Uncategorized
Lagos Commissioner of Commerce, Lola Akande, Oba Olusegun Awokoya, Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamarudeen Animashaun, Others In Alleged Land Grabbing Mess
Lagos Commissioner of Commerce, Lola Akande, Oba Olusegun Awokoya, Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamarudeen Animashaun, Others In Alleged Land Grabbing Mess
By Ogunfela Ogunyebo
There are strong indications that there is a cold war going on underground in Epe, Lagos State which urgently begging for the attention of the state governor, His Excellency, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu, before it becomes uncontrollable regarding Abomiti, Yeguda and Eyin-osa Ressetlement.
In 2006, when Lekki Free Zone was created, about three communities got affected and they are Abomiti, Yeguda & Eyin-Osa, but the state government allocated another land which is 10% of what the government compulsorily acquired for the displaced communities elsewhere for their resettlement which some Lagos State Government officials and two traditional rulers in Epe and Ogun State are now allegedly hijack and converted to start selling through some real estate companies.
One of the chairmen and trustee member of Free Trade Zone Parcel B Resettlement Communities, Chief Obafemi Onayemi Obajimi (Baale Onigbagbo and other family representatives of Abomiti, Eyin-Osa, Yeguda-Parapo, the displaced Communities for Parcel B and Alaro City Projects have raised an alarm over the moves made by Mrs Lola Akande, the Honourable Commissioner of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperative in collaboration with Oba Kamarudeen Animashaun, the Oloja of Epe conniving with one Oba Ganiyu Olusegun Awokoya aka {Alhaji White} the Onirete of Irete in Ogun State to convert the Abomiti, Yeguda & Eyin-Osa resettlement land for Kickbacks.
Some of the families representatives alledged that Oba Olusegun Awokoya has been claiming to be a Surveyor or atimes a consultants to the State Government which Mrs Lola Akande has been trying to compel them to handover their land, too for Surveying for 1 plot per acres even when she know that the Oba Olusegun Awokoya is not a registered surveyor
Information has it that Abomiti, Yeguda & Eyin-Osa Government Resettlement Land for the displaced communities is now an Instrument of Oba Olusegun Awokoya who is fronting for Mrs. Lola Akande and Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun. The Communities laments on how “Oba Olusegun Awokoya has been fueling Eko-Epe and Ijebu-Epe crises to thrive his alleged land grabbing business in the axis, believing that no one dares question his authorities because of his influence and relationship with some Lagos Statw civil servants and Nigeria Police Force.
We further gathered that one Lanre Ogunlesi, SAN conspired with Awokoya who claimed to be a Surveyor and Akande to fraudulently obtain the Abomiti, Yeguda & Eyin-osa Certificate of Occupancy from the Beneficiaries.
The communities, has however cried to the executive governor of Lagos State, the Attorney General and Honourable Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State to come to their rescue as Lola Akande and her members who have allegedly taken over the new land allocated to the communities.
The letter sent to the office of the Lagos State Governor Sanwoolu read thus: we act as representatives of Free Trade Zone Parcel B Resettlement indigene {Abomiti, Eyin-Osa, Yeguda} and we hereby write you on behalf of the Parapo of the three zones. Our protest is born out of seeing the duo of Oba Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun, the Oloja of Epe and Oba Ganiyu Olusegun Awokoya aka {Alhaji White} the Onirete of Irete, Ogun State fueling Eko-Epe and Ijebu-Epe crises to thrive his land grabbing business in connivance with some Lagos State civil servants not limited to one Mr. Ilu Oshikoya who has been serving as ‘Agbodegba’ for Lanre Ogunlesi SAN, {Oba Olusegun Awokoya’s Lawyer} and working hand in hand with Hon. Lola Akande to sell out all the resettlement land meant for resettling our displaced communities.
Epe is one of the Local Government Areas in Lagos and each State has her own territorial survey and by virtue of land Use Act 1978, which has vested each state land to the state governor and by that, Epe is part of Lagos state in which the state also give Oloja of Epe his staff of office, the said Oloja Epe is now ungratefully canvassing for Ijebu-Epe and Eko-Epe crises because of his land grabbing business.
