society
Hundreds left homeless after monkey village demolition By Ifeoma Ikem
No fewer than hundreds of people have been left homeless at Monkey village of Lagos state after the recent demolition of the buildings which are over 31 years old around Opebi area of Lagos State.
About two weeks ago, homes of about 100,000 people, residents and mechanic workshops at the monkey village were demolished by the officials of Lagos State Government without any eviction notice or order.
The forceful eviction of this community affected mainly the less privileged, who said they have nowhere to turn to.
A 76 year old landlord, Mr Robert Egbe, Pharmacy Technician said that he resided in Agbokwu
village known as monkey village since 1974, a slum area where monkey will come out in broard day light to play with the residents which gave the place the name `monkey village’.
He said that on December 31, 2020, the Lagos state land grabbing agency demolished all the building without any notice.
“My building was affected; I acquired a plot of land from Egba refugees since 1974 which I have Certificate of Occupancy issued by the state including Approved Building Plan and since then I pay my land charges till date.
“I am pleading with the state government to kindly intervene in this ugly situation because I have no place to go with my family.
Another resident, Madam Agnes Peters, who is a caretaker said she has been in one of the buildings for over 13years with her family.
According to her, she resided at Oniagbabo area of Abule Eko before she relocated to monkey village.
“I am a petty trader and nobody ever notified us of any notice of eviction; if there was any I would have alerted my co-tenant.
“I went to the market to buy the petty items I sell, before I returned, everywhere has been demolished I did not remove anything from my apartment.
Another anonymous resident said he has lived at monkey village for 25years and was surprised when the ministry came and demolished the area. They took us unaware because many residents were not at home,’’ he said.
Barr. Monday Ubani, whose client’s six plots of land were affected, addressed the press saying that the agencies of Lagos State Government cannot disposess a private citizen of the land he acquired legitimately and had been in possession for over 20 years with a certificate of occupancy of about 31 years without proper procedure.
While disputing the claims by the legal adviser to Engr. Ariori that the concerned property belongs to the Meadows family who delegated his client to develop the land at Folorunsho Kuku Street in Opebi, Ubani claimed that in actual fact, the land belonged to the Egba Refugees who, he said were the original owners and are the land sellers in the entire Opebi including the particular portion in contention.
“My client has been on that land for over 20 years, paying his Land Use Charge up to date. He has a C/O issued as far back as 1989. He bought from somebody who has a C/O”.
“Egba Refugees are the land sellers in the whole of Opebi, and they are the ones that sold this particular land.
They were never part of the Supreme Court judgment they were mentioning. In fact, there is a Supreme Court judgement that gave over 55 per cent of the land in Opebi to the Egba Refugees in Opebi, and based upon that they sold them”.
According to him, “Even if we establish the fact that they are now saying that the property fell into the Meadow’s family, we have to also establish the root of title. Who owns the land from beginning?
“If the Egba Refugees are the original owners of the land who were not parties to the Supreme Court judgement, that Supreme Court judgement cannot bind them. It was not the defendants in Meadow’s case that sold to the owner of the Certificate of Occupancy.
“That’s why I said that the matter can only be determined by the court and not even this administrative panel set up by the State Government whose motive is to exonerate themselves from blame in aiding the land grabbers”.
Most importantly, according to Mr Ubani, is the unorthodox manner the Meadows’s representatives used in the so called enforcement of the judgement of the supreme Court. It is the Sheriffs of the court that executes judgement of the court and not government officials or the various ministries in the State.
Barr Francis Monye, a legal practitioner to Prosperous Ariyori Golden Ventures, while responding after the meeting set up by the governor of Lagos State of an Inter- ministerial Committee to look into the case of Land Grabbing involving 1 Folorunsho Kuku Street, Ikeja, Opebi said the land developer was given the concession by G.W.O Meadows Family to develop and manage the land, we are acting based on several ruling of the courts which declared Meadows Family as the rightful owner of the property.
