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Sallah: Ram sellers in Lagos decry low patronage

Ram

By Kazeem Akande

Lagos,July 7,2022(NAN)Some ram sellers in Lagos State on Thursday decried low patronage of the sacrificial animal for Sallah by Muslim faithful.

Some of the traders told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)at ram markets in Agege and Alagbado areas of the state that business had been low.

Mr Aliu Dodo, A ram seller in Agege, said despite the fact that Sallah would be celebrated in less than three days , people were not just buying many of his animals.

“Business is very low ;people are not just buying .Around this time last year,I already sold many of my rams.

But this year,things are different.I understand things are difficult .Many people will like to buy but cannot afford the animals .

“‘And if people don’t buy,we cannot sell.We are ,however,optimistic that we will record some reasonable patronage before Sallah,”he said.

Dodo said bringing many animals all the way from Katsina and not being able to sell a quarter less than three days to Sallah was discouraging.

He urged the government to do more to address the challenges in the economy to improve demand and by extension,business.

Dodo said that the cheapest ram in his stand was N70,000 while the most expensive was N250,000.

Another dealer,Mr Mubarak Daudu, who sells at Alagbado area of the state ,also complained of low patronage of his animals.

Daudu said that most of his customers came to ask for prices and would leave without buying ,after they were given the prices of the different sizes of rams at his stand.

“We have low sales this year compared to the previous years .

“Despite the security challenges in the north and high cost of transportation of rams from there Lagos, we are not really selling many of our rams”,he told NAN

Daudu urged the government to assist ram sellers by subsidising  the prices of rams around Sallah so that many people could afford them.

The ram seller also urged the government to address rising transportation costs and the security challenges in the north,which he said,were driving prices of animals up.

He said the ram he sold for N85,000 could not be bought for N150,000 this year due to high costs of transporting the animals from the north

Mr Waliu Mustapha ,another seller at Meiran in Ojokoro area of the state ,said he might not bring many animals to Lagos next year owing to the low patronage he was recording now.

“Things are just dull.I may not bring many rams next year.How can one explain that I have not sold 30 out of the 123 rams that I brought? Things are just down”,he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Rasaq Ajala, Executive Chairman Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye Local Council Development  Area (LCDA), has subsidised rams for Muslim faithful in Mushin community.

Ajala, while addressing a crowd of residents at the council secretariat on  Thursday ,said the step was to help those people who were not empowered enough to buy rams.

He said the subsidised rams were only for people of low income,adding those with means should have no business buying the subsidised rams at the council secretariat.

According to him, those who are not residents of  Mushin can not benefit from the gesture.

“Government belongs to the people. I, therefore, urge those who have already purchased the rams not to get another one to pave way for the others who have not gotten theirs.

“Once you have a valid voter’s card that has the address of Odi–Olowo-Ojuwoye LCDA ,you  are eligible to purchase the ram,”Ajala said.

He assured the people that the programme would be a continuous one and would expand in terms of several rams to be sold. (NAN)

AKA/BHB

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Edited by Buhari Bolaji

Christmas: Sen. Adeola urges Christians to renew faith in Christ

Christmas

By Bolaji Buhari

Lagos, Dec 24, 2020 (NAN)The Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Sen. Solomon Adeola, has urged Christians to renew their faith in Jesus Christ as they celebrate Christmas.

The senator, in a Christmas message on Thursday, also urged his constituents and Nigerians in general to observe all prescribed guidelines against COVID-19 during the period.

Adeola (APC-Lagos West) said that “Christmas symbolises the celebration of the birth of a new dawn for the salvation of all humanity, especially for Christians”.
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While saying the occasion should be joyous with merry-making, the senator called for caution in such display of positive emotion in view of threats of the second wave of COVID-19.

He said in line with the Federal Government’s directive banning all large gatherings over the second wave of the virus, he had cancelled his annual end-of-the-year party for his constituents.

“The year 2020 is a challenging year globally; in compliance with prescribed COVID-19 protocols, I have cancelled the end-of-the-year party that I organise annually to meet and celebrate with thousands of my constituents.

“However, as is equally my tradition, I have made provisions in cash and kind for joyous celebration in homes of my constituents”, he said.

Adeola noted that Nigerians were going through a difficult period as COVID-19 had caused many citizens to lose their sources of income.

He, however, expressed optimism that 2021 would be a better year, especially as COVID-19 vaccines had been developed, and that the country would most likely exit recession by the first quarter.

“I urge all Nigerians to be patient and look forward to a better future.

