Stakeholders have knocked President Bola Tinubu over his failure to address key demands of the EndBadGovernance protesters in his nationwide broadcast on Sunday.
Tinubu had on Sunday waded into the issues emanating from the ongoing nationwide protests against hunger and high cost of living in Nigeria.
TVN reports that Nigerian youths who are irked by the unfavourable prevailing economic conditions in the country are in the streets across the nation demanding solutions to the hardship.
The action, which commenced on August 1 and expected to last for ten days, is aimed at drawing the attention of the government to the hardship bedeviling citizens.
The protests in Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, FCT, Niger and Jigawa, turned bloody with scores of unsuspecting citizens killed, while an unspecified number of persons were critically injured.
Although different reports from states suggested that about 19 persons paid the supreme price during the first day of the protest, Amnesty International claimed that 13 persons were killed.
In some states, hoodlums vandalized and looted properties belonging to both the government and private individuals.
In a quest to quell further breakdown of law and order in the country, President Tinubu on Sunday addressed Nigerians on the matter, appealing to the aggrieved Nigerian youths to rather embrace dialogue.
In his speech, Tinubu who commiserated with victims’ families over the death of their loved ones, called on the protesters to suspend the exercise.
Reeling out steps taken by the government to address the hunger crisis, Tinubu said about N570bn has been released to states for livelihoods support.
The president also pointed out that 600,000 nano businesses have so far benefitted from the nano grants, stating that additional 400,000 businesses would still benefit.
Although the president vehemently rejected the call for reinstatement of fuel subsidy, he noted that the Compress Natural Gas, CNG, initiative was to reduce transport cost by 60%, assuring that about one million conversion kits would be distributed at little or no cost.
Tinubu failed to address key demands
TVN reports that among other things, the organizers of the protest had asked the FG to “Toss the Senate arm of the Nigerian legislative system. Keep the House of Representatives and make lawmaking a part-time endeavour.
“Pay Nigerian workers a minimum wage of nothing less than N250,000 monthly.
“Release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally and demilitarize the South East. All EndSARS and political detainees must also be released and compensated.
“End banditry, terrorism and violent crimes. Reform security agencies to stop continuous human rights violations.
“Massive shake-ups in the Nigerian judiciary to remove cabals of corrupt generations of judges and judicial officers that continue denying citizens access to real justice.
“Diaspora voting.
“Probe past and present Nigerian leaders, who have looted the treasury, recover their loot and deposit it in a special account to fund education, healthcare and infrastructure”.
According to stakeholders, who spoke to TVN on Sunday, President Tinubu’s speech failed to address those demands.
We expect Tinubu to address issues of insecurity in North, cutting cost of governance – Area Youths
President General of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, AYCF, Yerima Shettima told TVN on Sunday that Tinubu failed to address the security crisis in the North.
Shettima also expressed disappointment in the president for ignoring the call for his administration to cut the cost of governance in the country.
He said, “there is an outcry everywhere that Nigerians expected more from the president.
“For me, there are two angles to it from the north here. If there is anything he has not touched, it is the fact that he would have looked at what is the specific challenge of the Northerners.
“What is our problem? Our problem is the issue of insecurity. I would have wanted him to declare a state of emergency on insecurity, especially in the northern part of the country.
“He can even be specific by mentioning at least five states in the North. States like Niger, Kaduna, Zamfara, Borno and probably Katsina State. Declare a state of emergency and let us see that you are hard on this issue. Declare a state of emergency and put the security chiefs on their feet.
“Give them some months to bring lasting solutions to the problems. This is what we expected from the president and this is where I can say that he has not done enough”.
Shettima, however, backed the president in his position on fuel subsidy, saying “even Tinubu himself can’t bring back this subsidy that people are crying about everywhere. It is not possible. This is a global problem.
“Even as things are, and from the analysis we have gathered, Nigerians were supposed to pay more than N1000 for a liter but the president went far to overstretch the government and gave subsidy behind the knowledge of so many Nigerians”.
Shettima blamed the immediate past administration led by former president, Muhammadu Buhari for the current economic reality.
According to him, “It was the last government that put us into this mess. They went out of the way and acquired so much money that they can’t even account for it.
“I am shocked to see that none of those ministers that squandered our money has been brought books.
