MKO Abiola: OPC and NUJ celebrate 25 years of June 12 presidential election

By: OPANIRAN BOLUWATIFE FAITH

It was a day of historic remembrance for the election, annulment and struggle against the annulment of
the June 12, 1993 presidential election that would have saw Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO)
Abiola as the democratic president of Nigeria, as Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) in collaboration with
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ); Lagos State Council, celebrate 25th anniversary of the election.
With the theme: “Nigerian Politics And Democratic Process MKO Abiola And The June 12, 1993 Cries And
Beyond”, the Excellence Hotel of Ogba-Lagos was capacity filled with heroes, supporters, and several
activists of the June 12 presidential election.
In his keynote remark, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland and OPC founder, Gani Adams, said whether

the Federal Government’s decision was more political than legal as argued by some people, for Gani, it is
crystal clear that the journey to make June 12 the Democracy Day of Nigeria started several years back.
Although he appreciated the president, Muhammadu Buhari for honouring Abiola with the most
prestigious national honour in the country – the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) and
said “I am sure posterity will always be kind to him for putting Nigeria’s democratic history in the right
perspective.
The truth is, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. The June 12 episode was one event that
actually shaped the destiny of this nation, but today, it is a new beginning,” he said.
Admonishing Buhari to take care of the issues of security, good health, education, enduring social
structure, good economy and other good things of life, which will ameliorate Nigerians’ sufferings, Gani
said the way they clamoured and struggled to make June 12 Democracy Day, they need to make
sacrifice, struggle and make a case for restructuring.
“We need to stand firm and raise our voices in support of restructuring. If Nigeria is restructured, the
federating units or states will develop at their own pace.
Our democracy has been so monetised and doesn’t encourage the young people to participate in the
affairs of their country, even though the president has signed not-too- young-to-rule,” he said.
The occasion’s chairman - a human rights activist and lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, however, said
those who annulled and betrayed June 12, 1993 presidential election should apologise.
Sani said it was unfortunate that “these saboteurs did not allow the late Chief MKO Abiola to realise his
dream of enabling Nigerians to say farewell to poverty. But the traitors of June 12 must not be
honoured.
“Those who worked for the late Gen. Sani Abacha and Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to truncate the June 12,
1993 presidential poll must not be honoured,” he said.
The senator, also, lambasted the people who abandoned Chief Abiola during the struggle and hailed
heroes of democracy like the late Gani Fawehinmi, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Prof. Wole Soyinka, the
late Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti and others “for ensuring that Nigerians now enjoy democracy”.

While appreciating Buhari for recognising and declaring June 12 as Democracy Day, he urged Nigerians
to reject any political motive towards 2019 that is behind the honouring those who keep the struggle
flame burning.
Speaking further, he said the greatest honour President Buhari can do to the late Chief Abiola is to
sustain his ideals by promoting unity and ensuring that Nigerians enjoy the good things of life, because
MKO has invested so much of his wealth in the June 12 presidential election.
According to the Guest Speaker, Associate Professor of Political Science, UNILAG, Dr Derin Ologbenla,
“We don’t totally condemn the military government because they constructed several infrastructures,
but they over stay in government and their mode of ruling is not condone,” he said.
He confessed that Nigeria must be restructured, Yoruba must continue to tolerate others ethnic
members of the country, and Nigerians must get their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to stand a chance
to vote them prefered person.
Also speaking, Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council, Dr. Qasim Akinreti
hailed President Buhari for doing justice at the right time by recognising Chief Abiola and declaring June
12 as Democracy Day and requested from the president that MKO’s house should be a presidential
library.
“MKO Abiola should be declared as President elect of the June 12 1993 presidential election of Nigeria,”
he requested.
More so, several personalities who fought for June 12 were given awards at the event, the likes of Dr Joe
Odumakin, Senator Shehu Sani, Alhaji Yerima Shettima; the President of Arewa Youth Consultative
Forum (AYC), Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu; former Abia State Governor, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd), Comrade
Ayodele Akerin, Prof. Shonbi Oluwole, Barr. Babajide, Dr. Jide Rotimi, Comrade Tony Oranta, Dr. Amos
Akingba, Prof. Tunde Babawale, Dr. Derin Aladenla, Representative of Ezendigbo, Prof. Mike Odueze,
Prof. Bayo Lawal, Prof. Oribogunje Oladele, Prof. Chidozie Okoro, Prof. Ogundiwole, NUJ Chairman; Dr. Qasim Akinreti,and many others were honoured.

Nigeria vs Iceland: Arsenal congratulates Super Eagles

By Raji Adam Adebayo

English Premier League side, Arsenal has reacted to Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Iceland in their Group D fixture at the 2018 World Cup.

Ahmed Musa scored both goals for the Super Eagles, as they claimed their first win at the tournament in Russia.

The Gunners have made it clear that they will be rooting for the Super Eagles on the biggest stage as one of their own, Alex Iwobi, plays for the West Africans.

Congratulating the Eagles, Arsenal in a tweet on its official Twitter page wrote “The Super Eagles are soaring now!

“Big congratulations to our Naija boy Alex Iwobi and his SuperEagles team-mates – Nigeria have just beaten Island 2-0 in Volgograd.”

The Eagles will now face Argentina on Tuesday, hoping to book a place in the knockout rounds.

Any Actor that has House in VI, Lekki is into Something Else- Kunle Afolayan

By Raji Adam Adebayo

At a time when many actors are opting to own choice houses in posh parts of Lagos, popular actor Aremu Afolayan is not convinced that they made their money through the craft.

The actor told Saturday Beats that Nigerians are quick to believe anything especially once it is on the internet but the truth is that most actors driving big cars most likely got their money from influential people.

He said, “By the way, I live my life, people tend to think that I am the richest Yoruba actor, but that is a lie. Nigerians assume a lot. I live in a rented apartment because I cannot afford to build one. When they see me buy a new car, they don’t know if I paid for the car in instalments; instead they call me a big boy. What type of big boy lives on N50,000 or N100,000 income per film as an actor? I challenge any Nigerian actor that is living larger than life to state how they made their money because I am sure it is not from the movies they make. I am talking about both the English and Yoruba actors. If they like, they can say they make N5m per film, they cannot afford to build or buy a house at Lekki or Victoria Island or Ikoyi. It is impossible. They should call out mathematicians to figure it out. It is a lie. It is because they meet some influential people that give them businesses or they have side businesses. Since we do not all meet such people or make the kind of money they make through these people, we just have to be content with what we have. In my life, I have never seen an ‘educated illiterate’ country like Nigeria. Nigerians are very gullible when it comes to judging other people’s lifestyle since they do not know anything, they assume. Then social media came and it made things worse.”READ ALSO: I killed our victim because he struggled with us –Suspect

The filmmaker who is often referred to as one of the most controversial actors in the industry for his outspoken nature told Saturday Beats that he was shocked when Nigerians tagged him as a homosexual simply because a picture of him pecking a man surfaced online. He said that at a time, Nigerians called him a gigolo. Now, they are referring to him as gay simply because of a publicity stunt.