The Oppressed indigines of Parcel B , resettlement called on the Attorney General (Moyosore Onigbajo) As the man in charge of Lagos State law enforcement, Mrs Adijat Apena representing Laporu in Eyin-Osa said it is time for the Commisioner of Justice to rise up to the occasion and protect the interest of the whole Lagosians and call everybody to a round table and educate them that Lagos Statw is Lagos State, either your forbears migrated from Ijebu to Epe or not, there is nothing like Ijebu-Epe or Eko-Epe, Epe is Epe in Lagos State.
Just as Mr. Okanlawon also called on His Excellency, Babajide Sanwoolu that the goal of Oba Animashaun in conjunction with Oba Awokoya is to cause chaos, division, tumult and upheaval in Epe so as to thrive his land grabbing business, if they are not restrain and stopped, the peace and the safety of the whole Epe might become history. We passionately appeal to you that you call everyone to order, to maintain the peaceful co-existence of the entire Epe Local Government.
It is not news that Lagos State Government acquired our land for the purpose of Free Trade Zone. As a result of acquisition of our land, the state government resettled the displaced communities under the umbrella of Free Zone Parcel B Resettlement communities which we are members of the 248 communities that formed Abomiti, Yeguda & Eyin-osa.
Sequel to the resettlement, a memorandum of understanding was executed with the representatives of the communities and same was signed by the Lagos State Government and the representatives of the committee.
However, most of those who signed as representatives are protégé of Lola Akande, Oba Olusegun, and Oba Animashaun. In furtherance of the memorandum of understanding for the resettlement of the displaced communities, the state government instructed the committee to register themselves so that their certificate of occupancy can be issued to them in their names. Oba Olusegun, who ported himself as a registered surveyor to the committee and recently referred to himself as the consultant to the Lagos state government, claiming to be fronting for some officers of the Lagos State government parastatal wherein the officers want two (2) per acres to settle some the officials of the Lagos State government through which the committee registered in proxy.
However, going through the trustees in each of the zone supervised by the Oba Olusegun Awokoya, it’s clearly showed that most of the registered Trustees are not even indigenous members of the committee but rather close associates of Oba Olusegun and that of the Oloja of Epe, particularly one Jelili Oluwaseyi Arimi who is a trustee on both the Eyin-Osa and Yeguda resettlement zone, one of the militants of the said Oba Onirete and doesn’t belong to any of the displaced communities that were settled. So, it amaze one how someone that doesn’t belong to a community became a trustee in the registration of such communities.
For a clearer understanding of our point sir, almost all the members in the committees are Oba Olusegun and Oba Kamarudeen’s proxy, the person of Chief Jelili Arimi Oluwaseyi, who is the Baale Deesa at Abule Foli, close to Eti-Osa not in any way related to parcel B resettlement committee. He is one of the armed militants of Oba Olusegun, he’s also a trustee of all the zones. Chief Waheed Oluwo, the Odofin of Oloja Epe and also the chairman ‘Central Working Committee’ is the number one sales man of fake surveyor Segun Awokoya selling the resettlement land. Mr. Shade Takiu (P.R.O Central Working Committee) a proxy of Oloja of Epe was made a trustee to protect the interest of Oloja of Epe to the detriment of the indigenous owners. Chief Muritala Gbadebo Lateef is the Kankanfo Epe Land and also a proxy of Oloja of Epe. Though, he’s from Oloja-Ibiwo family of Eyin-Osa but became a trustee of the committee to see to the interest of the Oba of Epe. Mr. Wakilu Lufomu and Mr. Saheed Ligali are both Oloja of Epe and Oba Olusegun’s militants and they were made trustee to serve their interests. Chief Olajide Ishola Shefiu is a secretary to CWC of Epe, he is also from Oloja-Ibiwo family in Eyin-Osa, and he is one of the militants of Oloja of Epe and sees to the interest of the king as a trustee of the committee. Animashaun Muyideen Olatunji is the son of the king and only serve the interest of his father who do not belong to Eyin-Osa, Abomiti and Yeguda people nor do they own property at the acquired place. Only few members of the actual Eyin-Osa, Abomiti and Yeguda were registered as trustees and these persons have been threatened and silenced by the Oba Onirete of Irete Ogun State.
