Boss Picks
As Governor, I’ll Bring Back Prosperity to Osun State – Hon. Femi Kehinde
By Eric Elezuo
By September 2018, a new governor will emerge in Osun State to replace Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who will be completing his eight years mandate then. Consequently, the Osun political circle is saturated in the bid to find a suitable of more suitable replacement with a great number of aspirants expressing their interest.
Among the many contenders is Barrister (Hon) Femi Kehinde, a remarkable former House of Representatives member, whose sound political and economic analysis of Osun State gives him an immediate edge to be governor.
Meeting him at his Ikeja, Lagos, office, Barr Kehinde expresses the humility that is tantamount to taking anyone to any great heights. Devoid of airs or attendant arrogance, he cuts the picture of a steward who is ready to serve, not out of pretension but from the genuineness of heart. And when he opens his mouth to talk about the needs of Osun State, and strategies to meeting the needs, one would readily cast his vote for him. He is a fountain of knowledge, and a great reservoir of wisdom.
Barr Kehinde is running for the gubernatorial position of Osun State under the guiding star of the Action for Democracy; a party he says is stronger than ever. In this interview, he made governance look simpler than ABC, meticulously stating the panacea for poverty, and the roadmap to prosperity. Enjoy:
Can we meet you sir?
I am Honourable Barrister Femi Kehinde. And as the name implies, I am a legal practitioner. I have been in law practice for over 35 years. I am a native of Ile-Ogbo in Aiyedire Local Government in Iwo division of Osun state. I was born on November 3, 1959 to the family of Samuel Adebisi Kehinde and Chief Mrs. Elizabeth Wulematu Aduke Kehinde from Gbogan, who was until her passage, the Iyalode of Gbogan Land.
I started my early education in Ibadan being the son of a ‘nomadic’ police officer, and I relocated to Gbogan; where I finished my primary education at the Saint Paul’s Primary School, Gbogan in 1972. I attended Olugbo Community High school, Ipetumodu; also in Osun State between 1973 & 1977. I came out with a division 1 certificate. Thereafter, I had a brief stint at the Ibadan Polytechnic for A-level education and subsequently was admitted to the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University in 1978. I was in the Department of History for two years, between 1978 & 1980, before I relocated to the Faculty of Law where I qualified as a lawyer in 1983.
What prompted your relocation from History to Law?
Well, my father was a police man and when I was young, I had accompanied him on one or two occasions to court sessions. During my secondary school days, apart from being the best student in school; I was also very good in History, Literature, and in art subjects. My colleagues in school call me Justice; predicting my future career. When I got admission, fortunately, we were the first set of Nigerians that would sit for JAMB exam in 1978. Hitherto, what we had was concessional examination; you sit for as many exams as possible in the few universities we have then, which were not up to 10. So, when I was in History in Ife, I was elected a member of the Student Representative Council (SRC). From the SRC, some members would be appointed to the judicial council; I was fortunate to be among those that would be in the judicial council, even as a student of History. I now saw the students of Law bamboozling us with big grammar. And I said to myself, I can perform better; and I started the process transferring from History to Law.
Can we say passion prompted you?
Yes, it was passion to be a lawyer, and be like Obafemi Awolowo. As of that time, I had read the biography of Obafemi Awolowo. I saw his foray into politics, to law profession, and into journalism; and I said I want to be like Obafemi Awolowo. As a matter of fact, when I qualified as a lawyer, I did my law practice in the law firm of Obafemi Awolowo in 1984, because I looked up to him as an idol, and I see him as an iconic figure, I saw his life as worthy of emulation. Ever since, I’ve had my career in law profession. I would summarise and say History is my passion, Law is my profession, and Politics is my vocation.
31 years after Obafemi Awolowo died; did you see yourself living this status?
I believe that Awolowo’s life is exemplary; be it in conduct or in discipline; his life was patterned on self-discipline; that is how we describe his life. He is strictly principled and highly resourceful, brilliant, and if you look at his life at the age of 8, he wrote in front of his father’s house “To laugh at infirmity or deformity is nullity; that’s was the language coming from a toddler, and I believe that from that age, you begin to capture your life.
Let me give you an example of Harold Wilson; one of the best British Prime Ministers. At the age of 10, Harold Wilson went with his father to number 10 Downing Street, which is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Britain. He asked his father for a photo shot. He had a shot with his father at the age of 10 and prophetically told him that he would end-up in that house as a Prime Minister of Great Britain, and he accomplished that dream. So I saw in Awo somebody of the status of Harold Wilson. Now, it may be possible for people of our generation to match that feat, we would look at his life as a life worthy of emulation, but the attainment may not be too easy, because of the way we live today and because of the level of moral decay in the society that we are in.
