Lagos Launches 'Library On The Lagoon' Literacy Advocacy For The Environment Project

The Lagos State Government has launched a water-based public engagement platform, “Library on the Lagoon,” in a move to deepen environmental awareness, tackle pollution, and strengthen its blue economy agenda across inland waterways.

Unveiled yesterday, the initiative signals a shift toward integrating community-driven advocacy and creative engagement into the state’s broader maritime sustainability strategy, with officials positioning it as a scalable model for cleaner and more economically viable waterways.

Speaking at the launch on behalf of the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr. Tunde Ajayi, said the project aligns with the agency’s ongoing efforts to monitor and reduce pollution across Lagos’ lagoon systems.

“We thought it was important to engage the creative arts. This initiative provides a platform to reach creative minds who care about environmental protection,” Ajayi said.

He noted that LASEPA’s regulatory work, particularly around pollution density and water quality indicators, would be strengthened by public participation and awareness-driven interventions.

“Bringing people into this awareness and encouraging discussions about cleaning the lagoon and ocean is a simple but powerful form of advocacy,” he added.

Ajayi expressed optimism that the initiative could support practical waste reduction outcomes within the lagoon ecosystem.

“This is one of the ways to mop up plastic waste that has found its way into the lagoon, and it is a very good one,” he said.

Project Director of the initiative, Maryam Kazeem, described the concept as a redefinition of traditional knowledge spaces, repositioned within Lagos’ maritime environment to drive behavioural change and policy-relevant conversations.

“The research for this project started about a year ago. We are thinking about the lagoon as a social research space, where a library is not just a stationary place but something created through interaction and shared experience,” Kazeem said.

She explained that the platform enables participants to engage directly on the water through guided activities designed to interrogate the lagoon’s historical, environmental, and economic relevance.

“At the centre of the exercise is a trash wheel powered by a typewriter, which is still in its prototype stage. The idea is to invite people to sit with the water, observe it, and think critically about their relationship with it,” she added.

Kazeem stressed that the initiative is also structured to confront the growing threat of pollution in Lagos waterways through experimental tools and collective engagement.

“It is more than what one person or even government can handle alone. We need to think about it collectively,” she said.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Blue Economy, Damilola Emmanuel, framed the initiative as a multi-stakeholder model capable of supporting long-term maritime sustainability and economic utilisation of inland waterways.

“We are very excited because government cannot do it alone. We need the private sector, the non-profit sector, and everyone to work together to preserve our lagoons,” Emmanuel said.

He added that the state government is already considering expansion of the initiative across multiple water corridors in Lagos, given the strategic importance of its extensive lagoon network to transport, tourism, and environmental resilience.

“This is just one location, but we will continue to support its expansion. We want it to reach every part of Lagos because our lagoons are very extensive,” he said.

The one-week programme, running from April 26 to May 2, 2026, between 12:00pm and 6:00pm daily, is being held at the Five Cowries Creek Terminal, Falomo, Ikoyi, and is expected to serve as a pilot for broader replication.

Developed through a collaboration involving LASEPA, Iranti Press, and A Whitespace Creative Arts Foundation, the project underscores a growing policy direction in Lagos that links environmental protection with economic sustainability under the blue economy framework.

Industry observers note that beyond its advocacy value, the initiative reflects an emerging recognition that sustainable management of Lagos’ waterways—critical to coastal trade, fisheries, and urban transport, will depend not only on regulation but also on sustained public engagement and behavioural change.

  

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How Couple Beat Adopted Daughter To Death In Igando

Residents of Jemesi Papa Street in the Igando area of Lagos State were thrown into shock on Sunday following the alleged torture and murder of a 10-year-old girl, identified as Faith, by her foster parents. 

The suspects, Paul Onyeama and Adline Ogbonna, were apprehended by angry youths and subsequently arrested by the police for allegedly beating the ailing child to death after weeks of persistent abuse.

According to eyewitness accounts, the 10-year-old victim had been subjected to consistent maltreatment, including frequent physical assaults and being forced to perform strenuous errands despite her age.

A resident and state coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, Adekunle Taofeek, revealed that Faith had been ill for approximately two weeks prior to her death, yet the couple allegedly continued to assault her.

“I was informed that the girl had been sick for about two weeks, yet the abuse continued. Yesterday, both the husband and wife allegedly beat the child severely despite her condition, and sadly, she died,” Taofeek stated.

Following the child’s death on Sunday, the couple reportedly kept the corpse in their room and attempted to carry on with their daily routines to avoid suspicion.

Sources familiar with the matter revealed that while Adline Ogbonna was seen cooking in the kitchen on Monday morning as if nothing had happened, her husband, Paul, had allegedly left the house to procure a tricycle to secretively dispose of the girl's body.

