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2019: AMBODE DEMONSTRATED GRACE, HOLDS NO GRUDGES – BAGUDU
…Says Lagos Gov’s Efforts Ensured 90% Reduction In Nigeria’s Rice Importation
…As COWLSO Urges Women To Rise Against Children Becoming Mothers
Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu on Thursday showered accolades on his counterpart in Lagos, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode for the high sense of maturity displayed in the wake of the political developments in the State, saying the latter demonstrated grace which has united the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2019 elections.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 18th National Women Conference of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Bagudu said while it was inevitable to offend people in life, Governor Ambode had since moved on and holds no grudges against anybody.
Bagudu, who also commended Governor Ambode for achieving a lot for Lagos State, said history would be kind to him for his great works in the State.
“My friend Ambode doesn’t like to be praised; he is a very very private person and I always see a reflection of him in me that how does private people function in all our public work in politics but gratefully he has done a lot for Lagos; he has continued in the tradition and understandably, he might have offended some people.
“I have done so, many others before us have done so but he (Ambode) has demonstrated grace and being the believers that we are, we believe that history will judge him kindly. He holds no grudge against anybody. He has assured me and he loves the people of Lagos State and he is committed to their will,” Bagudu said.
While lauding the Governor Ambode for the Lake Rice initiative, Bagudu said apart from rekindling hope in the ability of Nigerians to achieve a lot for the country, the project also led to 90 per cent reduction in rice Importation.
“Governor Ambode spoke about one of the things I believe is a measure of his greatness which is the partnership between Lagos and Kebbi. Ambode and I have worked in farms in Kebbi State and without Ambode, there wouldn’t have been Lake Rice.
“I want to say it again that without Ambode, there wouldn’t have been Lake Rice and the significance of Lake Rice is that it encouraged a revival in the ‘we can do spirit’ and Mr President captured it adequately when he said at least now when we tell the world we are going to do something they better take us seriously.
“Those Nigerians and a lot of Africans and well wishers who saw Mr President when he visited Prime Minister Theresa May and later on President Trump and announced enthusiastically that Nigeria has reduced its rice importation by 90 per cent can humbly say that without Ambode we wouldn’t have achieved that.
“He (Ambode) supported the Nigerian Rice Initiative and in turn without her excellency Mrs Bolanle Ambode and the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials and the great women of Lagos State who encouraged and supported the Lake Rice and the Nigerian Rice project, that wouldn’t have been possible and so I thank you all for what you have done for Nigeria and what we have done to show that it is possible,” Bagudu said.
Corroborating his colleague, Governor Ambode said the Lake Rice initiative had significantly impacted on the economic fortunes of not only Lagos and Kebbi States but also the entire nation, saying Bagudu also deserved commendation for the success of the partnership.
Besides, Governor Ambode congratulated executives and members of COWLSO for another very successful conference, saying it was on record that Mrs Ambode, along with other hardworking and committed members, had succeeded in taking the association and the annual conference to a higher level.
The Governor said from testimonies, the conference was yet another rewarding two days of networking, eye-opening, educative and inspiring experiences, adding that it now behooves participants to spread the knowledge gained.
According to him, “The opportunity to be part of a conference such as this is a privilege which also comes with a corresponding responsibility. In the spirit of the theme of this conference: “Strengthening Our Collective Impact”, you all have a responsibility to share this experience with other women and men around you.
“This is the only way that the impact of the knowledge gained at this conference can be widened and deepened. It is a burden each and every one of you have to discharge to the best of your abilities.
“The government, no doubt, also has its own responsibility in terms of giving due and deserving consideration to the recommendations contained in your communiqué. I can assure you of our commitment to do our best in this regard,” Governor Ambode said.
In a communiqué for the conference, COWLSO said it was time for women to rise against the menace of children becoming mothers, especially by putting machinery in place for continuous sensitisation and advocacy to address and eliminate the root-causes and consequences.
According to the communiqué which was read by Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, wife of the Secretary to the State Government, COWLSO said government must put structures and policies in place to address the issues of children having children.
“The Government at all levels, policy makers in health sector both at State and local levels, family, society, NGO and so on, must all rise and resolve to eliminate the menace by enacting a policy for a reduction in the minimum age in rendering family planning services from 13 to 15 years,” the communiqué read in part.
At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.
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More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.
The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.
This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.
These were his words:
“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”
@primateayodele
Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.
Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
@primateayodele #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #fulfillment #train #abuja #primateayodele
“Let’s pray not to see train mishap in Abuja-Kaduna, Kaduna-Abuja route.”