He said, possession of the land was based on the ruling of the Lagos High Court in Suit No: LD/513/80 and Court of Appeal in Suit No: CA/1/16A/92, as well as the ruling of the apex court, the Supreme Court in SC146/1995, which were all in the favour of the G.W.O Meadows family.
Wisdom of a Mature Believer: Don’t Judge What You Don’t Know — Dr. Chris Okafor
“To provoke mercy, keep sowing mercy.”
Mercy is often defined as compassion shown to someone who deserves punishment. It is the conscious decision to forgive when one has the power to condemn.
This formed the core of the message delivered by the Generational Prophet of God, Christopher Okafor, during the Grace Nation Glorious Sunday Service held at the international headquarters of Grace Nation Worldwide in Ojodu Berger, Lagos, Nigeria.
The Act and Power of Mercy
Preaching on the topic “The Act and Power of Mercy,”
Dr. Okafor emphasized that mercy is the believer’s escape from judgment. Referencing Psalm 136:1–20, he explained that mercy does not appear randomly; it is activated by deliberate spiritual actions and attitudes.
According to him, many people forfeit divine privileges because they are quick to judge.
A mature believer, he warned, must resist rushing to conclusions. In some cases, what appears to be clear evidence may not reflect the full truth.
“Don’t judge what you do not fully understand,” he cautioned, stressing that premature judgment can shut the door to mercy.
What Provokes Mercy?
Dr. Okafor outlined key spiritual principles that activate divine mercy:
Prayer
Prayer in deep and sincere dimensions attracts mercy. At the throne of grace, God considers the petitions of those who remain committed to Him. Even when a believer falls short, consistent prayer and kingdom partnership can move God to show mercy.
Total Repentance
Acknowledging wrongdoing and genuinely turning away from it provokes mercy. When a person presents their case before God with sincere repentance, divine compassion is released.
Sowing Mercy
Mercy operates like a seed. What a person sows is what they reap. Showing compassion, forgiveness, and kindness to others creates a harvest of mercy in return.
Unjust Hatred
Dr. Okafor also noted that when individuals are hated without cause, God may respond with mercy and divine elevation. What others fail to see in a person, God recognizes.
Conclusion
In closing, the Generational Prophet reiterated that mercy is both a principle and a harvest.
“To provoke mercy,” he declared, “keep sowing mercy.”
The service was marked by strong prophetic manifestations, including testimonies of deliverance, miracles, healings, restoration, and solutions to diverse challenges presented before God.
The Glorious Sunday Service concluded with a special thanksgiving celebration by members born in the month of February.
Sunday Adeyemi writes from Lagos
society
NOVO Announces Spring 2026 Launch: The World’s First Diamond-Backed Digital Currency and Wealth Platform Devoted to Feeding Africa
NOVO Announces Spring 2026 Launch: The World’s First Diamond-Backed Digital Currency and Wealth Platform Devoted to Feeding Africa
February 2026 — NOVO, an emerging global leader in diamond manufacturing, crypto‑banking, and ethical wealth management, today announced the upcoming Spring 2026 launch of NOVO Coin, the world’s first digital currency fully backed by certified, lab‑grown, cut, and polished diamonds stored in secure vaults in Singapore and Switzerland.
Designed for stability, transparency, and humanitarian impact, NOVO represents a new class of asset‑backed digital currency engineered to serve both global markets and vulnerable economies facing inflation, currency instability, and limited access to banking.
A Currency With a Mission: Feeding a Continent.
In a groundbreaking commitment, NOVO has pledged 50% of all corporate profits to support nonprofit micro‑finance organizations across Africa that specialize in food production, farming, fishing, and sustainable agriculture.
This initiative aims to:
Expand access to affordable capital for small and mid‑scale food producers
Strengthen local food systems and reduce dependency on imports
Dramatically lower grocery prices across African markets
Build long‑term economic resilience for millions of families
NOVO’s leadership believes that empowering Africa’s farmers and food‑producing cooperatives is the fastest path to stabilizing regional economies — and ultimately driving down global food prices.
Diamond‑Backed Stability for a Volatile World
Unlike speculative tokens or inflation‑prone fiat currencies, every NOVO Coin is backed by real, verifiable diamond reserves, manufactured through advanced laboratory processes and held in audited international vaults.
