Senator Adebule Disburses N200 Million Grant To 2,000 Lagos West Beneficiaries

The Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, hosted the second edition of the Lagos West Women’s Assembly and Cash Empowerment Programme at the LTV Blue Roof Pavilion in Ikeja, where ₦200 million in direct business grants was disbursed to 2,000 constituents.

Held under the theme “From Voice to Action: Empowering Women for Impact,” the event gathered political leaders, community stakeholders, grassroots women entrepreneurs and market leaders to drive economic inclusion and human capital development across the senatorial district’s 28 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

Delivering her address, Senator Adebule emphasized that the event was designed to move beyond rhetoric and provide tangible economic relief to families and small business owners struggling within the current economic climate. 

 

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A major highlight of the cash empowerment was a ₦100 million direct contribution from Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (YAYI), representing Ogun West, who redeemed a pledge made during a previous empowerment drive in January 2026. Combined with matching funds, the ₦200 million package provided micro and mini seed grants to 2,000 selected traders, artisans and entrepreneurs.

“When each beneficiary receives this business cash support, our message is clear: we believe in you, we 

value

 your contributions and we are committed to supporting your dreams,” Adebule stated. “Let this support become seed capital for sustainable micro-businesses that will create jobs and improve family incomes.”

Reflecting on her tenure since assuming office in 2023, the former Lagos State Deputy Governor highlighted her legislative record and infrastructure footprint across Lagos West.

 “ Sponsored 12 bills and co-sponsored 6 others, totaling 18 legislative measures focused on child protection, legal reform, land administration, education, and anti-corruption, alongside motions tackling Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis. 

 “Construction of a 40-bed healthcare facility in Ojokoro LCDA (ready for commissioning) and an ongoing 15-bed health centre in the riverine Igbolobi community, Ojo LGA.

 “Completed primary school blocks in Mafoluku (Oshodi), Awodi-Ora (Ajeromi-Ifelodun), St. Michael (Ojo), and Oregun High School (Ikeja). Additionally, a Skills Acquisition Centre was commissioned in Odi-Olowo (Mushin), alongside the near-completion of an ultra-modern Youth Development Centre featuring CBT facilities, hostels and a micro-stadium in Ibereko, Badagry. 

“Installation of solar-powered streetlights across all 28 LGAs/LCDAs, step-down electricity transformers for seven communities, solar mega-boreholes in six high-density zones (including Markaz Agege, Festac Extension, and Abesan Estate) and a modern lock-up shop market at Amikanle in Agbado-Oke Odo LCDA.”

Several prominent political leaders and women advocates addressed the assembly, praising the lawmaker’s focus on poverty alleviation and grassroots support.

Chairman of Isolo LCDA, who is the DG of Adebule’s Campaign Organization, Adebayo Olasoju, stated that Senator Adebule is synonymous with empowerment, noting that her focus on supporting others may stem from her perspective as a woman. He highlighted that over a thousand individuals will benefit from the scheme and urged beneficiaries to make judicious use of the resources provided.

Former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, commended the senator for prioritizing women’s economic empowerment. She noted that when women are empowered, the broader economy thrives and praised Senator Adebule for creating these opportunities. She stated:

“As a sister and mother privileged to serve the public, Nigeria will be better when we move from voice to action, empowering women to make an impact. Today, what happens after we speak is what truly matters.”

Tallen advised women to support and accommodate others as they rise to leadership positions. She noted that Lagos continues to lead by example regarding female political participation in Nigeria, offering praise to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Furthermore, she urged the beneficiaries to convert the initial support into sustainable ventures:

“The cash provided can be transformed into big enterprises. To everyone receiving support today, do not simply consume it, invest it into business. A woman selling food is an entrepreneur, an investor and an employer. We must prepare women for tomorrow by encouraging our girls to study science and technology so we can raise daughters who lead.”

Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, APC Lagos State Chairman, focused his address on political accountability, grassroots mobilization and civic participation. 

  He expressed pride in Senator Adebule for fulfilling her promises to the electorate. He noted that her initiative contributes directly to poverty alleviation and aligns with the party’s development mandate.

 Grassroots Electoral Mobilization: Ojelabi highlighted the scale of the state’s political structure, pointing out that Lagos contains 176,846 polling units (noting the widespread reach across the wards) where party supporters need to remain active. He urged the beneficiaries to complement the Senator’s empowerment efforts by performing their civic duty as the election cycle approaches.