The genuine members who are indigenous to Eyin-Osa, Abomiti and Yeguda communities such as but not limited to Omotayo Yusuf of Oke-Oko family in Abomiti zone, Chief Obafemi Onayemi Obajimi, Aba Onigbagbo family of Abomiti zone, Chief Tawaliu Oniga Moboluwaduro of Oniga Iposun Family ofEyin-Osa, Chief Kareem Otolerin Baruwa of Baruwa Shosho family of Eyin-Osa, Mrs Apena Adijat, the secretary to the Laporu family of Parcel B resettlement communities who is one of the subject of Chief Wahidi Obalewo Mohammodu, the Baale of Lapolu family all of Eyin-Osa community, Chief Femi Abdulai Isa of Fowotera village of Yuguda Lagos State Special Task Force on Land Grabbers who informed them that one Ilu Osikoya and some officers of the Attorney General office have been part of the ‘Agbodegba’ of selling our land and they were even boasting that they are selling in trust for Lola Akande and some workers of Lagos State government parastatals and as such they are untouchable as they have the backing of the high ranking officers of the Lagos State judiciary.
In the light of the above, we painstakingly pray that by virtue of your good office and position as the number one citizen of Lagos State, you will caution and restrain the person of Chief Mrs Lola Akande, Oba Olusegun Awokoya, Oba Kamarudeen Animashaun and Mr Ilu Osikoya from further harassing, maiming and threatening us. We hope that you admonish them that no one is above the law and also compel them to release our certificate of occupancy to us with immediate effect.
In as much as we do not believe in the rumour being frittered around by Oba Olusegun and Mr. Ilu, that the Attorney General of Lagos State and Lagos State Special Task Force on Land Grabbers are fully aware of the resettlement for kickback game, we hope that what we heard isn’t true, however, in the circumstance of our guess being correct, we will not hesitate to take the right action.
We called on the Alaro City as a company that if they choose not wage in to called the attention of the state government, they should expect us joining them in legal battle to recover our land in which the state forceful acquired, handover for their project and now handover our Ressetlement to a Quack Surveyor Awokoya who has converts same to an instrument of fraud in defrauding innocent landbuyers claiming he has bought all the land from the displaced communities, time for recouncilation.
Accept our kind regards”, they wrote.
The letter was signed by twenty four heads of families of the three communities.
Ramadan 2026: Let’s Be United, Shina Akanni Urges Muslims.
As Muslims all over the world begins the 30 days compulsory fasting and prayer today,top Fuji Musician Aare Sir Shina Akanni Aroworeyin Scorpido has congratulates them for witnessing another month of Ramadan.
Akanni advised them to follow the teachings of the the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) which is peaceful co existence among themselves and their neighbor ‘because Islam is Religion of peace”.
He said the month of Ramadan is an holy month therefore Muslims should try as much as they can to maintain peaceful coexistence among themselves and others and that they should see themselves as ambassador of peace.
While praying for Nigeria,Aare Sir Shina Akanni Aroworeyin Scorpido said he believes that there will be an economic turnaround soon because what’s is happening now are signs of thought times that never last “if we can pecevere things will get better”.
The Scorpido crooner who recently released a hip hop single titled “Magbelo” said he is currently working on a complete album which will be released before the end of the year.
Aare Sir Shina Akanni Aroworeyin Scorpido whose last album ‘ABCD” is still in hot demand said that his next album will be a pot pouri of all kinds of music because his brand of Fuji music is a blend Fuji , Hip-hop,Apala ,Highlife and others.
The Enemies Within:
Jonahs Are Not Manageable — Dr. Chris Okafor
…….“To remove Jonah, you must bring Jesus into the matter.”
When a “Jonah” enters a person’s life, confusion, gossip, blackmail, betrayal, and the pull-him-down syndrome often follow. But the moment Jesus Christ is invited into the situation, the storm subsides and stability is restored.
This was the central message delivered by the Generational Prophet of God and Senior Pastor of Grace Nation Global, Dr. Chris Okafor, during the midweek non-denominational Prophetic Healing, Deliverance and Solutions Service (PHDS) held at the international headquarters of Grace Nation Worldwide in Ojodu Berger, Lagos, Nigeria.