“For me, Tinubu has communicated. Some of us know that there are certain policies that have been put on ground. The policies may likely not have impacted positively at the moment, but gradually, those things will come to pass.
“Yes we all can feel the heat but we shouldn’t be in a hurry. We are suffering. Look at the size of the government. Tinubu failed to address the demands that he should cut the cost of governance”.
Tinubu’s speech only contains grammar, no actionable solutions – Peter Obi’s spokesman
Yunusa Tanko, spokesman to the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last election, Mr Peter Obi, told TVN that President Tinubu failed to address issues raised by the angry Nigerian youths.
According to Tanko, Tinubu failed to show Nigerians actionable solutions to the prevailing economic hardship ravaging the nation.
He said, “I don’t think he has addressed the issues raised by the protesters. President Tinubu ought to have responded to each and every demand that is already made in the fliers.
“For example, the issue of price of petroleum, bringing it down from N850 to at least N200.
“This is the major thing that is affecting every aspect of the economy across the country.
“Or he talks about how to bring the cost of commodities down to appreciable levels or he even ought to have talked about how to secure the lives and properties with practical examples.
“He should have also talked about how to enhance the production of agricultural products, especially in northern Nigeria where we have land and even the issue of the protest is even more severe.
“People want to hear him say something like ‘we are bringing in tractors, fertilizers, seedlings and everything needed so that people can return to their farm’. These are practical examples that you can show to make people believe that you are dealing with this matter not to continue to speak grammar with no actionable solutions to the problems. I don’t think he has addressed the issues to be honest”.
EndBadGovernance: I was shocked by Tinubu’s broadcast – Dele Momodu
In a similar vein, the publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, knocked the president over the broadcast, saying he was left shocked by the content of the speech.
In a post on his X handle shortly after the speech, Momodu said the president totally failed to address the demands of the protesters.
He said, “After the long-awaited speech of President Bola Tinubu eventually came this morning, I’m sure most of you would be as stupefied as me.
“I must confess that I had little hope of Tinubu granting some concessions to the aggrieved Nigerians. As a man who has held an iron grip on Lagos State for the last 25 years, it would be difficult for him to change a winning formula that has worked for him ever since.
“Also, what did we expect his advisers to be telling him when most of them have been his most fanatical cronies from Lagos who have learnt never to challenge the master?
“So it was merely wishful thinking on the part of incurable optimists like me to think he was going to have mercy on hapless and seemingly helpless Nigerians.”
On his part, Comrade Jare Ajayi, the National Publicity Secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organization, Afenifere told TVN that the organization is currently studying the speech and would make its position known to the public soon.
Protest continues – Organizers threaten to extend demonstration beyond ten days
Despite President Tinubu’s appeal and concerns raised by security agencies, organizers of the EndBadGovernance protests have vowed to continue the exercise across the country.
In a chat with TVN on Sunday, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2023 election, Omoleye Sowore said, “Protest continues tomorrow”.
Sowore, who is unsatisfied with President Tinubu’s broadcast, threatened that if the demands of the protesters were not met after ten days of the protest, the exercise may continue indefinitely.
Asked when the protest would end, Sowore simply said “In 10 days, but it would continue if the issues on the charter of demands are not adhered to”.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military on Saturday said it will intervene if violence recorded in some states in the ongoing nationwide protest escalates.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, during a press conference in Abuja, said the military would step in to control the looting and violence being witnessed in some parts of the country.
The CDS noted that while he was aware of the “grievances” of the protesters on the challenging economic difficulties in the country, they must show understanding.
He appealed to Nigerians to be united during “these trying times” and cautioned against looting and vandalization of property.
The defence chief decried the destruction of valuables during the nationwide protests, describing it as “crazy.”
EndBadGovernance: Stakeholders knock Tinubu’s speech, as organizers intensify protest
EndBadGovernance: Stakeholders knock Tinubu’s speech, as organizers intensify protest
Simon’s injury worries Nantes boss
Nantes manager Antoine Kombouaré has expressed concerns over the fitness of Super Eagles forward Moses Simon ahead of the 2024/25 season after the Nigerian suffered an ankle injury in the club’s friendly game against Laval, According Sports Extra reports.
Simon scored the winning goal from the spot in the 60th minute as the Canaries secured a 2-1 win ahead of their next game against Lorient on Wednesday.