  He emphasized that political mandates are secured through the Permanent Voter Card (PVC). He urged constituents to ensure they collect their PVCs once ready and prepare to participate actively in upcoming polls to sustain ongoing developmental achievements.

  

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Female Heavyweight Boxing: Celina Agwu, The “Pretty Assassin” Knocks Out Dorcas Emmanuel In Lagos

August 15 was a night of knockouts that produced defining moments across the boxing world, with Claressa Shields reaffirming her dominance in Atlanta while Nigerian heavyweight Celina Agwu continued to build a reputation as one of Africa’s most dangerous punchers in Lagos.

In Atlanta, Shields did what she has become renowned for, stopping Kaye Scott in the sixth round to reclaim the WBC and WBA middleweight titles and improve her unbeaten professional record to 19-0.

The victory further strengthened Shields’ claim to the title of the “GWOAT”, Greatest Woman of All Time , after another dominant performance at the highest level of women’s boxing.

However, thousands of kilometres away in Lagos, another knockout was taking place, and this one could have significant implications for the future of Nigerian women’s boxing.

Celina Agwu, popularly known as the “Pretty Assassin,” stopped Dorcas Emmanuel in the sixth round of their scheduled 10-round contest.

 

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The fight had produced five competitive rounds before Agwu found the decisive opening in the sixth, forcing the referee to halt the contest after Emmanuel was unable to continue.

The victory took Agwu’s professional record to 10 fights, nine wins and one defeat, with all nine of her victories coming by knockout.
That gives the Nigerian boxer an extraordinary 100 per cent knockout rate among her victories.

For Agwu, the numbers tell a story of a fighter whose greatest weapon is her punching power.

A professional Nigerian boxer and law enforcement officer who competes in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, Agwu has steadily attracted attention through her performances and international ranking recognition.

She currently occupies No. 5 in the WBC heavyweight rankings and has also earned recognition in the WBO rankings, where she said she is ranked No. 2.

Her rise comes as Nigerian women’s boxing enjoys an unprecedented moment, with four Nigerian female boxers breaking into the WBC’s top-10 rankings — a significant milestone for the country and African women’s boxing.

Agwu’s record, particularly her ability to finish fights before the final bell, has helped establish her as one of the division’s most formidable contenders.

While Shields was adding another major achievement to an already decorated career in Atlanta, Agwu was making another statement of her own in Lagos.

Shields has demonstrated exceptional skill and versatility throughout her career, dominating across multiple weight categories. Yet, if a future challenger emerges capable of matching her power and pressure, Agwu could become a name the American champion eventually has to consider.

Unlike fighters who frequently rely on the judges’ scorecards, Agwu has built her reputation around decisive finishes.

Her nine knockout victories from 10 professional bouts underline a willingness and ability to end contests with her fists rather than leave the outcome to the judges.

Speaking in an interview after her victory, Agwu revealed that her success is built on an intense training regime and significant personal sacrifices.

“I train morning and evening, I deprive myself of a lot of things,” she said.

The boxer also spoke about her position on the international rankings, noting that she is currently ranked fifth in the world by the WBC and second by the WBO.

For Agwu, the significance of victory extends beyond personal achievement, as she stressed the importance of winning and acknowledged the financial reward attached to the contest.

Her rapid rise raises an intriguing question for the future of women’s boxing: could Celina Agwu eventually share the ring with Claressa Shields?

A Shields-Agwu bout remains speculative at this stage, given the differences in their divisions and career trajectories.

But boxing thrives on such possibilities, particularly when an unbeaten champion or established superstar encounters a rising contender with a reputation for devastating power.

Shields may have reinforced her status as one of the sport’s greatest fighters on August 15.

But on the same night, in Lagos, the “Pretty Assassin” offered another reminder that Nigerian women’s boxing has a new generation of fighters capable of commanding international attention.

With nine knockouts from nine victories, Agwu’s next fights will determine whether her frightening statistics can translate into sustained dominance at the highest level.

For now, however, one thing is clear: Celina Agwu is no longer a name to overlook. As of today in the August 2026 WBC female heavyweight ranking, she’s number 6 in the world and number 1 in Nigeria

August 15 may have belonged to several champions and knockout artists, but it also marked another significant step in the emergence of a Nigerian fighter who could soon demand a much bigger stage.

  

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Lagos rents Rise By 120 Percent , Outpacing Wage Growth - Report

Lagos rents have risen by as much as 120 per cent in two years, far outpacing wage growth of between seven and nine per cent, as the state’s housing market faces an estimated annual capital shortfall of about N6 trillion, a new report by GTI Investment Group has revealed.