The alarm was raised by vigilant neighbors who questioned the girl’s whereabouts. Youths in the area intercepted the couple before they could move the body and handed them over to the Igando Police Division.

During police interrogation, the suspects claimed that the girl died while receiving treatment at a hospital. However, medical evidence and preliminary police findings have debunked these claims.

A police source confirmed that the child was already dead before she was brought to the clinic. Taofeek further corroborated this after speaking with the attending physician.

“The doctor confirmed that a child was brought to the hospital, but she was already dead on arrival,” he added.

The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed that the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, for further investigation.

This gruesome incident mirrors a similar case in April 2025, where a man allegedly beat his daughter to death in the Ojo area of the state, highlighting a disturbing trend of lethal domestic violence against minors in Lagos.

Efforts to reach the State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

  

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Talent Is Not Enough To Succeed In The Music Industry - Tiwa Savage

Afrobeats superstar, Tiwa Savage has said that talent is insufficient to succeed in the music industry.

The 46-year-old singer made the remarks while outlining the vision behind her initiative, the Tiwa Savage Music Foundation, which aims to support emerging African creatives.

“Music changed my life but talent alone isn’t enough especially when access is limited,” Savage said.

Continuing, the 46-year-old entertainer said, “I want to open people’s eyes to the full scope of what’s possible in music.”

On April 26, Savage hosted a grand finale concert for over 100 participants who graduated from her music foundation in partnership with Berklee College of Music.

The event took place at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts with Nigerian entertainer Darey Art Alade and Kie Kie serving as hosts.

Savage stressed that her ambition extends beyond nurturing artistes but to develop industry gurus.

“I don’t just want to launch artists; I want to build leaders, producers, executives and owners who will shape the future of the music industry,” she said.

“Our alumni will become film composers, label executives and mentors who reinvest in the next generation. If a young musician from a small neighbourhood can say the foundation changed their life, then we’ve achieved something meaningful,” Savage said.

  

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I Am Between Married And Single - Jim Iyke

Seasoned actor Jim Iyke has described his relationship status as ‘between married and single’ while also affirming internal sabotage as the major challenge facing the Nigerian movie industry.

In an interview with the BBC pidgin, Iyke said the industry is full of saboteurs who cannot help themselves and need therapy.

He said if he could change one thing about Nollywood, it would be to purge saboteurs from the industry.

“If there is one thing I would love to change about Nollywood, it would be to purge saboteurs from the industry. The industry is full of saboteurs. They can’t help themselves. They need therapy,” he said.

The actor said his proudest moment came when his son commended his performance and called him a genius.

He said the comment made him emotional, so he went into the bathroom to cry.

“I showed my son something I was working on, and he looked at me for a second and said, ‘Papa, you are a genius.’ I went to the bathroom, and had a quiet cry”, he said.

Jim Iyke named Kate Henshaw as the actress he enjoys working with the most.

On his relationship status, Jim Iyke told the BBC  that he is "between married and single". He was previously with Dana Kinduryte, with whom he has a son, Harvis Chidubem Ike (born in 2015). The marriage ended after he became deeply affected by the death of his mother, noting he was an "excellent father and a woeful husband" during that period.

Reports indicate that the couple broke up in good terms. 

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POETRY: Fishing On Land By Dumbiri Frank Eboh

Fishing On Land

 

We will fish out his killers

Swore the police thief

Sorry the police chief

We will fish out his killers

Whether on land or sea.

 

They are still fishing

Fishing on land

While beasts and pythons regal

In blissful water turfs.

 

Once in search of a goat

A scapegoat   

They caught an unfortunate monkey

In the jungles of Ajegunle

While Maradonas still dribble in the brooks of blood.

 

“I agree! I agree!”

Cried the monkey

A rain of batons on his teargassed face

“I agree I am a goat!”

 

Copyright: Dumbiri Frank Eboh 

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Nigerians Have The Legal Right To Film And Record Police Officers On Duty - Lagos CP Tijani Fatai

    The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, has affirmed that the public have the legal right to film and record police officers on duty. The CP also used the opportunity to warn officers not to search citizens’ phones.

He further encouraged officers to adopt similar transparency by documenting their own operations while on duty.

“You can record the officers when you are stopped, and they can also record you,” Fatai said in a video post that has now gone viral.

The move aims to improve transparency and accountability in the police force.

It would be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, had earlier this year, affirmed the constitutional rights of Nigerians to record police officers conducting stop-and-search operations in public spaces.

