Thursday, February 11, 2021

REVISITING SOME OF THE LATEEF JAKANDE'S GOVERNMENT ACHIEVEMENTS FROM OCTOBER 1979 TO DECEMBER 1983 (FOUR YEARS AND 3 MONTHS) IN LAGOS STATE

 REVISITING SOME OF THE LATEEF JAKANDE'S GOVERNMENT ACHIEVEMENTS FROM OCTOBER 1979 TO DECEMBER 1983 (FOUR YEARS AND 3 MONTHS) IN LAGOS STATE


His government built the current Lagos State Secretariat which houses all the state ministries as well as the popular round house hitherto occupied by all subsequent governors of the state.


His government built the Lagos State House of Assembly complex.


His government built the Lagos State Television


His government built the Lagos Radio


His government built Lagos State University


His government established General Hospital in zones all over the state with assurance of free health care.


His government established Teacher Training College and the College of Education.


His government built low cost houses in Ijaiye, Dolphin, Oke-Afa, Ije, Abesan, Iponri, Ipaja, Abule Nla, Epe, Amuwo-Odofin, Anikantamo, Surulere, Iba, Ikorodu, Badagry, Isheri/Olowu, Orisigun etc.


His government established the Water Management Board and Waste Disposal Board on the 18th of August, 1980.


His government constructed the Adiyan Water Works to increase water supply in the state to 18.16 million litres per day.


His government modernized and expanded the Iju Water Works which was first commissioned in 1915. This increased daily capacity from 159 million to 204 million litres per day.


His government purchased and commissioned the giant car crusher equipment. The equipment was designed specifically to crush derelict vehicles in Lagos State. It had the capacity to crush 45 vehicles per day.


His government constructed, rehabilitated and resurfaced Epe/Ijebu-Ode Road, Oba Akran Avenue, Toyin Street, Town Planning Way, Alimosho-Idimu-Egbe Road, Idimu-Iba-LASU Road, the new secretariat road and several others.


His government constructed Victoria Island/Epe Road and thereby creating an ‘oil rig’ for Lagos State.


His government established Asphalt Plant for the Department of Public Works.


His government established Electricity Board for Rural Electrification with provision of street lights.


His government modernized, expanded and commissioned Onikan Stadium in 1982.


His government established a singular school system and ensured genuine free education in Lagos State and the beneficiaries of this policy are in different positions of eminence in the country and around the world.


His government raised the primary schools in Lagos State to 812 with 533,001 pupils (against 605 primary schools with 434,545 pupils he met in 1979) and secondary schools to 223 with 167,629 students (against 105 schools with 107,835 students in 1979).


His government constructed 11, 729 classrooms with the maximum of 40 children per class between March and August 1980, by 1983, he had constructed over 22,000 classrooms.


In July 1983, two commercial passenger boats christened "Baba Kekere and Itafaji" to run the Mile 2 - Marina (CMS) route via the lagoons were inaugurated by his government to mark the official launch of the Lagos State ferry services.


His government took over the ownership and financing of Lagos State Printing Corporation in July 1980


His government established the first State Traffic Management Authority (Road Marshals).


His government established small scale Industries Credit Scheme which preceded the EKO bank.


His government established LASACO Insurance.


His government expanded existing market and built new ones.


His government established Traditional Medicine Board.


His government started the painting of Lagos commercial vehicles to regulate and generate income to fund the free education and free health programme of the state.


He cancelled the 3 tier system of education in Lagos.


AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AS A MINISTER:

He built the largest Housing Estate in Africa, Gwarimpa in the Federal Capital Abuja 


He also built Lugbe Housing Estate in the Federal Capital Abuja  


These were his achievements under General Abacha as the Minister of Housing

The first civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande is dead.

 The first civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande is dead.


He died in the early hours of Thursday at the age of 91.


One of his children confirmed his death.


Jakande, a former journalist became governor of Lagos State in Nigeria from 1979 to 1983, and later was Minister of Works under the Sani Abacha military regime.


His administration as governor of Lagos state is still revered for the massive infrastructural development recorded during his four-year stint especially the numerous Jakande Estates built across many local governments in the State as well as sterling investment in schools.



 

Jakande’s death comes just about a month after a former Military Governor of Lagos, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu also passed away.

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

SPECIAL APPEAL TO NIGERIANS/LAGOSIANS ON PROTEST AND COUNTER-PROTEST - Ebun Olu Adegboruwa

 SPECIAL APPEAL TO NIGERIANS/LAGOSIANS ON PROTEST AND COUNTER-PROTEST


WHEREAS: 


It is reported in the news media that there are calls for protest and counter-protest, at the Lekki Toll Gate, slated for Saturday, February 13, 2021;


AND


The 1999 Constitution, in its section 39, has granted to every person, the right to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and to impart ideas and information, without interference.


