DESPITE RECESSION, LAGOS GENERATED MORE REVENUE IN 2016 – AMBODE

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Sunday hailed tax payers in the State for performing their civic obligations faithfully, saying the State recorded more Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2016 than what was recorded in 2015 despite economic recession in the country.

As at December 16, 2016 the State had raked in N287billion IGR for the year under review as against N268.2billion generated in 2015.

Speaking at a special evening of music and camaraderie held at the Lagos House, Ikeja, to usher in the Yuletide season, Governor Ambode said the taxes paid by the people have been judiciously utilized to upgrade infrastructures and provide various services, just as he said that Lagosians deserved to be appreciated for cooperating with government in that regard.

Speaking on the significance of the event which featured performances by array of evergreen musicians and was attended by top political leaders, captains of industries, media executives, professionals in various fields, members of the diplomatic corps, among others, Governor Ambode said the State Government was greatly appreciative of the contributions of the people to the growth of the State in the year under review, adding that the event was principally to appreciate them.

He said: “You wonder what it is that we are doing? We said it is an evening with the Governor but the truth is I just set this up to appreciate all of you and to say a big thank you. Yes, people have been saying that Lagos is working but Lagos is only working because of the people who are seated here.

“The tax payers are the ones giving us the little energy that we have and even though when they say Nigeria is in recession, but somehow Lagos has been able to do it and it is because people are paying their taxes.

“The truth is that the people have been carrying out their civic obligations and somehow we have been returning those obligations with the services that we have provided and you found out that this year; we have actually made more IGR than last year under a recession.

 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd left), with Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Senator Hassan Babatunde Fasinro; All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and former Interim National Chairman, APC, Chief Bisi Akande during an evening of music and camaraderie with the Governor at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Sunday, December 18, 2016

“So, somehow, we need to appreciate all the people that have made this to happen and then I look at the way I could use Arts, Entertainment, Tourism and Hospitality not only to promote the excellence that Lagos has always been known for but to provide another sector of revenue for Lagos State and I felt one of the ways to go about that was to invite our old celebrities that we seem to have forgotten and spend an evening with them,” Governor Ambode said.

The event was attended by top leaders including National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Governor of State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule; Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; former Governors of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande and Senator Isiaka Adeleke; former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; Majority Leader of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Senator representing Lagos West at the Senate and his predecessor, Solomon Adeola Olamilekan and Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon respectively; Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; Managing Director of Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe; South West APC Women Leader, Chief Kemi Nelson; Iyalode of Lagos, Alhaja Binta Tinubu, among others.

Some of the legendary musicians that performed at the event include Evangelist Ebenezer Obey, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Sir Shina Peters, Lagbaja, Queen Salawa Abeni and Adewale Ayuba.

Russian founder of MMM, Serge Mavrodi

Following the reported crash of the MMM  money doubling scheme in Nigeria, the founder of the initiative has responded via a notice accredited to his picture. Read Below:

Serge Mavrodi, Founder MMM

"The Rock" Voted the 'THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE!'

'The Rock'

The highest paid actor in Hollywood, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has been named People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive.

The 44-year-old scoops the title from last year's winner David Beckham, and can be seen on the cover of the magazine's new issue.

The snapshot shows The Rock flexing his muscles on the beach while clad in a simple white T-shirt and jeans. The actor and wrestler, while appreciating this recognition advised  the ‘wanna-bees’,  'Remember, sexy isn't something you "try and be". Sexy happens naturally when you're comfortable just being yourself,' he wrote.

 

LEKKI GARDENS BUILDING COLLAPSE: CONTRACTORS, OTHERS TO BE PROSECUTED – LASG

The Lagos State Government is set to commence the prosecution of suspects linked to the collapse of a five – story building on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, in Lekki, Lagos which led to the death of 30 persons.

A press statement issued and signed by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem stated that the Government has concluded all legal preparations and is ready to prosecute the nine suspects deemed culpable in the collapse of the building.

According to the statement, “Following the conclusion of investigation by the Nigeria Police Force and technical reports of relevant experts, the Office of the Attorney-General has concluded its Legal Advice and decided to prosecute the suspects for failure to obtain Planning Permit contrary to the provisions of the State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, and Involuntary Manslaughter contrary to the provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 respectively”.

