Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is on two day working visit to Lagos State between Monday and Tuesday 23rd and Tuesday 24th January 2023.
While in Lagos he would unveil a number of iconic projects concluded by the hard working Governor of the state, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu. Among these projects are first phase of the Lagos Blue Line Rail project, Imota Rice Mills, the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History located in Onikan area of Lagos Island, completed by the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lekki Deep Sea Port and Bestaf Lubricant of MRS Holdings Company Limited all located in Lagos State.
Rice Revolution
President Buhari commenced his visit to Lagos on Monday with the inauguration of the Lagos Rice Mill in Imota.
The President at the site of the largest rice mill in the Sub Saharan Africa and the fourth largest in the world commended his host, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the State Government revolution in the agriculture sector, especially in rice production.
The President who simply told Governor Sanwo-Olu in a simple sentence “You are doing Well” later toured the facility, saw the rice pyramid and also watched the last part of the bagging process, which is the sealing, as he was impressed by what he saw at the Lagos Rice Mill, Imota.
President Buhari was taken round the factory and warehouse, where the rice production was being carried out by Governor Sanwo-Olu, Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya; Special Adviser to the Governor on Rice Mill Initiative, Dr Oluwarotimi Fashola and some members of the State Executive Council and traditional rulers.
Speaking during the tour of the facility, Governor Sanwo-Olu said Eko Rice, which is proudly Nigeria, is the best in town.
“Mr. President, this is the result of your rice revolution. This rice is called Eko Rice, proudly Nigeria. It is the best in town now,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu while addressing people after the inauguration of the Lagos Rice Mill by President Buhari, said Lagos is ready to support rice revolution and food revolution in Nigeria.
He said: “The President is really delighted to be here to commission the largest rice mill in the entire sub Saharan Africa and one of the largest in the world, the Lagos Rice Mill in Imota.
“It is being done because of the agricultural revolution of Mr President, who when he started his government, said Nigerians should grow what they eat and they should eat what they grow.
“We are happy that Lagos is a testament of that. With 2.8million bags of 50kg rice per annum, Lagos is ready to support the rice revolution and the food revolution in Nigeria.
“The Lagos Rice Mill will create close to 250,000 direct and indirect jobs. We want to thank the local community of Imota, Ikorodu. We want to thank all of you that have waited patiently. Mr President is indeed excited that you have birthed another first in Nigeria and in sub Saharan Africa.”
Blue Line Rail Line
On Tuesday, President Buhari also commissioned the Blue Line Rail Line, completed by the administration of Governor Sanwoolu.
The president who arrived the venue at about 11:25am, rode in the Blue Line Rail accompanied by Governor Sanwo-Olu, other top government functionaries from Marina to Mile 2.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, who acknowledged the visionary role of the former Governor of the state and Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu as the designer of new Lagos, described the milestone in the development of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit as the culmination of several impactful reforms in the transport ecosystem of Lagos State, starting in 1999.
The Governor urged Lagos residents to own the project which will reduce travel time, improve the quality of lives of residents and make Lagos a resilient mega city that can compete with others in the world.
The state’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Hamzat thanked Buhari for providing a conducive environment for the implementation of the project, noting that there are six Railway projects in the Lagos Transportation Master plan which are people oriented.
Chairman of China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) Nigeria Limited, Zhang Zhichen thanked the Lagos State Government for its long-term trust and support and moves to ease traffic congestion within the metropolis.
The Blue Line Rail project in the first phase will move 250,000 passengers daily, while on completion, it is anticipated that 500,000 people will commute daily on the rail line.
John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History
President Buhari also unveiled the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History located in Onikan area of Lagos Island.
The Centre forms part of an urban regeneration project at the heart of Lagos Island, a part of the city steeped in rich history. The project seeks to restore a public swimming pool built in 1928 with updated facilities, and to create a centre piece community building with a 1,000 square-metre exhibition gallery that tells the story of Yoruba history and culture through a journey from its origins, through present day, to the future.
Both interventions are situated in a landscaped park, as homage to the 18th-century King George V Park, which was built over in the last century.
The architecture of the Centre takes it cues from traditional Yoruba architecture and craftsmanship, using visual metaphors to reflect the strong art and philosophical origins of the language and culture. The building form responds to its context in the shape of a fractal, rises from the earth and leans forward as a nod to Itesiwaju, reflecting the progressive nature of the Yorubas.
The buildings are finished in a dyed Tyrolean, evocative of the mud aesthetic of old Yoruba architecture. A metallic screen across the face of the curved façade represents a weave, a time-honoured skill found in everyday Yoruba life. A green roof ties the building to the landscape, helps to reduce the building’s thermal load and provides additional interactive outdoor space.
The Centre, pool and landscape will act as a catalyst for regeneration of the area and a nostalgic return of public recreation space to the heart of Lagos Island. The John Randle Centre will aim to engage the public with the richness of Yoruba culture and history; its impact through art, music, religion, language; its reach around the world through popular culture; and its significance in leaving a legacy for future generations.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday also inaugurated the Lekki Deep Sea Port, and Bestaf Lubricant at MRS Holdings Company Limited all located in Lagos State.
The Lekki Deep Sea Port which encompasses an investment in excess of $1.5 billion is a joint venture between the Federal Government through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Lagos State Government, the Tolarams Group (the owner of the Lagos Free Zone), and China Harbour Engineering Company.
The President led Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo; the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Ciu Jianchun; top government officials; and traditional rulers, to witness the overloading from the container ship, sailing under the flag of Malta.
The Lagos governor, who addressed the President on the occasion, said the size of the vessels that will berth at the port would be four times the size of vessels that currently berth at Apapa and Tin Can Island Port.
“We are excited that in your own time, something fresh has been birthed in this country and it is going to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs,” he said.
The Bestaf Lubricant, a 200-million-litre lubricant plant, which covers the whole value chain of lubricants, is described as the first of its kind in West Africa.
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