“I went to a store with a friend to pick up a wristwatch I had been paying for in instalments. My friend was taking pictures when I told him that we should cause trouble on social media with a picture of me pecking him. When I posted the picture, it went viral within 15 minutes. In fact, we were still in the store when the picture went viral. I was shocked that Nigerians would even conceive the idea that I am gay because I love women. Anybody can be gay and I mean no disrespect to them but as for me, the picture was just done for publicity stunt. I never knew it would go viral that fast.

“People call me a gigolo; how come I do not have money? I know a lot of people that are gigolos and they are doing fine. If they say I am an actor and gigolo, why would I have to sell a car in order to afford another car? What is wrong with me buying Versace and Ferragamo? Why would I be a gigolo and not dress like a posh boy? Why would I be wearing slippers everywhere I go? So why should I answer the people calling me a gigolo? I do not have to convince anyone; when I know that at the end of the day, I would not waste my time convincing you about anything. You can think about anything you like but I am not here to convince anyone,” Afolayan said.

10 reasons why you should buy the Samsung s9

By Okpo Favour

Either Apple is making it easier for Samsung phones to stand out, or Samsung is just getting really, really good at making smartphones.

After using the flagship devices from Apple and Samsung, I've come up with a few ways that the Galaxy S9 beats the iPhone X.

Don't get too upset now, iPhone X users. Your phone has plenty of great features that the Galaxy S9 doesn't have, and that list is coming soon.

For now, though, check out 10 ways the Galaxy S9 beats the iPhone X:

1. The iPhone X's OLED display is great, but the Galaxy S9's is better.

Apple may finally have given one of its iPhones an OLED display, but it still doesn't quite compare to Samsung's own glorious OLED displays.

Samsung's OLED display on the Galaxy S9 produces even more vibrant colors than the iPhone X, and contrast between light and dark parts of the screen is stunning. Apple may have gone for a more "true-to-life" color, brightness, and contrast tuning for its iPhone X display, but if you want something closer to reality, you could just look at the world around you.

2. The Galaxy S9 comes with fast charging right out of the box.

Fast-charging is a feature that has often come in handy, and it comes standard with the Galaxy S9.

Meanwhile, if you want to take advantage of the iPhone X's fast charging, you either need to buy a separate charging brick and cable from Apple, or use the USB-C charger that comes with Apple's more recent laptops. Either way, you'll need to buy Apple's USB-C-to-Lightning cable.

Basically, Apple makes you spend extra for something that comes included with the Galaxy S9.

3. The Galaxy S9's camera can take better shots in low light.

There's no argument here. The Galaxy S9 can widen its camera aperture to a whopping f/1.5 - which allows more light into the lens than the iPhone X's f/1.8 aperture (the smaller the number, the wider the aperture).

Combined with some of Samsung's camera wizardry, the Galaxy S9 can take better shots in dark situations than the iPhone X.

4. The Galaxy S9 has a built-in heart rate monitor.

Feel like checking up on your heart rate? Don't own a smart watch? Go right ahead with the Galaxy S9. It's not a massively popular feature, but hey, it's there if you want it.

5. The Galaxy S9 has a fingerprint scanner.

Apple's decision to remove the fingerprint scanner from the iPhone X has put me off the $1,000 device permanently. Face ID never worked properly when I used the iPhone X for about a month, and I didn't have a fingerprint scanner to fall back on when it failed.

6. The Galaxy S9 has a headphone jack.

No dongles or adapters required here for Galaxy S9 users. The headphone jack is there if you want it on the Galaxy S9, and Samsung still managed to make a sleek smartphone.

7. Android does a few things far better than iOS.

There are a few important things that Android does better than iOS.

For one, notifications are much better designed on Android than they are on iOS. Pretty much everyone I've spoken with who has tried both Android and iOS agrees.

Android is also highly customizable, and you can create some amazing and beautiful home screens as a result, like the one pictured above. If any iPhone X user can make their homescreen look as good as the S9's above, I'd love to see it. Shoot me a tweet or email with your valiant - yet likely futile - efforts. Thanks to Redditor Anithera for the inspiration.

8. The Galaxy S9 doesn't have a notch.

Some don't mind the iPhone X notch, others hate it. Either way, the notch — that module towards the top of the phone that houses the front-facing camera and sensors required to make Face ID work — helped Apple give the iPhone X its beautiful bezel-less design.

Samsung's Galaxy S9 don't have notches, but it means they also come with larger bezels than the iPhone X, at least on the top and bottom of the display. Still, it's not like the Galaxy S9 looks like an old phone with an outdated design. On the contrary, it still looks sleek and modern, even with its narrow bezels.

9. I love Samsung's audio settings, which make music sound better for me.

Buried deep within its settings, the Galaxy S9 has a few audio features that I find enhances music when I use headphones.

The Dolby Atmos feature is like an overall booster of music to make it sound a little more dynamic and exciting.

The UHQ upscaler can give a sound quality boost to your music, even if it's artificial.

The Tube Amp Pro setting gives music a warmer, rounder sound that's similar to classic tube amplifiers.

There's also a Concert Hall setting that basically gives an echo boost to your music, but I don't like it very much. Still, it's there for Galaxy S9 owners to try.

10. To top it all off, the Galaxy S9 is cheaper than the iPhone X.

Anyone keeping track of the Galaxy S9's announcement was pleasantly surprised with its pricing. Samsung sells the regular Galaxy S9 for $720, and it charges $840 for the larger Galaxy S9 Plus model.

Compare that to the iPhone X's minimum $1,000 price tag while considering all the features included with the Galaxy S9, and you'll wonder why anyone would pay quadruple figures for a smartphone.

Two laptops worth your money

By Okpo Favour

We live in a world where smartphones are ubiquitous, tablets are commonplace, and even smartwatches are a thing that people talk about on the regular. But throughout all of these advances, the laptop has remained and for good reason. When it comes time to actually get something done, whether that's editing photos, writing a lot of emails, composing documents, or staying in touch with colleagues and family, the laptop is often the ideal device for the job.

