Lagos State

By Uzair Adam Imam

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged the Lagos State people to avoid violence against his loss to Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), in Lagos State.

In Saturday’s presidential elections, Obi defeated Tinubu in Lagos with a total vote of 582,454, whereas Tinubu got 572,606 votes.

Different reports from the state indicated violence in some parts of the state as hoodlums attacked some traders.

However, reacting to the incident in a statement by his Director, Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the defeat should not be a source of violence in Lagos State.

He added, “The fact that the APC narrowly lost Lagos State to another party should not be the reason for violence.

“As a democrat, you win some; you lose some. We must allow the process to continue unhindered across the country while we maintain peace and decorum,” the former governor of Lagos State said.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to inaugurate the Commission’s Integrity Club in a Lagos secondary school.

On Wednesday, the Lagos Command of the EFCC said the inauguration of its Integrity Club in Crescent College, Lagos, is in line with its strategic objectives to continuously enlighten and reorientate the youth about the menace of economic and final crimes commission.

The EFCC made the promise to the students during the former’s visit to the Lagos Command of the EFCC. 

Addressing the students, the Deputy Zonal Commander, Lagos Zonal Command, Emeka Okonjo, urged the students to join the EFCC Integrity Club. He said joining the Club affords them an opportunity to become ambassadors of the Commission in the anti-graft campaign.

He said,  “We want you, the leaders of tomorrow, to join in the campaign against economic and financial crimes and become change agents in your environment, schools, churches and mosques.

“We want you to join hands with us to tell everyone that integrity, honesty and hard work are the sure routes to living a successful life”.

A representative of the school, Shukrah Odunola, expressed profound gratitude to the EFCC for honouring the school invitation, adding that the lunch of the integrity club in the school would go a long way in ensuring that the students “are enlightened on the consequences of corruption in the society and Nigerian as a whole.”

By Muhammad Jameel Yusha’u, PhD

At 2:45 am every day, the first email at HKS comes to your inbox. HKS Daily is a catalogue of information about activities at Harvard Kennedy School. If you miss it for a day, you could miss countless opportunities about conferences, breakfast with guests, working groups, and lectures by presidents, governors, mayors and other leading policymakers from different parts of the world.

When I checked this morning, I saw an event posted by the Building State Capability Project. It was a book talk entitled “They eat our sweat: Transport labour, corruption and survival in urban Nigeria.” The theme was from the title of a book by Daniel Agbiboa, an Assistant Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University Center for African Studies. I registered immediately.

I love original research. Daniel’s work is an excellent example of that. The book, which I look forward to reading, was based on his research work at the University of Oxford, where he worked with the late pan-African scholar, Professor Abdulra’uf Mustapha. It was a research project that used participant observation to study the informal transport sector in #Lagos. As a student of public policy, this attracted my attention even more. Many policies are designed without an in-depth understanding of the social, cultural and even political implications of such policies.

A governor or minister might see the informal transport sector as a nuisance to a modern city. He might bring consultants to hurriedly analyse the problem and come up with a solution. Every person would like to see his city looking like San Francisco, Paris or Dubai. What we tend to forget is that there are thousands of lives that could suffer in our attempt to look modern. Where do we put those people who work as drivers and ‘conductors’ if we don’t have an alternative industry that will absorb them?

To understand this, Professor Daniel went to the field. He became a bus ‘conductor’ for two months, working with a driver, starting early in the morning and absorbing the difficulty that comes with such endeavour. He used his research to understand the difficulty of survival within the informal transportation sector.

He provided a critique to those who use CPI to evaluate countries as corrupt when ordinary people in those countries have completely different realities. “Informal transport not only provides a sector for examining corruption, but also a prism through which to interrogate the binary framing of formality/informality and understandings of the borders (or lack thereof) between the two.” Says Daniela Schofield in a review of the book published on the blog of The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

Takeaway: Developing public policy needs in-depth thinking and proper planning. Building infrastructure is only one part of the story. Managing the effect of policies on people is a much harder task.

Muhammad Jameel Yusha’u, PhD, is a candidate for a Mid-Career Master’s in Public Administration at Harvard University, John F Kennedy School of Government. He can be reached via mjyushau@yahoo.com.

• News Desk

The Lagos State Chapter of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has bemoaned the death of seven innocent passengers who fell victim to a 20ft container which fell on a commercial minibus at Ojuelegba, Lagos on Sunday, January 29, 2023. The group urged the Lagos State Government (LASG) to formulate a sustainable and enforceable policy that will regulate the operation and movement of tankers and heavy-duty lorries on major roads.