This has also been fulfilled.
The project ends decades search for investors, boosts Nigeria’s blue economy
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
Nigeria’s maritime sector is set for a major transformation following a landmark agreement involving the world’s largest container shipping company, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which has secured a 45-year concession to build, manage and operate a modern container terminal at Snake Island Port in Lagos.
The project, to be developed in partnership with Nigerdock, marks one of the most significant private sector investments in Nigeria’s port infrastructure in recent decades and is expected to strengthen the country’s role as a major maritime gateway in West and Central Africa.
For Nigeria, the agreement brings to close decades of efforts to attract large-scale investors to develop Snake Island Port, a strategically located maritime asset in Lagos.
Long-standing concession history
Snake Island’s maritime facilities date back several decades. In 1992, the Federal Government granted a 99-year concession for the island’s port and industrial facilities to Nigerdock, a major maritime engineering and logistics company.
Nigerdock was later privatised and is currently operated by the Jagal Group owned by Nigerian industrialist Maher Jarmakani.
Over the years, the Island Container Terminal fell into disrepair, requiring major rehabilitation and modernization to meet modern global shipping standards.
The new partnership with MSC is expected to transform the port into a state-of-the-art container handling facility capable of attracting larger vessels and increasing Nigeria’s cargo throughput capacity.
Buhari administration approved the project.
The investment framework for the Snake Island development was approved in May 2023 by the Federal Executive Council under then President Muhammadu Buhari.
The approval authorised total private investment of approximately $974.1 million for the project under a Public-Private Partnership structure, including the 45-year concession period.
At the same time, the Federal Government also approved two other major maritime infrastructure projects:
• Development of the Ondo Multipurpose Port in Ilaje, Ondo State, with $1.48 billion in private investment and a 50-year concession.
• Expansion and development of the Burutu Sea Port in Delta State, involving $1.2 billion in private investment and a 40-year concession.
These projects form part of Nigeria’s broader effort to develop its blue economy and expand maritime trade capacity.
Construction partners
Engineering and construction of the Snake Island container terminal will be handled by:
• ITB Nigeria Limited
• DEME Group
ITB Nigeria Limited is part of the Chagoury Group and owned by the Chagoury family, while DEME Group is a globally recognised Belgian marine engineering and dredging company with extensive experience in port construction.
MSC profile
Founded in 1970 by Italian shipping entrepreneur Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, MSC has grown from a single cargo vessel into the largest container shipping company in the world.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the company operates in more than 155 countries and serves over 500 ports worldwide, with a fleet of roughly 900 container ships and over 200,000 employees globally.
The MSC Group also operates major logistics and maritime businesses including inland logistics through Medlog, cruise tourism through MSC Cruises, and port terminal operations across several continents.
According to Forbes, the estimated net worth of MSC founder Gianluigi Aponte is about $43.9 billion as of February 2026, placing him among the world’s richest shipping magnates. The company remains privately owned by the Aponte family, with both founders holding equal ownership stakes.
Management comments
Speaking on the development, MSC Group President Diego Aponte said the company is committed to strengthening its operations in Nigeria and across Africa.
“We are proud to expand our presence in Nigeria through this important infrastructure project. The Snake Island terminal will enhance service delivery and improve port efficiency for our customers and partners in the region,”
Chief Executive Officer of Nigerdock, Maher Jarmakani, described the agreement as a major milestone for the Nigerian maritime sector.
“We are delighted to partner with MSC in developing a world-class container terminal that will enhance Nigeria’s logistics capabilities and support economic growth,” he said.
Economic impact
Industry analysts say the project could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s maritime economy by expanding cargo handling capacity, reducing congestion at Lagos ports and attracting additional international shipping traffic.
The development is also expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across maritime operations, logistics, transport services and port-related commercial activities.
Infrastructure expansion
Beyond the port development, plans are also underway for Nigeria’s first underwater tunnel, linking Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island through Snake Island and connecting the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway corridor through Badagry.
The tunnel project is expected to significantly improve freight movement and road connectivity between Lagos ports and national transport networks.
Strategic milestone
With the entry of MSC into the Snake Island development, industry observers say Nigeria is taking a significant step toward modernizing its maritime infrastructure and positioning itself as a regional hub for global shipping and trade.
For a project that has waited for decades for major international investors, the Snake Island concession represents a turning point in Nigeria’s port development strategy and a strong signal of global confidence in the country’s maritime future.
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
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