*Lagos Begins Payment to Oworonshoki Residents Whose Illegal Houses Were Demolished*

The Lagos State Government has commenced the payment of compensation to affected residents of Oworonshoki in Kosofe Local Government Area, in fulfillment of its earlier promise to those impacted by the ongoing urban renewal and regeneration programme in the area.

The exercise, which began on Thursday, October 23, 2025, was described as a demonstration of the government’s commitment to humane and inclusive urban development.

Speaking at a well-attended ceremony held at the palace of the traditional ruler of Oworonshoki, the General Manager, Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA), TPL/ESV Olajide Animashaun, said the payment followed a series of verification, engagement, and enumeration exercises carried out in collaboration with community stakeholders.

According to Animashaun, the regeneration initiative became necessary due to the proliferation of illegal and dilapidated structures within Oworonshoki, many of which were built on drainage channels and waterways, posing serious environmental and safety risks.

“Oworonshoki is one of the communities earmarked under the state’s comprehensive urban renewal and regeneration plan. Many of the affected structures were unsafe for habitation and constituted environmental hazards. However, in line with the inclusive governance policy of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, the state made a commitment to compensate verified affected residents and today, that promise is being fulfilled,” Animashaun stated.

He expressed appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to the welfare of Lagosians, noting that the payment exercise reflected the government’s sincerity and accountability in implementing its urban renewal policies.

Animashaun also commended the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development and the Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Arc. Gbolahan Oki, for their dedication and tireless efforts toward the realization of the initiative.

The event was attended by representatives of the Oworonshoki traditional council, Community Development Associations (CDAs), Community Development Council (CDC) members, civil society organizations, security agencies, and the media.

It will be recalled that the Lagos State Government had, in recent months, cleared several illegal and substandard structures across Oworonshoki as part of efforts to reclaim right-of-way for drainage systems, improve environmental conditions, and enhance public safety.

According to LASURA, a total of 79 beneficiaries were verified for compensation, to be paid in two batches with the first group receiving their cheques on Thursday, while the second batch will be attended to on Friday at the same venue.

Some beneficiaries who spoke to journalists expressed gratitude to the state government for keeping its word.

One of them, Mrs Ajimoh Oyenuga, said:

“The government gave us this money as compensation for the houses demolished on Precious Street, Oworonshoki. We are grateful because it shows that the government cares about our wellbeing.”

Another beneficiary, Mrs. Olaide Fatima, added:

“My house was close to the water, and it wasn’t safe. The government promised to compensate us, and today they have done it. I really appreciate this gesture promise made, promise kept.”

The LASURA boss reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring that urban renewal projects across Lagos are implemented with fairness and transparency, while prioritizing the welfare of residents and communities affected by development projects.

We Must Not Let Others Write Our History – Emir Sanusi II’s Bold Call for National Reawakening.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

“Until Nigerians reclaim their narrative, they will remain spectators in their own story.”

When the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, His Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, speaks, the nation listens. Known for his fearless intellect and unflinching truth-telling, Emir Sanusi’s recent admonition (“We must not let others write our history”) is more than a passing remark; it is a thunderous call for national self-determination, intellectual revival and historical justice.

For too long, Nigeria’s story has been written by outsiders; colonial powers, foreign journalists and even local elites who inherited colonial mindsets. The tragedy is not merely that our history has been misrepresented; it is that Nigerians themselves have become detached from their own narrative. From the glorification of colonial conquest to the distortion of pre-colonial civilization, our IDENTITY has been SHAPED, EDITED and DEFINED by those who neither share our pain nor understand our potential.

Emir Sanusi’s words pierce the conscience of a generation that has forgotten that history is not just about the past, it is the foundation of a nation’s soul. As the late Chinua Achebe once wrote, “Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” Nigeria has too often been the hunted (economically, politically and culturally) while others have written our story to suit their agendas.