The Clergyman also declared that Nothing Happens Without Spiritual Influence
In his sermon titled “The Enemies Within,” Dr. Okafor declared that nothing happens without spiritual involvement. According to him, every visible battle has an invisible root.
Referencing the biblical story of Jonah, the Man of God explained that Jonah’s presence on the ship gave access to a contrary spirit that tormented everyone onboard.
Despite the losses suffered by innocent traders and sailors, the storm persisted because of one man’s disobedience.
However, he noted that when Jesus speaks into a situation, every storm must obey. Just as Christ rebuked the storm and it ceased, so too will the storms in believers’ lives subside when He is invited into their “boat.”
*The Impact of a Jonah*
Dr. Okafor further emphasized that “Jonahs” are difficult to manage. When such individuals are present in one’s circle, progress becomes delayed.
What should ordinarily manifest quickly may be prolonged or frustrated because someone close—someone who understands you deeply—may be operating as a spiritual adversary.
He explained that negative narratives, unnecessary battles, and unexplained setbacks often begin when a “Jonah” gains access to a person’s inner circle.
*The Solution*
“To remove Jonah from the boat of your life,” the Generational Prophet declared, “you must invite Jesus Christ into the matter.”
According to him, when Jesus takes control of the boat, the plans of the enemy are overturned.
What was designed for downfall becomes a testimony. No storm or battle can succeed where Christ reigns, and the enemy is ultimately put to shame.
The midweek service witnessed a strong prophetic atmosphere, with the power of God evident through deliverance, restoration, and divine revelations.
The Generational Prophet ministered deeply in the prophetic, calling out names, villages, and addressing alleged spiritual strongholds, as many lives were reportedly restored—all to the glory of God.
By Sunday Adeyemi
Uncategorized
FROM BORDER TO MARKETS: HOW NIGERIA’S REFORMS ARE REWRITING AND MODERNISING TRADE FACILITATION By O’tega Ogra
FROM BORDER TO MARKETS: HOW NIGERIA’S REFORMS ARE REWRITING AND MODERNISING TRADE FACILITATION
By O’tega Ogra
On the surface, the 2026 World Customs Organization (WCO) Technology Conference in Abu Dhabi, held in the last week of January, followed a familiar script: flags, formal sessions, carefully worded speeches. But beneath the choreography, something more consequential was unfolding. As customs chiefs and trade officials compared notes on the future of borders, Nigeria arrived not with theory, but with a working proposition.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Modernisation Project, being implemented through Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) Limited, unveiled to a global audience of customs administrators and policy leaders a window into how Africa’s largest economy is confronting one of the most complex challenges in public administration: reforming the machinery of trade while it is still running.
For decades, customs reform was treated largely as a technical exercise—frequent patches here, shoddy fixes there; new software in one corner, revised procedures in another. Nigeria’s presence in Abu Dhabi signalled something different. TMP Limited, working in partnership with the NCS, advanced the argument that trade is a cornerstone of economic development and must be supported by organic, sustainable partner ecosystems. Such ecosystems deliver speed and trust, revenue and credibility, and secure borders without stifling commerce.
That argument resonated in a room increasingly aware that global trade is no longer defined solely by tariffs and treaties, but by data, interoperability, and the quiet efficiency of systems that simply work.
The annual WCO Technology Conference has, in recent years, become a barometer for the direction of global trade governance. This year’s discussions reflected a shared anxiety: supply chains are more fragile, compliance risks are rising, and governments face mounting pressure to collect revenue without discouraging investment. Customs administrations now sit at the intersection of all three.
Nigeria’s response has been to attempt a full reset.
At the heart of this effort is the NCS Modernisation Project, implemented through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement with TMP Limited as the concessionaire. The project seeks to replace fragmented technology deployments and manual processes within the Nigeria Customs Service with a single, integrated framework. This is anchored on B’Odogwu, a Unified Customs Management System (UCMS) that brings together cargo clearance, risk management, payments, and inter-agency collaboration. The ambition is sweeping—and so are the stakes.
Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu, OON, Chairman of TMP, framed the initiative as nothing less than an institutional reconstruction, designed to position the NCS at the forefront of global customs administration technology, aligned with international standards and assurance frameworks.
“Digital trade modernisation is not just about upgrading systems,” he told participants in Abu Dhabi. “It is about upgrading trust, predictability, and confidence in how trade flows through our borders.”
That choice of words matters. Nigeria’s economy has long struggled with the perception gap between its size and the ease of doing business. Investors cite delays. Traders complain of opacity. Government points to revenue leakages. In this context, customs reform becomes as much a credibility project as a technical one.
Saleh’s message was timely and direct: modern trade demands modern customs. Data-driven processes, automation, and risk-based controls are no longer luxuries; they are prerequisites for competitiveness in a world where capital moves faster than policy.
The institutional face of this digital transformation is the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who led Nigeria’s delegation to Abu Dhabi. His message reflected a subtle but important shift in how customs leadership now understands its role.
“Customs administrations today must evolve from gatekeepers to facilitators of legitimate trade,” Adeniyi said. “Nigeria’s customs modernisation project reflects our determination to place the Nigeria Customs Service at the centre of national economic transformation.”
It is a familiar refrain globally, but one that carries particular weight in Nigeria, where customs revenue remains a critical pillar of public finance. Automation, Adeniyi argued, is not about weakening control; it is about strengthening it through intelligence rather than discretion.
Risk management systems reduce unnecessary physical inspections. Integrated platforms limit human contact. Data analytics improve compliance targeting. When executed well, the result is faster clearance for compliant traders and tighter scrutiny for high-risk consignments.
In Abu Dhabi, peers from Asia, Europe, and Latin America listened closely to Nigeria’s presentation. Reforming customs in a small, open economy is one thing. Doing so in a market of over 200 million people, home to some of Africa’s busiest ports and its largest economy, is quite another.
Nigeria’s engagement emphasised that customs modernisation is embedded within a broader economic reform agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Simplifying trade procedures, strengthening revenue assurance, and aligning with international standards form part of a wider effort to reposition the economy for investment-led growth.
What makes the project particularly noteworthy is its insistence on end-to-end coherence. Rather than digitising isolated functions, the reform aims to connect agencies, harmonise data, and reduce duplication across government—an all-of-government approach that acknowledges an uncomfortable truth: trade friction is often created not at the border, but between institutions.
The WCO 2026 Technology Conference offered Nigeria more than a platform; it provided a stress test. Questions from peers were pointed. How will change be sustained across political cycles? How will capacity be built? How will entrenched institutional behaviours be unlearned?
The responses were pragmatic. Reform is being phased. Training programmes are ongoing. International benchmarks are being adopted not as slogans, but as operating standards. There were no claims of perfection—only a clear statement of intent.
“Our engagement here underscores Nigeria’s commitment to international cooperation,” Adeniyi noted. “We are learning, sharing, and contributing to global conversations on the future of customs administration.”
That contribution matters. As Africa moves to deepen regional trade under continental frameworks, customs efficiency will determine whether integration succeeds in practice or remains aspirational on paper. Nigeria’s experience, if successful, could offer a valuable template for other developing economies navigating similar constraints.
In Abu Dhabi, the mood was cautious but curious. Reform fatigue is real in many countries. Yet there was a growing sense that Nigeria’s effort—precisely because of its scale and difficulty—deserves attention.
Borders are rarely glamorous. But they are decisive. In choosing to modernise its borders in public, under global scrutiny, Nigeria is signalling something beyond technical competence. It is signalling seriousness.
And in global trade, seriousness still counts.
O’tega Ogra is Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, responsible for the Office of Digital Engagement, Communications and Strategy in the Presidency.
-
celebrity radar - gossips6 months agoWhy Babangida’s Hilltop Home Became Nigeria’s Political “Mecca”
-
society6 months agoPower is a Loan, Not a Possession: The Sacred Duty of Planting People
-
society5 months agoReligion: Africa’s Oldest Weapon of Enslavement and the Forgotten Truth
-
news6 months agoTHE APPOINTMENT OF WASIU AYINDE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS AN AMBASSADOR SOUNDS EMBARRASSING