NEVERTHELESS, 


I will like to plead most passionately, that the protest and counter-protest be shelved, at least for now, based on the reasons stated hereunder.


ONE


The Judicial Panel of Inquiry is still sitting and it is yet to make any finding or recommendations, on the Lekki Toll Gate Incident of 20th October, 2020, beyond the majority and dissenting decisions of 6th October, 2021, all of which are purely interlocutory.


TWO


The alleged bloodshed, mayhem, repressions and violence of October 2020 in general, should not be encouraged to be repeated again.


THREE


The Panels of Inquiry that were set up were all done in response to the EndSARS five for five demands. It will be good to await the decisions of these Panels.


FOUR


A protest or counter-protest at this time, may work to jeopardize the overall work of the Panel, the witnesses appearing or to appear, the testimonies, the investigations or even affect its ultimate assignment.


FIVE


I’m concerned about the consequences of protests and counter-protests, at the same location, in relation to security and likely violation of COVID 19 protocols, given the rising wave of the pandemic, in Lagos State especially, where most economic, social, educational and other activities, are partially grounded, presently.


SIX


The points made for and against interlocutory decisions of the Panel have been noted and they will be collated for necessary action, in consideration of the final report of the Panel.


SEVEN


While the assignment of investigating the Lekki Toll Gate Incident of 20th October 2020 is yet to be concluded by the Panel, it will be premature to proceed on it, as the basis of renewed calls for protest and counter-protest.


EIGHT 


It is safer for now, for the Lagos State Government and its agencies, the EndSARS group and indeed all those concerned with the Lekki Toll Gate Incident, to await the final report of the Panel.


NINE


I therefore plead that the protest and counter-protest slated for Saturday February 13, 2021, or any other date, be put on hold to abide the final report of the Panel.


TEN


I appeal to all security agencies, especially the police and the army, both respondents before the Panel, to embrace caution and demonstrate utmost respect for the fundamental rights of all citizens, including protesters, counter-protesters and non-protesters alike.


A people united, cannot be defeated.


Yours sincerely,


Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN

10/02/2021

Lekki, Lagos.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Fry that egg.

 FRY THE EGGS NOW, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE


A friend told me a story of how her mother called her around 10pm and asked her to quickly fry  eggs for her. She said she told her mother she was too tired and pleaded with her to allow her fry it in the morning. The mother insisted on eating the egg that night but the lady prevailed and the mother kept quiet over the matter and went to sleep.  

Early the following morning, the lady went into the kitchen and fried few eggs, well garnished and with fresh fish. She knocked her mother's door to serve her the scrambled egg; with hot tea. There was no answer. She forcefully opened the door and woke the mother up to eat her egg, but the mother was dead !!!

She screamed !

She shook her !

She shouted, " Mummy!Mummy !, Stand up and eat your egg. I even made hot tea for you with it, mummy I am sorry," Hot tears rolled down her cheeks like a mighty torrential rain r. It was too late !

Her mum was gone!   

She said, that scene of that night when her mum was practically begging her to fry egg for her kept hunting her memory for a long time and she always felt she was the cause of her mother's death.

If she had known that, that would be the last meal her mum would asked for and ate from her, she would  never have delayed in frying it for her that night ! 

Friends, what "eggs" are you asked to fry and you are saying you will "fry"it tomorrow ?.

Who do you need to call now, text now, chat with, or make  peace with and you are still saying," No, I will do it tomorrow, next week, when he/she apologises first,etc"? 

What if you wake up tomorrow and that person is gone ? Or what if you never woke up tomorrow ?

Is your spouse/love, dad, mum, partners, children, neighbours calling, calling you for help / forgiveness right now and you want to delay till tomorrow before 'frying the egg' for him / her / them and you're still insisising that it "until the Lord comes"? What if the opportunity is no more there tomorrow ?

Brothers and Sisters, gather yourself together;  whatever "eggs" you need to "fry" today, go ahead and 'fry' it !

This time last year, no one ever thought of it that there would be a Covid-19 that will wipe up an entire generation, destroy and put economies on their knees and change the course of actions of the individuals and nations. Some people that we never thought would die in the next 20 years are gone; the mighty and powerful people, the rich and the ordinary. It is still going on and we pray that God forgives and heal the world.

No one can guarantee tomorrow; we only have Now! Tomorrow may be too late!!!

Please "Fry the egg" now, for the evil of the day, is enough for the day.


Have a wonderful day and receive GRACE to end this season STRONG

.

God bless you