We own Lagos oil, says Apa Kingdom

— 3rd July 2016

JUST as Rivers and Bayelsa states tackled each other over ownership of some oil wells, a big fight may be brewing over the recent discovery of crude oil in the soil of Lagos State.
Barely three weeks after Sunday Sun published the story of the good news in Badagry Local Gov­ernment Area, a community has come up with the claims that the black gold wells are located in their community.
Apa Kingdom, the acclaimed oldest ancient community in Badagry division of Lagos State falls under the Badagry West Local Council De­velopment Area (LCDA) of Lagos State.
It is against this background that the communi­ty has assured Folawiyo Services Limited, the pe­troleum exploration company that found oil in the state, of full supportive roles for the success of the project. The assurance was given in Lagos during a chat with Sunday Sun by the community’s para­mount ruler, the Alapa of Apa of Egun Awori, Apa Kingdom, in Badagry West of the state, His Royal Majesty, Oba Oyekan Ajose Adekanmbi Ilufemi­loye (JP) Possi III.
Speaking through one of his princes, Ademo­la Bankole, the monarch, disclosed that the oil wells and the deep seaport are in their backyard and, therefore, closer to Apa Kingdom with 46 communities than any other settlements within the region. He added: “My kingdom occupies 7, 000 hectares of land as against only 1,300 hect­ares of land occupied by the Badagry axis of the division.”
Against this backdrop, Alapa, a first class tra­ditional ruler in Lagos State with consenting au­thority said, “With this overbearing advantage in terms of land in the entire division, coupled with the fact that the project falls within my territory, we have greater supportive roles to play in the project.”
The elated prince said further: “That makes the Alapa exceptionally important as the consenting authority with superintendent power over 46 com­munities of Egun Awori people.” He enthused that possibilities of onshore oil were high, disclos­ing that earlier research by experts indicated that Apa Kingdom is an oil rich community, just as he reiterated his people’s readiness to support the government in whatever capacity for the growth and development of the state, adding, “we have both land and human resources in abundance to handle any development challenges,”
These claims of the Apa Kingdom were subtly alluded to in the interview granted Sunday Sun correspondent in the last publication by a High Chief in Badagry, Dr. Hundogan Samuel, Agoloto of Badagry 1, where he said the largesse belongs to several communities in the division. The Ala­pa, whose people had envisaged the God-given blessing, has inaugurated a committee to map out a blueprint for a new and modern town for the community.
Chairman of the Implementation Commit­tee, Prince Ademola Bankole told Sunday Sun: “That is the reason we are seeking takeover from the government for development, the lands it ac­quired and had not put into use since acquisition.
Bankole stated that the kingdom needs the lands in question for community development schemes.
“This purpose is contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the royal father and the Implementation Committee set up by the monarch and headed by me, Prince Ademola Bankole. The 16-member committee, which was inaugurated in 2014, was mandated to put in place new town development schemes from Apa Kingdom and to implement the blue­print for the kingdom’s development.”
The monarch, Bankole disclosed, reasoned that, “for our community to strive and contribute its quota to the general development of the state, solid physical and infrastructural commitments must be in place to usher the economic develop­ment that would make Apa prosper and create nu­merous growth opportunity for our people.”
The committee was, therefore, mandated to de­sign a new town development scheme that would be the envy of other communities in Lagos State and make Apa Kingdom the crest of the centre of excellence.
Prince Bankole added that the earlier notion that Apa Kingdom was only good for agricultural purposes had been erased as the kingdom now ap­pears to be good for every good thing.
“Now, it is good for everything from sea­port to airport, university, agricultural town, hospitality town, technology town with con­vergence of security villages around it like the Nigeria Army Reece Battalion, the Nigeria Artillery Unit in addition to Nigerian Police formation to ensure adequate security for all concerned,” the prince explained.
He stressed that the provision of modernity would pave way for the systemic phasing out of rural settlement that would emerge as super urban and middle class schemes on the completion of the proposed New Apa Town.
He then said: “The state government will not put any impediment on our path when we have provided solid plans for the use of the acquired land to which we seek excision to execute these schemes.” - the sun

Kukah urges IPOB, MASSOB, NDA to go through N’Assembly On July 3, 20168:38 amIn News, WorshipComments By Sam Eyoboka THE Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah, Sunday said there is nothing wrong with Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, or any other group wanting to leave Nigeria as long as such agitations or desires are channelled through the National Assembly, which is the appropriate and constitional means. Responding to reporters’ questions during the 2016 Fathers’ Day celebration at the Catholic Church of Nativity, Festac Town, Lagos, Bishop Kukah said Nigerians must come to term with tenets of democracy which has given us the freedom to express ourselves not just verbally but in action. Bishop Matthew Kukah Bishop Matthew Kukah According to him: “I don’t have a problem with anybody wanting to leave Nigeria or requesting for a new state or local council, there is absolutely nothing wrong. The only thing wrong is if you fail to understand that we are in democracy and the only way to achieve that is through the National Assembly.” Asked to speak on the correlation of the recent Britain’s exit from the EU and what it portends for Nigeria, he said: “Britain has exited the EU; the history of the EU is over 50 years so it will be an illusion for Nigeria to begin to speculate whether there is a correlation between what has happened and the agitations in our country. First of all Britain is a country and they have exited from a union of countries, it is not British people who have exited from Britain. Scotland tried, but the people of Scotland said they want something better. “I think we must come to terms with two things that democracy has given us freedom to express ourselves not just verbally but in action and frankly, I don’t have a problem with anybody wanting to leave Nigeria or stay or wanting a new state or local government, there is absolutely nothing wrong. “The only thing wrong is if you fail to understand that we are in democracy and the only way is through our Representatives and the National Assembly, that is why we have them. President Muhammadu Buhari cannot give you a new local government or a new state. If you want an independent Biafra, household or any other form of independence, the way to go about it is not by agitation but by talking to those who represent you. And if they sponsor a bill and the bill is passed and signed, then you can get whatever you want,” he explained. Continuing, the cleric said: “If you want an independent Biafra, independent household or any other form of inde-pendence, the only way to go about it is not by violent agitation but by talking to those who represent you in the National Assembly. Your represent-atives can sponsor a bill and if the bill is passed and signed, then you can get whatever you want.” Blaming politicians for the series of crises in the country, Kukah said: “The political class should be held responsi-ble for the crises we have in the society today. Public office holders are not appointed but elected and the reason they were elected is not to make money for themselves but to serve the country. “But as you can see very clearly, what we are having so far is anything but service and this is why when I hear politicians say we cannot develop in an environ-ment of violence or in an environment that is volatile, politicians do not understand that it is their irresponsible behaviours that are creating violence and anxiety. Ordinarily, an armed robber wants to live in peace. “My idea is that Nigerian politicians must come to the fact that politics is a noble vocation but there are many people that are ill-trained and ill-equipped and really not prepared for the job of politics in Nigeria,” Kukah who said the Catholic Church no longer harbour the desire to break away from CAN because a new leadership has been elected for CAN, maintained, adding that in the name of modernization every culture is under assault. As Christians and believ-ers, it is from the forces of secularity and this is why “you can see that people are literally worshipping idols; what I mean is that people have turned poli-tics, business and other things that should be noble I do confusion in our so-ciety. “This is why many people go to church and mosque and get there are criminal-ities and violence, corrupt-ion are all on the increase in our society,” he added.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/kukah-urges-ipob-massob-nda-go-nassembly/

Kukah urges IPOB, MASSOB, NDA to go through N’Assembly On July 3, 20168:38 amIn News, WorshipComments By Sam Eyoboka THE Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah, Sunday said there is nothing wrong with Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, or any other group wanting to leave Nigeria as long as such agitations or desires are channelled through the National Assembly, which is the appropriate and constitional means. Responding to reporters’ questions during the 2016 Fathers’ Day celebration at the Catholic Church of Nativity, Festac Town, Lagos, Bishop Kukah said Nigerians must come to term with tenets of democracy which has given us the freedom to express ourselves not just verbally but in action. Bishop Matthew Kukah Bishop Matthew Kukah According to him: “I don’t have a problem with anybody wanting to leave Nigeria or requesting for a new state or local council, there is absolutely nothing wrong. The only thing wrong is if you fail to understand that we are in democracy and the only way to achieve that is through the National Assembly.” Asked to speak on the correlation of the recent Britain’s exit from the EU and what it portends for Nigeria, he said: “Britain has exited the EU; the history of the EU is over 50 years so it will be an illusion for Nigeria to begin to speculate whether there is a correlation between what has happened and the agitations in our country. First of all Britain is a country and they have exited from a union of countries, it is not British people who have exited from Britain. Scotland tried, but the people of Scotland said they want something better. “I think we must come to terms with two things that democracy has given us freedom to express ourselves not just verbally but in action and frankly, I don’t have a problem with anybody wanting to leave Nigeria or stay or wanting a new state or local government, there is absolutely nothing wrong. “The only thing wrong is if you fail to understand that we are in democracy and the only way is through our Representatives and the National Assembly, that is why we have them. President Muhammadu Buhari cannot give you a new local government or a new state. If you want an independent Biafra, household or any other form of independence, the way to go about it is not by agitation but by talking to those who represent you. And if they sponsor a bill and the bill is passed and signed, then you can get whatever you want,” he explained. Continuing, the cleric said: “If you want an independent Biafra, independent household or any other form of inde-pendence, the only way to go about it is not by violent agitation but by talking to those who represent you in the National Assembly. Your represent-atives can sponsor a bill and if the bill is passed and signed, then you can get whatever you want.” Blaming politicians for the series of crises in the country, Kukah said: “The political class should be held responsi-ble for the crises we have in the society today. Public office holders are not appointed but elected and the reason they were elected is not to make money for themselves but to serve the country. “But as you can see very clearly, what we are having so far is anything but service and this is why when I hear politicians say we cannot develop in an environ-ment of violence or in an environment that is volatile, politicians do not understand that it is their irresponsible behaviours that are creating violence and anxiety. Ordinarily, an armed robber wants to live in peace. “My idea is that Nigerian politicians must come to the fact that politics is a noble vocation but there are many people that are ill-trained and ill-equipped and really not prepared for the job of politics in Nigeria,” Kukah who said the Catholic Church no longer harbour the desire to break away from CAN because a new leadership has been elected for CAN, maintained, adding that in the name of modernization every culture is under assault. As Christians and believ-ers, it is from the forces of secularity and this is why “you can see that people are literally worshipping idols; what I mean is that people have turned poli-tics, business and other things that should be noble I do confusion in our so-ciety. “This is why many people go to church and mosque and get there are criminal-ities and violence, corrupt-ion are all on the increase in our society,” he added.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/kukah-urges-ipob-massob-nda-go-nassembly/