PRESS RELEASE

•Says death big loss to Lagos, creative industry

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has mourned the passage of Nigerian filmmaker and founder of the African Movie Academy Awards, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe.

He described the late Peace Anyiam-Osigwe as an Amazon of the creative sector, a trailblazer and visionary leader, who contributed immensely to the growth and development of the creative industry in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole during her lifetime.

Ayiam-Osigwe, the President of the Association of Movie Producers and Chief Executive Officer of the African Film Academy, died on Monday at a private hospital in Lagos. She was 53 years old.

Governor Sanwo-Olu in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, stated that Ayiam-Osagwe during her lifetime produced many blockbuster movies, facilitated, trained and empowered hundreds of young people in the creative industry through the ‘Film in a Box’ programme by the African Film Academy in conjunction with the Lagos State Government.

He said the death of Peace Anyiam-Osigwe is a great loss to Lagos State, considering the unique role the deceased was playing in the actualisation of the various commitments and programmes of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration to the entertainment industry through the Africa Film Academy and Lagos Committee on Film Production Empowerment, which the deceased was a member.

The Governor also commiserated with the deceased family, friends and associates, as well as movie producers, directors, actors and other practitioners in the Nollywood sector over the demise of the renowned filmmaker, urging them to continue the good legacy of the late Peace Anyiam-Osigwe.

He said: “On behalf of my family, the Government and good people of Lagos State, I sympathise with the Association of Movie Producers and the entire Nollywood industry on the demise of the renowned filmmaker and Founder of the African Movie Academy Awards, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe.

“The late Peace Anyiam-Osigwe is one of the pillars of Nollywood in Nigeria. She was a bundle of talent and one of the best filmmakers not only in Nigeria but also on the African continent. She used her God-given talent to advance the course of mankind and contributed immensely to the creative sector through African Movie Academy Awards and African Film Academy.

“Peace Anyiam-Osigwe was a reliable partner in the Entertainment and Tourism pillar of our Greater Lagos agenda. She partnered with the Lagos State Government to train hundreds of young people in Acting, Art Directing, Light and Lighting, Editing, Sound Production, and Post Production, among others, through the African Film Academy. She was also a member of the Lagos State Committee on Film Production Empowerment.

“Peace Anyiam-Osigwe’s death will leave a vacuum that would take some time to be fill in the creative industry. I pray that God will grant the late Peace Anyiam-Osigwe eternal rest and grant the family, colleagues, and associates the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
10 JANUARY 2023

PRESS RELEASE

DEEP SEAPORT TO MAKE BADAGRY NEXT ECONOMIC HUB, SANWO-OLU TELLS ELECTORATE AT POLITICAL RALLY

• Ijanikin stands still for APC, as ruling party campaigns in Lagos West

• PDP, Action Alliance lose thousands of supporters to APC

After the Yuletide break, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State returned to the campaign trail to drive support for the election of the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the re-election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Thousands of party faithful, on Thursday, converged on Ijanikin, a densely populated town in Badagry Division, for the APC West Senatorial District (Zone II) rally.

The bubbling town literally stood still, as scores of artisans, youth groups, traders, students and community organisations trooped out in solidarity and joined the crowd of party supporters to receive Sanwo-Olu and his entourage for the campaign.

Lagos APC chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, led the party’s senatorial leaders and candidates for legislative seats in the Badagry division to the rally.

At the political event, the Badagry residents had the opportunity to show their appreciation for the Federal Government’s approval of the construction of Badagry Deep Seaport – the effort which the Governor personally led.

Sanwo-Olu said the APC-led Government, in the last three and half years, had accorded priority to Babagry Division in infrastructural renewal and physical development, given the proximity of the area to international trade border.

The Governor said the ongoing construction work of Lagos-Badagry Expressway had progressed steadily without delay, noting that the project had moved beyond difficult terrain, especially in Okokomaiko where vehicular flyovers were being completed.