”With abiding faith in Jesus Christ, all our challenges will be a thing of the past as we move to, hopefully, a glorious New Year”, he said.(NAN)
BHB/SOA

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

By-election

By Bolaji Buhari

Lagos, Dec.6, 2020 (NAN) Winner of Saturday’s Lagos East Senatorial By-election, Mr Tokunbo Abiru, has described his victory as a proof of public trust in his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos.

Abiru, a former Managing Director of Polaris Bank, said this on Sunday in a “Victory Speech” after the declaration of the election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC declared Abiru winner after polling 89,204 votes, as against the 11,257 votes polled by his closest rival, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Abiru said the outcome was a reaffirmation of the expanding political support base of the party not just in Lagos East, but across the state.

“This is, perhaps, the smoothest victory our party has secured in its recent history; we polled 89,204 votes, while our closest rival scored 11,251 votes.

“This outcome, no doubt, is a reaffirmation of our expanding political support base, not just in Lagos East but also in Lagos State at large.

“It is, without doubt, a proof of the degree of public trust we have earned in our party’s two decades or more in governance in Lagos State,’’ he said.

He said if there was anybody who still doubted the popularity of APC or its approach to governance, the party’s victory in the election should offer “an infallible answer”.

Abiru said the overwhelming victory was the answer the people of the senatorial district just delivered in the election.

“It is the answer that resonates in their popular decision to give us their mandate.

“It is the answer that our unrepentant critics cannot contest, even in their wildest dreams, given the credibility of the process that gave us the mandate.

“This answer did not come by accident or chance; it came by dint of hard work our party and campaign council invested in the electioneering.

“It also came through the selfless service of all members of our Campaign Council and Local Organising Committees (LOC) that canvassed support for our party even during sometimes difficult circumstances,” he said.

He commended the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the state party chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun and members of the party’s Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) for the structures that earned the victory.

While also thanking the people of Lagos East for voting him and APC, he said he would not take their support for granted.

He said it was time to begin to implement all his electoral promises to all of the people of the senatorial district, regardless of the decisions they made in the by election.

“The election has been held and we have won with a landslide. Now that we have secured this senatorial mandate, we cannot afford to fail our people.

“We cannot afford to fail those who voted for us and those who did not vote for us for whatever reasons and those who did not vote at all.

“We cannot afford to betray the invaluable trust our people reposed in us as a political party and as their representatives in government.

“Now is the time to translate all the promises into positive and tangible outcomes our people are expecting us to bring about.

“Now is the time to take our people from the realm of expectations to the limelight of fulfilment,” he said.

The former Polaris Bank CEO also said he was committed to facilitating the completion of federal and state road projects in Lagos East.

He said he would also promote ease of doing business, support the 5 for 5 agenda for Police Reform and fiscal federalism.

“Within the limits of our statutory mandate, this is the time to make the aged smile; empower our jobless youths, minister to the vulnerable, secure the future or brilliant indigent children and support the implementation of the ideals of the party.
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“To achieve these enviable goals, we are already in the process of establishing an Endowment and Empowerment Fund to actualise my private philanthropy.

“The fund will implement different interventions we are coming up with in line with my agenda and ideals of the party.

‘Already, our team is perfecting the modalities for the implementation of these intervention programmes.

“By the middle of January, we will unveil these programmes in full and begin implementation immediately,” he said. (NAN)

BHB/JTJ

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

Lagos by-election: PDP senatorial candidate wins polling unit

Election

By Aisha Cole/Bolaji Buhari

Lagos, Dec. 5, 2020(NAN)The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate in Saturday’s Lagos East by-election, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, has emerged winner of his Polling Unit in Ikorodu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports that Gbadamosi polled 22 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Tokunbo Abiru, of the All Progressives Congress, who polled 12 votes at Polling Unit 14, Ward 1, Ikorodu

The details of the certified results obtained by NAN showed that three votes were void at the Polling Unit.

A total of 37 voters were accredited at the Polling Unit.

Gbadamosi, shortly after voting at at about 10 a.m, had decried poor turnout of voters at the Polling Unit and others around Ikorodu.

He said the development showed that INEC did not do enough to sensitise voters on the need to participate in the by-election.

The PDP candidate also said he received reports of pockets of disturbances in some areas in Ikorodu and called for an end to electoral violence in the country. (NAN)
AIC/BHB/WOJ

Edited by Wale Ojetimi

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By-election: Dec. 5 offers Lagos East fresh hope – Abiru

By-election

By Bolaji Buhari

Lagos, Dec. 2, 2020 (NAN) All Progressives Congress candidate for Lagos East Senatorial district by-election, Mr Tokunbo Abiru, on Wednesday urged residents of the district to turn out en masse on the Dec. 5 election date and vote for him.