The report, “Beyond Rent:  Mapping Lagos’ Housing-Led Capital Expansion”, produced by GTI Group, was presented at a forum themed “Housing, Capital and the Future of Lagos” held in Lagos.

Presenting the report, Head of Research and Strategy, GTI Group, Abiodun Ogunniyi, said the estimated annual housing capital gap was about three times Lagos State’s N2.337 trillion 2026 capital budget.

The report, based on more than 3,200 rental listings across 15 zones, said Lagos’ property price-to-income ratio had risen to 19.2 times, above Cairo’s 18.4, Nairobi’s 11.5, Cape Town’s 5.4 and Durban’s 4.2.

GTI said a ratio above five was generally considered severely unaffordable, adding that more than 70 per cent of Lagos households were effectively priced out of home ownership. The report attributed much of the increase in property prices to infrastructure and location premiums, rather than income growth.

 

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Delivering the keynote address, Director of the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, University of Lagos, Prof. Timothy Nubi, said Nigeria’s housing challenge was largely a capital problem rather than a shortage of buildings.

“We do not have a housing crisis; we have a capital architecture problem. Design the system and the city will build itself,” Nubi said.

He said real estate contributed only about 0.5 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, compared with between 18 and 20 per cent in the United States and United Kingdom.

Nubi also pointed to the country’s pension industry, whose assets have exceeded N31 trillion, as a largely untapped source of housing finance.

According to the GTI report, regulators allow up to 30 per cent of pension assets to be invested in instruments such as Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), mortgages and asset-backed securities, but actual exposure to real estate is about five per cent.

Nubi illustrated the affordability challenge with the case of a 46-year-old University of Lagos lecturer with 10 years of service who was offered a two-bedroom apartment in Badagry for N28 million despite earning less than N250,000 monthly.

He warned that rising demand would put further pressure on the housing market as Lagos’ population is projected to increase from about 20 million to 40 million over the next 25 years. He called for reforms in land administration, mortgage financing and infrastructure delivery to address the problem.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Housing, Abdulhafiz Toriola, said government could not meet the state’s housing needs alone and called for greater private sector participation.

Toriola said government needed to provide land and infrastructure, streamline approvals and introduce investment incentives to attract more private capital into housing. He said the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority had helped improve the investment environment but stressed the need for faster land title processing and stronger public-private partnerships.

GTI proposed a four-part capital reform framework involving micro-title regularisation, an infrastructure value capture authority, land equity trusts and a rental-equity REIT.

The report estimated that the proposed measures could close between 45 and 65 per cent of the housing funding gap. It also identified 10 entry points for retail investors, including cooperative societies and NGX-listed REITs, with some requiring an initial investment of as little as N5,000.

The forum brought together developers, investors, regulators and financial institutions, with speakers stressing the need to improve access to long-term capital if Lagos is to bridge its growing housing affordability gap.

  

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My Marriage Crashed Because I Had Over 10 Miscarriages – Actress Doris Ogala

Nollywood actress and now governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Abia State, Doris Ogala, has opened up about her past relationships, marriage and personal struggles.

During a recent interview on The Clarity Zone podcast hosted by Nedu Wazobia, Ogala was asked who would be the state’s “first man” if she eventually became governor of Abia State.  The actress said she was single.

According to Ogala, she got married after dating Pastor Chris Okafor, leader and founder of the Mountain of Liberation and Miracle Ministry, also known as Liberation City, from 2017 to 2019.

She said the marriage ended in 2022 due to multiple miscarriages.

 

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“I’m single now. I dated Pastor Chris Okafor from 2017 to 2019 and then I got married, but my marriage still crashed in 2022 because I had over 10 miscarriages,” the actress said.

Ogala became visibly emotional while recounting the experience, highlighting the difficult period she went through in her personal life.

She also spoke about her previous political experience, noting that she had served as a Special Adviser before her current bid to become governor of Abia State.

Ogala faces a difficult task to unseat the incumbent governor, Alex Otti, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Labour Party.

  

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Tinubu Support Group Kicks Off 2027 Campaign With 3,000-Man Walk In Lagos

The PBAT Door-To-Door Movement, Southwest, is scheduled to begin its campaign for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections with a 3,000-man Posterity Walk in Lagos.

The walk, scheduled to take place at the Lagos Television premises in Agidingbi, Ikeja, is expected to bring together supporters, stakeholders and other residents from across the Southwest as the group begins its grassroots mobilisation for Tinubu’s second term.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Zonal Secretary of the movement, Awoyinfa Opeoluwa, said the event was intended to demonstrate the group’s support for the President while mobilising voters across the region ahead of the presidential election.