The statement was signed by the chairman of the Lagos Chapter of MURIC, Dr Busari Muhammad Jamiu.

He said: On Sunday, 29th January 2023, a tragedy occurred in Lagos where seven (7) innocent lives were lost. According to the report, a  truck conveying a 20ft container fell on a commercial minibus at Ojuelegba and killed the occupants.

“We are sad that innocent lives are taken by heavy-duty lorries and fuel-laden tankers unabatedly on Lagos roads. The Ojuelegba incident, which happened two days ago, was not the first as Lagosians do witness myriads of tanker explosions and the falling of containers on innocent road users. We are asking the LASG when such calamities would be curtailed.

“It will be recalled that barely two weeks ago, one life was lost when a  diesel-laden tanker fell on a stationary towing van at Otto Wharf, along Apapa – Oshodi Expressway, Mile 2, in Lagos. This incident is just another example of innumerable calamities that Lagosians have experienced.  Are we safe again as road users? What are the authorities doing in curbing and averting the re-occurrence of these avoidable man-made tragedies?

To this end, MURIC urges LASG to formulate a sustainable policy that will regulate the operation and movement of tankers and heavy-duty lorries on our major roads. The enforcement of such policies has become overdue if they already exist.  

“This could be done in conjunction with all relevant authorities such as the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Police, Lagos State Ministries of Transportation and  Justice, as well as the tankers’ owners and drivers associations.

“There must be a framework on how, where and when these trucks and lorries are loaded,  parked and moved around in Lagos to avert incessant loss of lives and properties of Lagosians. It is believed that a stitch in time saves nine. Therefore, LASG must not wait until such tragedy is recorded again before taking a proactive step. The time to act is now!”

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

The Lagos State University, LASU, has issued fifteen new guidelines for students’ on-campus dressing that are deemed inappropriate.

The university also instructs lecturers to make sure that no student is wearing inappropriate clothing when in class.

This was contained in a statement issued by Olaniyi Jeariogbe, the interim head of the Center for Information, who warns it is no longer condonable for the students’ continued disregard for its rules and regulations on the manner of dressing on campus. 

According to the statement, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, Vice Chancellor, has notified the College Provost, Deans of Faculties, Heads of Departments, and faculty officials on both the main campus and satellite campuses to work together to implement the new dress codes.

The Institution’s list of fifteen indecent dress codes prohibits wearing transparent dresses, tattered clothing, “baggy,” “saggy,” “yansh,” “ass level,” and all other varieties of indecent trousers.

It also forbids wearing dirty jeans with holes or offensive subliminal messages.

Others include body piercing and tattoos, wearing necklaces and earrings by male students, wearing necklaces and nose rings by students, tight-fitting clothing, rolling sleeves or flying shirt collars, obnoxious or seductive writing, improperly buttoned dresses, shirts without buttons, completely covering faces (with very dark glasses), wearing face caps, and wearing necklaces and earrings.

The list of the banned dress codes also includes male students braiding, weaving, or glueing their hair or wearing distracting footwear like stiletto heels in the library and lecture halls. 

The rest include lousy footwear, untidy, vividly coloured eyelashes or eyebrows, highly fake or coloured artificial hair, artificial dreadlocks, and the extension of long fingernails or eyelashes.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

Virginity testing is forbidden, Dr Oluwajimi Sodipo, a consultant family physician at the teaching hospital of Lagos State University, said in Ilorin on Wednesday.

He revealed to the News Agency of Nigeria that the WHO had ruled the practice to be unlawful while he was attending a session for primary healthcare professionals.

Aside from the WHO announcement, he said, the practice was antiquated.

The most common reasons for conducting the virginity test are requests from parents or suitors to see whether the girl is eligible for marriage or to determine her suitability for a job.

According to the WHO, a virginity test is a gynaecological exam done with the intent of determining if a woman or girl has had vaginal contact.

He added that the practice was frequently agonizing, embarrassing, and distressing, adding that the idea of a virginity test was false because a woman’s lack of a hymen did not necessarily indicate that she was promiscuous.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A female lawyer identified as Bolanle Raheem has been allegedly killed by personnel of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) 

Mrs Raheem was shot dead by an unknown policeman while on his way from Christmas Church Service on Sunday. She was pronounced dead upon arrival in the hospital she was rushed to.

