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Lagos residents returning home after work were today held up in endless traffic congestions following the closure of all key roads, which lead to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport from Victoria.

The roads closure was traced to the visit of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) to Lagos metropolis, a situation which sparked anger and pain among Lagos residents who were returning after their stressful day. .

There were fierce-looking officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) at different junctions of the closed roads, especially those leading directly to the popular Third Mainland Bridge, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and Funsho Williams Avenue.

we gathered that the closures started more than one hour before the convoy of President Jonathan passed through the routes.

The roads were closed at about 6:15 p.m. by security operatives but were not opened until about 7:33 p.m. after the convoy of President Jonathan and his entourage had driven through the Third Mainland Bridge heading to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.  

Thousands of road users and motorists, who were held in the traffic, were visibly furious and angry; bitterly lamenting that such blockage or closure was unnecessary during a democratic dispensation.  

Precisely around 7:28 p.m. after the convoy had passed, a good number, who had alighted from their respective vehicles, were angrily booing President Jonathan, though security operatives scared them away. .

Before the roadblocks were dismantled, we spoke with a number of road users, who were held in the traffic jam, which covered a distance of more than five kilometers and in some cases more than that.

A banker in one of the new generation banks, who plead anonymity for security reasons over the situation, saying he was fortunate to have closed early, but the hold-up had shattered the plan of being with his family on time.

The banker expressed concerns about the capacity of President Jonathan “to guarantee fundamental human rights in different spheres of life. The idea of blocking roads because of the president is uncalled for.”
 
Another resident, Mr. Segun Balogun told us that the visit of the President to Lagos metropolis “has always been a source of concern and worry due to the tradition of road closure.”
 
Balogun condemned the tradition, which he said, had put road users and motorists under unnecessary stress.

In his response, Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) on Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa appealed to Lagos residents to bear with the state government after the hold-up eased few hours later.

Opeifa added that traffic congestion experienced “all around Lagos roads was due to road closure from Victoria Island to Murtala Mohammed International Airport arising from presidential visit and the consequent closure of Lagos roads by the security operatives of the Nigeria Police.”
 
The special adviser asked Lagos residents to be patient, saying the roads would be opened as soon as the convoy of President Jonathan passed through the Victoria Island en route the airport.

culled and adapted rom thewill

The disagreement between the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, and Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel, led to a public brawl yesterday during the commissioning of the overhead bridge constructed by the federal government at Ota, Ogun State.

The programme had kicked off before the arrival of the Speaker, and Mr Daniel, who came with a large entourage, has spend some time delivering a speech which was largely disparaging to the speaker. The Minister of Works, Sanusi Daggash and his minister of state, Osa Ogiemwonyi were both at the occasion although the town’s most famous resident and former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, did not show up at the event.

Mr Daniel quickly cut short his speech when an aide told him that Mr Bankole had finally arrived at the venue.

In his speech, the governor had made allusions to the speaker’s alleged quest for cheap glory and dabbling in the state’s affairs, instead of striving to get the best out of his office in the few months remaining for his tenure to end.

The road project was started about ten years ago by the government of Mr Obasanjo, but it was abandoned half way and Mr Bankole had began the campaign to complete work, during a well-publicised visit to the town last year.

“Tell the Speaker, to stop claiming responsibility for the construction,” said Mr Daniel in his speech. “The project was started by the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ebora Owu, and we want to thank him. Tell my junior brother, the speaker that he should do something before his tenure lapsed, we all have less than few months to leave office,” he said..

Hurried commissioning

As Mr Bankole arrived the venue, a loud ovation was heard from his supporters but before he could even come down from his car, the governor hurriedly concluded his speech and headed straight to cut the tape of the commissioning.

Apparently sensing mischief, the Speaker moved to the tape cutting spot, but he was obstructed by one of the security aides to Mr Daniel. Mr Bankole pushed him aside and hurried towards the dais. But before he reached there, Mr Daggash, in company of the governor, moved quickly to cut the tape for the commissioning.

As this drama unfolded, the atmosphere became tense as security aides to both parties began waving their guns dangerously, creating more disorder. The charged atmosphere forced many people to run for safety and avoid any harm which might result from the fracas.

Among those who fled for their lives was the traditional ruler of Ota town, Alani Oloyede. The royal father had to tuck in his flowing gown, or agbada, as he fled the scene in the midst of his chiefs.

As the speaker moved to confront the governor, Mr Daniel and the ministers were hurriedly led into the official bus by their aides. Mr Bankole headed straight for the white coaster bus and ordered an aide to call the minister, Mr Daggash. The aide returned moments later to say the minister wouldn’t come out because he was speaking with the governor.

Shouting bout

In annoyance, Mr Bankole forced his way into the bus where he engaged in a shouting bout with Mr Daniel. The tainted glasses of the bus prevented onlookers from getting a clear view, but Mr Bankole could be seen ordering the driver of the bus not to move an inch. Noises were also heard from the bus for the 3-4 minutes the speaker was in the bus. As soon as he came out, the governor and his crew immediately left.

Mr Bankole was however loudly praised and hailed by indigenes of Ota, who were also seen throwing objects at the governor’s bus and booing him.

Mr Daggash, in his speech, said the third phase of the project would commence in the next two months, to pave way for the completion of the project.

“In the next two months, the third project will start. The next phase would not be delayed like the second phase. This is important for the benefits of all Nigerians passing through this road.”