Happy New Year all,

It is my helpless displeasure to announce to you that you may be asked to ’strip naked’ to US Airport officials as from today. They may even request to shave your… erm… erm hair, so do yourself a big favour by shaving “that” before travelling. Wash your panties, dirty boxers and your bra, you may be asked to strip on a long queue (you know we Nigerians sabi travel). Don’t wear a Ralph suit and Oshodi boxers, same goes for stockings (socks). If you sweat a lot, please get some good quality cotton singlet. The search is “extensive” they say, so expect to spend at least 60 minutes upon arrival. Book the Taxi cab/ Appointment accordingly. The sky is our limit, we are constantly re-branding Nigeria. Although corruption has reduced (that’s what they said) we have moved up in other departments. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s suicide bombing issue, barring.

In Yahoo News, the words were politically, diplomatically and wisely selected but they mean “plenty”, see:

“Beginning Monday, air travelers flying into the United States from Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Yemen and other “countries of interest” will be subjected to enhanced screening techniques, such as body scans, pat-downs and a thorough search of carry-on luggage. Passengers are subjected to special screening, including full body searches, in a designated area of the departure lounge, said the spokesman, Sultan Hasan.

My major concern is that I have a phobia for scanning machines. I know that frequent subjection to scanning rays could be detrimental to the human health on the long run. I have said time and before that I would someday consider changing Nationality and if tomorrow I claim to be Togolese, please don’t blame me, I’d rather be Ghanian than face this humiliation and phobia come true. Someone once said “There is NO single benefit of being a Nigerian” and I say to you today. There is at least one. No fuel, no jobs, no food, no water, no money, no reputation, no this, no that, but there is TIME (don’t hiss, every country has 24 hours and whatever you do with YOUR 24 hours…)! Dora, hope I made sense?

What a “perfect” way to start the new year!

Sources: http://rubminds.com/forums/world-news/nigerian-terrorist/

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_airline_security

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SHOCKING REVELATION: Sanusi may not be acting in our interest after all. Chances are that he and Waziri of the EFCC are only protecting northern interest and are being used as tools to carry out the northern agenda since Soludo removed the Arabic language from the Naira. Please read on:

Vanguard on 23 March 2009, did a world exclusive on alleged plot by a group of individuals to take over five banks in the country.

Two weeks ago, the new Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi sacked the chief executives and boards of five banks, therefore confirming our scoop of March 23.

The story:ANTI-CONSOLIDATION forces have regrouped with the hope of dismantling the structures and forcing a takeover of the top five banks in the country, Vanguard can now reveal. The grand plan by the group is to cause panic and uncertainty in the industry and make the target banks look unsafe for depositors

Meantime, indications emerged yesterday that the Federal Government may announce the names of a new Governor of the Central Bank (CBN) and the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF) in April just a few weeks before the tenure of the incumbents run out.

However, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed concern over what it described as the rapidly deteriorating liquidity situation in the banking industry and tasked the Central Bank (CBN) to make public information on causes of the development as well as the scale of the crisis.

Vanguard investigations revealed that the aim of the anti-consolidation forces is to cause loss of public confidence in the banking industry and compel the Federal Government to move in by injecting funds. Further, they ultimately plan to instigate government to take equity holdings in the targeted banks.

Vanguard gathered that the group at work is made up of former bank owners who lost out during the consolidation exercise, a powerful clique in the present government, and some aggrieved persons in three of the six geopolitical zones in the country who felt left out in the consolidation exercise.

Presidency sources disclosed that those who felt left out in the consolidation exercise are up in arms to recoup what they felt they lost during Obasanjo years.

Part of the plans hatched by the group is to ensure that the incumbent Governor of the Central Bank, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, does not get a second term. The plan is also to ensure that whatever gains consolidation recorded are discredited.

This, it was learnt, was meant to force the President to act quickly in the matter of appointment of a successor to Soludo as they anticipate that the president’s slow move may scuttle their dreams and cause the renewal of Soludo’s re-appointment for a second term.