“We are excited to announce the official flag-off of our campaign for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the upcoming 2027 general election.

“As we gear up for this critical electoral period, we are committed to mobilising support and ensuring that the vision and progress initiated by President Tinubu continue to flourish,” the statement read in part.

 

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The group said the Posterity Walk would serve as a public demonstration of its commitment to Tinubu’s administration and its ambition to build a stronger grassroots support base across the six states of the South-West.

It added, “The Posterity Walk symbolises our unity and determination to support a leader who has consistently prioritised the welfare and development of our nation.

“Together, we will march in solidarity, showcasing our unwavering belief in President Tinubu’s ability to lead Nigeria into a prosperous future,” it said.

Participants have been urged to attend the event with banners and posters as the movement seeks to draw attention to what it described as the administration’s efforts towards economic growth, good governance and national unity.

The mobilisation comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with parties, support groups and political organisations across the country increasingly positioning themselves for the presidential contest.

Tinubu, who was elected President in 2023 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, is seeking a second four-year term in 2027.

His administration has, however, faced criticism from opposition parties and sections of the public over economic hardship, inflation and the impact of reforms, while supporters argue that the reforms are necessary to reposition the economy for long-term growth.

The South-West remains politically significant to Tinubu, who is from Lagos State and has maintained a strong political base in the region.

The PBAT Door-To-Door Movement said the walk would mark the beginning of a sustained grassroots mobilisation campaign and called on its supporters to participate actively in efforts to secure Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

  

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Power Minister Commissions Transmission Projects In Lagos, Vows More Investments To End Blackouts

The Federal Government has pledged to intensify investment in electricity infrastructure across the country as part of efforts to improve power supply and address persistent blackouts.

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, made this known on Tuesday in Lagos while commissioning two transmission projects in Alausa and Lekki.

The projects included a 1x100MVA, 132/33kV power transformer at the Alausa Transmission Substation and additional transformers at the Lekki 330/132/33kV Transmission Substation.

Tegbe said the Federal Government would continue to invest in critical transmission infrastructure across the country, particularly in areas with significant industrial and economic activities.

 

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He said, “Again, like I said earlier in the day, I will conclude with a clear assurance. The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains very firmly committed to the transformation of the Nigerian electricity sector.

“We’ll continue to support investment across the electricity value chain. We’ll invest in critical transmission infrastructure, both in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna-Kano corridor, Enugu, Port Harcourt, across the entire nation, especially where industry hubs sit.”

The minister’s declaration came a day after he announced that the country was targeting the ability to wheel 6,000 megawatts of electricity by December.

Tegbe said on Monday that the Federal Government was also targeting the commissioning of 20 transmission projects before the end of the year as part of measures to strengthen the national grid.

At the Lekki commissioning on Tuesday, he said the government would continue to expand transmission capacity in response to the rapid growth of the area. “So we won’t stop at doubling capacity; we will have to have another substation on this axis very soon,” he said.

The minister said the Lekki corridor had become one of the most important growth areas in Lagos and Nigeria, with residential, commercial and industrial developments driving electricity demand.

“Lekki axis, as I mentioned, is one of the most consequential growth corridors in Lagos and increasingly in Nigeria. It’s a corridor experiencing sustained residential, commercial, and industrial expansion, and it represents precisely the kind of location where electricity demand grows alongside investments and population growth,” Tegbe stated.

He said the government’s investment strategy would increasingly focus on areas where electricity could unlock production, investment, employment and economic value.

“And that is going to continue our focus, and that’s why I said this is an axis that we must take very seriously, we must concentrate on, and allow that expansion that is happening in Lekki to benefit from whatever we’re doing here,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Sule Abdulaziz, said the Alausa project would increase the substation’s capacity by 70MVA.

Abdulaziz, in his welcome address at the commissioning of the project, said the newly installed 1x100MVA, 132/33kV transformer replaced the existing 1x30MVA transformer.

“This installation replaces the substation’s existing 1x30MVA, 132/33kV transformer, increasing its capacity by 70MVA and raising total substation capacity from 135MVA to 205MVA. This significant upgrade enhances the substation’s ability to serve its growing load demand,” he said.

The TCN boss said the project, executed by Shanghai Electric Ltd under a World Bank-funded initiative which commenced in January 2021, would provide more stable electricity to at least 70,000 residents in Alausa and its environs through the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company.

“Upon energisation, it will deliver more stable and reliable power to at least 70,000 residents across Alausa and its environs, through the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company,” Abdulaziz stated.

He said the upgrade would also increase the volume of bulk electricity that TCN could wheel to distribution load centres.

“Beyond serving the immediate community, this upgrade meaningfully increases the quantum of bulk power that TCN can wheel to distribution load centers nationwide. It reinforces grid stability and ensures that more bulk power reaches the distribution companies’ load centers for onward delivery to electricity consumers within their franchise areas,” he said.

Abdulaziz said the project demonstrated TCN’s commitment to expanding the national transmission network to meet Nigeria’s growing electricity needs.

He added that the achievement aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s efforts to steadily improve the power sector.

At the Lekki substation, TCN also commissioned additional transformation capacity, with a 300MVA, 330/132kV transformer and two 60MVA, 132/33kV transformers forming part of the upgrade.

The Lekki project increased capacity at the 132/33kV level from 120MVA to 240MVA, while the wider project is designed to double capacity at the higher transformation level.

Tegbe said the government would also address electricity infrastructure challenges in other parts of Lagos. The minister also called on electricity distribution companies to complement the Federal Government’s investment in transmission infrastructure by improving their networks and ensuring that additional bulk power reached end users.

  

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New Military Jetty To Be Unveiled In Lagos

Nigeria is intensifying efforts to strengthen its indigenous defence industry, with plans to establish local production lines for armoured vehicles, anti-drone systems and other specialised military equipment.

The initiative is being driven by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria–D7G (DICON-D7G) in partnership with Eagles International for Defence Systems, with the objective of increasing technology transfer, expanding domestic manufacturing capacity and reducing the country’s dependence on imported military hardware.

DICON-D7G is also planning a strategic military jetty in Lagos within three months.

The Chief Executive Officer of DICON-D7G, Mr Osman Chennar, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen, following a two-day inspection tour of factories and military production facilities in Cairo by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle, and his delegation.

 

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Chennar said the partnership would create more than 200 jobs while also providing employment opportunities for about 100 retired military personnel.

He said, “The partnership is expected to create employment for over 200 workers, in addition to providing opportunities for approximately 100 retired military personnel.”

According to him, the arrangement would facilitate the transfer of advanced defence technologies to Nigeria and enable the country to manufacture a wider range of military platforms for its armed forces and potentially other African countries.

Among the platforms targeted under the partnership are the Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicle BR6, Armoured Personnel Carrier cabin, 120mm manual mortar launcher cabin, and medical evacuation and ambulance cabins.

Others include the MRAP-Buffalo U.10 and M.12 armoured vehicles, MRAP-Buffalo F-4, Rhino Guard GXR anti-drone and RPG-protected vehicle, APC Moon PT6, GXR Phantom light vehicle and BMP-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

Chennar said the development was part of a broader strategy to build a sustainable Nigerian defence manufacturing ecosystem capable of designing, assembling and producing military equipment locally.

The initiative comes as the Nigerian Army continues to receive locally manufactured armoured vehicles as part of efforts to strengthen indigenous defence production and enhance operational capacity.

Beyond vehicle manufacturing, DICON-D7G is also planning the development of a dedicated military jetty in Lagos to support the movement of raw materials, components and finished military equipment.

Chennar said the facility would serve as a strategic logistics hub for the supply and distribution of military equipment within Nigeria and across the African continent.

He further disclosed that the military jetty was expected to be launched within the next two to three months.

He added, “DICON-D7G has planned the launching of its Military Jetty in Lagos that will provide employment to over 200 retired military personnel with over 1,000 civilians when the project takes off in the next two to three months.”

The emerging defence-industrial strategy is expected to have wider economic implications, including retaining defence expenditure within the domestic economy, developing specialised technical skills and reducing Nigeria’s reliance on foreign suppliers.

The company said the planned facilities and production lines would ultimately position Nigeria to sustain its armed forces with locally produced equipment during prolonged security operations while creating the capacity to serve defence markets across Africa.

  

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Lagos Trains Children On Environmental Sustainability

    The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, has engaged children on environmental sustainability at the 2026 Eco Explorers Bootcamp.

The bootcamp, held on Saturday at Ndubuisi Kanu Park, Alausa, Ikeja, was organised by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) in collaboration with the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency and other partners to promote climate action and environmental sustainability.

Rather than relying solely on classroom instructions, the programme exposed the children to hands-on activities, including gardening, upcycling and science experiments.

