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ABUJA REMAINS THE CAPITAL OF NIGERIA

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ABUJA REMAINS THE CAPITAL OF NIGERIA

By

JESUTEGA ONOKPASA.

 

 

Contrary to rather quite irresponsible speculation and baseless propaganda making the rounds, there is absolutely no intent, not to talk of attempt, overt or covert, on the part of the President Bola Tinubu administration to move the capital of Nigeria to Lagos, I can authoritatively report.

 

 

 

 

 

What occurred of recent is the relocation of certain offices for greater functionality and enhanced practicality to a location that best suits them.

 

 

 

 

Some of these offices never even effectively moved to Abuja, in the first place.

 

 

ABUJA REMAINS THE CAPITAL OF NIGERIA.
By
JESUTEGA ONOKPASA.

 

 

By the way, this idea that everything must be headquartered in a country’s capital is a rather unimaginative one which ends up concentrating development in one place to the detriment of other parts of the country.

 

 

 

 

In fact, it is not even replicated in most other countries.

 

 

 

 

 

The Presidency of South Africa is domiciled in Pretoria; the Supreme Court of South Africa seats in Bloemfontein, the Constitutional Court of South Africa seats in Johannesburg; and, the Parliament of South Africa seats in Cape Town.

 

 

 

 

 

In Switzerland, a country with a population that is rivaled by the average state in Nigeria, you still hear of Geneva as much as of Zürich, Basel, Bern or Lausanne.

 

 

 

 

 

Dubai is so well-known across the world, many people think it is a country of its own, whereas it is in reality just a part of the United Arab Emirates, a country whose capital is actually Abu Dhabi!

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the United States of America, whereas Washington DC is the capital, numberless and quite strategic departments and agencies are headquartered elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

The Center for Disease Control, CDC, is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia; the US Nuclear Weapons’ Command (what arguably makes them the world’s most powerful country) is headquartered in Massachusetts; the gold bullion of America, the national wealth of the world’s richest country in solid gold, is not kept in Washington but in Fort Knox in the state of Kentucky!

 

 

 

 

 

It is very difficult to find a single state in America where something critical to the wellbeing of their country is not located, unlike in Nigeria where we have had this utterly retrogressive and quite inequitable practice of concentrating everything in a particular place to the detriment of other parts of the country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Washington State is known for Boeing and Microsoft; Michigan is known for General Motors, Chrysler, Ford, etc; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for steel and Akron, Ohio for tyres; Silicon Valley is in California; Houston, Texas is known for the oil industry and so on and so forth unlike in Nigeria where an head office had initially even been earmarked for the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, in Abuja where there is no port (that building is the present location of the Ministry of Defense) or oil companies producing crude in the Niger Delta are headquartered in Lagos!

 

 

 

 

 

Let us not make mountains out of molehills or display an inclination to be petty, divisive, clannish or regionalistic over everything in this country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is and shall remain the undisputed capital city of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and no one is more committed to upholding that status quo than President Tinubu, himself.

Onokpasa, a lawyer, writes from Abuja.

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EID-EL-FITR: Abeokuta North LG Chairman Lanre Oyegbola Sodipo Urges Residents to Celebrate Responsibly, Hygienically

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EID-EL-FITR: Abeokuta North LG Chairman Lanre Oyegbola Sodipo Urges Residents to Celebrate Responsibly, Hygienically

 

 

The Executive Chairman of Abeokuta North Local Government, Hon. Lanre Oyegbola Sodipo, has called on residents of the local government to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr festival with a sense of responsibility, unity, and hygiene.

The Chairman disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Saturday.

He emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, cleanliness, and adherence to safety measures during the festivities.

Hon. Sodipo congratulated the Muslim faithful on the successful completion of the holy month of Ramadan, describing the period as one of deep spiritual reflection, sacrifice, and devotion to God.

He urged them to carry forward the values of patience, love, and self-discipline imbibed during Ramadan into their daily lives.

The chairman stressed the need for responsible celebrations, urging residents to avoid excessive gatherings that could lead to disorderliness or security challenges.

He encouraged families and communities to celebrate in ways that promote harmony and unity while respecting the rights of others.

Hon. Lanre Oyegbola emphasized the importance of hygiene and environmental cleanliness, particularly during the festive period.

He called on residents to properly dispose of waste, keep their surroundings clean, and observe all necessary public health guidelines to prevent the spread of diseases.

The chairman called for continuous prayers for peace, progress, and prosperity in Abeokuta North, Ogun State, and Nigeria as a whole.

He further advised motorists and road users to drive responsibly and obey traffic regulations during the celebrations to avoid accidents and loss of lives stressing that safety should be a priority for everyone during the festive period.

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Eid al- Fitri – Obasa Felicitates Muslims, Urges Support, Prayers for President Tinubu

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Crisis Deepens in Lagos Assembly: Ex-Speaker Obasa Denies Gun Cache Allegations, Defections Dismissed

Eid al- Fitri – Obasa Felicitates Muslims, Urges Support, Prayers for President Tinubu

 

 

Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has extended a heartfelt felicitation to Muslim faithfuls across Nigeria and beyond on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

The Lagos Speaker seized the occasion to urge Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to continue supporting and praying for the country and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While congratulating the Muslim ummah on the joyous occasion of Eid al-Fitr, Dr. Obasa, in a statement by his media office, emphasised the need to uphold the festival’s inherent values of forgiveness, compassion, charity, and patience beyond this season.

“As we celebrate with excitement and enthusiasm, let us remember that Eid al-Fitr is a moment of thanksgiving, joy, and spiritual renewal. Importantly, let us hold on to the spirits of love, tolerance, kindness, and compassion that we learnt in the holy month,” Obasa stated.

The Speaker urged Nigerians to pray for the country and the President for his transformative efforts and relentless sacrifices to enthrone and entrench a better nation.

“In President Tinubu, we have a leader who is committed to the progress, prosperity, and peaceful co-existence of all. All we need to do as a people is support and pray for him. I do not doubt that his visionary leadership and Renewed Hope blueprint will guide Nigeria back to the right path,” Dr Obasa stated.

Though on recess, the Speaker reiterated the commitment of the Lagos State House of Assembly to promoting religious harmony and policies that will engender and ensure the development and overall well-being of Lagosians nay Nigerians.

He assured that under his leadership, the state legislature will continue to work together in peace and harmony with the primary objective of ensuring economic prosperity while supporting initiatives that enhance the socio-economic growth of the state and Nigeria at large.

Concluding, Dr. Obasa said, “On behalf of my family, colleagues, and the management and staff of the Assembly, I wish our Muslim brothers and sisters a beautiful, bounteous, and blessed celebration.”

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BREAKING: How Illegal Vigilante Groups Carried Out Uromi Killings

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BREAKING: How Illegal Vigilante Groups Carried Out Uromi Killings

 

The Edo State government is on top of the security situation arising from the mob killings of innocent Nigerians at Uromi. The government has long banned all illegal vigilante groups operating in the state.

Governor Monday Okpebholo therefore ordered security agencies to take firm action against the groups. He has also suspended the Commander of the Edo State Security Corps, CP. Friday Ibadin (Rtd.), pending further investigations.

“The local vigilante group involved in the killings was never profiled or registered with the Edo State Security Corps,” and “Its actions do not reflect the principles of the Okpebholo administration”.

So far, 14 suspects have been arrested. A special police team set up by the Inspector General of Police is hunting others involved in the attack.

The Senator Okpehbholo led State government is assuring residents that justice would be served. It urged the public to remain calm while security agencies work to restore order.

BREAKING: How Illegal Vigilante Groups Carried Out Uromi Killings

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