This level of moral decay, can we attribute it to one of the reasons you wish to be the governor of Osun State?
Yes! When we were in the primary school there were some written write-ups that were compulsory for daily recitation. Examples are ‘Ise logun ise’, which was a poem by J.F. Odunjo, and some few others. Those were our moral pathfinders. When you want to leave your house in the morning, your parents will remind you ‘ranti omo eni ti iwo nse’ (remember the son of who you are) as if you don’t know the lineage of your parents. Those were what made us the men that we are today. You could not imagine wearing an apparel or cloth that were not bought for you by your parents, today, ladies buy handset in school for their parents. So you can see a complete departure from Nigeria of yesterday to Nigeria of today. I have written about the life of so many Nigerians; I wrote the history of Samuel Oladoke Akintola. I wrote the life; travails and challenges of Obafemi Awolowo. I’ve written about Oba Olatoro Olagbegi, that was a monarch in Iwo two times. I wrote about Oba Adetoyese Adeoye Timi of Ede land. I wrote about so many Nigerians, including the late Justice J. I. C. Taylor. I wrote about the Ibadan strong man of Politics in the 50s that is Adekofi Adegbala, and so many other Nigerians. In the course of these researches, I also took a lot from their lives and I believe with this knowledge if I get that opportunity by the grace of God to be governor of Osun state, I can right all the wrongs I have seen.
One, Awolowo as Premier did not live a flamboyant lifestyle. He did not live in government quarters; he lived in Okebola in Oke-Ado. He did not ride in an official car; he rode throughout in his own car, without dispatch riders. He did not stay in office above the official working hours, and he worked with the young and the traditional institution. In his cabinet, there were five traditional rulers that were non-portfolio ministers. His government was life in abundance; provided free education 1954; free health services; rural intervention; food and employment. Any government that provides these is certainly providing a life of comfort for the society. He has farm settlements, and those there encourage the youths to go into agriculture. There were plantations like palm oil, cocoa, rubber, cashew, etc. There was growth and development. We had oil palm factory in Okitipupa in Ogun State. Agriculture brought industrialization; these are the formula we are going to use. I am going to, by the grace of God, bring prosperity back to Osun state. We have the largest gold deposit in the entire south western part of Nigeria. But the mine is under illegal miners. We want to take very serious advantage of this opportunity by partnering with the Federal Government. We would pay fees and royalties to government, we would encourage investors to bring in equipment and we would have understanding with them in partnership. The mine deposit in Ilesha according to geological survey, IS worth about $2 billion, and the mining depth, unlike in South-Africa or Ghana, is just about 100 meters. In South-Africa, you will dig as much as 400-500 meters; in Ghana, you will go as 200-300 meters, but our mine is surfaced; you will not travel beyond 100 meters to hit the real gold. Because what they prospect now with local equipment like digger, shoves and others cannot get them the real gold, what they get are just flakes. So, we are going to leverage on this advantage. We are going to massively encourage agriculture as a business. In Osun today, Erimo part in the Ijesha area are beautiful lands for rice production. Farmers have been taken out of these farms because of disturbance from birds. We are going to synergise and partner with farmers by providing modern seedlings, fertilizer, and utilities that will drive away such nuisances from the farm land. If birds could not disturb rice production in Kebbi state, why in Osun state. We are going to have rice mills. The partnership between Lagos and Kebbi states has brought prosperity to Kebbi State. They have just bought rice mill of about N8 billion naira; no single rice mill in Osun state. We are going to massively invest in cassava, yam and coco-yam. You know cassava alone has 14 ingredients, among of which is Ethanol and Nigeria still import Ethanol. Also, we are going to encourage the tourism potential of Osun state. The Osun festival has been given a UNESCO standard and approval but have we leverage on that opportunity? On my visit to the palace of Otaoja of Oshogbo, I told him we are going to enhance tourism in the state, and ensure the river provides opportunity for boat regatta. And I am going to work on the Erimo tourist site, which is a gory sight now. I want to draw exemplary leadership from the committee of nations that are doing well.
“We would reduce wastage in government and bring the state back to God. In the entire landscape, Osun is the only state that gives holiday to traditional worshippers. We are going to massively engage our youths in gainful employment”
How do we do this? We would reduce wastage in government and bring the state back to God. In the entire landscape, Osun is the only state that gives holiday to traditional worshippers. We are going to massively engage our youths in gainful employment. The world is moving away from white collar job, we want out youths to believe in themselves, and the opportunities that are derivable in entrepreneurship. These, by God’s grace we are going to do. We are going to leverage on what we have to put smiles on people’s face.