The Spokesperson of the Lagos State Police, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, has confirmed the incident in a statement he issued on behalf of the NPF.  

Hundeyin described the incident as “unfortunate and avoidable”. He stressed that justice will prevail” 

“The Lagos State Police Command condoles with the family, friends and colleagues of Barrister Bolanle Raheem. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Abiodun Alabi, has been in touch with the family and the Nigerian Bar Association since yesterday and has given firm assurances that justice will definitely prevail.” He tweeted

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association ( NBA) has demanded that justice should be served in the matter. 

NBA National Publicity Secretary Akorede Lawal wrote, “We are aware of this unfortunate incident. This is yet another crime against a lawyer. Regrettably, our member is gone…We shall ensure that justice is duly served.”

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned a decision by the Lagos State Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold its meeting inside a church in Ikeja, Lagos State.

Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the MURIC Director, made the condemnation in a statement released and issued to journalists on Thursday.

It was gathered that the Lagos headquarters of INEC scheduled a meeting for Thursday and picked Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, as the venue of the meeting.

Akintola advised INEC Lagos headquarters not to hold any of its activities in any church except those meant for church members alone and that same goes for mosques and shrines.

He added that INEC has no business using places of worship for their activities, adding that the development is ‘very disappointing’.

The statement read, “This is very disappointing. How can an electoral body of INEC status pick a religious house of worship as venue for its meeting? Is the meeting for the Christian wing of INEC or what? Is INEC meeting members of the church? It is unacceptable.

“The choice of a church as venue for a meeting of INEC is very insensitive particularly given the very volatile situation, we are in Nigeria today. It is an open secret that Christian pastors are deeply involved in political campaigns.

“Many of them have turned 2023 election into a straight fight between them and the Muslims.

“INEC Lagos Headquarters has taken a false step. Holding an electoral body’s meeting inside a church is like holding it inside the secretariat of one of the political parties.

“It erodes confidence. It is totally wrong particularly in a situation whereby the church has publicly revealed that it is an interested party in the ongoing electioneering exercises.

“Why pick a church when there are hundreds of neutral places all over Lagos? Is INEC promoting the church’s vested interest in the 2023 election? Is some kind of connivance in the offing?

“INEC Lagos headquarters must prove to Lagosians that their votes will count. We call on Lagosians to watch the activities of INEC from now on because we are not convinced that it is going to be neutral,” Akintola said.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A young man identified as Emmanuel has dragged the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanw-Olu, to court over claims that the governor is his father and has refused to acknowledge paternity.

Emmanuel’s lawyer, John Aikpokpo-Martins, revealed this in a Facebook post on Tuesday. 

According to Aikpokpo-Martins, his client had approached the Delta State High Court claiming that the governor is his biological father. He noted that his client requested the governor to waive his constitutional immunity to undergo a DNA test to confirm the claim. 

He further stated that the governor had filed court processes refusing to waive his immunity and undergo a DNA test. As a result, the court has adjourned the case to January 17, 2023, to hear the objection of the governor. 

In the court processes seen by the Daily Reality, Emmanuel sought the following orders : 

“A declaration that the Defendant is the biological father of the claimant begotten from Madam Grace Moses of Oleri, Delta State.

“An order directing and compelling the Defendant to acknowledge and accord the claimant all the rights of a son in accordance with all the laws applicable whether customarily, statutorily or constitutionally.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from further denying the parenthood of the claimant”

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Lagos State Government has announced that the State is ready to comply with the Supreme Court judgement on the use of hijab by female pupils and students in Lagos schools.

In July 2022, the Supreme Court had dismissed an appeal by the Lagos State Government and upheld the use of hijab in Lagos schools.

Lagos State Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, announced the state’s readiness through a circular he issued and signed on behalf of the government on Monday, December 5, 2022.

“It’s hereby notified for general information that the supreme court judgment SC/910/2016 delivered on the 17th of June 2022 on the use of Hijab as it affects pupils/students in Lagos State schools has delivered that the students should be allowed to wear the hijab if desired,” the circular read in part.

Mr Muri-Okunola stated that a comprehensive guidelines on the use of hijab will be issued to all agencies of the government in due course.

He added that, “you are to note that the judgement is binding on all schools in the State.

“As a law-abiding administration, all accounting officers are to note the contents of this circular for immediate compliance and give it the deserved service-wide publicity,” He said.