It reiterated the commitment of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration to protecting the lives and property of its citizens and assured the general public that it would leave no stone unturned to ensure that criminal negligence and any form of crime is duly brought to book.

Recall that on Tuesday 8^th March, 2016 at about 05:00hrs, a property being built by Messrs. Lekki Gardens Estate Limited and Get Too Rich Investment Limited, also known as Horizon 1 Extension, House H15, Lekki, Lagos State collapsed claiming the lives of 30 people.

Story from the LASG.

21 CHIBOK GIRLS FREED SAYS THEY WERE NOT RAPED BY BOKO HARAM!!!

some of the girls free last month

 The 21 Chibok school girls freed by Boko Haram militants last month say they were not abused or raped during two-and-a-half years' captivity in northeast Nigeria, a source close to the presidency said on Wednesday. Many girls kidnapped by the Islamist militant group have been used as sex slaves, fighters and even suicide bombers, according to rights groups including Amnesty International. But the 21 freed girls said the militants treated them well while they were held captive ...  DO YOU BELIEVE THAT???

THE KING OF MONEY

Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan

So much has been written and said about Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, the Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, from his love for the oil business to his $1m wristwatch, his queen-type Rolls Royce and his very expensive out of the world palace, yet nothing has been said of how the Olugbo has helped placed Ugbo kingdom to vantage recognition. 

In March 2014, world’s foremost money magazine, Forbes, named Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan as the richest Nigerian King with an estimated net worth exceeding $300m, this acknowledgement helped triggered some form of curiosity as regard The King and his kingdom; and historians and Journalists ever since discovered how much their pen loved “Ugbo Kingdom and Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan’.

 A primary setting in the popular Moremi legend, Ugbo Kingdom is a town in Ilaje local government area of Ondo State, southwestern Nigeria, with fishing and farming as the dominant occupation. The Olugbo ( King of Ugbo) is a First class Yoruba Monarch who rule over many smaller communities from OdeUgbo, their ancestral power seat.

The current Olugbo, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan was born in 1950, to the royal family of Sir Frederic Adetolugbo at Ugbo.  Obateru started Obat oil in 1981 with the vision to build a corporation of great reckoning. Today, Obat oil owned one of the largest tank farms in Africa with over 50 gas stations across Nigeria, with a refinery in the offing. 

Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan is noted to love the splendorous lifestyles as rumors of his diamond laced shoes and other accessories have being the toast of many journalists.

TALKING ABOUT QUEEN GUSHI..

Queen Sekinat Elegushi

Gone are the days when traditional First-ladies comes ‘out-of-date’ and goes un-reckoned, today these African Queens are as beautiful, gorgeous, industrious and attractive like diamonds in the sun. 

Oba Saheed Elegushi and Olori Sekinat 

Talking about diamonds and the African pride, Queen Sekinat Aramide Elegushi, the wife of the king of Ikate-Land in Lekki Peninsula, sure exudes these characteristics and more. 

Always one to keep out of the spotlight except when she is beside Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi, but like the gold fish that has no hiding place, LEKKI PEOPLE magazine reporter sighted the gorgeous queen at a recent event organized by the international Women’s society, IWS, Ikate where she was a key-note speaker at the graduation ceremony of 112 participants in the society’s skill acquisition scheme.

Apart from donating Trophies and gifts to spice up the event, Queen Aramide, a rising figure of gender empowerment and a key supporter of the International Women society, enjoined the graduands never to stop learning as skills learnt is bound to come handy during life’s  tough moments.

She said, “You may have graduated today from this program but you will never graduate from learning. You will go through many ups and downs but it is the skills you have acquired that will be the pillar you can always lean on.” Talking about beauty and brains…

Her husband, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi, popularly called King Gushi by praise-singers, is the Oba of Ikate land and he is among the wealthiest and most flamboyant kings in Lagos state. Until his installation on 27^th April 2010, he was a big player in the real estate sector of Lekki Peninsula and has served as a top official in the Lagos State government from 2003 to 2010, when the demise of his father called on him to serve the people of Ikate land as the youngest king in Lagos state.