Mende Estate: Lagos homeowners decry demolition, seek compensation

Sadly, the residents of Mende Estate Villa in the Maryland area of Lagos State have decried the recent demolition of their multimillion naira houses in the area by the Lagos State Government while seeking compensation for a new shelter.

Our correspondent, who visited the area on Sunday, observed how the estate’s homes were destroyed and how the occupants hastily packed their possessions to leave.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, some residents bemoaned how terrible it was to exit their houses without having a backup plan and a comfortable place to sleep.

PUNCH Metro had reported that the state Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, had said the demolition was needed to reclaim the Odo Iya Laro drainage channel.

Also, a popular Nigerian singer, Yemi Alade, had decried the demolition carried out at the estate while stating that such action would discourage those interested in investing in real estate in the state.

A member of the resident association who pleaded anonymity claimed that the residents tried to negotiate with the Lagos State Government but were ignored and that they were not given any prior notice before the demolition began on Saturday.

“The Lagos State Government came and said they wanted to demolish the place. They did not serve us any letter of demolition. We were negotiating with the government yesterday (on Saturday), and before we knew it, they just moved in with their bulldozer.”

He added that although there were miscreants in the estate, the security guards were making every effort to stop them from stealing their possessions.

“They have not told us what they want the estate for. All they said was that we were too close to the canal. Miscreants are everywhere, and the security officers are trying to prevent them from stealing anything because residents’ properties are scattered everywhere,” he lamented.

Another resident in the area, simply identified as Kayode, said the government asserted that the houses were too close to the canal and that they had yet to discuss with the residents.

Kayode added, “Nothing has been said so far. We are hoping that they will come and have a discussion with us. For now, all we know is that we have to move out. They do not care where we will move. They have started demolishing areas around a bridge in the area, and we never thought it would get to our area.”

He stated that the issue might potentially end in court, and he was hoping that the appropriate party would win.

“They said the houses are too close to the canal, but they should have known before now because before we all built all the houses, we got approval from the government. I am sure the issue will end up in court, and the court can decide who they think is right,“ he said.

Another resident, simply identified as Tega, claimed that the residents’ biggest nightmare came true when the government gave them two hours to leave their houses.

She said, “We did not get any prior notification. They gave us two hours to exit the estate. They told us yesterday (on Saturday). Most people have moved out since then, and we are just trying to get the pieces today. It is the worst nightmare for some of the families here.”

When contacted, the Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, stated that before the demolition, several meetings were held with the residents.

Omotoso said, “The government cannot be so heartless as to tell people to leave their homes in two hours. The Commissioner for Environment was on Arise News Television this morning (Sunday), and he explained everything.

“He explained how many years they had been at it, even before he came to office. On his social media page, he released a series of videos of meetings he had with them.

He added that the state Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources paid a visit to the estate two weeks ago and engaged in negotiations with the residents, adding that the community at large needed to be prevented from flooding.

“He was there last week and two weeks ago. It is not true that they were given two hours. They have been negotiating with them, but the thing is, we do not look at the larger picture.

“If we say one house must stay and the whole community will have to suffer when there is flooding, then that is not right. No one can exit them without prior notice in a country that is governed by law. Should they be compensated for building on drainage channels? I have never heard of that, and the law does not say so.”

@PUNCHNG

Residents of Odo Iragbushi protest the 10 years delay in appointing a new traditional ruler in the area

Residents and leaders of Odo Iragbushi, a community in Eredo Local Council Development Area, of Epe, Lagos State on Friday staged a peaceful protest demanding an expedited action on the appointment and installation of a new traditional ruler for the town.

The residents noted that the ancient town had no monarch for more than 10 years after the demise of the late traditional ruler Oba Julius Aladegbusi.

The protesters, who were led by the youth leaders of the community argued that the lack of a traditional ruler in the community for almost ten years has had a negative impact on its development.

They appealed to the Lagos State Government to ratify the community’s choice of a new king, Prince Tomina Odutuga.

A youth leader in the community, Comrade Babatunde Moshood who spoke on behalf of the residents asked the government to consider the people’s choice and speed up the process of installing a new king for the community while warning that any manipulation against people’s wish may plunge the town into chaos.

He noted that all their efforts on this matter were truncated by the bigwigs in and outside the community while the two contenders for the kingship post have been an issue in the community.

He noted that the community leaders and the youth on several occasions had dialogued with the two contenders to allow peace to reign but none of them was ready to step down for each other.

