Ambode and the Street Traders of Lagos by Reuben Abati

I am writing this piece after holding a series of conversations with Lagos street traders and hawkers who seem not be aware of or are just indifferent to, or may be they are intrigued by, the fact that the State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has declared on television that the state government is prepared to enforce an existing law banning street hawking. The relevant law, the Lagos State Street Trading and Illegal Market Prohibition Law, 2003 prescribes a punishment of N90, 000 or a six-month jail term, for both the buyer and the seller of any goods or services on the streets.  So I asked this vendor, who kept pushing copies of the day's newspapers in my face, so close, you wouldn't even be able to read the headline free of charge.

"My friend, are you aware that what you are doing is illegal? You never hear say Governor Ambode don ban street trading?"

"That one no concern vendor oh. Na these other people wey dey sell chewing gum and water dem dey talk about"

"No. Street trading is street trading.  You are hawking your newspapers, why don't you get a shop or a stand?"

"Make I open shop to sell newspaper? Na for inside traffic people dey buy newspaper, oga?'"

"I just hope they won't arrest you. The fine is N90, 000 or six months in jail."

"Oga, you wan buy paper? Which one you wan buy, I beg.  See, the thing be say, for this Nigeria, anytime wey anybody reach power, dem go just dey do wetin dey like. Dey no dey pity we poor people at all."

Ebola: Wife of late doctor discharged

The Federal Government yesterday announced the successful management and discharge of the wife of Late Dr Iyke Enemuo, who secretly treated a primary contact of an American – Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who imported the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, into the country, even as it confirmed that a student of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, suspected to have had contact with the late doctor in Port Harcourt has been quarantined.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu said the latest discharge has brought the total number of EVD survivors in Nigeria to 12.
Chukwu further explained that at the moment, there is no single case of confirmed EVD in Nigeria.
He, however, disclosed that a suspected case of EVD from an undergraduate of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, who had contact with the late Port Harcourt doctor at a naming ceremony in Port Harcourt has been quarantined and was being investigated.

Chukwu, in the latest update on the status of EVD in Nigeria put the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria at 19, 15 in Lagos and 4 in Port Harcourt.

“The total number of deaths from EVD in Nigeria stands at seven, Five of these died in Lagos, one in a private hospital, the index (first) case Mr. Sawyer, and the other four in the isolation ward in Lagos State.

“Two of the seven died in Port Harcourt, the medical doctor, who died in a private hospital and the contact, a patient in the hospital at the time the doctor was also on admission, who died in the isolation ward in Rivers State, “ he explained

“The total number of patients who have been successfully managed and discharged is now 10.”

Source: Vanguard News

FG approves $242.2m IDA loans for Lagos

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved a sovereign warranty for two separate loans totaling $242.2m (about N40bn) from the International Development Association for Lagos State

The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku; the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Muhammed and the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Maku said while a loan of $200m was approved to support infrastructure in the state, additional loan of $42.2m would be in support of secondary education.

Bird turns to old woman in Lagos

LAGOS — Residents of Ajegunle area of Lagos were, yesterday, thrown into shock, after a bird was said to have transformed into an old woman who confessed to being a witch.
The dark-complexioned nonagenarian with tribal marks, who spoke in Yoruba, told a bewildered crowd that she was on her way back to Ibadan, Oyo State (as a bird) when she missed her track.
She was also said to have told the mammoth crowd that her mystical powers disappointed her because it was dawn.

Pandemonium as hoodlums take over Lagos Street

Gun reports tore through the sky on Tuesday afternoon after some hoodlums took over Jones Street, Ebute Meta, Lagos State.

As of 3.30pm when our correspondent left the area, residents could be seen running helter-skelter, as shops were locked while other people were holed up in their houses.

There has been a running supremacy battle in the area between certain gangs which left several people killed.

Panic in Ogun, Lagos over rumoured B’Haram invasion

There was anxiety in Ogun and Lagos states on Wednesday after news filtered in that suspected Boko Haram members had taken over the Sagamu area of Ogun State and were heading for Lagos.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the news was spread through social media and text messages.

A copy of the message received by our correspondent read, “Breaking news, if you are on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway going towards Ibadan, please turn back. Eighteen suspected Boko Haram members with AK47 rifles are on the highway now displaying their skills.

Funsho Williams was strangled to death – Pathologist

Lagos State Chief Forensic Pathologist, Prof. John Obafunwa, on Wednesday told a Lagos High Court in Igbosere that the slain former governorship candidate in the state, Mr. Funsho Williams, was strangled to death. Six men – Bulama Kolo, Musa Maina, David Cassidy, Tunani Sonani, Mustapha Kayode and Okponwasa Imariabie – are standing trial before the court for the murder of Williams. Williams, who was to contest the 2007  governorship election in Lagos, was murdered on July 27, 2006, at his residence, 34A, Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi.Obafunwa, who was testifying as a prosecution witness before Justice Adeniyi Adebajo, said the post moterm conducted on the deceased person’s body showed that this death resulted from asphyxia (lack of oxygen intake) due to “manual strangulation.”

Lagos To Have 263 Days Of Rainfall

Lagos State is expected to witness 263 days of rainfall with severe thunderstorms and strong winds this year, says the Lagos State Government.
Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello disclosed this Wednesday at a news conference where he presented the 2014 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction and Socio-Economic implication for Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.
At the event held at the Conference Room of the Ministry of the Environment, Bello disclosed that the total length of rainy season for 2014 in Lagos has been predicted to be 263 days with a marginal error of nine days.
“The Seasonal Rainfall Prediction, SRP, rainfall onset date for this year began in the first week of March in the southernmost part of the country and late June in the far northern parts. However, rainfall onset in Lagos Stare commenced from 14 March, 2014 in Ikeja, with a three-day marginal error given,” he explained.
He said the rainy season had been predicted to end between the first week of October and fourth week of December in most parts of the country, noting that the rainfall cessation was predicted to be earlier than normal in most parts of the country, saying that in Lagos, the cessation date was predicted to be 21 December, 2014 with a marginal error of three days.

Boko Haram plots to Invade Lagos in Military Vehicles

AN alleged plot by the terrorist group, Boko Haram, to invade Lagos in vehicles painted with military colours has been uncovered by security operatives.

  The Guardian learnt at the weekend from military authorities that   the group planned to attack Lagos with weapons in vehicles used by senior military officers painted with the colours of the Army, Navy or Air Force.
  This intelligence has made military authorities to order soldiers and naval ratings to thoroughly search vehicles painted with military colours, including those belonging to generals.