The Colonial Distortion of African Legacy.
The colonial era did not merely conquer African lands; it conquered African minds. British colonial education portrayed Africa as a continent without civilization before Europe’s arrival, a land waiting for salvation. YET, HISTORY PROVES OTHERWISE. Long before British boots touched our soil, the Nok civilization had already produced remarkable art and metallurgy; the Benin Empire had established sophisticated governance and diplomacy; and the Kanem-Bornu Empire had engaged in trans-Saharan trade centuries before Europe knew Africa existed.

Though, the British colonial curriculum erased these truths. Instead, Nigerian children were taught about the “GLORY OF THE EMPIRE,” the “BENEVOLENCE” of colonial masters and the “CIVILIZING MISSION” that brought light to a supposedly dark continent. The consequence is a psychological dependency that still lingers today; a mental subjugation that makes many Nigerians value foreign validation over local achievement.

As the Kenyan scholar Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o powerfully observed, “The domination of a people’s language and history is the domination of their entire being.” Nigeria’s current predicament (from its confused national identity to its policy dependence on Western institutions) is a direct result of surrendering control of its historical narrative.

History Suppressed, Identity Lost.
The abolition of History as a compulsory subject in Nigerian schools in 2009 was one of the most destructive decisions ever made in our educational system. For a decade, generations of young Nigerians grew up without structured knowledge of who they are, how their nation came to be and what sacrifices built it. It took until 2019 for History to be reintroduced, a decision long overdue but still insufficient.

Sanusi’s warning reminds us that nations that forget their past lose control of their future. Japan, after World War II, rewrote its own narrative not by denying its past mistakes but by defining its postwar destiny through self-reflection and cultural pride. China, too, refused to let foreign historians dictate its identity; instead, it taught its people to see history as the blueprint of destiny.

Why then should Nigeria (the giant of Africa, home to over 200 million people and one of the most culturally diverse nations on Earth) continue to depend on foreign voices to interpret its history?

A Narrative Hijacked by the Powerful.
Today, even within Nigeria, history is being rewritten by the powerful to sanitize failure and glorify mediocrity. The heroes of truth are silenced, while the architects of national decay are celebrated as “STATESMEN.” Our children grow up knowing more about European explorers than about Nigerian patriots like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Herbert Macaulay, Chief Arthur Prest or the great Ahmadu Bello.

The manipulation of history is not accidental; it is political. When leaders erase the memory of injustice, they erase accountability. When a society forgets where it came from, it cannot know where it is going. As Professor Wole Soyinka once warned, “The greatest threat to freedom is the erasure of memory.”

Sanusi’s intervention is thus a moral call to action, to resist the ongoing historical amnesia that allows corruption, tribalism and manipulation to thrive. It is a reminder that every Nigerian must become a CUSTODIAN of TRUTH, not a CONSUMER of PROPAGANDA.

Owning Our Story in the Digital Age.
In an era of social media and global information warfare, the control of narrative has become more critical than ever. Western media still portrays Africa as a continent of chaos, disease and corruption, conveniently ignoring its innovation, resilience and culture. The recent rise of platforms like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) has given young Nigerians a chance to reclaim the narrative and to tell their own stories in their own voices.

However, this newfound freedom comes with responsibility. Misinformation, false history and tribal bias now threaten to replace colonial distortion with domestic distortion. As Sanusi implied, rewriting our history must not be about replacing one falsehood with another; it must be about truth.

Dr. Reuben Abati, a respected journalist and scholar, once noted, “The problem with Nigeria is not the absence of history, but the abundance of manipulated history.” It is time to cleanse our national memory through accurate documentation, honest teaching and transparent storytelling.

Reclaiming the Nigerian Narrative.
The task of rewriting Nigeria’s story belongs not only to HISTORIANS but to EVERY CITIZEN. From the CLASSROOM to the NEWSROOM, from the PULPIT to the PARLIAMENT, Nigerians must begin to assert their voices. Universities must prioritize indigenous scholarship. Filmmakers must tell stories that celebrate local heroes. Media houses must resist foreign framing. And government must institutionalize the preservation of historical archives before they are lost forever.