Looking at Osun state, what do you think is lagging or lacking that would make one want to take over the leadership?
Government is continuity. I keep saying that I am not interested in the past but I am interested in the future. And whatever that is not right on the table, we are certainly going to put them right. If we begin to talk about what we see in Osun state today, for example, teachers are been owed 36 months; in the hospital there are no equipment and so many other things. We want to engage the society to bring a better day, a better future, and put smiles on faces of our people. There are about 2837 cosmopolitan communities in Osun state, the advantage of this is that there could be opportunity in co-operation; co-operative farming, co-operative society and several others. Also, it means because of that advantage you can earn a living, and we can only do this by encouraging our youths and providing them with necessary implements. If Malaysia could come to the western region to pick palm seedling, and they are now the largest exporter of palm oil in the world, then you will believe something is wrong. In Rwanda today, despite the tragedy of the civil war, they have the best airline in Africa. Parents are now withdrawing their wards from private to public schools. I had all my education in Osun state. In Osun today, there are communities that you can only access through Ilorin; you have to travel to Kwara state before they can get to these communities in the state. I don’t want to be bothered; I want to face the main thing. No government is a complete failure but what they have done that is not good, we would leverage on it and correct them.
Luckily, I am not running on their party platform because the world has moved beyond that. It is no longer the party but the person. Alliance for Democracy (AD) is the party that took me to National Assembly in 1999.
Why choose to run under an unpopular party?
I am a founding member of the AD just like Asiwaju or anybody; we all joined the party and got opportunity from that party to go to higher places. AD did not die nor was it deregistered. Some people left AD to move elsewhere like AC that metamorphoses into ACN and APC. And you will not see progressive tendency if you want to follow the idea and ideals of Obafemi Awolowo. AD exists as a party; some of our leaders did not leave the party and they are still there. It is not the size-strength of a party that wins the election. There was no Labour Party in 2007 when Mimiko picked that ticket and against all odds and permutation, he became the Governor of Ondo State. The last election in Anambra state, it was not APC or PDP that won; it was APGA. In France, Macron won the election even as an independent candidate because he left the popular party and delivered a message of new beginning; and he is today the President of France. Nobody ever gave Donald Trump a chance in the last US election. So, all powers belong to God but it is dynamism, and centre play of forces; and those forces are usually physical or spiritual. But, I am so passionate about my belief in God.
How do you want to match the likes of Aregbesola and Omisore’s candidates in terms of money?
I believe there would be interplay of forces and dynamics that would make money irrelevant. Today, with the dynamism of our youths, money is becoming irrelevant in electoral contest. I was with the Igbo community in Osun state to canvass, and they told me money has failed. When someone gives you N1000 for vote which is equivalent to 64 kobo per day, and would not give you give no good governance or drugs in our hospital. There are quite a lot of things to do.
Do you take into cognizance that you can’t do it alone; without people?
It is just one man that changed the fortune of Rwanda. It is one man – Obafemi Awolowo with good lieutenants that did all the magic including bringing the first of things like television in Africa, first stadium in Africa, first secretariat and many others. It is only one person.
How do you intend to go about bad influence in your governance?
In collective governance, there must be a shadow on everybody. Even Awolowo refused to approve one of his ministers’ bills in UK just to dissuade other ministers from coming for approval of unnecessary money. This and many others made him decisive. Also, the western region was the first to have an embassy in London, which we called Agent General; and our first agent general is Okorodudu followed by Toye Coker. Those were the beautiful days, and I want to emulate those days because they are possibilities. The Nigerian Constitution made compulsory only one minister for the executive, which is the attorney general, therefore you can decide to do away with some ministers. To cut the cost, if a minister is not doing well, one can remove him. And I am also an apostle of parliamentary democracy, because the present presidential system that we run cannot successful bring prosperity to the economy. It certainly cannot, it is expensive unlike the parliamentary where the legislature and executive are almost fused. You cannot be a minister unless you are member of the parliament. What I am saying is that the number of ministers we have would not have tasted such opportunity, because you must come from a constituency through election, and that is why we are not getting it right. We need to erect a system that would reduce cost of running for election and I believe the modern evolution should look at it. We should have a home grown constitution; tested and authentic. We need to redefine Nigeria; we need to redefine the concept of good governance; we need to make governance less attractive as it was in the days of our fore fathers.
“I was distinguished by my level of performance in having an effective parliament. I was highly formidable in the law making process, and I think I have landmarks. I was not a docile legislator, not a sitting legislator, I was an active legislator”
What were the things that make up your score cards in the four years you spent in the House of Representatives?