Justice Hyeladzira Nganjiwa gave the pronouncement while delivering judgement on Tuesday in an enforcement of a fundamental rights suit marked FHC/WR/CS/87/2025, filed by a lawyer, Maxwell Nosakhare Uwaifo.

The judge also maintained that “police officers must wear visible name tags, display their force numbers, and refrain from harassing, intimidating, arresting, or confiscating devices from citizens who record their actions”.

Uwaifo had filed the suit following an encounter with police officers along the Sapele Roundabout while travelling from Benin to Warri on May 10, 2025.

He had sought a judicial pronouncement on the constitutionality of police officers conducting stop-and-search operations without visible name tags and force numbers, as well as the right of citizens to record such officers.

Defendants in the suit were the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

In the suit, Uwaifo asked the court to declare that Nigerians are entitled, under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution, to freely express themselves, including recording the conduct of law enforcement agents performing public duties.

He also sought a declaration that it is unlawful for police officers to seize devices, arrest, or threaten citizens recording their activities.

The plaintiff had sought, among other reliefs, the following: “A declaration that the acts of police officers engaging in patrols, stop-and-search operations, and other public interactions without wearing uniforms that visibly display their names and force numbers is unconstitutional, illegal, and a breach of Sections 34, 35, and 36 of the Constitution and the Police Act.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, officers, or privies from further engaging in stop-and-search or checkpoint operations without ensuring all operatives wear uniforms bearing their full names and force numbers. An order directing the 1st to 3rd respondents to issue clear directives and training guidelines to all officers of the Nigeria Police Force, affirming the public’s right to record and report police activities conducted in public spaces, including at checkpoints and during stop-and-search.

“An order mandating the 2nd and 3rd respondents to discipline any officer found to have acted in breach of this right. An order mandating the 3rd respondent (Police Service Commission) to issue a circular requiring all officers on public engagement duties to wear full uniforms with identification, and to initiate disciplinary action against any defaulters.

“The sum of N80,000,000 as general and exemplary damages against the respondents for repeated infringements of the rights of the applicant and members of the public.”

The AGF was represented by Babatunde Ajajogun and D.O. Tarfa.

Justice Nganjiwa, while delivering judgment in the matter, held that “Nigerians have the constitutional right to record police officers performing their duties in public”.

The judge also ruled that “officers must wear visible name tags and display force numbers or proper identification during public operations”.

The judge said, “It’s s unlawful for police to harass, intimidate, arrest, or seize devices from citizens recording them”.

The judge then awarded N5,000,000 in damages for violation of fundamental rights and N2,000,000 for the cost of litigation.

Lagosians have commended CP Tijani Fatai for giving a voice to the court’s ruling. Harassment of Lagosians by police officers at checkpoints is rampant and persistent, with Lagos State Police Command consistently topping the list of complaints across Nigeria. Despite frequent bans on unprofessional stop-and-search tactics, extortion, and illegal searches of mobile phones, reports of abuse—including harassment, physical assault, and bribery—have continued to surface regularly in the state.

  

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Funke Akindele Denies Ignoring Pasuma During Fathia Balogun's Birthday Party

Actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele has dismissed claims that she ignored Fuji musician Wasiu Pasuma at a public event, describing a viral video circulating online as misleading.

The controversy arose after a social media user shared an edited clip alleging that Akindele failed to acknowledge Pasuma during actress Fathia Balogun’s birthday celebration.

The footage showed Akindele greeting Balogun while Pasuma was seated nearby.

Responding on X on Sunday, Akindele said she interacted with Pasuma at the event, noting that she greeted and danced with him.

“Snub? Hell no. Stop the negativity pls. I saw him, greeted him, and danced with him. Pasuma is my egbon. Pls you all should stop this,” she wrote.

A longer video from the occasion appears to counter the claim, showing Akindele standing close to Pasuma, engaging with him before moving on to other guests.

The clarification comes weeks after discussions following an incident at the premiere of The Return of Arinzo, where Akindele was alleged to have ignored fellow actress Toyin Abraham.

  

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Lagos APC Women Leader Rallies Mothers, Professionals On The Need For A Cleaner City

As the return of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise was, on Saturday, observed across Lagos State, the APC State Women Leader, Alhaja Rofiat Iyabosola Eletu, has called on women to position themselves as the primary architects of a healthier society.

Speaking during the inaugural exercise at the Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, alongside the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Eletu emphasized that the journey toward a Greater Lagos begins at home.

She argued that women, as the primary influencers within the family unit, hold the key to long-term behavioral change in the state.

In her own words, “If we can govern the hygiene of our households, we can surely govern the hygiene of our streets. When we maintain a spotless home, we raise children who value order. A clean home is a sanctuary that wards off disease and fosters peace of mind.”