As the historian Toyin Falola wrote, “History is the architecture of identity. When you lose it, you lose your foundation.” Nigeria’s foundation today is shaky because the country has allowed its history to be fragmented, rewritten by the conqueror, reshaped by the corrupt and ignored by the youth.

Sanusi’s call is not merely academic; it is existential. If we do not tell our own story, others will and they will not tell it kindly.

Towards a New Narrative: The Future Belongs to Those Who Remember.
The time has come for Nigerians to rise and reclaim ownership of their narrative. Our story is not one of ENDLESS FAILURE, but of RESILIENCE; not one of POVERTY, but of PROMISE. It is the story of a people who built civilizations before Europe emerged from darkness; of artists, warriors, kings and visionaries who defined destiny long before colonial boundaries existed.

As the eminent Ghanaian historian Dr. Molefi Kete Asante asserted, “History is not the past. It is the map of the future.” The map of Nigeria’s future will remain unclear until we redraw it ourselves with honesty, courage and pride.

Emir Sanusi II has once again spoken truth to power. His message is simple but profound: NO FOREIGNER, NO POLITICIAN and NO PROPAGANDIST should be allowed to write Nigeria’s history. That responsibility belongs to Nigerians, to scholars, teachers, writers and every citizen who believes that truth not distortion, must guide our journey as a nation.

NIGERIA PIONEERS PLASTIC-TO-DIESEL TECHNOLOGY AS ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY HOSTS GROUNDBREAKING DEMONSTRATION IN ABUJA

Revolutionary Innovation Set to Transform Waste Management and Energy Production Under the Renewed Hope Agenda

The Federal Ministry of Environment, in strategic partnership with Premium Blue Economy Innovation and Investment Ltd, is set to showcase Nigeria’s breakthrough in waste-to-energy technology with the first-ever technical demonstration of plastic-to-Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD) conversion in the country.

The landmark event will take place on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Ministry’s Conference Hall, Green Building, Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja. It represents a major milestone in Nigeria’s clean energy transition and circular economy development drive.

Transforming Waste into Wealth

Mr. Olushola Gegele, CEO of Premium Blue Economy Innovation and Investment Limited, underscored the project’s alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stating:

> “The plastic-to-diesel project represents a new frontier in sustainable development — where waste becomes wealth, innovation drives clean energy, and environmental stewardship fuels economic empowerment.”

The demonstration will feature advanced pyrolysis and refining technologies that convert plastic waste into clean, ultra-low sulphur diesel suitable for industrial operations, marine engines, and backup generators.

A Triple Win: Environmental, Economic, and Social Impact

The initiative promises comprehensive benefits across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. It will help reduce plastic accumulation in landfills and waterways, lower methane and toxin emissions, and address Nigeria’s mounting plastic pollution challenge.

By producing low-emission diesel alternatives, the project also supports Nigeria’s clean fuel policies and reduces dependency on imported petroleum products. Additionally, it will create sustainable income opportunities through waste collection, sorting, and processing, particularly benefiting local communities and youth entrepreneurs engaged in recycling and green technology operations.

The clean diesel output will serve key sectors such as cement, steel, mining, and marine transport, supporting their transition toward reduced carbon footprints.

Gegele described the collaboration as establishing “a national blueprint for regenerative industrialization,” adding:

> “Our goal is to help Nigeria transition from waste management to resource management. Every bottle, bag, and plastic residue is potential fuel, income, and innovation waiting to happen.”

Toward a Greener, Energy-Secure Future

The demonstration marks the beginning of plans to establish modular plastic-to-diesel hubs across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. These hubs will enhance localized energy security and inspire a new generation of green entrepreneurs.

This pioneering initiative reinforces Nigeria’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework and is expected to attract green financing for waste-to-energy enterprises, positioning the nation as a regional leader in sustainable industrial innovation.

The Federal Ministry of Environment extends an open invitation to public and private institutions, investors, researchers, and policy experts to attend the technical session and explore collaboration opportunities for nationwide scaling of this innovation.

—

This initiative underscores Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability, clean energy transition, and innovation-driven development under the Renewed Hope Agenda — setting a precedent for Africa’s green industrial revolution.