In the four years, my duty mainly was representation; followed by legislation. The duty of providing fertilizers and bore-holes and others are executive functions. In the four years, I was distinguished by my level of performance in having an effective parliament. I was highly formidable in the law making process, and I think I have landmarks. I was not a docile legislator, not a sitting legislator, I was an active legislator.
Was there any particular developmental project you undertook in your constituency?
In my constituency, we had opportunities of rural electrification; and I want to say I electrified some communities in my constituency; Oburo, Asa, Iwo Oke, Ajagba and some other communities; those are all in the Iwo local government – also in Ayedire Local Government, Oke-Osun. Aside from that, I provided opportunities for foreign investment and scholarships from my little resources. And doing this, I did not contemplate a future of becoming a governor. I was doing it as a call to service and duty. I am happy today that I have a reference point and that is just being a legislator. You can imagine what one will do if I have the executive power.
By next year you will be 60; how do you see yourself running against young candidates?
I am the young candidate. I am still in my 50s; if I become governor in September, I would still be in my 50s and I believe that I am the best mid-gap between the young and the old; because I understand the language and travails of the old. And if I become governor by God’s grace, I am going to establish old people’s home, and before now I have even identified spots, unused building, public and private building that are abandoned. I want to take care of the aged because they become the most vulnerable in their old age, and unfortunately, the government is not even paying their pension not to talk of gratuity. Therefore, I have the opportunity of just living the life of the old and preparing to enter the age of 60. I still have mental faculty, I am a lawyer, writer, author, and publisher.
Photo credit: Ken Ehimen
By Eric Elezuo
Mrs. Olufunlola Aderinokun, widow of late former Chief Executive Officer, Guaranty Trust Bank, Tayo Aderinokun, has raised alarm over illegal, dangerous construction and encroachment into her property, Rehoboth Place, situated along Banana Island Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, by the Shell Staff Cooperative Investment and Thrift Society Limited, alerting Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu through an S.O.S letter to intervene, call the offenders to order, and save her building, its occupants and the general public from more present and unforeseen harm.
Speaking exclusively to The Boss, Mrs. Aderinokun lamented the recalcitrant stance of the Shell Staff Cooperative Investment and Thrift Society Limited, whose building shares a common perimeter fence with Rehoboth Place, and how they have continued their illegal construction, which has consistently defaced Rehoboth Place, in spite of cautions and deterring efforts employed by the government and the residents of Rehoboth Place.
“You need to visit the site to see how these people have defaced an already sitting building, causing structural damages as well as keeping residents of Rehoboth Place on their toes for fear of more structure collapse and/or imminent danger to lives,” she said.
Recalling that Rehoboth Place was built since 2016 according to all laid down construction rules and specifications, she further stated that on many occasions, the scaffolds and other heavy duty equipment including spanners and huge iron bars, used by the Shell Staff Coop builders, have collapsed and dropped into Rehoboth Place building, causing untold structural defacing and fear of possible fatal bodily harm to the residents. This, according to her, is because the Shell Staff Coop building is less than two metres away from the common fence, while the recommended spacing is from six meters.
Recounting to The Boss the genesis of her ordeal with the building developers and the Lagos State government with the General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whom she believes is showing unbelievable favour to Shell Staff Coop at the expense of injuries to lives and properties at Rehoboth Place, Mrs Aderinokun, a 67 years old retired widow, who claims that she can neither sleep well in her own bedroom nor park her car in her own compound because of the noise, danger, debris and mutilation from the Shell Staff Coop construction, narrated that the whole illegality, as she termed it, is dated back to 2020, when the Shell Staff Coop building construction started the piling work.
“As at then, I was not in the country, and because of the COVID-19 issue, many things were played down. However, when I returned to the country in August 2021, after one and half years away from Nigeria, I discovered that they had damaged my property, Rehoboth Place, extensively. My own letting agent didn’t tell me, but was rather negotiating with the offenders on how to repair the damages. Naturally, I was furious and demanded both a halt on the project and thorough compensation for the extensive damage. Note that by then, at Rehoboth Place, a bungalow, the bore hole, the perimeter fence, and other structures were already completely compromised beyond repair.
“However, in 2023, I mobilised structural engineers and the company that built Rehoboth Place originally, Cappa and D’Alberto Ltd, to begin repairs of all the damages that Shell Staff Coop caused. The Engineers wrote off the compromised bungalow and common fence, and insisted that they must be brought down completely before repairs could commence.
“However, while they were carrying out repair and reconstruction works, materials from the Shell Staff Coop construction continued to drop inside the compound from very high levels, making it impossible for safe and healthy work to continue at Rehoboth Place. Debris of cement, water, polystyrene particles and bars, tools and other dangerous materials were constantly dropping into Rehoboth Place from high levels, and so the workmen had to abandon the job, and ran for dear life. It wasn’t safe. It was not healthy. Cappa & D’Alberto Ltd wrote to demobilise from the site of Rehoboth Place in July 2023, and cannot return to the site till date because of the danger from Shell Staff Coop construction, while Lagos State looks away!