That isn't to say there haven't been advancements in the world of laptops or notebook computers. We don’t have to deal with inch-plus-thick clunkers that weighed upwards of seven pounds and lasted less than two hours away from an outlet. The modern laptop is lightweight, sleek, efficient, easily portable, and powerful enough to get most any computing task done.

It's getting harder to buy a truly bad laptop, but what separates a good laptop from a great one is how it balances power, efficiency, portability, and comfort. It should have a fantastic keyboard and trackpad — after all, those are the two biggest reasons you'd choose a laptop over a smartphone or tablet. Its display should be easy on the eyes, bright, and sharp enough that you aren't distracted by jagged edges and visible pixels. It should be powerful enough for almost anything short of intensive video editing and advanced gaming. It should be easy to carry around from place to place, and it should be able to last all day without needing to be plugged in.

Naming “the best laptop” is a little different than naming the best phone or tablet. People’s needs for their laptop can vary widely. Some people need to do intense video editing and should pony up for a pro machine. Others just need a reliable keyboard and a few windows, so something less powerful will do. Some might want a super light laptop that can sometimes double as a tablet. Here, we’re talking about the best all-around product: a traditional laptop that will work well at most things for most people, and even stretch to handle more intensive tasks on occasion.

There are a lot of laptops that have some of those qualities, but if you're looking for a laptop that hits enough of those marks, the obvious choice turns out to be the right one.

THE BEST LAPTOP RIGHT NOW:

MICROSOFT SURFACE LAPTOP

Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop is the best laptop for most people because it blends power, portability, and battery life better than any other computer. It has a great keyboard and trackpad; a beautiful, high-resolution touchscreen; and comes in four different colors. It uses Intel’s latest processors and can be specced out with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

The Surface Laptop isn’t cheap — the model most people should get runs for $1,299 — but it feels like a premium computer should, and if you spend most of your day working on a computer, you should spend a little more to get a good one.

The one big drawback to the Surface Laptop is it comes with Windows 10S, Microsoft’s limited version of Windows that only allows apps from the Windows Store to be installed. You can easily upgrade the Surface Laptop to Windows 10 Pro, however, and then you can run any Windows app you can find. That upgrade is free through at least the end of the year. Microsoft says it will charge $50 for it at some point in the future, but has not specified exactly when.

THE MAC OPTION: APPLE MACBOOK PRO

If you don’t like the Surface Laptop’s fun colors or the fact that it runs Windows, the best laptop for you is Apple’s MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro has a compact and light design, premium build quality, and the largest trackpad we’ve ever seen on a laptop.

The MacBook Pro comes in a variety of flavors, but most people should go with the 13-inch model that starts at $1,299. It has a standard keyboard and lacks the controversial Touch Bar found on the more expensive versions, but we don’t think that’s a big loss, as the Touch Bar hasn’t yet proven its worth. The one thing that the higher-end MacBook Pros offer is more USB ports. The entry-level version only comes with two USB Type-C ports, which means plugging in accessories will likely require an adapter or two, so be prepared to spend money on at least one dongle.

WHY TEENAGERS SHOULD GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS

By Okpo Favour

So, you're a young dude or chic, beautiful, smart, probably just done with secondary school. The world is amazing; life is bright. You're slaying up and down. You have a lit IG page with about 6k followers. You have enough street cred, you have a loyal clique. Your goons are topnotch. Your gang is wavy. You don't care about governance and politics. You don't care about it at all. APC or PDP? Mehn, they can all go to hell, you prefer ICM. You don't care about who goes into power. It’s none of your business. You're just there for the swag. Lol.

Cool bro, but, may I tell you that you're just digging a grave for not only yourself, but, for your generation and generations after you. Sounds harsh But, it's the truth. If we begin to grow a generation that's just content with the status quo, a generation that doesn't care about how they are ruled, a generation that's afraid to speak truth to power, a generation that's lost their voice, then we are breeding a seven-headed snake. Future generations will come up and blame us for keeping quiet when it mattered the most.  Listen, it’s time to begin to get interested in what goes on in your country. You know why? Every policy that's made by the government has a way to affect you.

Generation Z is one amazing generation. The quality of life and expressions this generation is showing is one that can blow your mind away. Teenagers are becoming the livewire of everything. Can you imagine a church without teenagers right now? No. Teenagers are not just being ignored, no. There is heavy awareness as to the power teenagers carry.

Generation Z starlets are born into the whole tech world. That’s why young people today do not need to painstakingly learn how to use tech tools. It’s just like an inborn skill.

What about the media? Teenagers have owned it. Generation Z have come to revolutionize how we see the media. With Social Media, they have built massive following. You guys have taken over culture, dropping one hot trend or slang and the next day it goes viral. You guys have learned and mastered the art of 'dope' and its cool.

But to what end?

Wait. Are you just gonna be this fly, dope, popular, cool, suave and all? Are you just gonna be all these and then, it all ends there? Don't you think there's a whole lot more you could do with all these attributes, talents and stuff that you've built up.

Just few weeks back in the US, the popular Kids Choice Awards organized by Nickelodeon was held and I was amazed to see teenagers make huge political statements. From Zendeya to Jojo Siwa. I particularly love the denim jacket worn by Millie Bobby Brown which had the names of the 17 students killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on the 14th of February, 2018.

Just go to google and search for the name Emma Gonzalez of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the young girl who gave a rousing speech after the shooting and called out Mr. President. You need to see the way this young teenage girl spoke with such vigor.

We must begin to get creative in our activism. We need to begin to get loud. We need to begin to use our influence well. We need to begin to use our platforms and stages well. Do you sing, rap, model, act? Are you popular? Are you influential? Do you have massive followers on social media? This is the right time to put those into hood use. You should speak out. Talk. Shout. Sing. Act. Boycott. Wear clothes that send a message.

Dear Teenagers, we must not just sit and relax. We must get involved. Every year, JAMB changes its procedures to get admission to universities. Students are left stranded. They have no one to cry to. Our universities are in ruins. It’s a pathetic sight in our institutions. Hungry lecturers teaching hungry students.

And then, when you even finally get the admission, your time in school is not complete until you’ve experienced the normal flexing of muscles by our lecturers and political leaders called ASUU Strike.

