A man, Benjamin Oneze, 24, on Thursday pleaded not guilty before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos to a charge of inflicting bodily harm brought against him by the police.

The defendant is standing trial before the Magistrate, Mrs O.M Ogun, on a one-count charge of causing grievous hurt.

He pleaded guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, ASP Esther Adesulu, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on June 17, at the trade fair complex area of Ojo.

She alleged that following a misunderstanding, the defendant inflicted injuries on the complainant, one Mr Abdulkareem Hasa.

She alleged that the defendant cut the complainant with a machete on his left hand and head, resulting to serious injuries.

The offence, according to her, contravenes the provisions of section 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

The court has adjourned the case until July 2, for a review of facts.

Motorists on Wednesday crowded MRS filling stations after petrol prices dropped from N890 to N739 per litre, easing costs and leading to long queues across Lagos metropolis.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited some filling stations on Wednesday, observed long but orderly queues at MRS outlets in Lagos.

The filling stations visited were at Alaka, Onipanu, Anthony, Alapere, Oba Akran, Kodesho Street, Ikeja (Computer Village axis), Iju Road by Pen Cinema, Abule-Egba and Ojota Bus Stop.

NAN also reports that motorists reportscthat there was vehicular traffic around the stations, with many motorists spending hours in line, encouraged by the significant price difference compared with other marketers.

There was widespread compliance with the price directive issued by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which mandated all MRS retail outlets nationwide.

Motorists and commuters described the price cut as a timely relief amid prevailing economic pressures, particularly during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

They noted that it had helped to ease transportation costs.

Some commuters told NAN that the reduction was already beginning to reflect on transport fares in certain areas.

They urged transport operators to fully pass on the benefits to passengers.

They also called on the Federal Government and other major oil marketers to replicate the initiative nationwide, while appealing to the Dangote Refinery to extend the price relief to rural and hinterland communities.

NAN, however, observed that a few MRS stations,  along Liasu Road, Idimu and Akowonjo, were still dispensing petrol at about N880 per litre.

A pump attendant, who spoke anonymously, attributed the higher price to logistical challenges, including poor road conditions affecting supply.

NAN further reports that other marketers, including NNPC Ltd., AP, Mobil, Northwest, Petrocam and several independent operators, continue to sell petrol at prices ranging from N880 to N890 per litre.

Commenting on the development, Mr Joshua Francis, a lecturer, commended the Dangote Petroleum Refinery for what he described as a laudable intervention.

He urged the government and other marketers to consider further price reductions during the yuletide.

Similarly, Mrs Alice Bamdele, a business woman,  called for the deployment of monitoring teams to check fuel meters and sanction outlets involved in under-dispensing.

Mr Olarenwaju Saliu, a transporter, appealed for improved dispensing systems at MRS stations to reduce queues and ease stress for motorists.

The Police Command in Lagos State has deployed more than 5,000 police personnel across the state to ensure a peaceful and secured Christmas and New Year celebration for residents and visitors.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday evening by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi.

She said deployment followed the Commissioner of Police, Mr Olohundare Jimoh’s order, in line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr kayode Egbetokun.

Adebisi said the security operation involved conventional police officers, tactical units, intelligence operatives, marine police and special squads strategically positioned across the state to guarantee safety throughout the festive period.

“The operation is aimed at monitoring individuals or groups whose activities could threaten public peace, preventing criminal infiltration through the waterways and forestalling any breach of security during and after the celebrations.

“Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and heads of tactical units have been directed to intensify patrols, ensure visibility policing and maintain round-the-clock surveillance across all parts of Lagos State before, during and after the festivities, ” she said.

She said that officers on duty had been charged to remain professional, courteous and firm in the discharge of their responsibilities.

To address traffic congestion usually associated with the festive rush, the spokesperson said that more than 5,000 personnel had been deployed for traffic management duties on major highways, inner roads and identified traffic-prone areas across the state.

In a bid to further reduce road accidents, Adebisi said Jimoh held a strategic meeting with the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Dr Ayodele Ogunsan, alongside other security and safety agencies.

She noted that participants at the meeting included representatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos State Fire Service and the Federal Controller of Works, among others.

She said that the meeting focused on sustainable measures to reduce road accidents and enhance public safety during the festive season.

Adebisi also revealed that joint police teams comprising conventional officers, tactical squads, smart operatives and intelligence units had been deployed across the state to clamp down on traffic robbers, hoodlums and other criminal elements seeking to exploit the festive period.

According to her, special attention is being given to the security of places of worship, recreational centres, nightclubs, markets, motor parks and other public gathering points expected to witness increased human traffic during the celebrations.