“As at today, I can’t park my car in my own compound. The huge terrace at Rehoboth Place, next to the building of Shell Staff Coop and the swimming pool at Rehoboth Place, have not been usable since May 2023, till date. While I was getting ready to sue Shell Staff Coop for the damages caused to the building, the scaffolding of Shell Staff Coop fell on the 5th floor of Rehoboth Place on 19th July 2023. This could amount to a criminal offence under the laws of Lagos State as it constitutes danger to human life and public safety,” she said.
Mrs Aderinokun’s complaints to the Lagos State Building Control Agency, under Mr Gbolahan Oki, led to an inspection and subsequent sealing of the site to stop further construction in July 2023.
“Mr Oki stated to me over the phone on 1st November 2023 that the Shell Staff Coop will pay for the damages, and that, ‘even if it’s the governor that is the one building there, they (Lagos State) will do the right thing’. I’m surprised that Mr. Oki is the one who’s no longer responding to the matter today. And on January 15, 2024, the Lagos State government allowed Shell Staff Coop to return to site, and resume construction, alarmingly without addressing any of the reasons for sealing up the Shell Staff Coop building for almost 6 months! The knocks from the close construction of Shell Staff Coop woke me up from my bed on 15th January 2024 and have continued until now, 7 days a week,” she noted.
As a follow up, Aderinokun recalled that on January 20, 2024, writing in her capacity as the Director of her company, Quadro Investment Limited, owner of the property, Rehoboth Place, she again appealed to the Lagos State Building Control Agency via the General Manager, and re-detailed the hazards that the construction of the Shell Staff Coop portend, and continues to unleash, and appealed that the government should put a stop to the building or at most curtail the dangers inherent. She wondered why the construction was allowed to resume six months after sealing up, with nothing to show that due diligence has been done.
The letter, which was titled “Re: Construction of Multiple Storey Building Against Building Regulations Along Banana Island Road, Etisalat LGA, Ikoyi, Lagos, Which Shares a Common Perimeter Fence with Our Property, Rehoboth Place”, reminded the Agency that the ongoing construction of the Shell Staff Coop, was sealed up by Lagos State officials on July 25 2023, when they visited and they discovered certain unpalatable infractions including absence of airspace and protection against damage to the adjoining premises of Rehoboth Place and others, among many other inanities.
In their capacity as a regulatory agency, the LSBCA had, in July 2023, assessed the scene and discovered as follows:
1. That the safety nets were not properly installed,
2. Blockade of public drainage facilities as a result of the construction work,
3. Damage of adjoining property due to effects of construction,
4. Inadequate airspace of right side of the structure.
Therefore, the Agency came up with certain recommendations, which were pasted on the fence of the construction site of Shell Building Cooperative. The recommendation was a point-blank order to stop the construction of the building as a result of the following reasons: 1. The development was unauthorized 2. The development did not conform to the planning permit issued by the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority. 3. There’s no authorization to commence construction by LSBCA as required by law, and 4. The structure erected is contrary to Building Control Standards.
The Agency concluded its recommendation with sealing up authorization that the building should stop henceforth with the service of the Order.
“That was on 25 July 2023, but the construction resumed on 15 January 2024 with no evidence of the noted hazards controlled, and events at the site have continued to put Rehoboth Place and its occupants in harm’s way, The 10 inches spanner fell onto the ground floor of Rehoboth Place on 29th January 2024, from a height of about 7 or more floors of the building of the Shell Staff Coop! If the spanner had fallen on the head of anyone at Rehoboth Place, the fatality that could have happened can only be imagined” Aderinokun lamented.
The letter is presented in details below:
22 January 2024.
The General Manager,
Lagos State Building Control Agency,
Muiz Banire Street,
Off Oba Akinjobi Way,
GRA, Ikeja.
Dear Sir,
RE: CONSTRUCTION OF MULTIPLE STOREY BUILDING AGAINST BUILDING REGULATIONS ALONG BANANA ISLAND ROAD, ETI-OSA L.G.A. IKOYI, LAGOS; WHICH SHARES A COMMON PERIMETER FENCE WITH OUR PROPERTY REHOBOTH PLACE.
The above-described development, which is an ongoing construction and adjacent to our property, Rehoboth Place (at Plots 16-17, along Banana Island Road, Ikoyi, Lagos) was sealed up by your agency on 25th July 2023 for a number of infractions, amongst which were the absence of protection and airspace against damage to the adjoining premises of Rehoboth Place and others. Please find attached here, copies of the contravention notice and stop work order pasted by your Agency on the construction site.