Students will be at watching movies, whiling away time, our poor lecturers, hungry; yet it is the least of worries for those in power. Our students are being murdered by allowing hungry, unpaid, un-motivated lecturers teach them in our schools. There is no way on earth they will teach passionately. How then do we now become sound and learned in our fields? Yet when we graduate, we are called 'half baked', 'unlearned', 'uncultured' and so many other funny names.

We must begin to get angry. Don't be deceived, anger is good.

If you think all these don't concern you, you need to think twice. A president’s term lasts for four years. There's a high possibility of winning a second term. That makes it eight years. Get it straight. Whoever gets into power might probably in control for the next eight years.

Now, let's take it personal. You might be 17 right now and have no worries in life. But, think. Eight years from now, you'll be 25. Probably done with school and in the job market. Then, you'll join the bandwagon of wailers and complainers whyning about bad governance. You could have made a little difference few years ago, but, you chose to just be wavy and wavy alone. Whatever actions are taken by those in power will affect you for the next four years of your life…for sure, and probably for the next eight years.

This is the time to ask questions. This is the time to read. This is the time to be woke. This is the time to be alert. This is the time to know how to make political choices. Why should Buhari come back for a second term? Who is Fela Durotoye? Who is Sowore? Why has Atiku been trying to become President for so long? Yes, ask these questions and more. Get interested. That’s the first step.

It is because we are not interested, we then become ignorant. Hence, we can easily be fooled. Yes, when you don't know something, you'll be easily deceived.

2019 is coming. The politicians have started strategizing. They know that teenagers are a strong force. They know that teenagers exist in large numbers. But, trust me, that’s not the only thing they know. They also know that this seemingly large army of teenagers are clueless, gullible and completely disinterested in politics. They don't know their right from wrong. And so, it makes it easy to deceive them.

So, watch and see, they will hit you guys hard. I know the strategy they will use. It’s called the 'Data Strategy'. Yes, watch and see. With data, teenagers will lose their heads, they will sell their conscience, votes, voice.

What's the one thing you guys love?

Data!

They will start sharing data. And yes, the clueless, gullible and easily deceived teenagers will be bribed by data and sell their future for just access to slay on IG.

This is why you must get your PVC. It is a very big shame for you to be 18 years and above, and currently do not have a PVC. We won't be their pawns this time around. And that’s why we need to be woke. We need to be knowledgeable. We need to know what's going on. We need to slay in politics too. Our voice needs to be heard.

Gone are those days when we were just a demography. Now, we are a major force. Teenagers are not just sitting and watching things happen. We are taking the bulls by the horns. We are a new voice. We are aware. We are conscious. We are angry. We are smart. We have questions to ask. We want to be involved. We are here to stay and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

The movement has started! Create Your Tomorrow!

Ogbomoso: Myth of the 331-Year-Old Tortoise

By Raji Adams

In the palace of the Soun of Ogbomoso can be found a 331 year old giant male tortoise that  has witnessed the installation of 17 Souns. The ancient town of Ogbomoso and second largest city in Oyo state, has continued to attract tourists from all over the world because of #Alagba, the legendary giant male tortoise that has lived and witnessed the installation and coronation of 17 Soun’s of Ogbomosoland who have reigned in the town since its inception.

Popularly called #Alagba as a sign of respect because of their claim that it is the   oldest living animal in the world, the tortoise has been acclaimed to be 331 years old by the people of Ogbomoso land.

In deference to its age, it is called #Alagba, which means ‘the elderly one’ in Yoruba. In Ogbomoso, where the legendary tortoise lumbers about in the palatial grounds of the palace, it is almost a sacrilege to refer to #Alagba as an ordinary tortoise.
Since #Alagba is believed to be older than everyone in Ogbomoso, its true age relies heavily on oral history. Its present age was arrived at by calculations done from the period the Soun who brought it to the palace reigned.

The #Alagba, was brought to the palace by His Royal Highness, Oba Ikumoyede Ajao, #The_Third_Soun to the founder of Ogbomoso, who is believed to have reigned between 1770 to 1791.

Oba Ikumoyede, is a hunter who got the tortoise and brought it to the palace before he became the ruler of the town. Since it was customary in those days to transfer the property and all palace belongings to the new monarch, Alagba has remained in the palace after the king’s death till date.

Alagba is said to be guarded by the Soun of Ogbomoso himself,  and three other able men,  which include Mr Adeniyi Alagbe, Mr Abdulahi Bello and Baba Iyabo, who carry out the Oba’s instructions to take care of Alagba. They say the animal eats three   times a day like human beings and that its meals are prepared together with people’s food in the palace. “He usually eats food of  three to four people whenever it is eating and finishes one and half bucket of water (approximately 38 litres of water) which he takes once in every three months.

The animal everything that human beings eat, but likes pawpaw, particularly. It is said to detest heat and plays a lot in the rainy season, moves around in the palace and sleeps under a shaded flower in the palace. His weight is put at over 100kg since its weight is equivalent to two bags of cement, and it requires many hefty men to lift it up.

“No matter how heavy a person is, Alagba will carry him or her on its back and be moving about,  but the incumbent Oba, who cares so much about the well-being of Alagba, stopped people from climbing  on its back as the animal got older.

Alagba used to be caged and chained in the past for protection. This later affected its legs and made them perforate its shell, and connect the chain to it, and tied him down so that the tortoise won’t be stolen.

“The animal has attracted lots of tourists from all over the world and majority of them even wished to take the tortoise away, if they were permitted.

Alagba was sick some years ago and required surgery on its neck, while its doctors put its survival chances at 50 per cent. But later, it recovered, despite Soun’s rejection of the surgery. Also in 2008 during the dry season, he fell sick again for many weeks , which  made him reject food and refuse to play .When Kabiyesi’s attention was called to it, he was treated and started eating and playing after the treatment.

Just like some items in traditional palaces that exist for mystical purposes,  Alagba’s existence in the palace has no such inclination. Alagba is just a special creature by God and an aged animal that is well taken care of by the Kabiyesi .He reiterated that there are veterinary doctors who attend to it, give drugs that they put in his drinking water and its food, adding that it would have died if it was still in the bush.

Moreover, all sorts of myths have been woven around Alagba. Some say it hears what people say but cannot speak, Alagbe says. “It recognises kabiyesi‘s voice. If kabiyesi calls it Alagba, it will be shaking its head in agreement, while some people stay near Alagba to offer prayers for longevity.”