The police image maker assured residents and visitors of the command’s unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property throughout the festive season and beyond.

She urged members of the public to remain law-abiding and vigilant, and to promptly report any suspicious activities or incidents to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency lines: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264 and 08039344870.

Matthew Kuti and Sukurat Aiyelabegan have reclaimed the titles they lost in 2024 at the third Daniel Ford Elite Invitational Table Tennis Tournament in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports the competition held at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, drew young talents from across the country.

The colourful finals attracted Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission.

Sponsor, Yemi Edun, reaffirmed his commitment to hosting the tournament annually, saying the competition’s growth reflected rising interest in grassroots table tennis.

Kuti delivered a dominant run, beating Muiz Adegoke 4-0 in the final to reclaim the boys’ U-19 title after near-perfect performances throughout.

The victory marked Kuti’s second U-19 triumph in three editions of the championship.

Aiyelabegan also impressed, defeating Khadijat Okanlawon 4-0 to secure the girls’ U-19 crown, her second win in three years.

In other results, Chinenye Okafor retained the girls’ U-15 title and won the female Most Valuable Player award.

Habeeb Adebayo claimed the boys’ MVP award and the U-12 boys’ title, while Elizabeth Emelike won the girls’ U-12 singles crown.

Joseph Marvelous of Kogi defeated Umar Ayoola of Lagos 3-0 to claim the boys’ U-15 title.

Speaking with NAN, Edun said his passion for grassroots sports inspired the sponsorship of the tournament.

“I grew up around this venue and watched competitions here. I was never a great athlete, but I enjoyed watching others excel,” he said.

Edun described table tennis as a strong grassroots sport capable of grooming young champions more effectively than many team sports.

After nearly 30 years in England, he said supporting youth sports was his way of contributing to Nigeria’s development.

“The vision is to nurture players who can represent Nigeria and follow the path of stars like Aruna Quadri,” Edun added.

He described the third edition as an improvement, expressing hope of discovering talents to develop over the next two to three years.

Governor Sanwo-Olu praised Edun’s foresight, urging athletes to embrace discipline, hard work and avoid doping.

“We must commend Yemi Edun for keeping faith with this tournament. This is what grassroots sports development requires,” the governor said.

Compared to the likes of Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Badagry and Epe, Ojota is not one of the places that come to mind when Lagos tourism is being discussed. Well, this position cannot be over-celebrated based on the area’s proximity to Ikeja the state capital, and the fact that it is also not only close to Mile 12, a food basket of the state, but it is also a link to the expansive Ikorodu axis. More importantly, beyond the resonance of Odo Iya Alaro, the Ojota-Opebi Link Road being constructed by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu government is a boost to the tourism profile of the popular area.

Even while Ojota may not yet be a big force in the tourism equation, its name partly rang loudly days ago when major players in the hospitality, arts and entertainment industry gathered at the neighbouring Oregun for the 2024 edition of the Lagos Tourism and Naija Brand Chick Trade Fair. The event, held at White Stone and powered by the state government, saw stakeholders converge with products, ideas and the typical Centre of Excellence energy and networking fervour that many participants agreed yielded great results. With some bordering on fashion, music, film, make-up and telecoms businesses, the project is one of those connected to the growth of the creative industry, on which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu places premium, as he believes it provides employment and contributes well to Lagos prosperity.

Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Idris Aregbe said the fair was one of the strategies deployed by the state government to use entertainment to push the Lagos brand. According to him, Lagos will continue to lead when it comes to art, entertainment, commerce and industry.

He said: “We have a master plan in Lagos that we are following. Our goal is to broaden our scope, emphasising that Lagos tourism is not just about entertainment and events but also about engaging with creatives and impacting every Lagosian’s life. It’s about viewing Africa through the lens of Lagos and ensuring that we extend Lagos’s reach to the world”.

Similarly, the state government recently played a pivotal role at the Africa Gaming Expo Lagos 2024, themed ‘Exploring the Future of African Gaming Market, Emerging Trends, Prospects and Opportunities’. Speaking at the event, Governor Sanwo-Olu articulated his administration’s plan to explore the African gaming market, which is currently estimated to exceed $7 billion.

He said: “For us as a government, we believe that the gaming industry will be a real engine of growth that can propel social order, economic development and re-define wealth within our various communities. As part of our commitment and renewed determination to leverage the potentialities of the gaming industry, entertainment and tourism, we have re-calibrated the trust of tourism through a robust master plan and the tourism policy designed to make the sector not only a huge revenue earner but also a model for economic growth regeneration as you have seen in other cities in Africa.