Though the Nigerian was in action for 90 minutes, the Nantes Tribune, quoting Kombouaré, confirmed that the 29-year-old suffered an ankle injury during the game.
The injury is the second the Eagles star has suffered this year, thus raising concerns over his fitness.
“The two little worries are Simon (Moses) with his ankle still giving me problems and then little Adel (Mahamoud), who hurt his knee. I hope it’s not too serious,” he said, as quoted by the Nantes Tribune.
Towards the end of the 2023/24 season, Simon sustained a fractured fibula and was ruled out for three months, effectively ending his campaign.
The injury forced him to miss Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic, with the Eagles drawing against the Bafana Bafana and surprisingly losing to the Cheetahs.
His absence was deeply felt in these crucial matches, and the Super Eagles now risk being without him again for the reverse tie against Benin Republic.
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Ekiti Assembly sets five-year jail for land grabbers
The Ekiti State House of Assembly has passed a law stipulating a five-year jail term for land grabbers as part of efforts to encourage investment in the state.
This was disclosed at the weekend by the Speaker of the Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye, during a chat with journalists in Ado Ekiti.
“Recently, the House of Assembly passed a law, the Property Protection Law, otherwise known as anti-grabbing law.
“What is novel about the new law is that every family land must have a designated account where the prospective buyers pay,” the Speaker said.
He said the law, which is an amendment to an earlier one, “has made the penalty stiffer. It was two years jail term before, but now, if you violate any section of the law, it is five years imprisonment and also payment of 10 per cent of the total value of the land.
“In addition, the person you have duped has the right to also engage you in civil litigation to recover the full payment of his money. That is exactly what we have done in the law.
“It is to arrest the menace of some of the fraudulent family land owners and some who call themselves ‘omo onile’ (land owners) in Ekiti State. Because we know that there cannot be investment if we still have this menace in our land,” the Speaker said.
He said the law would “ensure that people enjoy their hard-earned money so that they are not defrauded in any form.”
Aribasoye disclosed that the Assembly was also in moves to regulate the activities of the estate agents in Ekiti State.
He said, “What we are proposing is that anybody who is not registered in Ekiti State cannot operate as an estate agent.
“We are proposing that you cannot operate as a surveyor without being a licensed surveyor in Ekiti State. You have to be a licensed estate valuer before you can work in Ekiti State. These are the ways we can arrest this social menace and activities of fraudsters in our state.”
The Director General, Ekiti State Bureau of Housing and Mortgage Development, Dr Gboyega Oloniyo, had said recently disclosed that the state government had begun moves to check the trend of outrageous house rents in the state by regulating the real estate sector in the state.
Oloniyo, who spoke during a meeting of government representatives with the real estate players under the aegis of Estate Rent and Commission Agents of Nigeria, Ekiti State chapter, said the state government would soon make laws and regulations to check the arbitrarily high rents in the state to make life easy for residents.
He said, “The governor is interested in making sure that in the real sector, we should moderate and have regulations that will make life easy for the citizenry of Ekiti State. The governor wants to ensure that houses are not only available but they are also accessible and affordable for the people.”
Oloniyo, who vowed that bad eggs in the real estate sector would be flushed out, said, “By the time the laws and regulations are in place, they will solve the issue of landlords raising their house rents arbitrarily. The laws that will be put in place soon will right the wrongs. The laws are coming”.
He also disclosed that work would soon begin on the houses that the Federal Government, through the Federal Housing Authority and the Federal Ministry of Housing, wants to provide for Ekiti State, saying that would address the real estate players’ demand for more houses.
In his remarks, the ERCAN Chairman in Ekiti State, Prince Olabode Ayeoba, noted that the state government’s collaboration would go a long way to address the issues in the sector.
Ayeoba advised the government “to consider coming up with low-cost housing units to serve accommodation needs and as well compel landlords to bring down the high rents.”
Kebbi flood victims get FG relief materials
The National Emergency Management Agency has distributed food and other relief items to the victims of the 2024 flood disaster in Kebbi State.
The Head of the NEMA Sokoto Operation Office, Aliyu Shehu-Kafindangi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Gusau.