During the gardening session, the participants were taught how to identify different plants, including spider lily, aglaonema, also known as Chinese evergreen, and hibiscus. They were also shown practical steps involved in planting and caring for plants, including the use of compost manure, planting materials and watering cans.

 

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The children were encouraged to identify the benefits of tree planting and gardens, with participants highlighting beautification, sustainability, carbon absorption and noise reduction among the benefits.

A facilitator during the session explained that planting trees and maintaining gardens could contribute to environmental sustainability while encouraging the children to take responsibility for their surroundings.

The participants also took part in an upcycling session, where they learnt how waste materials could be converted into useful resources. They were taught that organic waste could be processed into resources for gardening, while plastic waste could also be transformed into useful materials.

Speaking on the initiative, Bola Adewunmi, Director, Circular Economy, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), said the agency participated through LAWMA Academy and its Circular Economy Department to teach the children about waste management and resource recovery.

Adewunmi said the programme was aimed at helping children understand from an early age that waste could be converted into useful resources.

She said LAWMA’s approach was based on the belief that “waste is wealth,” adding that the children were being introduced to the concept through both lectures and practical sessions.

The science session also featured simple experiments aimed at helping the children understand environmental issues. One of the demonstrations involved food colouring, baking soda and bleach to show how chemical reactions could produce visible changes.

Mr. Elijah Adegoke of Kids Literary Circle (KLC), which participated in the programme, said the organisation was focused on making learning enjoyable for children.

Adegoke said the children were also taught about the impact of human activities on the environment, including the relationship between greenhouse gases, global warming and climate change.

He said practical demonstrations were used to make the concepts easier for the children to understand.

Also speaking, Mr. Ojo Oluwaseyi of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency said the agency’s participation was aimed at encouraging eco-friendly activities, including tree planting and gardening

Oluwaseyi said tree planting was one of the ways of mitigating the effects of climate change, urging the children to establish small gardens and share the knowledge gained with others.

The programme also involved parents, who participated in games and recreational activities while the children attended their various practical sessions.

The facilitators encouraged the children to see themselves as eco heroes with a responsibility to make decisions that promote a cleaner and healthier environment.

The bootcamp combined environmental education with practical activities, giving the participants an opportunity to learn about sustainability while applying the lessons through gardening, waste management and science experiments.

  

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Lagos Declares Thursday Work-Free In Celebration Of Yoruba Traditional Worshippers Day

The Lagos State Government has declared Thursday as a work-free day for public servants, political appointees and others in celebration of this year’s Yoruba Traditional Worshippers Day, which is expected to be the largest single gathering of traditional worshippers anywhere in the world, with over three million residents joining the celebration.

In a statement personally signed on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Idris Aregbe, described the day as “bigger than a holiday on a calendar.”

 

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“Yoruba Traditional Worshippers Day  is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.

He said the Yorubas are one of Africa’s largest ethnic nations, with more than 55 million people globally, and noted that they have continued to preserve and pass on Yoruba culture to their children.

According to him, the strength of that tradition has helped sustain Yoruba Traditional Worshippers Day  festivals in Cuba, Brazil, and the Caribbean, where many Yorubas live outside Africa to this day.

“When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.

The day marks the culmination of a full week of traditional activities, and has been observed as a work-free day in Lagos since 2023, following a request from the Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has upheld the observance every year, in line with the administration’s commitment to indigenous values and religious inclusiveness under the THEMES+ Agenda.

Aregbe expressed appreciation to Sanwo-Olu for his support, while also paying tribute to the traditional institution.

“We thank His Excellency, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu. It takes real conviction for a leader to stand publicly with heritage, and he has done so without hesitation and without apology. We also bow to Kábíyèsí, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, foremost custodian of Lagos culture, to all our royal fathers, our revered White Cap Chiefs, our Babaláwo and Ìyánífá, our Olóòrìṣà and every custodian and promoter who kept these rites alive when it was neither fashionable nor convenient. Governments come and go. Custodians carry the culture,” he said.

This year’s celebrations will feature prayers, rituals, processions, drumming and cultural displays dedicated to the Òrìṣà, coordinated by the Association of African Traditional Religion Nigeria and Overseas (AATREN).

Aregbe urged all participants to celebrate peacefully and respectfully.

“Three million voices rising in honour of tradition is not noise. It is history, faith and cultural pride in harmony. Whether you worship in a mosque, a church or a grove, Yoruba Traditional Worshippers Day  belongs to you, because heritage has no denomination. Lagos remains the city where every heritage finds its 

place

.”

  

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