A source at the palace told us that for a long time since its existence, Alagba was the only being that the king‘s wives usually run to for refuge to avoid the king’s anger. The king usually pays  him  a visit  whenever he is coming back from an outing or strolling around the palace.

Whatever might have been anybody’s offence to the king, the kabiyesi overlooks it if such person runs to Alagba for protection.

The tortoise refused to respond when one of the guardian took our reporter to Alagba for introduction, because she called him Ijapa (Yoruba name for tortoise) when she got there. It responded when   called Alagba twice and was told he has a visitor. The ancient one slowly opened one of its eyes and brought out its neck full of age, spots and thick rough warts, and started moving round the palace.

Slowly, it retreated into its thick shell and went back to sleep, its thoughts as mysterious as its age.

Debunking claims by some people of celebrating Alagba’s birthday some years back, a source at the palace said there has never been any celebration in his name, and that no importance is attached to him because of the conviction that people may want to start worshipping him if such is done. “Kabiyesi only makes reference to him whenever there is celebration in the palace in recognition of past Obas, but no occasion has been organised in respect of the tortoise.

Contemplating on how Alagba’s age can be determined, apart from the use of oral history, Mr Adegbola of Ibadan Agbodi zoological garden, said looking at the body cells and carapace (shell) of tortoise can help to determine its true age. He claimed not to be expert in that area, but grew to understand that, having worked in the zoo for over 20 years now. He however claimed that it is possible because he has seen  tortoises  that live long , but not as long as Alagba, adding that the new one in their garden is now 38 years old.

He was however doubtful of the possibility of any expert in the country undertaking a venture to determine Alagba’s true age, since it would be of no economic value to them.

According to mirrornews@mgn.co.uk on the internet, tortoises generally live longer and give reasons for their longevity.
The site gave the reason why tortoises are able to live so long as having a lot to do with how they are built and how they live. They are protected by a strong hard shell and they are good at avoiding predators. They also live and move slowly, which means they use up less energy than lots of other creatures. If a tortoise is unable to find enough food, they can survive for longer on less, more easily than animals that burn through their energy really quickly.

The site also added that Addwaitya, the giant tortoise, is reckoned to have been 255 when it died at an Indian zoo in 2006, making him the oldest animal in the world. Jonathan, the tortoise, is believed to be 176-years-old and was photographed during the Boer war around 1900, and its life has spanned eight British monarchs from George IV to Elizabeth II and 50 prime ministers. It was taken on the South Atlantic island of St Helena, where Jonathan still lives today, along with five other tortoises David, Speedy, Emma, Fredricka and Myrtle, in a plantation.

The previous oldest tortoise was widely thought to be Harriet, a giant Galapagos land tortoise, that died in 2005 aged 175 in Australia. Despite its old age, locals say it still has the energy to regularly mate with the three younger females.

In March 2006, it was reported that an Aldabra tortoise at the Calcutta zoo died and was estimated to be 250 years old. A Madagascar radiated tortoise was said to have lived in captivity to at least 188 years. Similarly, a 176-year-old giant tortoise from an Australian Zoo died in June, 2006. Typically, the Galapagos tortoise lives 150 years. Other varieties regularly live to be 100.

But now Alagba is seen to be the oldest living animal in the world, having gone through the history of other long living animals.

Some of the visitors at the palace who came to see Alagba advised that he should be taken to museum to generate revenue for government, as such kind of creature is rare to come by these days.

There are also insinuations that some people are planning to steal the animal, which someone said is the reason behind the security around the tortoise.

Lagos in search of a sustainable tourism-driven economy

By Omorisiefe Gloria

It was a gathering of who-is-who in the country’s tourism industry, as well as those from the entertainment, arts and culture sectors, as Lagos State Government recently hosted a one-day tourism summit.

The session, which is in line with the its commitment to cause a major shift in marketing the tourism and creative potential inherent across the State, was held at the Eko Hotel & Suite, Victoria Island, Lagos, with former president of Ghana John Mahama as keynote speaker.



The summit, which was held under the theme, Destination Lagos: Towards A Sustainable Tourism-Driven Economy, created a platform for experts and stakeholders in the sector to make input into the proposed Lagos State Tourism Master Plan, which is being prepared to drive tourism development in the state, as well as set the tone for repositioning Lagos as a majority destination.

Aside the main theme for discourse, the summit, which featured paper presentations by renowned stakeholders in the tourism business, panel discussions involving heads of tourism agencies and big players in the sector, also tackled other topics such as Exploring the Lagos Tourism Eco-system for Economic and Social Benefits; Financing tourism: the path and possibilities for Lagos State, and M.I.C.E, Creative Content as Tourism Industry panacea.

Particularly, Prof. Ibukunoluwa Ayodele of the University of Ibadan delivered the lead paper, while the Minister for Information, Tourism and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed spoke on Tourism as the new oil.



In his opening remarks, Lagos State governor Akinwunmi Ambode said the summit further demonstrates the government’s commitment to finding alternative platforms that can enrich Lagos and propel its prosperity continuously.

In his opening remarks, Lagos State governor Akinwunmi Ambode said the summit further demonstrates the government’s commitment to finding alternative platforms that can enrich Lagos and propel its prosperity continuously.



“Just a week ago, we held a security summit at this venue. Today, this tourism summit furthers demonstrates our commitment to find alternative platforms that can enrich our state. We are very proud of our culture and heritage; there’s nobody that is going to tell the story of the black people if Lagos doesn’t stand up to tell that story,” he said.



According to the Governor, the Lagos State Tourism Master Plan is one of the legacies his administration is determined to bequeath to Lagosians and coming generations.



“We’ve put tourism at the core of our growth strategy at this point in the development of this state, laying a solid foundation for a continued prosperity of Lagos and Lagosians.

Lagos Residents Lament Poor Power Supply

By Ezeagu Gladys

Dwellers of Olowu community in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State has groaned over the poor electricity supply in their environs.

Some of the residents who disclosed the situation lamented that they had expected the situation to improve with the regular patrol of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) officials, but reverse seems to be the case.

According to a business woman in the area, Mrs. Alice Odungbe, ''inadequate power supply had crippled my business; I have lost many customers because when they fluctuated the power last week, it damaged two of my freezers, which I was told would cost N30,000; and how much do I make per day after all expenses.
IKEDC should supply regular electricity that commensurate with the crazy bills we pay.''

Speaking on areas mostly affected, a landlord, Mr Bright Chucks dictated Paul Okpanachi Avenue, Banjo Street, and Taiwo Street, among areas bitterly complaining over the unending trauma that IKEDC has subjected them to.