Sanwo-Olu said the design of the Lagos-Badagry road project had been reviewed to accommodate the proposed rail network along the axis. He assured residents that work would soon begin on the construction of Badagry Deep Seaport, which, the Governor said, would further catalyse economic growth on the axis.

He said: “Today, we have returned to Awori settlement in the Lagos West Senatorial District to render account of development activities we have brought to this area and use the opportunity to seek your support for APC in the coming presidential election and State Governorship election. Our party is fulfilling its promises and we’re ready to do more for our people on this corridor. We have visible evidence to support our achievements.

“In the last three and half years, we have delivered many projects in the Badagry Division, including a Mother and Child Hospital (MCC) and inner road projects in Badagry The General Hospital we are currently building in Ojo has progressed and we will be completing the project soon. Before we came in, there was only one university in this area. Now, residents can boast of two well-funded universities, which resulted from the upgrade the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education to a full-fledged University of Education.

“We have also delivered housing schemes in Badagry, just as we have accorded priority to the completion of Lagos-Badagry Expressway. This project is at the heart of our efforts to lessen the pain of transiting along the corridor. All bridges required for seamless traffic flow are being built on the corridor. We will be flagging off the second phase of the Blue Line from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, which will be on a dedicated alignment already marked along the highway. We are set to energise a new economic hub in Badagry, with the securing of an approval for the construction of a new Deep Seaport.”

Sanwo-Olu assured the residents of his Government’s commitment to rehabilitate more arterial highways in the area. He disclosed that contracts for the construction of Ilufo-Mosafejo Road and Osideru-Adaleko-Era Road were on the verge of being awarded, adding that work had already started on Ijagemo axis, with some of the adjoining roads being comprehensively rehabilitated.

The Governor urged the residents to keep their faith with APC in the forthcoming federal and state elections, pledging that the party would reciprocate the support by bringing more democratic dividends to the area.

Sanwo-Olu said: “We are also not leaving out the youth in our planning and programmes. Our goal is to build young people and make them responsible citizens making a living in safe and secure neighbourhoods. Public transportation will be enhanced and health care services will be better than what it is. This is our commitment to you. When we come in again, we are ready to do more for the Badagry Division.”

Ojelabi, while addressing the crowd, said the faith of Awori ethnic stock in progressive party had yielded positive dividends, stressing that the Badagry division in Lagos had reaped many benefits of democracy.

The APC chairman, who hails from the area, cited establishment of two tertiary institutions within the division and approval of Deep Seaport development in the area, adding that APC-led Government had committed unprecedented attention to upgrade infrastructure, including reconstruction of Lagos-Badagry Highway.

He said: “Since the time of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Awori people in Lagos have stood with the progressive party. Our faith in the progressive government has yielded positive change in the Badagry Division, where we now boast of two well-funded universities which have brought quality education to our doorstep.

“APC has evidently given a special attention to the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, which is now being reconstructed. This is a testament that APC is the party that understands people’s plight and is keeping its promises. There is an ongoing construction of a massive General Hospital project in the Ojo, which is going to be the first major healthcare facility in the Division.”

At the rally, thousands of supporters of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Action Alliance (AA) decamped to the APC. The defectors were presented to the Governor by the Lagos APC chairman.

PDP’s former Legal Adviser, Barr. Muyideen Akinsanya, and Women Leader, Mrs. Amoke Agbalajobi, led the opposition members to the ruling party.

Also, former State Secretary of Action Alliance, Michael Sessil, led the defectors from the party to APC.

SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
12 JANUARY 2023

PRESS RELEASE

SANWO-OLU IS LAGOS WORKERS’ CANDIDATE

•State labour unions openly declare support for Sanwo-Olu, APC presidential candidate

•Governor to workers: ‘I’ll not disappoint you’

For the first time, Organised Labour in Lagos State came out to openly declare support and threw their weight behind candidate of a political party.

Labour leaders, on Thursday, held a mega solidarity rally in Ikeja to endorse the re-election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing the Governor’s landmark achievements and his implementation of labour-friendly policies in governance.