On 16th January 2024, work recommenced at the construction and it appears that the property has been unsealed. This is despite the continued absence of protection on the construction works and airspace to Rehoboth Place. As a result, both our property (Rehoboth Place) and its occupants have been placed back at risk of suffering substantial damage, serious injury and/or death due to debris and other things falling into Rehoboth Place from the construction site. Please find attached here, photos of some of the items that have fallen into Rehoboth Place from the adjoining construction site before the sealing up of the site by your Agency.
Further, the building remains less than the stipulated distance from its boundary with Rehoboth Place, which is a clear, and continuing breach of building regulations.
In the circumstances, we are left to speculate as to the reasons why the construction site has been permitted to continue, even as the specific contraventions, for which it was ordered to stop work, continue un-remediated, almost 6 months later. It would appear that the attitude that has resulted in a number of building tragedies in Lagos State continues to prevail within your Agency.
We hereby notify you that we will not fold our arms and do nothing, while our property is exposed to further trespass and the possibility of serious injury and/or loss of life to its occupants. Should any injury and/or death be suffered by anyone at all, please be in no doubt that a report will be made to law enforcement agencies and the contents of this letter and those of our other appeals to Lagos State on this matter, will be brought to the attention of the appropriate authorities.
In the circumstances, we are constrained to issue this notice demanding that you enforce the building regulations on the above-stated construction works, failing which we shall have no option, other than to institute legal proceedings to compel you to fulfil your statutory obligations.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Olufunlola K. Aderinokun.
Director.
With no commensurate response from the LSBCA, and the sensing the criminal intent, Aderinokun petitioned the Commissioner of Police, CP Fayoade, and copied the AIG zone 2, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and the Commissioner for Environment, to use his good office to stop the construction before injuries or even death are recorded.
The letter is produced below:
20 February 2024.
The Commissioner of Police,
Lagos State Police Headquarters,
Muiz Banire Street,
GRA, Ikeja,
Lagos State.
Dear Sir,
RE: PETITION ON THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION THAT IS AGAINST PUBLIC SAFETY, CONTRARY TO SECTION 123 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW OF LAGOS STATE, 2015, CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE AT THE PROPERTY THAT ADJOINS REHOBOTH PLACE (A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT) SITUATE ALONG BANANA ISLAND ROAD, IKOYL, LAGOS.
We are the owner of Rehoboth Place, situate at Plots 16-17, Banana Island Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The construction works adjoining Rehoboth Place belongs to, The Shell Staff Cooperative Investment and Thrift Society Limited, whose office address is at Freeman House, 21/22 Marina, Lagos State.
Please refer to the above subject matter and the self-explanatory letter, which is attached here, dated 22 January 2024, written by us to the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LSBCA).
In addition to the contents and attachments to our said letter written to the LSBCA, please find attached here, photos of 3 (three) more injurious items, which fell into Rehoboth Place from the adjoining compound at various times.
The big blue piece of iron (contained in the attachment to the letter to the LSBCA), which weighs about 8 kilograms, fell from the adjoining compound into Rehoboth Place, sometime in July 2023, while the 10 inches spanner, fell from the adjoining compound into Rehoboth Place at about 10.45am on 29th January 2024. The iron rod that is about 60 inches long, weighs two & a half kilograms.
All the items fell onto the ground floor of Rehoboth Place from heights of 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th floors of the adjoining construction works, which are obviously being constructed, too close to Rehoboth Place and other neighbouring properties, in contravention of the building laws, regulations and permits of Lagos State.
We hereby, humbly appeal to your office, to take all necessary action to investigate the ongoing danger to human life and public safety, that is being posed by the owners and occupiers of the property adjoining Rehoboth Place.
Furthermore, we appeal to you, to use your good offices to ensure that the said dangerous construction works, which are being carried out in the adjoining compound to Rehoboth Place are stopped immediately before any further crime in committed, particularly before the occurrence of any loss of life or serious injury to anyone,
We trust in your kind and urgent attention to this matter.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
DIRECTOR.
Cc:
1. The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice,
Lagos State Ministry of Justice,
The secretariat, Block 2,
Alausa, Ikeja.
2 The Assistant Inspector-General of Police,
The Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2,
Command Headquarters,
King George V Road, Onikan,
Lagos State.
3. The Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources,
Ministry of Environment and Water Resources,
The Lagos State secretariat,
Alausa, Ikeja.