“The overall objective of this historic gathering of all stakeholders and operators, game developers, investment bankers, venture capitalists, regulators are to discuss regulatory frameworks, emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in Africa’s gaming market and its value chain”.

Meanwhile, Badagry, the historical, cultural and tourism heart of the state, remains conspicuously on the radar. Three weeks ago, the Sanwo-Olu administration received the final draft report of the Badagry Master Plan from Messrs. Vista Plan Consulting. While the plan covers all areas of the town famous for hosting many firsts, it is particularly a plus for its cultural and tourism landscape.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Physical Planning, Oluwole Sotire, said the review of the Badagry Master Plan was one of many physical development plans being prepared by the government to guide the development of the state, in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S+ agenda of the state government.

In Sanwo-Olu’s T.H.E.M.E.S+ development agenda, T stands for Transportation and Traffic Management; H stands for Health and Environment; E represents Education and Technology; M is Making Lagos State a 21st Century Megacity, E stands for Entertainment and Tourism; and S for Security and Governance. At the commencement of his second term in office on 29 May 2023, Sanwo-Olu included “plus” in the agenda, which represents Social Inclusion, Gender Equality and Youth.

As part of the realisation of the aspect relating to the creative industry, the government has carried out various empowerment programmes for a good number of practitioners – including grants and funding of a series of capacity-building training. It is also expanding infrastructure as evident in the completion of the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History.

Earlier in April this year, the governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to making the Badagry axis a tourist attraction city. According to him, the ancient city , with many historical and tourist sites, has a lot to offer in tourism.

He so extolled the peculiarities of the city during a working tour of sites and projects. He had, alongside the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Dispora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; members of the Lagos State Executive Council and Lagos State House of Assembly, as well as officials of the Lagos State Diaspora Commission, visited the Slave Market Museum International Vlekete Badagry, which was recently restored and upgraded by the administration.

He also visited the Badagry Heritage Museum, the seat of the fallen Agia Tree where Christianity was first preached in 1842, the first-storey building in Nigeria, the first Christian burial site, the Hospital Road construction project, and the Old Governor’s Lodge, a purpose-built 70-room and hotel complex. Governor Sanwo-Olu also took a boat ride to the Point of No Return, where slaves were taken to different parts of the world during the slave trade era.

During the working tour, Sanwo-Olu told the media that his administration would complete ongoing projects in Badagry and restock some of the heritage sites to tell a compelling story about what the town holds for the tourism potential of Nigeria.

He said: “The visit is really part of our tourism ecosystem, and I have had to come and see things for myself to evaluate what we have done, additional things that we need to do, and how we intentionally make Badagry, an all of the tourism potential that it has, a real destination. For us, it is to complete the ongoing projects that we have seen, to restock some of the heritage sites that we have seen, to generally preserve what we have, and to speak a compelling story about what Badagry holds for the tourism potential of our

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has enjoined Nigerians to keep hope alive in spite of the challenges the country is facing.

He said this as he rejoiced with Muslims  as they celebrate Eid-el-Adha, widely regarded as the feast of sacrifice by adherents of Islam.

He also encourage them on peaceful coexistence and to imbibe the lessons of the sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim.

In his Eid-el-Kabir message issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, he implored all Nigerians to keep their hopes alive and continue to work for the unity, peace and progress of the nation.

The Governor called on Nigerians and Lagosians to take some lessons from Prophet Ibrahim’s exemplary life by eschewing tendencies that could disturb the peace, unity and stability in the country.

Akeem Lasisi

From S. Aka Omo Lawale/Ligali Mukaiba era to the present Tiwa Savage/Adekunle Gold generation, it (Lagos) has always boasted bright artistes – with Ayinde bakare, Bobby Benson, Tunde King, Wizkid, Vector etc. also coming to mind. And, apart from the fact that the likes of Fela, Victor Olaiya, Adeolu Akinsanya, King Sunny Ade, Wasiu Ayinde and Salawa Abeni had their stardom made in Lagos, a popular area like Mushin is synonymous with the evolution of great Yoruba song-stars that include Ayinla Omowura, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Kollington Ayinla and Wasiu Alabi Pasuma. The impacts and exploits of all of the icons are likely to echo one way or the other during the Yoruba Week.

***

If a state like Lagos is not proactive, it may one day discover that its tradition and culture have disappeared with the wind. Being a melting pot – the global village of the Giant of Africa – its culture stands the risk of getting neutralised as it spreads its aquatic carpet for all and sundry trooping in with their variegated dreams. Indeed, based on how different ethnic groups tend to dominate particular industries or geographical locations in the state, while they also assert their cultures, the fear of Lagos losing its cultural essence could be real.