Lagos NLC chairman, Comrade Funmilayo Sessi, and her counterpart in TUC, Comrade Gbenga Ekundayo, led thousands of workers in the rally held at the Police Training College in Ikeja GRA.

At the Sanwo-Olu endorsement rally were leaders and members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), National Union of Teachers (NUT), Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and association of herbal medicine dealers.

The labour movement in the State also endorsed the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the model he instituted took Lagos out as the best labour-friendly State.

Comrade Sessi explained that the move was not to politicise the Organised Labour, but said the unions were not comfortable to sit on the fence in a governorship election in which Sanwo-Olu, whom she described as “the most labour-friendly Governor”, is contesting.

The Lagos NLC chief said the Organised Labour met in congresses prior to the rally to sample the opinions of people in the labour movement about gubernatorial contenders in Lagos. She said the decision to support Sanwo-Olu was made after members of the Organised Labour unanimously endorsed Sanwo-Olu based on his fulfillment of promises to the movement.

Sessi said: “Before we embarked on this rally, we all agreed at our respective congresses to support Sanwo-Olu to continue as our Governor. We have made the decision before today but we only came out to display our solidarity with him publicly. What we have done right in our house, we are showing it to the world. This is the first time the Organised Labour in Lagos is taking open position to endorse candidate of a political party.

“We are doing this because Sanwo-Olu has introduced unprecedented reforms to improve the welfare and the wellbeing of workers. We are coming out with our full chest to support the Governor. We are deciding our fate by being part of the electorate that will return the most labour-friendly Governor. This is the decision all workers agreed upon and there is no going back.”

Sessi said the Organised Labour possessed a large voting strength in the election, stressing that workers constituted 60 per cent of the electorate.

The Lagos NLC boss said workers acknowledged the Governor’s sincerity in upward revision of salaries, pension remittance, prompt payment of benefits to deceased workers’ families, health insurance coverage for State employees, free transport schemes for workers and training opportunities.

Sessi said Sanwo-Olu became the first sitting Governor to donate free hectares of land to Organised Labour to build housing scheme for workers, while also appointing a representative of labour in the State cabinet. She added that Sanwo-Olu also considered the plea of the labour unions for a land in Central Business District to build a befitting secretariat for Organised Labour.

The TUC chairman, Ekundayo, said there was no need for the Organised Labour to beat about the bush in endorsing the Governor, noting that Sanwo-Olu was the first Governor to bring the labour close to table on which major decisions about workers’ welfare were being taken.

The inclusion, Ekundayo said, has allowed the workers to be part of the policies and procedures affecting their productivity. The TUC also confirmed each labour union held a congress before coming up with the decision.

He said: “Democracy is about inclusion and giving listening ears to the plight of the people. We have tested Sanwo-Olu and we have found him to have listening ear. He also has a large heart to accommodate. We have decided and agreed. We are coming out en mass in the next election to vote for APC candidates in the presidential election and state election.”

Responding, Sanwo-Olu described the workers’ endorsement as “a well-considered decision”, saying the gesture would be reciprocated with more efforts to improve the lives of workers in Lagos.

He said: “Going by this Organised Labour endorsement, I have no doubt we are coming back better and stronger. We will embark on governance much more than we have done and provide the best workplace for you to flourish. This endorsement is a confirmation that workers believe in our leadership and we will not take you for granted.

“It is only when we are committed to doing more for you that we believe we would have made the best impact on your lives and those of your children. Our Government is for the people; we will not disappoint you. On behalf of my political party, I accept the endorsement as your choice
and I promise not to let you down. The endorsement must now be supported by voting for APC candidates in the presidential election and state elections.”

Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matter and Industrial Relations, Hon. Babatunde Williams, said the labour’s endorsement testified to the “complete trust” the workers had in the Governor and APC.

SIGNED
GBOYEGA AKOSILE
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
12 JANUARY 2023