With no response from the General Manager, Mr Gbolahan Oki, the Rehoboth Place owner, having established a criminal intent with the Police, resorted to writing the governor one more time, whom she had been privileged to discuss the matter with via phone and in person on several occasions. It is on record that Aderinokun had earlier on August 8, 2023 and November 28, 2023 written to the governor on the same issue. But like the manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency, neither the governor nor his office responded.
“They practically called my bluff, without a care of what their silence and inaction on these matters is causing to me personally, to other members of the public and/or may cause in the future,” Aderinokun said.
Below is the full letter addressed to the governor:
29th February 2023.
Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu,
Executive Governor,
Lagos State of Nigeria,
Governor’s Office,
Alausa,
Lagos State.
Dear Mr. Governor,
PLEASE, SAVE OUR SOULS.
RE: IN RESPECT OF THE ONGOING CONSTRUCTION OF MULTIPLE STOREY BUILDING AGAINST BUILDING REGULATIONS ALONG BANANA ISLAND ROAD, ETI-OSA L.G.A. IKOYI, LAGOS; POSING A DANGER TO THE ADJOINING PROPERTY-REHOBOTH PLACE AND HAS CAUSED STRUCTURAL DAMAGES & COLLAPSE OF STRUCTURES AT REHOBOTH PLACE.
I am the managing director of Quadro Investment Limited, the registered owner of Rehoboth Place, which is situated at Plots 16-17, along Banana Island Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, built and completed in the year 2016.
The owner of the ongoing construction which shares a common fence with Rehoboth Place, is Shell Staff Co-operative Investment & Thrift Society Limited (hereinafter called, “Shell Staff Cooperative”) with office address at Freeman House, 21/22 Marina, Lagos.
I am hereby writing an S.O.S., Save Our Souls to Mr. Governor for the reasons set out below.
1. People are continuously exposed to danger of serious injury and/or death at Rehoboth Place because the Lagos State authorities have allowed the construction work by Shell Staff Cooperative to continue, despite the danger it poses to the neighbourhood, its continuous pollution to the environment and the fact that it does not meet the building laws and regulations of Lagos State.
2. In respect of this subject matter, Quadro Investment Limited has written to:
2.1 you, Mr. Governor, by its letters dated 08 August 2023 and 28th November 2023;
2.2 the Lagos State Building Control Agency by its letter dated 22 January 2024;
2.3 the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, by its letter dated 20 February 2024. This letter was copied to, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Nigeria Police Force and the Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State.
Copies of the letters stated in 2.2 and 2.3 above are attached here.
3. In addition to the above, I have made several personal appeals to you, imploring you to grant me an audience to meet with you, to explain the situation to you after my letters and for you to look into this matter and direct Lagos State authorities to ensure that its own Building Regulations and Laws are adhered to in the construction by Shell Staff Cooperative. Unfortunately, all my efforts appear to have been ignored.
4. The on-going construction by Shell Staff Cooperative, which is on its 9th floor and still going up, stands less than 2 meters to its common fence with Rehoboth Place and has caused extensive damage, including collapse of structures at Rehoboth Place. It is posing a danger to life and health in the neighbourhood and at Rehoboth Place. While Lagos State has allowed the construction by Shell Staff Cooperative to continue, the owners of Rehoboth Place cannot use their own property, for fear of danger to life!!
5. Injurious and life-threatening items like big iron bars, weighing 8kg, other iron rods weighing 3kg and 1kg, a 10 inches long spanner, huge polypyrene bars have fallen from heights of 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th floors of the ongoing construction by Shell Staff Cooperative into the ground floor of Rehoboth Place at various times in 2023, and on 29th January 2024. Also, rains of construction water, cement, dust and particles of polypyrene and nylon continuously shower and fly into the airspace, terraces, swimming pool, onto motor vehicles, other valuable properties and indoor living areas at Rehoboth Place. Please find attached hereto, photos to back this up.
6. The scaffolding being used for the construction by Shell Staff Cooperative fell onto the 5th floor of Rehoboth Place on 19th July 2023, which led to a Contravention Notice and a Stop Work Order being pasted on the construction site of Shell Staff Cooperative on 25 July 2023. Please find photos attached here. From then on, the site remained closed for work, for about 6 months, until 15th January 2024, when work suddenly resumed at the constructions of Shell Staff Cooperative, without addressing a single one of the reasons for the sealing up of the premises as stated in the Contravention Notice, including the non-application of safety net on the construction site. Please find attached here, shown in the videos recorded in the flash drive and photos of the dangling scaffolding on Rehoboth Place.