Abiru, a former Managing Director of Polaris Bank, said in a statement that he would consider it the greatest honour of his life if elected to represent the Senatorial district.

According to him, Dec. 5 presents a fresh hope for the people of Lagos East, after initial postponement of the election, to elect somebody who will offer quality representation at the Senate.

Abiru said he had the capacity and pedigree to serve the people of the area, urging them to trust him with their mandate to offer quality representation at the Upper Chamber.

“I strongly believe December 5, 2020 presents a rare opportunity to elect a candidate that has the capacity and exposure to play the roles expected of a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It also offers an opportunity to bring on somebody who can give good representation to the people of Lagos East.

“Dec. 5, no doubt, presents a fresh hope to elect a Senator that is a homegrown individual, whom our youths can look up to, learn from, and believe, as to the possibilities this country offers to its young people.

“This date offers us, without hesitation, the opportunity to elect somebody who will not disappoint you and indeed somebody who will live up to expectations and somebody with listening ears.

“I will consider it the greatest honour of my life, if you, my people in Lagos East, find me worthy to represent to you in the Senate on the platform of APC.

“I, therefore, urge you to turn out in large numbers on December 5 to elect me as the Senator for Lagos East,” he said.

Abiru said he had, without any blemish, run a successful professional and public service career for 32 years and would never at this point mess it up.

He said he would never be the kind of a representative that only comes to the people during elections .

Rather, he said, he would be a true representative that would periodically go to constituents to give account “of what I have done ; listen to get feedback from you and see what I can do to further your cause”.

The former Polaris Bank boss said he was contesting as Senator to pursue development-oriented agenda for Lagos and East Senatorial District.

He said he had campaigned vigorously from community to community and even house to house, to tell the people about his programmes.

Abiru listed some of his plans as working with other elected lawmakers to champion special status for Lagos, being a former capital, and addressing development challenges in Lagos East.

He also promised to prioritise welfare of the youths, women and the aged, while saying he would support call for devolution of power at the Senate if elected.

Abiru said people could trust him for his commitment, integrity and experience acquired as former CEO of Polaris Bank to make impact in Lagos East.

He said he was optimistic of receiving the people’s manadate on Dec.5.

“I look forward with commitment and optimism to receiving your mandate on December 5, 2020”, he said. (NAN)
BHB/SOA

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

World Food Day: Abiru lauds FG’s Anchor’s Borrower’s programme

Commendation

By Bolaji Buhari

Lagos, Oct. 16, 2020 (NAN) All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Lagos East Senatorial Bye-election, Tokunbo Abiru, has commended Federal Government’s Anchor’s Borrower’s programme, aimed at achieving food security in the country.

Abiru gave the commendation in a statement on Friday in Lagos in commemoration of the World Food Day.

Abiru, a former Commissioner of Finance in Lagos State and immediate past Managing Director of Polaris Bank, said that the programme was a step in the right direction.

The APC candidate also endorsed the Agricultural Youth Empowerment Scheme (Agric-Yes) initiated by the Lagos State Government to tackle food insufficiency and youth unemployment in the state.

He said that the 2020 World Food Day celebration should be an opportunity for all stakeholders to step up efforts at attaining food sufficiency and banishing hunger.

“As we mark the #WorldFoodDay today amid rising inflation and economic turbulence, I am aware that getting daily food requirements greatly impacts household budget of the people, not just in Lagos East and Lagos State, but also in Nigeria.

“Food is essential. It, no doubt, occupies a prime place in the order of man’s basic needs. As a result, making it available to every citizen through pro-people policies will endear people to government and government to people, irrespective of where we live on earth.

“By implication, we all need food to survive. Sadly enough, millions of people around the globe cannot afford daily food needs, while others have more than enough to share with the haves-not.

“To attain a fair balance, we must, as a matter of duty, endeavour to share food with the needy without let or hindrance.

“As we celebrate this symbolic day, we call on the haves worldwide to feed one soul a day in line with the theme of the 2020 World Food Day, “Grow, Nourish, Sustain: Together, Our Actions Are Our Future.”

“In every sphere of life, we also urge all stakeholders to work together to make food accessible, affordable and available to every soul in every home, if we must ensure the food security objectives globally,” he said.

Abiru promised to continue to support such pro-people initiatives and programmes conceived to achieve food security objectives nationwide, if elected.(NAN)

BHB/WOJ

Edited by Wale Ojetimi

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Gbajabiamila
By Bolaji Buhari
Lagos,Oct. 16, 2020 (NAN) Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, says he is committed to the welfare and well-being of the people of Surulere 1 Federal Constituency.

