean Gaspard Ntoutoume Ayi, claimed that Bongo would attempt to retain power by force.
“Ali Bongo has decided to ignore the election and to stay in power. We know from reliable sources that the army is ready to be deployed in Libreville and Port Gentil and all across the country as early as tonight,” said Ayi.
“This is the situation which we are entering: the election is over, the coup d’etat has started.”
Bongo’s camp has dismissed such claims as “totally crazy.”
– Powder keg –
Emmanuel Edzang, a voter in Libreville, said the capital had the feeling of a “powder keg.”
“It could go off at any given moment if things don’t go well. There are really strong fears regarding people’s behaviour,” said Edzang.
Until shortly before polling day, Bongo was the clear favourite, with the opposition split by several prominent politicians vying for the top job.
But earlier this month, the main challengers pulled out and said they would all back Ping.
Both candidates have promised to break with the past.
Faced with repeated charges of nepotism, Bongo has long insisted he owes his presidency to merit and years of government service.
His extravagant campaign made much of the slogan “Let’s change together”, and of roads and hospitals built during his first term.
Ping described Bongo’s attempts to diversify the economy away from oil as window dressing.
One third of Gabon’s population lives in poverty, despite the country boasting one of Africa’s highest per capita incomes at $8,300 (7,400 euros) thanks to pumping 200,000 barrels of oil a day.
There has been growing popular unrest in recent months, with numerous public sector strikes and thousands of layoffs in the oil sector.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said Sunday that Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau is “wounded”, in his first comments on military claims that the jihadi leader was injured in an attack.
Nigeria’s armed forces said on Tuesday that Shekau had been wounded in an air strike on Boko Haram’s forest stronghold, but released no further statement or evidence confirming his condition.
“We learnt that in an air strike by the Nigeria Air Force he was wounded,” Buhari said in a statement from Nairobi, where he is attending a development conference.
“Indeed their top hierarchy and lower cadre have a problem,” Buhari said. “They are not holding any territory and they have split to small groups attacking soft targets.”
Buhari said that Shekau had been “edged out” of the group, adding credence to claims that Islamic State (IS)-appointed Abu Musab al-Barnawi was now in charge of the insurgency.
Signs of a power struggle in the top echelons of the jihadi group appeared earlier this month when Shekau released a video denying he had been ousted.
Barnawi is believed to be the 22-year-old son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf and was announced as the group’s leader in August by IS.
Buhari made his remarks from Nairobi this weekend where he is attending the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, a summit designed to boost ties between Africa and Japan.
The president also said he “is prepared to talk to bona fide leaders of Boko Haram” to negotiate the release of 218 Chibok girls captured by the militants in 2014.
Boko Haram has ravaged northeast Nigeria in its quest to create a fundamentalist Islamic state, killing over 20,000 people and displacing 2.6 million from their homes.
Turning to another major security concern in Nigeria, Buhari threatened militants sabotaging oil infrastructure in the southern swamplands of the Niger delta.
“We will deal with them as we dealt with Boko Haram if they refuse to talk to us,” Buhari said.
The country’s petroleum minister has said that as a result of the ongoing attacks Nigeria’s oil output has dropped 23 per cent from last year to 1.5 million barrels per day, according to Bloomberg News.
Groups including the Niger Delta Avengers are demanding a greater share of oil revenues, political autonomy, and infrastructure development in the southern riverlands where despite massive oil wealth people still struggle to access basic health care and education.
Buhari said his government was in talks with the some of the militants but said there was no “ceasefire”, despite an announcement by the Avengers last week
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode at the weekend carried out extensive inspection of on-going projects across the State, among which is the multi-faceted expansion projects at the ever busy Berger Bus Stop.Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), flanked by Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson (right) and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ajibada Caster Bade-Adebowale (left) during the Governor's inspection of the ongoing construction of multifaceted expansion projects at Berger Bus Stop, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, at the weekend.
The Governor, who ordered contractors to work day and night on the projects to ensure completion by December 2016, said the directive became imperative in view of the strategic importance of the axis being the major gateway to the State.
The expansion projects at Berger include the construction of about 700 meters slip road through which traffic outward Lagos-Ibadan Expressway can connect Omole Phase Two, Magodo Phase One and Olowoora.
The road, which was designed with drainage channels, side walks and street light, is about 6 meters wide and can conveniently accommodate two vehicles at a time.
Apart from the Pedestrian Bridge which has been completed, there are also expanded lay-bys and reservation areas at both sides of the Berger Bus Stop to facilitate easy pulling off of commercial and private vehicles from the main expressway, while massive road improvement, construction of lay-by and reservation projects are equally on-going under the bridge.
Governor Ambode, accompanied by top officials of the State Government, also ordered the construction of iron barricade under the newly completed Pedestrian Bridge to compel usage so as to achieve its main purpose of saving lives and facilitating free flow of traffic.
While briefing Governor Ambode on the work done so far on the Berger projects, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson said the projects, upon completion, will not only give Berger a new befitting look, but also ensure permanent removal of gridlock hitherto associated with the area.
“The idea is that we should have a reservation area for our commercial buses and also a reservation area on top. In the phase one of it, we have on both sides about 200 meters of reservation area. For instance, vehicles coming from upland and wanting to discharge passengers have been accommodated as we have cleared the road further down and we have about three to four base underneath the bridge.
“We have also improved Wakati Adura, Ijaye Road and Isheri Road in such a way that there will not be any traffic gridlock anymore by the time we complete this project and there will be a free flow of traffic around the whole place. We are also moving the Roundabout at PWC forward a little bit to Wakati Adura area and channelise the place just to improve traffic flow,” Johnson said.
The Governor also inspected the newly completed lay-by at Car Wash Bus Stop in Oworonsoki which made it a total of four modern lay-bys constructed in Oworonsoki axis by the Ambode administration.
Besides, Governor Ambode inspected the on-going construction of 1.65km slip road from Olopomeji in Oworonsoki to Ifako with under pass through which vehicles can make U-turn back to either Lagos Island or Oshodi through Gbagada and so on.
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