Futhermore, a tenant in Paul Okpanachi Avenue, Mr. Odunyemi Oluwaseun, added that areas like Fatade, Oluwaga, Peace Estate next to Jamiu Lawal has had improved power supply, but theirs is not giving hope for improvement.

"Why is Paul Okpanachi Avenue different from the others?" he said angrily and urged the State Government to urgently address the situation promptly.

random interview conducted for dwellers interviewed in affected areas testified that some of them is currently enjoying distorted electricity for days and weeks now, in contrary to situations in the past, when they had to uninterrupted power supply for days, weeks, and, even months.

(Ezeagu Gladys - NMC/15/079)

Singer Davido, Dedicates new single to girlfriend.

By Benedict Sandra

The internet is currently in a turmoil as every tweet, every post and comment are related to singer Davido releasing a new single dedicated to Girlfriend and surprising her with a Porsche.
David Adeleke with stage name, Davido is a nigeria recording artist who debuted his first single "Damiduro" under "Honorable kings of Newschool" HKN records in the year 2012 which brought him to limelight as it was a hit.
The singer then moved on to starting his own record label "Davido Music Worldwide" DMW after numerous hits.
Davido presently is the father of two daughters from two Ladies. The first which is Sophia Momodu has a baby girl named Imade Adeleke and another baby girl Named Hailey Adeleke from Amanda his alleged girlfriend based in Atlanta.

Until

recently, the singer has never professed Love publicly, keeping his relationship out of social media, even his relationship with his baby mamas were not entirely on social media until it involved his children.
The singer who took to his snap, Instagram and twitter any chance he gets to profess his love for his Girlfriend Chioma who he said to have been dating for a period of five years now but decides to come public with her recently is said to be mad over heels in love. He dedicated his new single ASSURANCE  released on the 30th of April which was chioma's birthday to her and also gifted her with a Porsche car.

He said in a speech he gave at the pre birthday party of his Girlfriend "so many niggas are in love but they scared to show it, y'all are pussies. I'm in love"

Davido Celebrates Lover's Birthday with New Single

Award-winning musician, David Adeleke popularly known as Davido, who is deeply in love with a lady named Chioma Avril Rowland, took the relationship to a whole new level by celebrating her birthday with a new song titled "Assurance".

The singer also held a pre-birthday party for Chioma, one which he hosted himself, and in a video trending on Instagram, he declared his undying love for his girl.
 Davido has furthermore, taken his love for Chioma to another level as the musician has gifted her with a brand Porsche which reportedly costs over N30 million.

The father of two presented her with the car this Monday evening at her birthday dinner.

Eat healthy,Be healthy and smile!!

By Mercy Ben-kalio

Do you want to improve your life and be happier? .Here are healthy lifestyle tips you can put into your daily life to promote your health and well-being. Some are tips that you should do on a daily basis and others are minor changes you can make to your life to foster healthy living.Seeiimplement thses tips today to live a healthy and happy life.

1.Eat a well-balanced diet. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Avoid foods that are processed and reduce your intake of foods that are high in fat, sodium and sugar.
2.Daily exercise is one of the most important healthy lifestyle tips. Exercise on a daily basis for at least 30 minutes per day. Brisk walk, aerobics, or just any kind of bodily movement can do wonders for your health.
3.Maintain a balanced lifestyle. There should be a balance between your work time and your leisure time. Remind yourself, “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.”
4.You should sleep 6 to 8 hours per day. This will help your body to replenish itself and gives your body time to rebuild its cells. Lack of sleep make you feel tired and affect your eating habits. Adequate sleep is essential for your overall health and well-being.
5.Reduce your intake of alcohol. It is best if you could avoid it, but if you cannot, make sure that you only consume alcohol in moderation (a glass of wine or a can of beer per day)
6.Do not worry. Worry will not help you solve your problem and it is not good for your health. Worry is the main causes of many physical ailments that send people to hospitals. Remember that most of the things that you worry about will probably never happen anyway.
7.Always be happy.People who are happy and have a fulfilled life tend to be healthier and live longer.
8.Avoid your exposure to toxins like pesticides, molds, fungus and heavy metals like lead, mercury, aluminum,problems
9..Take daily vitamins, mineral and herbal supplements to maintain your overall health or deal with your specific health problems
10.Remind yourself that it is natural for you to be healthy. Health is your natural state, not sickness.
Healthy living is the essence of overall health – physical and mental. Following this simple healthy living tips can take you a long way. You don’t have to worry about lifestyle diseases that plague every second person.

Nigerian traditional wears

George Emmanuella

Fashion designers in Nigeria, as well as major manufacturers of fabrics and ready-made clothes, constantly draw inspiration from traditional styles of clothing, creating new collections of attires and fabrics. They might make changes to the colour combinations and cuts in accordance with the new world fashion trends. Also, famous European and American designers who are known worldwide, continually use traditional African prints and designs in their collections. The simple fact is, only people that do not forget their past and culture are worthy of response.
Fashion in Nigerian traditional styles is very popular among trendsetters. Let’s talk about the latest trends and styles in 2018 when it comes to native fashion. Anyone can choose an attire to their own taste. See the latest images. Be stylish and beautiful! Fashion and style in Nigeria Nigerians, probably more than any other African people, like to wear clothes in their traditional fashion and style. If they do not wear the complete traditional look, there will be at least one cultural element in their outfit.

These looks are not just for parties and events. They are also great as casual wears. Look around you and you will spot elements of traditional fashion in both male and female outfits. Nigerian traditional wears Fashion designers in Nigeria, as well as major manufacturers of fabrics and ready-made clothes, constantly draw inspiration from traditional styles of clothing, creating new collections of attires and fabrics. They might make changes to the colour combinations and cuts in accordance with the new world fashion trends. Also, famous European and American designers who are known worldwide, continually use traditional African prints and designs in their collections. The simple fact is, only people that do not forget their past and culture are worthy of respect. African style make use of various kinds of ornaments and embellishments. Either it’s a classic geometric large or small pattern, or a floral design where either the flowers are clearly drawn and other very complicated ornaments could be used. It all depends on the designer's level of fantasy and creativity. But if a pattern is small, the colours of the fabric are basic and conservative. Fabric with a large pattern usually come in bright colours.

