News

UNILAG waterfront needs shoreline protection – VC cries out as fence collapses

Published

3 years ago

October 20, 2021

The University of Lagos’s waterfront is in need of urgent adequate shoreline protection as its ageing perimeter fence has collapsed, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said on Wednesday,

Ogundipe made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

“The rains that Lagos and its environs have experienced possibly due to the impact of climate change and subsequent higher-than-normal discharge of the rivers emptying into the lagoon, possibly led to the collapse of the already aging perimeter fence and embankment with imminent security issues and attendant ecological pertubations.

“In the morning of yesterday, Oct. 19, the chief security officer of the university called my attention to the sad development.

“We quickly rushed there to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of the collapsed perimeter fence on the waterfront.

Ogundipe appealed to the Federal Government to urgently come to the aid of the university in that regard.

“We need reconstruction of the embankment,” he pleaded,” he told NAN.

According to the vice-chancellor, the waterfront of the university is subjected to wave actions and coastal erosion which are associated with risks of land loss, damage to coastal infrastructure and flooding.

He said that the university had maintained an embankment on the shoreline and waterfront serving as perimeter fencing and ensuring that coastal erosion and occasional flooding were addressed.

“The Lagos lagoon is part of the lagoon complex which comprises a network of nine lagoons namely: Yewa, Ologe, Badagry, Iyagbe, Lagos, Kuramo, Epe, Lekki, and Mahin, stretching from the Republic of Benin.

“It lies behind the barrier beach and extends for 210km along the coast.

“The Lagos Lagoon is, on the average, about two to four metres in depth, but it is 10 metres deep at the entrance at the Commodore Channel around the Lagos Harbor, which empties the lagoon into the Atlantic Ocean,” he noted.

He added that the Lagos lagoon was bound in the south by the five cowrie creeks, in the Eastern flank by the Palavar Islands, the northern end by Ikorodu, and on the western border, by mainland communities.

Ogundipe said that the Lagos lagoon waterfront with usefulness as a tourism resource is considered a major artery in the water transportation architecture of Lagos metropolis.

“In this light, the university of Lagos waterfront has already been earmarked for construction of a jetty by the Lagos State Government under the leadership of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“The lagoon is flanked by tidal wetlands and swamps.

“This comprises of the waterfront, known as university of Lagos Waterfront, shorelines of Ilaje-Bariga and shorelines of Makoko community,” Ogundipe said.

He added water from the Atlantic Ocean moved into the lagoon during high tides and receded during low tides.

According to him, it is affected by a powerful longshore drift and also fed by several rivers such as Ogun,Ona/Ibu, Oshun, Shasha and Oni.

News

I’ve never taken bribe since joining police in 2005 – Force PRO Adejobi

Published

52 mins ago

May 19, 2024

Trends Admin

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi

I’ve never taken bribe since joining police in 2005 – Force PRO Adejobi

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Prince Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has boasted that he has never for once accepted a bribe of any kind since he started active service as a police officer.

Adejobi, who is an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), made this revelation in a post on his verified X account on Sunday.

The Force PRO, while responding to a netizen who asked if he had ever taken bribes before, said accepting bribes is a taboo for him as a royal prince.

According to him, accepting a bribe is not just ungodly but also affects someone somewhere anytime it is taken.

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He noted that the essence of life is to put smiles on the faces of others and not to be the source of their tears.

He further revealed that he has taken it upon himself to preach against accepting bribery to his fellow police officers and other people around him.

He wrote, “No. It’s a taboo for a royal prince to take a bribe. Taking bribe definitely makes someone somewhere cry for many reasons, and it’s ungodly to do so. Your main purpose in life is to put smiles on people’s faces. It’s Godly and rewarding. It’s my personal principle and a call to duty. I preach this to my colleagues and many others always. May we have the grace to remain steadfast and purposeful in life.”

Adejobi, who is a prince from Orile-Owu Community in Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State, was reappointed as the Force PRO by the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, in August 2023.

I’ve never taken bribe since joining police in 2005 – Force PRO Adejobi

News

Oba of Benin receives 2 looted ancestral stools from Germany

Published

6 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Trends Admin

Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II

Oba of Benin receives 2 looted ancestral stools from Germany

The Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, has received two looted royal stools carted away during the invasion of Benin City in 1897, from the German government.

The artefacts — bronze and wooden royal stools (Ekete), were looted during the reign of Oba Eresoyen and Oba Esigie several centuries ago.

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The returned artefacts were handed over to the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, NCMM, on behalf of the Nigerian government by the German authorities in 2022.

Presenting the items to the Oba of Benin in his palace, the Director-General of National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr Olugbile Holloway, pledged to work-hand-in hand with the Benin Royal Court in uplifting and displaying Edo heritage.

He said as the Benin bronzes and other art works are gradually making their way home (Nigeria), adding that the NCMM will join hands with the Royal Court to create a befitting destination for people around the world to come and appreciate these works.

Oba of Benin receives 2 looted ancestral stools from Germany

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Osun: Obaship tussle rages in Iree as court restrains Gov Adeleke again

Published

7 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Trends Admin

Osun: Obaship tussle rages in Iree as court restrains Gov Adeleke again

A High Court sitting in Osogbo has refused the prayer of the Osun State government to vacate the order preventing Governor Ademola Adeleke from issuing certificates, instruments and staff of office to one Prince Muritala Oyelakin as the Aree of Iree.

The state government, Oyelakin and seven others, through their counsel, Kayode Titilaoye, who is the Director of Legal Reform in the state Ministry of Justice, and Dr. D. A. Ariyoosu, had approached the court to vacate the restraining order granted Oba Raphael Oluponle, which stopped the official presentation of staff of office to Oyelakin on May 3, 2024 and to also refuse the interlocutory injunction sought by Oba Oluponle to restrain Adeleke from taking any further step on Aree stool pending the determination of the substantive matter before the court.

At the hearing last week, counsel to Oba Oluponle, Dr Muritala Abdurasheed, SAN, informed the court that the substantive matter was already before the court and parties had been served accordingly.

He urged the court to grant the interlocutory injunction, arguing that taking further steps on the matter before the court was not only contemptuous of the judiciary but also injurious to Oba Oluponle.

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Justice M.O Awe, in his ruling, refused the application of the state government and Oyelakin and granted interlocutory injunction sought by Oba Oluponle and restrained Governor Adeleke from issuing certificate, instrument and staff of office.

The order reads in part: “It is my view that the complainant’s application for interlocutory injunction ought to succeed. Accordingly, the application succeeds and it is hereby ORDERED AS PRAYED. “Specifically, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants/respondents are hereby restrained from installing the 9th defendant and respondent as Aree of Iree and/or present a staff of office to the said 9th defendant /respondent pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit that is the originating summon of the claimant pending before the court.

Parties are to bear their costs.”

It would be recalled that the court, on Friday, May 3, 2024, stopped Governor Adeleke from presenting staff of office to Oyelakin at an event scheduled to hold on Saturday, May 4, 2024 in Iree after preparations had been concluded for the ceremony.

The state government, through his Commissioner for Information and Civic Engagement, Kolapo Alimi, in a statement, said the governor had obeyed the court order and suspended the ceremony till further notice and directed the government legal team to approach the court to vacate the interim order.

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Oba Oluponle had been appointed by the former Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s administration and presented with the certificate and staff of office, but Governor Adeleke later issued an Executive Order that he should vacate the palace, without recourse to the fact that a case was pending in court on the matter as of the time.

The government subsequently issued a White Paper nullifying the appointment of Oba Oluponle and ordered that the case which was instituted against his appointment should be withdrawn before the commencement of a new process.