The group’s second game plan is to make Nigerian banks look unsafe in the eye of the banking public. Part of the game is to spread rumours that some banks are unsound and are on the verge of collapse. They send out text messages to individuals and account holders passing wrong information on their target banks. At the moment, the group’s target is one of the high-flying new generation banks where they have sent out several messages.

New CBN Gov, Auditor-General to emerge April

The tenure of the CBN Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo and Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. O. R. Ejenavi from Delta State will lapse in May 2009.

Naming nominees for the top jobs, according to a presidency source, will afford the Senate ample opportunity to work on them before they assume office.

While Soludo will complete his first term in office as CBN governor by May 29, Ejenavi will be due for retirement on age grounds on May 18.

However, among those being considered for the position of CBN governor include the Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman from Kano, who was a former Finance minister and deputy governor at the apex bank; another former CBN deputy governor, Obadiah Mailafia from Nassarawa, Mallam Isa Hayatudeen from Borno, a former managing director of FSB International Bank, incumbent Managing Director of First Bank, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, also from Kano, and Mallam Falalu Bello from Kaduna, Managing Director, Unity Bank.

But the most touted name so far is that of Mallam Isa Yuguda, the Bauchi State governor who won election on the platform of the All Nigeria peoples Party, ANPP, but defected to the ruling PDP last week. Yuguda is also an in-law of President Umaru Yar’Adua. Yuguda was also a former Managing Director of Inland Bank, a legacy bank in post-consolidation FinBank.

Past CBN governors include late Dr. Clement Isong (Akwa-Ibom), Alhaji Adamu Ciroma (Yobe); Mr. Ola Vincent (Lagos), late Alhaji Abdulkadir Ahmed (Bauchi); Mr. Paul Ogwuma (Abia), Dr. Joseph Sanusi (Ondo) and the current Professor Charles Soludo (Anambra).

It was also gathered that strict obedience to civil service rules will be observed in the appointment of a new Auditor General for the Federation going by the constitutional provision.

Section 86 Subsection 1 of the 1999 constitution states: “the Auditor-General for the Federation shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Federal Civil Service Commission, subject to the confirmation of the Senate.”

That of the CBN may be determined by other factors, mostly political considerations which are at the pleasure of the President without recourse to the commission.

The most senior director in the office of the Auditor-General currently is Mr. Ogunsina G.F from Ekiti State who may be appointed unless there is political maneuvering. Having been a director since 2004, it may not be smooth sailing for Ogunsina because, there is another senior civil servant Mr. Osonuga T. A. from Ogun State who was promoted a director in 2007 and is being propelled by other forces to occupy the office.

It’s unfortunate top 5 banks are targeted, says official

A CBN official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that it is unfortunate that top five banks are the target. The banks, he said, are sound. The CBN had mistaken in the past the ongoing move as de-marketing by competitors in the banking industry, saying it is unhealthy competition.

The group is using this means to make depositors panic and undertake massive withdrawal of funds from the targeted banks in an attempt to cause liquidity problem in the bank. In that state they hope to cause a take over by the government which may buy a stake in the bank and later sell to members of the privileged group who may be appointed in the interim into the board of the banks.

Arewa worries over liquidity problem

However, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) expressed concern over what it described as the rapidly deteriorating liquidity situation in the banking industry and tasked the Central Bank (CBN) to inform the people the cause of the development as well as the scale of the crisis.

ACF said that the commercial banks must have obviously lent too much money to people who either invested them in buying stocks or in the importation of petroleum products in the country, but are unable to repay such loans.

A statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Mr. Anthony Sani however blamed the CBN for enquiring “into the volume of the so-called toxic assets of the commercial banks while refusing to tell Nigerians how or why in the first place, the banks found themselves in trouble.

The statement reads “The Working Committee of the National Executive Council of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) held its meeting at its national headquarters in Kaduna on Tuesday, the 17th of March 2009. In attendance were all National officers of the ACF drawn from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). General IBM Haruna, the Chairman presided.