Nollywood is demonising the Nigerian culture

Grace Bello

 The Nigerian film industry, popularly called Nollywood, has been a big source of pride since it officially took off in 1992 with the production of Living in Bondage. It has provided wealth, fame and prestige to Nigeria and thousands of Nigerians.

  Ironically, right from Living in Bondage, producers of Nigerian movies have tended to cast the Nigerian traditional life as evil, as well as portraying Nigerians as people who make their money through the power of the occult and human sacrifice.

 

The reason Chinua Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart and Arrow of God was to present a balanced view of the African life before the advent of the European colonialists, thereby puncturing the negative portrayal of Africa by Europe as barbarians.  Achebe did not seek to glorify Africa; rather, he chose to present a society that was not irrational or lawless, even though it had its flaws.

  Sadly, many Nollywood writers and producers have adopted the neo-colonial mindset in their films which focus on Nigerian traditional ways of life. For the sake of specificity, I will focus on Igbo culture in this discourse.


 Anytime a Nigerian film focuses on an Igbo village as well as the city, there are some constant narratives: 1. The village is the home of poverty, while the city is the place of wealth and good life. 2. The village is the home of witches and wizards while the city is the home of good men and women. 3. The traditional religion in the village is evil but the Christian religion in the city is the good that always overcomes the darkness in the village. 4. The village is a lawless society where one man can seize the property of anybody, especially widows, with nobody stopping him except by divine intervention, while the city is the land of order.

  It has become a joke passed around that once you see an actor like Pete Edochie or Chinwetalu Agu in a film set in a traditional Igbo community, a widow will be dealt with mercilessly. Her goats and chickens will be confiscated in broad daylight. She will be barred from farming on her husband’s lands. Sometimes, the terror is a king in an Igbo community that acts as he wishes, confiscating people’s property as well as daughters and wives, arresting people and even killing some.

CASUAL WEARS VS FORMAL WEARS

By Benedict Sandra

Many people find it diffiult to pick an outfit for formal occassions as they can't tell the difference between casual wears and formal wears.

Casual wear refers to the clothes we use for everyday wear. You want to dress better in your everyday activity but you don't want to go over top with your dressing most style advice revolves around suiting you.

This style emphasises on comfort, relaxation, and informality. It includes a wide range of clothes and styles. Casual dressing gives first place to personal expression and comfort over formality and conformity.
Casual wears includes; Tee-shirts (polo shirts, turtlenecks, etc.), jeans, jackets, , hoodies, summer dresses, skirts, ,  and sandals are examples for casual wear.


Sportswear, clothes worn for manual labour also falls under casual wear. It can be worn when you are going on trips, shopping, and casual outings with friends. This style is also worn by high school and college students unless the schools don’t have a specific uniform.

Casual wear is usually made from materials such as cotton, jersey, denim, polyesterCasual wear is not made from expensive and dressy materials such as chiffon, brocade, and velvet. Casual wear should not be worn for ceremonial events, parties, weddings and other formal events, business meetings or to work (in offices).

FORMAL WEAR

Formal wear are clothing that is suitable for formal events such as ceremonial events, weddings, balls, formal dinners, etc. Formal wear is mostly worn at formal dances, and entertainment industry award programs.

Although most people associate black tie with formal wear, the satirically proper dress code for formal wear is white tie for evening and morning dress for daytime. Women are supposed to wear ball gowns or formal evening (floor length) gowns.

Uniforms such as formal military uniforms, law court dress, academic and graduate dress are also considered as formal wears.

Knowing the difference between casual wears and formal wears is an essential knowledge when styling one self. It easier and better as it helps you know what to wear to suit the occasion.

Catholic Church Celebrate Easter at NIJ

By Raji Adam Adebayo

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic  Church, Ogba  came out in full force to meet the risen Christ in an elaborate gathering on The Nigerian Institute of Journalism football field on Monday 2nd, 2018

This obviously is to celeberate the  Easter Monday with activities which varies from sport, dance presentation, brief ministration, music and so on.

However, a factor to note about the celebration is the sircularity that overshadowed the event. With street jamz booming from all corners that has a speaker and the physical appearance of the youth present. Anyone without a former 0knowledge about the event would not think of it as a religious gathering but rather another carnival you must attend.

In a chat with Judian, a participant and equally a member of the church she said the gathering was to bring people together and celebrate the risen Christ. She also said, to her, it is an avenue to skip church activities"

Tonto Dikeh blasts Musician concerning BBNaija's Nina

By Benedict Sandra

Actress Tonto Dikeh has blasted musician and blogger, Tunde Ednut, for shading Nina Onyenobi a.k.a Nina, one of five finalists of the just concluded BBNaija “Double Wahala’reality show.

Nina Onyenobi HoH BBNaija `Double Wahala’ The actress commented on a blurry video of the ex-housemate that Tunde Ednut posted on his Instagram page.

He captioned the post, “Nina, stop using android.” Tonto Dikeh commented some minutes later with her handle,@tontolet and she said, “ Tunde, you have been a celebrity longer than I can remember , so you can afford a phone.” “Send her one, she needs it.

We are waiting since you are the first to notice it.” Other fans of Nina applauded Dikeh for giving him the “well-deserved reply”. @anuoluwapelumi said, “Tontolet, God bless you for that reply.” @therealmandy05 said, “Mama, thank you for this.

This guy is just uncouth but he’ll meet his match someday #peace.” @adeolaoyerinde said, “You’re the best, the reply was just perfect.” @zarabee said , “ Please leave Nina, what is wrong with using an android phone. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nina and four other finalists are currently on media tour since returning to Nigeria. Other finalists, Cee-C, Alex , Tobi and Miracle.

Buhari should apologise to youths – Shehu Sani

Grace Bello

Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central has said president Muhamadu Buhari must apologise to the youths over the unfortunate comments credited to him that the Nigerian youths, “do nothing” and want everything for “free”.

In a facebook post on Friday, Sani simply asked President Buhari to withdraw the statement and apologise. He also requested that the president tell the youths what he had done for them and what he would do for them in future.



”The President should simply withdraw the statement on the youths and apologize; and tell them what he will do for them in addition to what he had done for them.The President spin doctors are trying to spray fragrances on the feces and lace the dung with olive oil, it’s absurd.The President is a human being, he can gaffe and should be forgiven and should not be sent to the political guillotine.

“As for the Youths, the challenge is to pick the baton and lead and stop holding the Alsatian Dogs of the political elite.The President echoes the perception of the bourgeoisie power elites, the youths must rise against it.”