The Speaker made the statement during the disbursement of N20 million interest-free loan to 400 constituents on Friday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the N50,000 loan to benefitting traders and artisans, was facilitated by Gbajabiamila and disbursed by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

Represented Mr Agboola Dabiri, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Gbajabiamila said he would always work to serve the interest of the people.

He said the facilitation and disbursement of the interest free loans to traders and artisans in the constituency was one of the efforts made to empower the people.

He urged the beneficiaries to use the loans judiciously so as to improve their businesses and better their lot.

“The facilitation of these loans is one of our efforts to uplift the people of the constituency and better their lot.

“We have carried out several empowerment programmes to uplift the people; we will do more because our focus is the people.

“I urge you all to put the loans into good use so that your businesses can grow and boom,” he said.

Gbajabiamila urged the beneficiaries to repay the loans within the aggreed period so that others could also benefit.

He commended the NDE for availing the people of Surulere of the loans, saying it would go a long way in helping their businesses.

Speaking, Mrs Serena Edwards, State Co-ordinator, NDE said the loans, facilitated by the Speaker, was disbursed under the Enterprise Enhancement Scheme of the directorate.

She said the scheme was aimed at supporting entrepreneurs and boosting businesses.

“The reason for this gathering is in no small measure fit for fighting mass unemployment in the society, a responsibility saddled on the NDE by the Federal Government as one of the agencies set up for this purpose.

“It is on this stride that we encourage the successful beneficiaries of this programme to make maximum use of this opportunity.

‘If well nurtured, it will grow and blossom to its desired end. The NDE is poised and ready to assist all job seekers and businesses navigate their desire to an enviable end,” she said.

She commended Gbajabiamila for facilitating the loans, saying the facility would impact positively on businesses in Surulere 1 constituency.

She said the loans were repayable in five months and urged beneficiaries to put the loans to good use to boost their incomes.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs Bola Badmus, Iyaloja of Abibatu Mogaji Market, Iponri, thanked the Speaker and the NDE for the loans.

She said the loans would help beneficiaries to grow their businesses.

Badnus thanked Gbajabiamila for all the empowerment programmes carried out in the constituency, saying the people were feeling the impact of his representation. (NAN)
BHB/ISMA
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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Accident

By Bolaji Buhari

Lagos, Oct. 16, 2020 (NAN) The Mainland Local Government Council of Lagos State has warned commercial drivers, picking passengers at undesignated bus stops in Oyingbo area, to stop the act or face sanctions.

Mrs Rasheedat Essien, the Council Chairman, gave the warning while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday.

She was reacting to the killing of a 19-year-old girl, Blessing Ogunniyi, by a trailer in Oyingbo on Wednesday night.

An eye witness, Mr Dhikrullahi Adepoju had told NAN that the truck crushed Ogunniyi to death at Oyingbo end of Apapa Road around 7.30 p.m.

He said many commercial mini-buses had parked on the narrow road, picking passengers and that the deceased was hit against one of the buses while returning from work.

Adepoju said another 13-year-old girl, Deborah Adebanjo, a student of Aje Comprehensive High School, Sabo was also hit by the same truck and she was critically injured.

The eye witness, who is a watch repairer at Oyingbo, said the truck had been impounded at Iponri Police Station.

Confirming the accident, Essien said she received the news of the incident with sadness and anger.

While describing the death of the teenager as unfortunate, the council chairman said the incident would not have happened if commercial drivers, using mini-buses to play Oyingbo-Costain route, have been playing by the rules.

She said the council had warned the drivers against parking indiscriminately to pick passengers, saying they had failed to heed the warning.

Essien said the council would no longer condone such acts, warning violators to desist or face heavy sanctions.

“We have always warned these drivers against parking on the roads picking passengers but they will not listen.

“They partially comply when our local government officials are on the field and immediately they close from work, these people return to the road, thereby narrowing the road for other motorists.

“We will no longer take this kind of thing.

“We will deal with anybody caught disobeying the rules henceforth,’’ she told NAN.

Speaking, the deceased’s father, Mr Olaoluwa Ogunniyi, said he was out of Lagos when the incident happened.

Ogunniyi said that her daughter, who was a fashion designing apprentice, “was returning from work when she was crushed to death’’.

He said that he was told that the speeding truck crushed Blessing against commercial buses popularly known as “Korope” which had occupied half of the road.

Also speaking, Deborah’s father, Mr Abiodun Adebanjo said his daughter had her limb crushed and was immediately rushed to the hospital.

“She was first taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Ebutte Meta but was later referred to a private hospital due to lack of bed space,” Adebanjo told NAN.

He added that Deborah “is now in stable condition”. (NAN)
BHB/AIB

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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde