- The Lagos State Government has denied authorizing the demolition of the building at Sixth Avenue, FESTAC Town, saying it was not involved in the operation.
- The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, said the state followed transparent procedures including statutory notification and public participation before demolition.
- He urged all agencies, including federal agencies, to seek permission from the ministry and reiterated that any unauthorized demolition did not reflect the government’s position.
The Lagos State Government has denied authorizing the recent demolition of buildings at Sixth Avenue, FESTAC Town, clarifying that it was not involved in the exercise.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, said in Alausa on Tuesday, October 14, that the state operates according to a transparent and regulated process before any demolition takes place.
Such action requires appropriate statutory notification and engagement with those affected, he explained, stressing that the state had not initiated such proceedings in this case.
Olumide urged all agencies, including federal agencies operating in Lagos, to seek permission from the ministry before proceeding with demolitions.
“Any demolition activity that occurs without proper authorization does not represent this administration,” he said, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to fairness, due process and protecting property rights.
In other news… Nigerian gospel singer Tope Alabi has revealed that she went through several failed relationships before finally settling down in her current marriage.
The “Oore Ti O Common” singer recently shared her experience in a video posted on Instagram, describing painful and confusing patterns she encountered with men when she was younger.
According to her, the cycle started when she became an adult and reached the stage where she needed to introduce her partner to her parents.
“When I became an adult and I needed to take men to meet my parents, something weird would always happen. Men would just tell me they needed to pray about it and then they would stop contacting me,” she said in an Instagram video.
The 54-year-old singer and film music composer explained that most rejections tend to be for spiritual reasons.
She recounted that on one occasion, an intermediary told her that a potential suitor had gone to consult the Prophet, who warned him not to continue the relationship.
“One of our intermediaries once told me that one of the men went to see the Prophet and the Prophet told him that I was not fit for marriage,” she said.
Alabi added that “at least four men left” her in the same fashion.
“Whenever I think about that, are you going to tell me to stop thanking God? How do I do it now, when I finally get married? I can count four men who have left me in style,” she said.
The gospel star went on to share how she eventually met her husband through her boss at work.
“Finally, I met a man. I met this man at work through my boss. The man agreed to marry me. I told him that men are like that. I asked him to ask about the relationship,” she recalled.
However, before the man could formally introduce her, her father had already married her off to another suitor.
“He told my parents he was coming to be properly introduced,” she said. “We no longer saw each other. Although later we did not need him to introduce me again, because my father who was supposed to accept him had already extended his hand to me in marriage before he traveled.”