Shehu-Kafindangi said the gesture was in response to a request by the state government and lawmakers as well as an assessment of flood incident conducted by NEMA and the Kebbi State Emergency Management Agency
According to Shehu-Kafindangi, NEMA distributed the items to households affected by the disaster in 13 local government areas of the state.
He listed the areas to Birnin kebbi, Kalgo, Suru, Bagudo, Maiyama, Koko-Besse, Jega, Argungu, Arewa, Dandi, Augie, Alier and, Gwandu.
“The gesture was also aimed at providing succour to communities affected by the disaster.
“The relief items comprise food items, such as rice, beans, maize, vegetable oil, seasoning, pasta, and salt, while the non-food items include mosquito nets, blankets and nylon mats.
“The direct distribution exercise is expected to benefit the victims and mitigate the impact of the disaster on them,” he said.
He said the distribution was supervised by officials of the NEMA Sokoto Operations Office, Office of the Special Adviser to the Kebbi State Governor on State Emergency Management Agency, Bello Relisco, and representatives of House of Representatives members in the six federal constituencies in the state.
Imasuagbon urges A’Court to disqualify Akpata from Edo poll
One of the Labour Party’s governorship aspirants in Edo State, Kenneth Imasuagbon, has headed to the Court of Appeal to further challenge the emergence of Olumide Akpata as the LP candidate for the September 21 governorship poll.
The Federal High Court in Benin had on July 15 dismissed Imasuagbon’s suit, wherein he sought Akpata’s disqualification.
Justice Babatunde Quadri ruled that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit because Imasuagbon failed to exhaust the internal dispute resolution mechanisms within the Labour Party before seeking legal action.
The judge declared that the lawsuit was premature and, therefore, dismissed it.
Not pleased, however, Imasuagbon has gone before the Court of Appeal, Benin Division, seeking to overturn Justice Quadri’s verdict affirming Akpata’s candidacy.
Joined as respondents in the appeal are Akpata, LP and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In his notice of appeal, Imansuangbon contended that “The learned trial judge erred in law and arrived at a perverse decision occasioning a miscarriage of justice to the plaintiff/appellant when he dismissed the plaintiff/appellant’s suit on the strength of the 1st defendant/respondent’s contention in his preliminary objection at the lower court.”
He also insisted that the judge was wrote to declare the suit statue-barred, “without considering Section 285(13A) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999(fifth alteration) act, (No. 10), 2023, to which the attention of the lower court was drawn at the hearing of the suit.”
He said, “A simple arithmetical computation of the 14 days provided for under the law, from the date of submission of INEC Form EC9 of the 1st and 2nd defendants/respondents (that’s 24th of March, 2024), to the 12th of April, 2024, when the plaintiff/appellant filed his suit, reveals a total number of 18 days in between.”
Imansuangbon, therefore, wants the appellate court to make “an order setting aside the decision of the lower court.”
He wants the court to order INEC to “immediately issue Certificate of Return to the plaintiff/appellant as the winner of the primary election organised on Friday, 23rd February 2024.”
INEC plans by-elections to replace Ifeanyi Ubah, others
The Independent National Electoral Commission will hold by-elections to fill the vacant seats of four National Assembly members who passed away in 2024.
Our correspondent gathered on Sunday that the by-elections would be held after the upcoming Edo and Ondo governorship elections slated for September 21 and November 16, 2024, respectively.
Since its inauguration in June 2023, the 10th Assembly has lost four members.
They are Isa Dogonyaro, Ekene Adams, Musiliudeen Akinremi, and Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
Dogonyaro, an All Progressives Congress member representing the Garki/Babura Federal Constituency of Jigawa State in the House of Representatives, died in Abuja on May 10, 2024, following an undisclosed illness.
Adams, a member of the Labour Party representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, passed away on July 16, 2024, at 39.
Akinremi, a two-term member representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency of Oyo State, died on July 10, 2024.
Senator Ubah, representing Anambra South, died in London on June 28, 2024.
Giving an update on the conduct of the by-elections for the late National Assembly members, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, told The According that the by-elections would likely be held after the Edo and Ondo governorship polls.
Oyekanmi said, “Most likely, the by-elections to fill the vacant seats would be after the Edo and Ondo governorship elections.”
On February 3, 2024, by-elections were held in nine constituencies to fill seats left vacant by the demise or resignation of members elected during the 2023 general elections, both in the national and state Houses of Assembly.
