•says notable Lagosians on visit to Tinubu should have discussed issues of urgent concern about Lagos
Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has flayed some notable Lagosians, over their demand, on a visit, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should allow old students to take over control of the prestigious King’s College in Lagos, saying that to any curious mind, such a visit would have presented an opportunity for them “to discuss issues of utmost concern about Lagos which is in its worst dilapidated state of decadence, socially and economically.”
Chief George, who is also the Atona Oodua of Yorubaland, made this known in a statement, titled: “Bode George kicks against move to hand over King’s College to old students,” a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Monday, expressing strong belief that such visit should also have served as an opportunity for the elders to tell the president the true situation of things in the country.
George, while affirming that these elders on the visit to President Tinubu were prominent Lagosians, from Lagos Island, the foremost commercial centre in Nigeria, expressed shock that against the high expectations of many Lagosians, nothing about the visit had been heard on what transpired between the elders and their host.
The PDP chieftain, while noting that President Tinubu, during his stay in Lagos to celebrate the yuletide, was at the Palace of the Oba of Lagos at Iga Iduganran, to pay a courtesy call on the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Osuolale Akiolu, observed that most municipal roads in the axis were in their worst state of disrepair, saying that he “expected the elders to have made the issue of rehabilitation or overhauling of decayed infrastructural facilities in the state their utmost priority during their visit to the president.”
George sadly said that all the adjourning roads to the Oba of Lagos Palace were in their worst state of disrepair, saying that “of particular attention is the ancient commercial area of Jankara Market and its adjourning communities of Idumagbo, reclamation roads and others, which have been abandoned for over 20 years, making life a living hell for the people.”
“The elders should have discussed the urgent need to rehabilitate the popular Onola Mini Sports Ground, which helped in shaping our childhood lives in our growing-up days, from its present abandoned state.
“The visiting elders from Lagos also missed the golden opportunity to demonstrate to the president the urgent need for the rehabilitation of the teeming youth population in the state, who are unemployed and economically stranded in their hundreds of thousands.
“They should have advocated for programmes aimed at lifting these individuals out of poverty through skills acquisition, in order to curtail the nefarious activities associated with social vices that have become prevalent across the state.
“Additionally, issues concerning the rehabilitation of roads in the outskirts of Lagos, such as the Lagos-Abeokuta Express Road and Mile 2-Badagry Road, should have been a matter of urgent concern for the elders,” he said.
George insisted that the general state of infrastructure in Lagos was appalling, with an attendant lack of social amenities like public toilets, saying that the state had descended into one of the worst health risk areas, where hygiene was severely lacking in human existence.
He argued that from an economic angle, life in Lagos was at the worst human existential state, where poverty stares over 90 per cent of the population in their faces, pointing out that the points he raised should have been the topic for discussion with the president, not just a mere courtesy visit.
“Instead of discussing these urgent state and national issues, I was told some of these elders, who are old students of the prestigious King’s College in Lagos, told the president they wanted to take over the school. They even made the president an Honorary member of their Old Students’ Association, somebody who did not attend the school.
“All Nigerians know the story and history behind King’s College, a Federal Government school. How do these elders even think the government will hand over the school to them to run as a private enterprise? How do they intend to run the school? What is the blueprint? What are their education plans? Will old students of Queen’s College also ask for a similar favour from the president?
“What of old students of AIONIAN Schools? Will they make the same request? Is this distraction what we need now?
“What I believe they should do is to ask the Federal Ministry of Education and the management of the school where they can intervene to continue to project the image of the school and help the students.
“For example, new classrooms can be built, laboratories can be well equipped, a new bus can be purchased and given to the school, scholarships can be given to some students, workshops, debates and sporting activities can be arranged for the students,” he said.
Speaking further, the PDP chieftain said the elders, during their visit, should have equally told the president the truth that millions of Nigerians were suffering, pointing out that at this stage, it was not enough to be talking of reforming the economy, but the question should be: reform at what cost and in whose interest?
On fuel, George recalled that the price per litre of petrol was less than N200 when President Tinubu came into office in May 2023, but now sold at N900 per litre “and some people are jubilating that a litre has dropped from N1,200 to N950,” querying: “What sort of logic is that?”
He, however, said that this was the time for Nigerians to be happy too now that the government was happy that Port Harcourt and Warri refineries had commenced operations, noting that Nigerians would see the positive effect of this when they started buying a litre of fuel for about N300.
He said nobody should tell him such was not possible, positing that as an engineer, such was possible if the political will was there.
George said this reason, it was the time for President Tinubu to emulate the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, who had announced plans to subsidise fuel at N600 per litre to thousands of farmers in communities hit by Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East state.
“I think this is the time for the president to emulate Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State who has announced plans to subsidise fuel at N600 per litre to thousands of farmers in communities hit by Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East state.
“The excuse before was that the cost of importing fuel into the country was huge. Today, Dangote Refinery, Port Harcourt and Warri are all working. We have crude oil in abundance and fuel is locally produced. So, why should Nigerians still be buying fuel at more than N300 per litre?
“Finally, let me reiterate the importance of a government that listens and acts promptly; by alleviating the suffering of numerous Nigerians under the weight of soaring fuel prices, which will be in line with ensuring respect for human dignity and relieving the economic pain that Nigerians are presently experiencing.
“Government must, therefore, reduce the pump price of fuel to about N300 per litre. I believe it’s time for a government that listens, acts and puts the people first. May God Almighty give Nigerians succour in the year 2025 and beyond” he queried.
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