But, in the spirit of onílùú kìí fẹ kó tú, a Yoruba proverb meaning the owners of a town never watch it go under, and t’ẹni n t’ẹni, tèkísà mi t’ààtàn (you hold onto what is yours the way a garbage dump protects its rags), the state government, alongside other stakeholders, are ensuring that Lagos not only retain its values, but also propagate such. The Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration has particularly proved responsible and responsive in this regard. This, for instance, is the spirit that gave birth to the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, among other initiatives. The latest in the cultural regeneration scheme is the introduction of the Yoruba Week, which will celebrate the people’s arts and culture, language, philosophy and worldview, all of which have been widely acknowledged to be among the richest, most sophisticated and versatile globally.

The beautiful news kissed the air last week when the Sanwo-Olu government approved a proposal by the House of Assembly to the effect of an annual Yoruba Week. Details of the contents of the project have not been revealed but the date has been fixed, to demonstrate how determined both the executive and legislature are on the matter. The maiden edition will hold in September.

Yoruba Language-loving House

An excited Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudasiru Obasa said the programme would hold the last week of every September. According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Eromosele Ebhomele, the move is to preserve and promote the rich Yoruba cultural heritage. It added that the decision was conveyed to the Lagos State House of Assembly through a letter from the executive arm, following a resolution passed by the lawmakers on 19 September 2023, calling for the activation of Yoruba cultural heritage and the assignment of a special day as the Yoruba Day.

The letter, dated 8 April 2024, and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Oloruntoyin Atekoja, stated: “Sequel to the resolution of the House at its plenary of Tuesday, 19 September 2023, on the activation of Yoruba cultural heritage and a special day to be assigned as the Yoruba Day, I have the directive to officially convey Mr. Governor’s approval for the last week of September as the Yoruba Week”.

Obasa, who has never hidden his interest in Yoruba language especially, which manifested in the Houses’ earlier resolution to dedicate some days to conducting the business of the House in the mother tongue, commended Sanwo-Olu and his cabinet for the decision, describing it as a “good development”. According to him, Yoruba culture and heritage are very important, and there is a need for its preservation, adding that the House is ready to support the executive to ensure the success of the planned Yoruba Week.

From Ligali Mukaiba to Adekunle Gold

The event is, indeed, one to anticipate with fervour based on tangible and intangible resources the state exudes and its trademark capacity to stage grand celebrations – à la ‘Eko for Show’. Among all the IBILE political divisions, Badagry, Epe and Ikorodu are still relatively closer to nature and tradition. It will, thus, be interesting to see how the Yoruba Week will play out there. Yet, it could be a risky assumption to conclude that such are the biggest homes of Yoruba arts and culture in Lagos, bearing in mind how a city-centre zone like Lagos Island still keeps its cultural heritage symbolised by the Eyo Festival and the continued propagation of agidigbo music.

In spite of its cosmopolitan profile, Lagos, of course, has an onion-layered history, a rich artistic heritage as well as many amazing indigenous creative idols to flaunt. While the icons cut across different genres, a lot of Lagos-based or Lagos-bred culture greats stand to be counted and are worthy of showcasing and cultivating. Lagos has gifted to the country and the world in general notable musicians and dramatists/filmmakers. From S. Aka Omo Lawale/Ligali Mukaiba era to the present Tiwa Savage/Adekunle Gold generation, it has always boasted bright artistes – with Ayinde bakare, Bobby Benson, Tunde King, Wizkid, Vector etc. also coming to mind. And, apart from the fact that the likes of Fela, Victor Olaiya, Adeolu Akinsanya, King Sunny Ade, Wasiu Ayinde and Salawa Abeni had their stardom made in Lagos, a popular area like Mushin is synonymous with the evolution of great Yoruba song-stars that include Ayinla Omowura, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Kollington Ayinla and Wasiu Alabi Pasuma. The impacts and exploits of all of the icons are likely to echo one way or the other during the Yoruba Week.

Well, good enough, the Centre of Excellence is also the first home of Nollywood, which has many of its dominant players either born or residing on around the Lagoon, metaphorically speaking. The Yoruba Week will, as a result, have a robust presence of filmmakers and other Thespians to feed on. From the older Jide Kosokos to the Bimbo Ademoyes, there is no shortage of Yoruba stars and other experts to project, the way you have in other genres, businesses and professions. All of these, together with Yoruba fashion, arts and crafts, foods and more, are expected to be celebrated during the Week, making the maiden event something to impatiently anticipate.