Meanwhile, the community had early last year staged a peaceful protest to the Governor’s Office and the State House of Assembly this year where they sent petition letters to the Lagos State Governor, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs and other concerned ministries. Today again, a peaceful protest was staged in the community as a reminder.

*Bago: Unveiling A Rare Phenomenon In The Niger*

By Okino Jeremiah

Umar Bago has an energetic personality. Though a politician, he is not your everyday breed. He is a departure from the norm and is unafraid to be heard when it matters most. As Governor of Niger State, he has done what others could not do in years. He has changed the face of development in the state. But it came with a price.

Governor Umar Bago represents a dawn in leadership with the manner he had carried on in Niger State. His is a mix of passion, dedication and commitment. He has stayed faithful to his campaign promises of prioritising youth empowerment, quality education, and provision of basic infrastructure that would make life meaningful for the people.

We must agree that it is one thing for politicians to make promises and another for them to be fulfilled. It is an undeniable norm in Nigeria, and why hope seems lost for the ordinary citizens who have taken their destinies into their own hands.

In Nigeria, campaign promises are empty. It is a bane that refuses to go away. But the Governor of Niger State is attempting to change this narrative with his leadership style in the state. His energy has enveloped the entire state. There is only one language that must be learned. The language of work and more work for the benefit of the state.

“For kick-starting the process of transforming his state into what is now termed the “New Niger” through urban renewal, rural transformation, and huge infrastructural investments; for blocking leakages that have saved N10 billion for the state within four months in office, and adopting fiscal responsibility measures to set the state on the path of progress, Mohammed Umaru Bago is Governor of the Year 2023.”

This was how Leadership Newspaper described the Governor of Niger State in recognition as the Governor of the Year at its annual leadership awards in 2023. Were you surprised? A visit to Niger State would kill your curiosity. It is not the state that you used to know. It is now a “New Niger.”

The “New Niger” with a Farmer Governor at the helm of affairs. A first in the annals of the country. The ongoing agricultural revolution in Niger State is phenomenal. The recent partnership between Niger and Lagos States on food security is a worthy example.

The “Produce of Lagos” Initiative is a long-term strategic partnership between Niger and Lagos, where Niger State will produce food items (Paddy, Tubers, Legumes, Grains etc.) and Lagos State will position itself to be a major organised market (off-takers). I am struggling with the correct expression for this partnership. But a few facts will be good enough.

Lagos State is the biggest consumer of agricultural produce in Nigeria with its population, and Niger State has the most extensive arable land in the country. The phenomenon called Umar Bago is getting clearer. If this is not strategic, I don’t know what else to call it.

By location, climate and soil, Niger State is one of the most extensive and fertile agricultural lands in the country, with about 80% of the 74,244 sq. km total land area of the state, and can produce most of Nigeria’s stable crops. Niger has an estimated Fadama area of about 682,331 hectares suitable for lowland rice production, of which only 25% of it has been put to use. Governor Umar Bago understood this when partnering with the Lagos State Government under the “Produce for Lagos” initiative.

The implication on the economy of Niger is left to be imagined. This is what purposeful leadership brings about. Governor Umar Bogo has defied the era of business as usual, in which states depend on monthly allocations from the Federal Government.
To boost the drive for food production in the state, the state government has set in motion the plan to cultivate 250,000 hectares of land, with the long-term goal of cultivating one million hectares in four years. Ask me about innovative leadership, and I will tell you about Governor Umar Bago.

Recently, the Niger State Government, in partnership with a diversified agriculture value chain group, Origin Group, has taken delivery of agricultural equipment to scale up agricultural production and promote national policy on food security. This is another brilliant one indicating that Governor Umar Bago means business.

Other sectors in the state have received equal attention. For example, the Niger State Contributory Health Scheme (NGSCHS) is a health-care financing reform Social Health Insurance Scheme for the provision of affordable, accessible and qualitative health care to Niger State workforce and residents alike on a sustainable basis.

The state also plans to invest a whopping one trillion in infrastructural development. In a bid to transform infrastructure and improve connectivity, the government of Niger State is undertaking a massive urban renewal project, focusing on reconstructing 1,000 kilometres and 400 kilometres of federal roads.

The list is indeed endless. Governor Umar Bago is silently making waves in governance. He has revolutionised critical sectors of the economy of Niger State. And it doesn’t seem he is planning to slow down. This is what leadership entails.

The case of Niger state serves as a worthy example. It is a case where passion meets purpose; the magic happens, goals are achieved, and the impossible becomes possible. What more can I say? Congratulations to Nigerlites.

Okino wrote this piece from FUT Minna.