7. Since 15th January 2024, construction by Shell Staff Cooperative have continued, 7 days a week, including outside regulated working hours in a residential area, during night time hours, without any regard for neighbours. They start as early as 7am, waking me up from my sleep with consistent provocative sounds of hammer/iron knocking on iron, 7 days a week, week after week, without any break. Also, on 26th of January 2024, I was woken up from my sleep at 12.00 midnight because of the noise of the truck, working past midnight at the constructions of Shell Staff Cooperative. Please find the proof of this shown in the videos recorded in the flash drive attached here.
8. The non-stop early morning knocking noise (7 days a week) from construction by Shell Staff Cooperative have had untold impact on my brain, psychology and well-being. Part of the reasons that certain distances are prescribed and legislated between buildings, is to avoid noise from one building into another. Since 15th January 2024 to date, it has been like living on a construction site at Rehoboth Place, every day, non-stop, and not a single day of break. Sir, please permit me to add here, that by God’s grace, I am a 67 (sixty-seven) years old widow, resident and indigene of Lagos State.
9. I cannot walk around my compound, I cannot park my car in my own home at Rehoboth Place and we are not able to use our terraces, because of the showers of cement, dirt, dust and polystyrene particles raining from the constructions of Shell Staff Cooperative, onto our cars, other valuables and terraces at Rehoboth Place. Also, we have not been able to use the swimming pool at Rehoboth Place since April 2023 up to the date of this appeal. Please find attached here, the photo of the unhealthy materials from the construction by Shell Staff Cooperative inside the pool and on our terraces at Rehoboth Place, even inside our flower pots on the 5th floor!!!
10. Yet, Lagos State is looking away from this blatant disregard of its building regulations and laws, pollution of the environment, to favour the constructions of Shell Staff Cooperative at the expense of the users of Rehoboth Place.
11. Meanwhile, Lagos State recently banned the use of styrofoams and single use plastics in the State. Sir, it is my humble opinion that Lagos State needs to go further and ban the use of polystyrene in construction sites. The construction workers of Shell Staff Cooperative have been seen cutting into smaller bars, at high levels of 6th, 7th, 8th floors, huge polystyrene bars, without any protection, thereby spraying unhealthy particles of polystyrene, with high health hazards to the neighbourhood and onto Rehoboth Place.
12. Also shown in the videos recorded in the flash drive attached to this letter, is the video of Mr. Gbolahan Oki, the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency when he visited Rehoboth Place on 2nd November 2023. Unfortunately, Mr. Oki has not matched his words with actions and instead, has allowed the constructions of Shell Staff Cooperative to continue, despite the potential of the occurrence of a catastrophe.
13. Sir, my life and the lives of others are being put to danger by the construction of Shell Staff Cooperative, particularly because of its closeness to Rehoboth Place.
14. Sir, I’m not willing to wait until people are seriously injured and/or someone dies, before I cry out to the public. There is a potential of criminal offence being committed by the closeness of the constructions of Shell Staff Cooperative to Rehoboth Place. The photos and videos that I have attached here and the sealing up of the construction by Shell Staff Cooperative for about 6 months by Lagos State, speak volumes and I am sincerely not exaggerating.
15. Again, I hereby personally implore Mr. Governor, to use your good office to ensure that another unfortunate catastrophe related to building collapse, serious human injury and/or death does not happen in Lagos State, in this matter.
Sir, I am trusting in your speedy good judgement in this matter. Thank you, Sir.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Olufunlola K. Aderinokun (née Agusto).
It will be noted that building collapse has remained a recurring decimal in Lagos State. One can recall that a massive Ikoyi building, located not too far from Rehoboth Place, collapsed in 2022, and claimed lives of prominent Nigerians with many other budding professionals.
“All we are doing is to prevent a disaster lurking in the corner, and for me to have a safe and peaceful possession of my property,” Aderinokun concluded.
To date, the Foundation has disbursed US$100,000,000 directly into the hands of young African entrepreneurs, who have, in turn, created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing significantly to Africa’s economic growth and development. The Foundation has also provided capacity building support, advisory services, and market linkages to over 1.5 million Africans through its digital entrepreneurship-support platform, TEFConnect.
“…the Kingdom of Belgium conferred on me with the honorary distinction of Officer in the Order of Leopold, the country’s oldest and most important National Honour.
“I am humbled by this recognition of the work @TonyElumeluFDN in catalysing entrepreneurs across Africa and will continue to drive the economic empowerment of our brilliant young #Africanentrepreneurs to propel development in Africa,” the distinguished entrepreneur had reported.
In commemoration of of his diamond jubilee event, a symposium was held in his honour at the Tony Elumelu Amphitheatre in UBA House.
The symposium tagged ’60 for 60’ was attended by 60 young beneficiaries of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, friends and colleagues. He has never left the young people behind in his scheme of things.
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