Top Apps to Use for Your Android Phones

Favour Okpo


It's almost mid year and I would like to share my top ten apps that i love and is also a must have for everyone who uses an android phone. Before I start I would like to make it clear that all this apps are free to download, without fodaadu  let's get into the count down.
10- Stream:
Have you ever wanted to stream music on YouTube but you can't close the app or do anything but be stuck in the app. That's why you need the stream app. It let's you stream music, movies etc from YouTube while doing other things on your mobile phone which is a huge deal for any individual in this century. However the only limitation this app has is that it does not play while the phone is off because that is just against YouTube's policy and I think we can all angry that that is fair.
9- Lens distortion.
Who doesn't like a good photo editing app? This app has been a favourite on the iPhone for a long time so I had to check if it was available for android users and I found it and you should get it.
8- Particle constellation's.
This app is a simply a screen saver that makes star light movement at the background of the phone screen and it is pretty cool. And yes you can adjust almost every detail about the screen saver like how fast you want it to go or how slow, the size of the dots as well.
7- Medium.
This app is under a popular brand and it offers so much more. Medium is like twitter but very intuitive. People get to share their stories in longer form rather than the 150 character we're used to on Twitter. What I'm mor peculiar about is the fact that when you sign up and follow topics that you are interested in you get notifications peculiar to that topic. Its also a place I go to just read interesting topics, peoples thoughts and journals. It is very limit less.
6- Smash hit.
I cannot make a list of my top ten favourite apps and not talk about a game. Although Smash hit is not a recent one it is one I will recommended any day and time. The goal with this game is to smash all the glasses in your way to get to the next level. its pretty tough but very fun to play.
5- Preview.
This is an app that i will highly recommend for anyone that is very particular about their Instagram page. This app let's you plan or preview you Instagram page on a temporary platform before you upload to your real page. It helps you see what it would look like after you upload to your page.
4- Canva.
Canva  is basically a design app that let's you create designs if you don't want to do the heavy lifting on Photoshop or more complex editing apps. I like Canva a lot is because the numerous and actually nicely design templates that it comes with.
3- AZ Screen Recorder
Starting from Android 5.0 Google allowed apps to be able to record your device. I don't know why this app doesn't already come with phones already but there are many of this apps in the play store. Its a pretty necessary app so go get it now.
2- Moldiv.
Apart from being able to do so many things at once. It is an app that let's you create collages into very adjustable frame and moldiv has a large collection of them. The frames are easily customizable and you can play around with all various option.
1- VSCO.
Thus is my all time favourite app and I can say that eighty percent of my pictures are edited with this app. I got to know about VSCO from a very dope British blogger called ultra links. It was in his tutorial book. VSCO basically helps you make good looking pictures look even better. Its free to download but I highly recommend an investment on one preset atleast.
Those are my top ten apps but but guess what, because I'm a very nice person I have two bonus apps.
1-E Book Droid.
This might not be the best looking app but its an app I highly recommend it if your in school or you read a lot of e books. The main thing I like about this app it that it can read a whole range of book format.
2 Pay Day Investors App.
If there is one thing I love to do is putting money out for future purpose. Imagine you can take money regularly out from your existing bank account and invest it, monitor it and watch it grow over time, well that is what ARM did with this app. You can set investment goals, using their calculator you can see how much you can put in and what you stand to benefit after investing. So your not just putting money your actually benefiting, and at the time of weighting this article  you are gaining 15.7% in yeild. Just in case you need more help ARM has gone ahead to create a blog that gives you investment advice and many answers to frequently asked questions.

Senate President Visits Injured Sergeant-at-Arms Attacked by Thugs

By Opaniran Boluwatife Faith

Senate President Bukola Saraki on Sunday visited Sandra Davou, one of the sergent-at-arms who was at senate plenary on Wednesday when thugs invaded the red chamber. 

The thugs had made away with the mace, after attacking some persons in the upper chamber.

Davou was assaulted and injured during the incident.

Saraki was accompanied by Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president.

Below are pictures from the visit:

Korede Bello Bags Distinction at NIJ Convocation

By Opaniran Boluwatife Faith

The Nigerian Institute Of Journalism, Lagos celebrated it’s convocation ceremony this weekend and Mavin superstar act Korede Bello is one of the graduands who made away with a distinction.

NIJ presented one thousand three hundred and forty-one (1,341) “graduands of five academic sessions from 2013-2017 sets” during their 5th convocation on Friday, April 20.

The award of National Diploma (ND) certificate was presented to 501 students, Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate was presented to 407 students, Post-Graduate Diploma (PGD) certificate was presented to 352 students, Proficiency Certificate Journalism was presented to 64 students and Proficiency Certificate in Writing and Communication was presented to 17 students.

The ”Melanin Popping” frontliner bagged a distinction in Higher Diploma alongside 6 other students. He was also awarded the best student in “Editorial Writing” by the Monotechnic.

Lagos: Agugu Residents Bemoan Their Bad Road

By: Ezeagu Gladys

Residents of Agugu in Ajeromi-Ifelodun axis of Lagos state have lamented the dilapidated and useless state of their road, thereby, calling the state government for help.

This came even as the road becomes a death trap, and useless for commuters to carryout their business activities, at present time when the rain seems to be here again.

It was, however, observed that several areas in Lagos state are suffering from inaccessibility due to poor state of their roads, and the Agugu road is part.

Speaking to some commuters across Agugu Street, they made how they have been praying and waiting on the state government for years; on this road known.

However, their prayers seemed to have been answered last year when some sets of individual began road and drainage reconstruction, but couldn't see the completion.

According to a motorist, who simply identified himself as Baba Wale, "the road condition is unpleasant, especially in this rainy season of the year. We can't drive through this route when it's rained. What we do is to take another route, which takes longer time than expected.

Although, after years of neglect, there were several actions to reconstruct the road last year, for the first time, there was a ray of hope for the road; the road is still bad and useless." He said.

Also, speaking with one of the Okada riders who simply identified himself as Ifeanyi, he said “we were happy when they began works on this road, but we can’t say that now. The road is affecting my Okada business and other businesses here. It makes me sad every time I think of how long it will take for the road to be accessible again?”

A resident, Mr. Bolaji Ogunbiyi, noted that the construction, which has been going on for over a year, has made the roads even more miserable.

He said “the road is so bad and not accessible. There are countless pot holes in the middle of the road, which stop water when it rained.

We urged the Lagos state government to help us rehabilitate the road before it sends us back to our villages," he said.

(NMC/15/079)