“Among other things, the meeting reviewed and discussed a number of issues and other troubling developments in the country. At the end, it resolved to issue the following statement.

“The ACF deliberated on the rapidly deteriorating liquidity situation in the banking industry and observed that Nigerians are feeling increasingly frustrated by the failure of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to disclose the true the true nature and the scale of the crisis.

“Even members of the National Assembly, despite their best efforts, have been unable to get to the truth of the matter.
According to Arewa consultative forum “All that seem obvious is that our commercial banks had lent out too much money to too many people who had invested them in stocks or petroleum importation but who are now unable to pay back. Beyond that, the public has no clear idea as how or why the loans were given and on what terms.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/08/26/group-plots-takeover-of-five-top-banks/comment-page-13/

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Sanusi versus bank mismanagement

Disgraceful List of Oceanic Bank, Afribank, Finbank, Intercontinental Bank and Union Bank Debtors including Femi Otedola, Ibori, Arisekola, Ramanniya and all the “richest” men in Nigeria. This list released by the CBN also contains the amount owed. Please click on each picture to see a wider view.

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Sean Alsilski Gala Boy

Buy your Gala here!

You may or may not have heard or seen ‘Oyibo man’  hawking UAC food’s most popular brand, Gala beef roll. It’s a popular snack on major roads in Lagos and demand is highest during the rush-hour and heavy traffic. Gala has been around for many years and has enjoyed monopoly (many others have come and gone) even in the face of adulteration (or better still, piracy). Gala now sells for 50 naira per roll. You can see why Sean has combat pants to keep his plenty denominations of the Naira so that he can equally provide “change” to buyers who are in no time to hit the next car bumper to bumper, if you don’t have change, you don’t sell. If you don’t have the energy, others outsell you. You must be able to navigate in between different types of cars and ‘learners’ and also evade your worst enemy – the okada. Watch out for KAI or Task Force men, you know where to keep your phone if you have one. Lastly, you need all your sense organs – ears (to sense people beckoning), eyes (to read gestures) and even nose (to smell danger) – and your skin, as tough as the alligators as you need to be strong in times of rain, cold and scorching sun. Not to mention, you must learn to flash the “fresh and soft” gala in the face of pupils in the back seat. If you are thinking of starting a gala-hawking business, please think twice, it’s not that easy! And of course, you must know where, where not and when not to hawk: (http://lagosmet.com/blog/category/laws-of-lagos-state)

Gala beef roll

Here’s the story from PM News:

American Hawks Gala In Lagos An American, Mr. Sean Alsilski, was seen hawking gala sausage rolls yesterday, at the Ojota area of Lagos state. He easily drew a large crowd as Lagosians laughed and wondered what could have made him to hawk gala in Lagos, and on a sunny day too. But Alsilski, unperturbed by the people watching and giggling at him, continued to sell his stuff to motorists and passersby who were eager to buy from him, some just for the fun of it. He rebuffed people trying to ask him why he was out in the streets selling gala, saying he was too busy to talk to anyone. After much prompting by this reporter, he opened up on why he was out selling gala on Lagos streets. Alsilski said he came to Lagos to carry out a six-month research project on hawking and street trading in Lagos, and the best way to get the answers that he wants was to get involved in the real business rather than be an observer. He said he had already spent five months in Lagos, hawking gala at different parts of the state. “I am here to do a research on hawking and street trading. I was billed to be in Nigeria for six months as part of the Fullbright exchange programme. “I have been here for five months now, hawking. I have one month to go. I am going to give a presentation to the United States Embassy about my research,” said Alsilski. Born in the city of New York, the United States, Alsilski lamented that from what he has observed, government was harsh on hawkers and street traders. “Hawkers here are under stress right now from the government and I am studying what the government is doing right now. We can make some recommendations. “Government is harsh on them. Some of them have had their goods taken away. I am not sure that is the best way to go about it. “In some cities, hawkers and traders are given licenses and allowed to go to certain areas to hawk. But hawkers should not be allowed to hawk in places like Oshodi,” he stated. Alsilski’s hawking business has taken him to Yaba, Ojuelegba, Mushin, Ojota, Mile 2, Apapa, Lagos Island and Agege.