The by-elections were held across nine states of the federation covering two senatorial districts (Ebonyi South and Yobe East); four federal constituencies (Shanga/Ngaski/Yauri Federal Constituency of Kebbi State, Surulere I Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Akoko North East/Akoko North-West Federal Constituency of Ondo State and Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency of Taraba State); and three state Constituencies (Guma I State Constituency of Benue State, Chibok State Constituency of Borno State and Chikun State Constituency of Kaduna State).
Resign if you can’t pay N70,000, NLC tells Gombe gov
The Nigeria Labour Congress has advised governors who can’t pay the new N70,000 minimum wage to quit office.
The Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, last week said his administration would not be able to pay the new national minimum wage of N70,000.
Yahaya, who chairs the Northern Governors’ Forum, spoke at a meeting with labour leaders, civil society organisations, and traders associations at the Government House in Gombe.
Reacting to the Gombe governor’s declaration, the Head of Public Relations of the NLC, Benson Upah advised him to resign.
“He should quit if he cannot pay. He took an oath of office to uphold the law and not to break it,” he said.
No official of the Trade Union Congress has responded to The According’s inquiries about the governor’s outburst.
Last week, President Bola Tinubu signed the new Minimum Wage Act into law.
The signing of the law came nearly two weeks after President Tinubu and the organised labour unions agreed on N70,000 as the new minimum wage.
On July 18, the Federal Government, organised labour and the private sector concluded months-long negotiations on the minimum wage when Tinubu haggled down labour’s N250,000/month demand to N70,000/month.
On July 15, the Federal Executive Council mandated the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to prepare a bill to amend the 2024 Budget.
A week later, Tinubu wrote the Senate requesting it to amend the 2024 Appropriation Act and the 2023 Finance Act by increasing the budget by N6.2tn.
Tinubu’s letter was addressed to the Senate President and read at plenary.
The President said the move was pursuant to Section 58 (2) of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government allayed fears of non-compliance with the new minimum wage, saying the extensive negotiations and consensus-building undertaken from early February to July meant all the relevant stakeholders were involved.
The governments of Kano, Kebbi and Yobe states have relaxed the curfew imposed over the nationwide hunger protest in their domain.
The governments of Kano, Kebbi and Yobe states have relaxed the curfew they imposed as the nationwide hunger protest turned violent in their domains.
In a statement on Sunday by its Commissioner of Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye, the Kano State Government said it relaxed the 24-hour curfew imposed last Thursday, when the protest started, to only six hours, as calm gradually returned to the city.
Dantiye said residents could now go about their lawful businesses between 8 am to 2 pm starting from Sunday.
The commissioner said the decision was taken to enable the general public to go about their legitimate business and enhance peace in the state.
“Citizens are advised to take advantage of the relaxed curfew to attend to their daily activities, while also maintaining law and order.
“The state government is observing the security situation in the state and will communicate further decisions on the curfew whenever the need arises,” he said.
The statement quoted Governor Abba Yusuf as sympathising with victims of the violent protest and large-scale looting under the guise of hunger protest.
Similarly in Jigawa State, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Sagir Musa, in a statement on Sunday in Dutse, said the government had relaxed the 24-hour curfew imposed on the eight local government areas where mayhem erupted.
“It’s been relaxed henceforth from 6:00 pm to 5:00 am from Sunday, August 4, 2024, pending when the security situation further improves.
“The State Joint Security Committee has also lifted the curfew in 19 LGAs of the state where there was no report of any violence during the protest,” Musa said.
He said the committee commended residents in the 19 LGAs for showing patriotism, respect for the constituted authorities, and cooperation with security agencies during the protest.
The statement quoted Governor Umar Namadi as commending the people of the state for their patience and understanding during the period.
While urging the residents to pray for peace and stability in the country, Namadi lauded security agencies for professionalism, commitment and dedication during the protest.
In the same vein, following a considerable improvement in the security situation in Potiskum, Gashua and Nguru towns of Yobe State, Governor Mai Mala Buni approved the relaxation of the 24-hour curfew earlier imposed on the three towns.
The governor’s Special Adviser on Security Matters, Brig. Gen. Dahiru Abdulsalam (retd.), revealed this in a statement on Sunday.