The Women Leader closed her address with a rallying cry, urging every woman in Lagos to pick up the mantle and refuse to tolerate filth in their communities.

Eletu noted that taking charge of the environment today is an investment in the health of future generations.

She reminded citizens that the environmental sanitation exercise and care must be a daily commitment.

“Cleanliness is a lifestyle, not an event,” she concluded.

  

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Lagos To Deploy Electric Ferries, Integrate Water, Rail And Road Transportation For Better Mobility In The State

Lagos State government has announced an ambitious plan to transform water transportation in the state through the deployment of electric ferries, expansion of inland waterways, and seamless integration with road and rail systems under a five-year mobility programme.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, disclosed this while hosting members of the Shipping Correspondent Association of Nigeria (SCAN), led by its President, Moses Ebosele, in Lagos.

Emmanuel, who also supervises the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), said the initiative will include dredging about 140 kilometres of inland waterways, upgrading terminals, and strengthening operational capacity across the sector.

He explained that the project is designed to provide commuters with viable alternatives to road transport and reduce traffic congestion in the state, describing it as the first time Lagos is attracting large-scale investment dedicated solely to water transport.

“The goal is to build an efficient, interconnected system linking the eastern, western, and central parts of Lagos,” he said, adding that the government will prioritise training across the value chain, including boat operators, captains, deckhands, and regulatory agencies, while ensuring the informal sector is not excluded.

A key highlight of the initiative, according to him, is the transition to cleaner energy.
He revealed that pilot schemes for electric ferries have recorded success, while efforts are ongoing to convert conventional engines to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative energy source.

Addressing concerns over fares, Emmanuel noted that water transport remains more expensive than road travel due to higher operational costs, but offers commuters shorter travel times and relief from traffic congestion.

To enhance connectivity, he said the state is developing major transport interchanges in locations such as Mile 2 and Marina, where water, rail, and bus services will converge for seamless mobility.

He added that safety on the waterways has improved significantly, with a decline in accidents attributed to proactive measures, infrastructure investment, and sustained engagement with operators.

Monthly passenger traffic, he said, is currently estimated at between 1.5 million and 2 million users.

On environmental sustainability, Emmanuel highlighted ongoing efforts to tackle marine pollution, particularly plastic waste, through collaboration with environmental agencies and non-governmental organisations. He also noted initiatives to manage water hyacinth by converting it into useful products such as craft materials and agricultural inputs.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to stakeholder engagement to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector, noting that the initiative aligns with broader efforts to unlock Lagos’ blue economy potential.

In his remarks, Ebosele urged LASWA to deepen collaboration with the media, stressing that such partnerships would enhance public awareness and promote greater engagement, especially among rural communities.

  

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2027 Lagos Governorship Race: Femi Gbajabiamila, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Wale Edun Throw Their Weight Behind Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat

The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Senator representing Lagos East, Tokunbo Abiru; and former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, have endorsed the governorship aspiration of Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, ahead of the 2027 election.

Hamzat, who is intensifying consultations across key political blocs, visited the trio at their residences, where they unanimously backed his ambition, describing him as well-positioned to sustain the state’s development trajectory beyond the tenure of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Abiru said the consultations reflected the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s values of unity and discipline, expressing confidence in Hamzat’s capacity to govern the state. “You have our full support,” he stated.

Edun described the engagements as a demonstration of grassroots democracy, noting that such consultations remain vital in a democratic system. He endorsed Hamzat’s bid, citing his experience and competence, and urged him to prioritise poverty reduction and economic growth. Edun also commended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms.

Gbajabiamila, in his remarks, affirmed his support for Hamzat, attesting to his competence and leadership qualities. He said: “There is no doubt that Lagos is in safe hands. Dr Hamzat, you are a man of honour. You can take my support for granted. My constituency, Surulere, is for you, and Lagos is for you.”

Meanwhile, in Badagry Division, Hamzat received widespread endorsement from political and community leaders during a consultative visit, where he also unveiled the “City Boy Movement,” a group aimed at strengthening APC’s political base in Lagos and beyond.

Speaking on behalf of the community, Chairman of the group, Joseph Bamgbose, called for greater inclusion of Badagry indigenes in the state’s civil service, particularly at senior levels, as well as increased representation in appointive positions.

A traditional ruler, Oba Sejiro Olamilekan James, pledged support for Hamzat’s candidacy and appealed for government intervention in completing a community chalet and improving infrastructure in the area.

In his vote of thanks, Senator Ganiyu Solomon assured stakeholders that a Hamzat-led administration would give due consideration to the requests raised.

  

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