This structure provides:
Intrinsic value tied to a globally recognized commodity
Transparency through third‑party reserve verification
Security via geographically diversified vaults
Long‑term price stability for users and institutional partners
NOVO’s diamond‑reserve system is designed to offer a safe, durable alternative for nations and communities seeking protection from currency devaluation.
A Full‑Spectrum Financial Ecosystem
Beyond the currency itself, NOVO is launching a vertically integrated platform that includes:
Diamond manufacturing and certification
Crypto‑banking and digital asset management
Wealth management and life‑insurance services
Humanitarian micro‑finance distribution channels
This unified ecosystem positions NOVO as one of the first fintech institutions to combine commodity‑backed digital currency with large‑scale social impact.
A New Era of Ethical Finance
“NOVO was built on a simple belief: a currency should serve the people who use it,” said the organization’s founder. “By backing NOVO with diamonds and dedicating half of our profits to African food producers, we are proving that financial innovation and humanitarian responsibility can — and must — coexist.”
Spring 2026: A Global Debut
NOVO Coin will be available to the public in Spring 2026, with early institutional partnerships already underway across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.
For more information. Here is the organizations website TOPOFTHEPYRAMID.org
Tinubu Mourns Rear Admiral Musa Katagum: A National Loss for Nigeria’s Military Leadership
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG
“President Tinubu Pays Tribute as Nigeria’s Naval Command Mourns the Sudden Loss of a Strategic Maritime Leader at a Critical Security Juncture.”
Abuja, Nigeria – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially mourned the death of Rear Admiral Musa Bello Katagum, the Chief of Naval Operations of the Nigerian Navy, who died on February 19, 2026, after a protracted illness while receiving treatment abroad. His passing has sent ripples through Nigeria’s defence establishment and national security architecture, marking the loss of one of the most experienced and respected maritime commanders in recent memory.
In a statement released on February 20, 2026 by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu described Rear Admiral Katagum’s death as a “significant blow to the military and the nation,” noting the late officer’s vast experience and “invaluable contributions” to both the Nigerian Navy and the broader “Armed Forces of Nigeria”. The President extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family, naval personnel and the nation at large, while praying for solace and strength for colleagues and loved ones.
Rear Admiral Katagum’s career was marked by distinguished service in several strategic capacities. Before his appointment as Chief of Naval Operations in November 2025, he served as Director of the Presidential Communication, Command and Control Centre (PC4) and Chief of Intelligence of the Nigerian Navy-roles that placed him at the nexus of naval operational planning and intelligence gathering. His leadership was widely credited with enhancing the Navy’s capacity to respond to growing maritime threats in the Gulf of Guinea, including piracy, illegal bunkering, and transnational crime.
Security policy experts emphasise that Katagum’s loss comes at a critical juncture for Nigeria. Dr. Adebola Akinpelu, a defence analyst at the Institute for Security Studies, observes that “Nigeria’s maritime domain remains a frontline in the broader security challenges facing the nation; the loss of an adept operational leader like Rear Admiral Katagum is not just a personnel change but a strategic setback.” His insight reflects broader concerns about continuity in military leadership amid intensifying threats.
The Nigerian Navy’s own statement, confirmed by the Directorate of Naval Information, affirmed that Katagum’s “exemplary leadership, strategic insight, and unwavering loyalty” were central to boosting operational readiness and national defence. According to Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the Director of Naval Information, “His legacy remains a source of inspiration across the services.”
As Nigeria grapples with complex security landscapes at its land and maritime frontiers, the death of Rear Admiral Katagum underscores a broader national imperative: strengthening institutional capacities while honouring the service and sacrifice of those who defend the nation’s sovereignty. In the words of military scholar Professor James Okoye, “Leadership in security institutions is not easily replaceable; it is built through experience, trust and strategic clarity; qualities that Katagum embodied.”
Rear Admiral Musa Katagum has since been laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rites, leaving behind a legacy that will inform Nigerian naval operations for years to come.
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