He said the curfew was relaxed from noon to 5 pm “to enable people to undertake lawful activities effective from Sunday.”
While commending security agencies for their efforts in restoring peace to the area, the governor urged them to remain vigilant and prevent any breakdown of law and order during the relaxed curfew hours.
He enjoined the residents to cooperate with security personnel and report any suspicious activities.
He assured the public of the government’s continued commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all citizens.
Economic crisis affecting real estate – Report
The state of the country’s economy has affected the real estate sector adversely in 2024, a report by Ubosi Eleh & Co. has stated.
The report, titled “The Nigeria Real Estate Report 2024”, noted, “Although Lagos is the economic nerve centre of Nigeria, the current state of the nation’s economy has affected office real estate adversely.
“Many businesses and companies have folded up completely, while some others are barely afloat and have reduced staff strength and office space for them to survive. A factual visit to Victoria Island, once the prime commercial district of Lagos gives a clear picture. The take-up rate for commercial office space is slow primarily as a result of the economy.”
According to the report, following the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies adopted the work-from-home model, which proved to be a cost-effective solution.
“Following the Covid-19 pandemic and the introduction of work from home, many firms sustained this practice, having appraised its cost-benefit and used the model to reduce their space needs and, in effect long-term operational costs.
“Commercial real estate in the larger part of Mainland Lagos had a fairly good run in 2023, recording a 25-30 per cent increase over rental values in the previous year 2022. Ikeja GRA recorded an even higher increase of 30-35 per cent increase.
“Commercial space in 2023, let for N60,000 per square metre in Ikeja CBD Alausa, N80,000 per square metre in Ikeja GRA, N40,000 per square metre in Computer Village, N30,000 per square metre in Ikorodu and between N40,000- 60,000 per square metre on Ikorodu Expressway, amongst others,” it indicated.
It noted that land values spiked in Ikoyi from N600,000 per square metre to N900,000 per square metre, indicating an increase of 50 per cent.
It continued, “In Banana Island, it increased from N1.3m per square metre to N1.50m per square metre, showing an increase of 15.38 per cent. A 4-detached house in Parkview increased in price from about N300m in 2022 to about N500m in 2023, indicating an increase of 60 per cent.
“Surulere does not have typical open plan office spaces but fixed spaces in apartments that attracted N1.60m N1.80m per annum on the average in 2023. Most of the Grade A Office Buildings are located on Lagos Island, notably Victoria Island, Ikoyl, and Lekki Phase. They are doing pretty well because of the excellent environment they offer for business.
“They are often fully or nearly occupied. Seven such prominent buildings in Lagos are Victoria Mall Plaza 2, Civic Center Tower, Eko Tower 1, Pier Point all in Victoria Island and Rising Sun in Ikoyi during the period of study recorded 100 per cent optimal occupancy rates while Heritage Place and Temple Tower located in Ikoyi recorded 94 per cent and 93 per cent, respectively.”
On Lagos Island, office letting rates witnessed a minimal increase in rental values between 2022 and 2023, the report disclosed.
“While office space on Admiralty Way/Road, Lekki, let in 2022 for between N60,000 – N80,000 per square metre in 2022, it increased to between N80,000-N100,000 per square metre in 2023. However, it stagnated in the other parts of Lekki between 2022 and 2023 at the rate of N50,000-N60,000 per square metre.
“In Ikoyi, rental values are lower on Awolowo Road but high in Old Ikoyi where it rose from between N200,000-N400,000 per square metre in 2022 to between N400,000 and N700,000 per square metre in 2023,” it stated.
According to the Ubosi Eleh & Co. report, rent in Victoria Island, which was between N80,000-N100,000 per square metre in 2022, rose to between N200,000 and N400,000 per square metre in 2023.
It added that rental values remained the same in Banana Island for both periods at the rate of N500,000-N700,000 per square metre.
“Grade ‘A’ office buildings will continue to do well in 2024 because of the niche they have created in this property genre. They control ready demand also influenced by their elite locations. Aside from this, we do not envisage a remarkable change in commercial real estate values in Lagos whether land or rental in 2024. The astronomical cost of construction would also ensure the supply curve remains largely the same,” it declared.