Source: PMNEWS (http://thepmnews.com/2009/06/16/american-hawks-gala-in-lagos)

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Floods return, Victoria Island is partially submerged in Rain water. Ajah, Onipanu, Palmgrove, Ketu, Orile and Apapa are sure to be floating boats right now.

Don’t get caught, you don’t wanna be pushing a dead car through the heavy flood with your pants raised up and the rain pouring on you. Or do you?

If you can’t stand traffic, get a flying car, if you can’t stand flood, get a flying boat or stay at home (or go back to your village). Thank you.

Car or Submarine?

Aquatic cars top shopping (wish) list

Take the BRT Man...

If you can't get an aquatic or a flying car, attach to a high one, Clearance is key!

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Victoria Island, Ikoyi stands still this evening, May 18 2009

It’s been 3 hours and she’s trying to hit Awolowo Road, Ikoyi from Karimu Kotun, a journey of 3 minutes now takes 4 hours. Fact is the whole Island has cars with engines practically switched off. Pedestrians are trekking a marathon trying to reach Racecourse to catch BRT Buses as bikes and taxis (oko asewo) are somewhere stuck in self-inflicted gridlock. Traffic is heavy and dense, sleeping in the office is much more productive right now. Awolowo Road (towards Falomo) and Falomo Bridge (Osbourne to V.I.) is dead – a no go area right now. Hopefully, Festac and Iyana Ipaja people can make it home before 11:00pm.

The cause? Prolly some trailer broke down at Bonny Camp again, obviously 2 lanes are dead somewhere somehow.

I’m looking out the window and this dude has his head on his steering and I’m dead sure he’s snoring. It’s a hopeless night guys, and if you are driving manual with no A/C and no fuel (there’s scarcity of fuel as well, all join) you know it’s one of those nights again. Sorry. E go better.

I’m listening to Style na Style by 9ice and Darey (on repeat). Don’t hate, this is lasgidi where timing is everything.

UPDATE: 9:00pm, V.I. is clear now, like everyone pressed their flight gears, delete or they just disappeared, but not to raise your hopes, Third Mainland Bridge (3MB) is a dead end. Ironically, many people have stayed back and are not convinced the road is “motorable” right now and they’ll all hit the road by 10:00pm, traffic round 2. I’ll be there then.

UPDATE: 9:40pm, I understand 3rd Mainland Bridge is free. Let’s hope its true, I’m sticking my head out, 10:00pm, I fly.

CASE CLOSED: 10:45 pm, got home safely, light traffic, stopped by the Police, they asked for “particulars” then suddenly changed ringtone when it became obvious I was prepared for their antics, “Oga wetin we go take do Monday night?” If you know what I mean…

Don’t expect a “LASTMA” report on whatever caused this traffic that’s cost us millions of man-hours, this is Lasgidi, not Las Vegas. Na nyte.

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We no go gree - fuel scarcity, bembele salary, Ekiti fraud...

Lagos: Nigeria Labour Congress on Wednesday, 13th of May, 2009 organised a peaceful rally and walked 20 kilometres from Ikorodu Road through Mobolaji Bank Anthony to the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. About 3,000 protesters showed up with policemen forming a ring around them. There was no riot or violence of any kind and placards conveyed the yearnings of the masses. The Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) as well as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) were actively involved in the rally. According to this Yahoo! report, Abdulwaheed Omar, head of the NLC openly condemned the government of President Umaru Yar’Adua claiming it has no future for Nigerians. Two issues were raised.

1. Encourage the government to implement the electoral reforms (without permitting any amendment to it) and also raise the current minimum wage (which has been the same 7,500 naira for 10 years) to N52,200 (fifty-two thousand two hundred naira only).

“Esele said: Our problem in Nigeria is that we are not allowed to choose who should lead us. Today, because of electoral flaws in the reforms Act, whoever is “picked” to rule is loyal to his godfather and not the masses”

2. Discourage deregulation of petroleum products; contrary to the government’s belief that it is the only solution to the fuel crisis.

I remember the government has always supported deregulation to the anger of the NLC for as long as I can remember. They are saying deregulation will free us from the “Cartel” but the NLC think this is not true. It’s a tough war and a battle of interests. Deregulation will give the marketers the freedom to alter fuel pump prices as the government withdraws subsidies (to which the FG is owing over $1 billion to these “importers”). You and I know that majority of the oil marketers are greedy people, and given a blank cheque with which they can milk the masses dry, you will expect to buy fuel for N200 per litre before the end of the year, and don’t ask me if there will be competition, they also have a body and are out to make as much profit as politicians. I go with the NLC on that.

3,000 people combine voices, will it just end there?

Instead of giving them a blank cheque to deal with the masses, they should rather focus on building or reviving our refineries. We do not need to import fuel for any reason, being one of the giants in OPEC. Why should a major oil producing country ship crude oil out and then buy the same again at a much much higher rate? It’s a plain old business reality. It is much better to own your infrastructure than to rent from a competitor. You can’t keep renting chairs for your school on a daily basis when you can actually buy chairs for life. If buying a chair costs 2,000 naira and renting one costs 100 naira, in just 20 days you would have paid the competitor 2,000 naira! It is plain to see that the competitor would never pray for you to think out of the box, unless of course there is a “Cartel” – and in our case, there is. Someone out there is benefiting in a big way from every litre of fuel that leaves or gets into the country.

Whatever the case, they need to rebrand our refineries before rebranding Nigeria because you cannot fool us with rebrand Nigeria when you have failed to provide our basic needs including power and fuel. You can’t keep cutting the branches when you can uproot the damn tree. Don’t ever send me such text messages until there’s a lil bit of sanity up there. I don’t need to be rebranded until you make efforts to rebrand the foundation. Its good they claim that Kaduna refinery is on the verge of complete turnaround, Warri Petrochemical company is back and better with 200 trucks of PMS loaded daily (remember only 18 were loading in Lagos as at last week) and that Port Harcourt refinery is doing well again. We need to see the impact at filling stations, the interface between the lengthy hierarchy and the masses.

Fuel Scarcity & Dollar exchange rate Update:

‘Nuff said. Fuel scarcity depends on areas. Some filling stations have a constant supply of fuel and are honest, some are not. It is no news that it is an offence to buy fuel in jerry cans (it is an offence to sell fuel to people in kegs), its equally an offence to buy fuel from black marketers, but in the last 4 weeks this has been the case. As the dollar now sells for 181 naira (official black market rate), 20 naira short of the highest all-time high, it is the black market guys who are having fun. Please read:

What happens in our filling stations nowadays.

http://lagosmet.com/blog/2009/05/nnpc-to-neutralize-fuel-scarcity-tomorrow-wed-6th-may-lagos/

Now inflation has every justifiable reason to exist. Markets are being scrapped in order to make Lagos beautiful, dollar don cost, fuel no dey. Tiny oranges now sell for 20 naira each, the bigger ones, 40 naira straight; imported apples, between 70 and 100 naira; Plantain, ah, please don’t go there; Yam, are you kidding me, Hello, are you in Lagos or Kwara? If you are a farmer living outside Lagos, my best advice for you is to load a truck and find your way here, the market is hungry, believe me, call me and i’ll buy. he he he (419’s beware).

Rain rain rain & Comedy

It’s raining again, BRT buses from Ojota to CMS, 150 Naira, LagBus with A/C, 200 naira only. Park your car at home and hit the BRT with your umbrella, I don’t know if you need A/C when it’s pouring heavily but the queues are shorter. Whether you drive or not, please read My tips for surviving the rainy season. The best selling non-white collar job in Lagos right now is comedy. Stand-up comedians and OAP’s (on air personalities) are swimming in millions – making more money than artistes, ‘high-class’ society sluts, gigolos and nollywood actors. It is commonplace for comedians to charge 500,000 naira per show (not so common though) and the good thing is that they get so many shows, an average of 5 per week. Do the math. As Nigerian football reaches an all-time pitiable condition, parents are now sending their wards to school of comedy, buying all the comedy series and begging other people to laugh when their wards crack jokes. Man gast to chop, dollar don cost.

And to think that Mohit Records (Dbanj’s) Suddenly and Close to you videos have been banned along with Tuface’s Enter the place and Kelly Handsome’s Maga don pay on radio. The last time Kerewa of Zule Zoo and Bang bang bang by Femi Kuti were banned, they sold like fire and won awards. Let’s see how they catapult these tracks already in high-demand into further glory. Rebranding Hypocrisy.

Bank Robberies on the rise.

Ah terrible news, I’ll post the pictures in my next topic, but brothers and sisters, bank robbers are now as plentiful as pick-pockets. It’s recession time and robbers are no longer wasting time having to force people to part with mobile phones and cars which they still have to resell, leaving that for the newing generation. They now go straight to the source. They can’t go to Nigerian Printing and Minting or the CBN, their best bet, the Retail banks.

LagosMet verdict: as the fuel scarcity situation fluctuates, some good days and more bad ones, we are still surviving. As the INEC plays into the hands of the government (who pays the piper, who dictates the tunes?) we are still surviving oh, my bros. As minimum wage remains N7,500 and an average House of Rep member goes home with an ‘official’ N172m (in case you thought it was a slip of keyboard, Over One hundred and seventy MILLION naira – not kobo) annually, my sister we still dey manage. Dollar cost, fuel cost, no job, market dry, food cost, dem thief my phone, dem rob me for bank, we still dey.

16 million people and counting, Lasgidi babe, we celebrate life – suffering and smiling.

Good day. The week ends tomorrow, remember Wednesday, May 27th – Children’s day, and Friday May 29th is Democracy day (public holiday). June 12 is another public holiday close by.

For the parents, I leave you with this video, a 2-year old girl with a big IQ (don’t blame those kids cos you gave them excess of Garri, Fufu and Pap).

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These Millions could be homeless in a matter of days

Lagos: Ilupeju, Gbagada, Anthony, Onigbongbo, Somolu residents are likely to lose their homes and lands as the Adoyi Ifadu Alashe Chieftaincy family seeks to claim back their heritage, backed by a 57-year old court judgement. e.t.c.

While a lot of people already have C of O’s for their title deed, the century old order is likely to prevail. The family has already, through agents sent notices to residents of the affected areas (about 2 million people) to quit their possessions peacefully or face forceful eviction engineered by the Police Force. It is rumoured that a politician close to the government is involved but as usual, this was debunked by the agents.

It is unfortunate (not suspiscious) that this is coming at this time of economic hardship and recession as the value of these transactions could run into Trillions of naira knowing the crazy value of real estate in the mainland where a plot of land costs as much as 4.5 million to 35 million naira. Don’t ask me why “anyone” would be interested in driving this or igniting the police into action. Money is king.

LagosMet verdict: This is probably the most ridiculous news I’ve heard since birth but the law must prevail. It is very unlikely that residents will so be evicted. I think deed owners and agents of the family will come to a compromise, pay a certain percentage and gain the permission of the family. Companies especially on Industrial Avenue include GSK, PZ, Direct on PC (ISP), uncountable banks, fast food restaurants, schools and major branches or regional headquarters of companies. This is one case that is sure to generate heat and dust over the next few weeks and months. I hope it doesn’t lead to bloodshed since Mushin is also affected.

LagosMet Rainy Season: My do’s and don’ts for motorists and passengers – How to survive the rainy season.

The cream of the crop is the obvious likelihood that 419, scammers and touts are likely to be more involved as they seem to lay claim to reap from where they have not sown. Residents, beware.

Here’s the full story from The Punch’s Sesan Olufowobi.

“Residents of parts of Lagos Mainland, including Ilupeju, Anthony, Igbobi and Bajulaiye, have written a petition to the State Police Command over threats that have lately been issued to them by members of a popular Lagos family and their agents, advising them to willingly quit their houses of face eviction.

A copy of the petition quoted the Adoyi Ifadu Alashe Chieftaincy Family and their agents as claiming that the expansive land on which many big buildings are erected were illegally acquired by the owners of the buildings, adding that the family’s claims were also backed by a copy of court judgment.

Although the spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr Frank Mba, said it would be difficult for the police to enforce the order, Saturday Punch investigation revealed that the family’s claims are supported by a series of court judgments, the last of which was delivered in 1952 by the Supreme Court under the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the late Justice Adetokunbo Ademola. The judgment had held that the ownership of most parts of Lagos Mainland belonged to the descendants of Adoyi Ifadu Alashe chieftaincy family.

The head of Ifadu Alashe Family, 90-year-old Chief Lasisi Ajayi Arubo, told our correspondent at his Oko-Oba home that the family was seeking the enforcement of the 57-year-old judgment now because initial efforts to execute it were resisted so much that the family had to go back to court. “The court has determined all the cases in our favour, and we are currently seeking the execution of the judgment,” he declared.

The copy of the judgement shown to our correspondent indicated that the areas covering Idi Araba, Anthony, Idiroko, Onigbongbo, Obanikoro, Igbobi, Pedro Bajulaye, Abule Oja, Bariga, Shomolu, Gbagada, Iwaya and Oworonsoki belonged to the family.

The Adetokunbo Ademola verdict had stated, “There is no doubt that the Ifadu Alashe family at one time was not very active about the control of the area in dispute. This has been explained as largely due to the long illness of Madam Aina Edu who inherited the area from her father.

“I am satisfied on the whole that the area in dispute was ordinarily owned by Adoyi and that he and his descendants exercised numerous and positive acts of ownership for a period of many years.

I am satisfied that the area has always been in the possession of members of Adoyi Family and that in recent years (she) lost her tenancy owing to severe sickness.

“I therefore declare that the area in dispute belongs to the Ifadu Alashe to which all the just and true descendants are entitled and which family claims to the head.”

It stated further that all occupants of the area in dispute were illegal occupants except they “have the consent of the Ifadu Alashe Family to use apportioned areas.”

Arubo, who said he was happy that the family got back the land, said the family had made all arrangement to go back to court to compel the police and relevant security agencies to enforce the judgment.

Saturday Punch, however, gathered that the latest move is being championed by a politician who is close to the seat of government in Lagos.

But the Secretary of the family, Alfa Kareem Tajudeen Arubo, said there was no politician involved. He said, “You asked earlier why it took us all these years to execute the judgment. But the reality was that while those who we met on the land preferred to use thugs and violence to prevent us, we went back to court.

Our forefathers started these cases and we are still continuing. The Aworis are used to court cases and this one is not different. As soon as we are through with the relevant court judgment, we are enforcing it.

They can write one million petitions, we are not bothered. Truth and justice will prevail.

When it was pointed out to him that such a move could spell doom for Lagos State, Tajudeen retorted, “What about us that they had been cheating? We have made a provision for those who are willing to buy the land back. An oil company is already talking to us because it has one of its facilities on our land. But every undeveloped land will be claimed back; no negotiation.”

Many of the residents of the affected areas said they were not aware of any move to evict them.

But the few who were in the know were not really worried about the judgement. Mr. Olu Olaleye, who lives in Olateju Street, Mushin, said he was not bothered. “This land belonged to my father, and since I was small, we have been hearing of things like this. My father is dead and I am living in the house and the threat is still there. I can tell you that nohing can shake me”.

Mr. John Agha of Fola Agoro in Akoka, Yaba said he was waiting to see the person that would demolish the house he had just completed. “Let them try it,” he said.

Another resident of Shomolu, who gave his name as Olugbenga, said he got all the necessary papers on his house. “I have heard the rumour, but it can not affect me, because I have a C of O,” he said.

Some other respondents, who craved anonymity, urged the family to exercise caution.

At the Lagos State Ministry of Land in Alusa, the spokesperson was not available for comment. But an official who spoke with our correspondent said the ministry was aware of the court cases. “But I don’t think it has been resolved yet. I don’t think the Lagos State Government will go for such a crude action. The matter will be resolved,” he said, adding that he was not aware that anybody in government was spearheading the latest move.

Mba also said that the police had not seen any document compelling it to enforce the judgment. “But we will tread on the path of caution,” he said. But the lawyer to the family, Tobi Ogunleye, said the judgment was still binding because it was delivered by a court of competent jurisdiction.”

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This does’t seem to be ready to die down at any time as the queues become longer, roads completely sealed off as a result and heavy traffic (even as fuel no dey). The struggle continues. Fuel Scarcity and strike with thanks to LASTMA. Na wa o. Eko o ni baje! Lasgidi jooo!

Continuity: 21, April, 2009 Tuesday’s Lagos Fuel scarcity scenarios at a glance… entire gallery… at a glance

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Long queues resurface at filling stations

Fuel (Petrol) scarcity hits Lagos hard:

UPDATE: Strike was called off on Tuesday, the 21st of April, 2009.

I feel like brushing whoever is responsible for this self-induced scarcity at this time when things are tight. The impact of the scarcity (long queues and more hold ups wherever there is a filling station) was first felt on Friday morning and it lasted throughout the evening even until 12:00am. Many gas stations refused to sell while multitudes queued with cars, bikes and jerry cans (kegs) hoping God would touch the hearts of the Oil Masters. More than half of Lagos depends on petrol-fueled generators and no one wants to spend the weekend in darkness, after having worked 4:00am to 9:00pm on weekdays. I came back from the office on Friday with my tank at R and red meaning no weekend trip for me until a miracle comes through. Yesterday, Saturday ws equally bad, but this morning, things seem to be a bit much better around Ilupeju but from radio reports, some areas have not smelled petrol since Thursday. It rained and drizzled a lot yesterday, but today, the sky looks great and you won’t be drenched queuing and fighting to fill your tanks. If someone “bashes” you, sorry, there’s nothing you can do about it, cos it happened in a “scuffle” – please take note!

I have a feeling churches will be emptier than last Sundays as people hold on to their hopeful slots at heavy, unfriendly, violent and uncompromising queues. Trust touts and black market guys, a litre is now 250 naira – that’s if you are lucky. If you can’t buy, simply join the queue and waste your whole day. I’m buying 60 litres and there aint no way in hell that I could ever be tempted to pay 15,000 naira. Lai lai, no be me. I’m a Lagosian.

You don't wanna be here, I bet.

Just in case you didn’t know, the scarcity will definitely affect schedules, i mean visiting, shopping, worship, and even tripping. But on a serious note, I did not see a single BRT bus held up, instead they were going their normal business, bullish as ever on their dedicated lanes. They aren’t affected so… I’m digging out my coins, piling them up for a possible trip to work thanks to Lagos BRT, and it’s so cold I don’t have to pay double to board the LAGBUS with Air Conditioner, i’ll join the old old shock absorber-less Tata Buses. Lasgidi babe!

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It was discovered that the fuel scarcity was due in part to two factors. LASTMA officials impounded about 50 fuel tankers for parking on the Apapa Wharf Road, a dirty operation which ended in vandalism, and demanded the payment of 150,000 naira per tanker. Also, NUPENG and the PPPRA demanded at least 50 billion naira to be paid into their account (an amount being owed them by the government for fuel subsidy) and payment was made by electronic means on Monday, the 20th of April, 2009. The Lagos State Government cleared their part on Tuesday and the issue was resolved.

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