Navigating reproductive health and societal pressures
In Ayobami Adebayo’s Stay with Me, the narrative revolves around Akin and Yejide, a young Yoruba couple grappling with the challenges of childbirth and navigating their careers and emotional turmoil within their relationship. This story provides a poignant lens through which to examine reproductive health issues in Nigeria.
According to the 2021 MICS/NICS report by the National Bureau of Statistics, 69.60 per cent of pregnant women attended antenatal care and were seen at least once by skilled health personnel. Additionally, 18.20 per cent of women who are currently married or in union use any modern method of contraception for pregnancy prevention and family planning, while 21.70 per cent use any method. However, 78.30 per cent do not use any method at all. This data underscores the critical state of reproductive health in Nigeria, a country where the future literally lies in the wombs of women.
Moreover, the World Health Organisation defines reproductive health as “more than just the absence of illness; it involves a comprehensive approach to physical, mental, and social well-being, ensuring that individuals have the resources and freedom to make choices about their reproductive lives.” This definition highlights that only a small number of women are fully engaged in managing their reproductive health from puberty to menopause. For instance, consider the teenage girl unable to afford menstrual pads due to high living costs. Similarly, think about the mother suffering from perinatal or postnatal depression, yet perceived as fine because she appears physically healthy.
In Stay with Me, Yejide resorts to mystical methods to conceive, ignoring scientific options, revealing the social stigma and isolation faced by childless women in society. This aspect of the story illuminates how societal pressures and cultural beliefs can impact women’s health decisions.
While literature and storytelling can illuminate the world of the unborn, they also prompt us to consider the harsh realities of reproductive health in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Economic burdens still hinder the acceptance and utilisation of comprehensive reproductive health resources in Nigeria. Many individuals, particularly women in low-income communities, face significant financial constraints that prevent them from accessing essential healthcare services. For example, the cost of transportation to healthcare facilities is expensive, even just moving from Iyana Ipaja to Ikeja with the recent hike in transport fares. Additionally, the direct costs of reproductive health services, such as consultations, diagnostic tests, and treatments, are often beyond the reach of those living in poverty. This financial barrier is further increased by the high cost of medical supplies and medications, including contraceptives and menstrual hygiene products, which are essential for maintaining reproductive health. Furthermore, economic instability and widespread unemployment mean that many households must prioritise immediate basic needs, such as food and shelter, over healthcare expenditures. As a result, women may forego necessary reproductive health services, leading to adverse health outcomes and perpetuating cycles of poor health and poverty.
Furthermore, consider men with erectile dysfunction who mask their condition under the guise of purity. For example, an anonymous member of a Facebook community group shared how her husband pretended to endorse “no sex before marriage.” Yejide reflects on this in Stay with Me, writing: “What did I know? I knew that I was once invested in his lies as he was, probably more than he was – I imagine he at least admitted the truth to himself. I could not do that until Dotun had spoken the words; I could not allow him to be flawed. So I bit my tongue when customers talked about sex and I let him hold my hand when he told the doctor our sex life was absolutely normal. I told myself I was respecting my husband. I convinced myself that my silence meant I was a good wife. But the biggest lies are often the ones we tell ourselves. I bit my tongue because I did not want to ask questions. I did not ask questions because I did not want to know the answers. It was convenient to believe my husband was trustworthy; sometimes faith is easier than doubt.”
This excerpt illustrates the complex interplay between personal beliefs, societal expectations, and health issues. It emphasises that only through a collective investment in advancing women’s reproductive health can we move towards promoting methods like artificial reproductive technology, empowering women to feel confident in their health.
As stated in the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action, 7.3, “[P]ractically speaking, it [the indivisibility of rights] has to do with the real-life fact that a woman cannot avail herself of her ‘right to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing, and timing of her children”
In conclusion, if a woman lacks financial resources for reproductive health services or transportation to access them, cannot read package inserts or clinic posters, works in environments contaminated with harmful substances, or is harassed by a husband or in-laws who scorn or abuse her for using birth control, her ability to manage her reproductive health is severely compromised. Therefore, addressing these barriers is crucial for ensuring comprehensive reproductive health and well-being for all women. This is crucial for improving the acceptance and utilisation of comprehensive reproductive health resources, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their financial status, can make informed and autonomous decisions about their reproductive health.
Adenuga is a graduate student at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania