South Africa Green Landscape

South Africa Green Landscape
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Have you flown from Jo'burg to Cape Town? Make sure you sit by window side then you can enjoy a Beautiful Landscape in South Africa

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Election in Nigeria

Travail Of Photojournalists In Ekiti Rerun
Kunle Ajayi
Senior Photojournalist.

Daily Independent Newspapers

Friday April 24, 2009, eve, of rerun election for the seat of number in Ekiti State was nothing but a deceit as it did not unfold the untold hardship, trauma and pains awaiting some of the visiting Photojournalists that were designated to cover the much awaited rerun Governorship election in the State known as Fountain of Knowledge.
From Ibadan, Abuja, Lagos and other parts of the country, they all assembled along side with their Correspondents from Prints and Electronics, at the State capital, Ado-Ekiti, precisely at the State Headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, where they were to be accredited for the following day election.

An old woman casting vote at Awo Ekiti during the Governoship re-run election Saturday April 25, 2009. Photo: Kunle Ajayi

One would expect INEC to have fully prepared for the rerun exercise in term of logistics and accreditation cards for Observers and Journalists covering the event but opposite was the case. The inefficiency of INEC marked the beginning of headache for the Journalists. The card issued to journalists read Nigeria Election 2007 while that of INEC and Police reflected 2009. This error led to harassment of Journalist by police and acclaimed party agents, accusing them of fake journalists, who are working for the opposition. It happened at Iworoko and Ifaki. In Ifaki, these guys went beyond asking for INEC accreditation card, they demanded from the journalists their media house identity card. When the inquisition probed further, it became clearer that certain media people were not expected and must not be seen in some area in Ekiti State during the rerun. Only God knows what would have happened should such media house representatives were on ground at that particular time.

The stalemate situation in Oye town where election could not hold on Saturday as expected to hold in two wards, turned the town to a focal point. The INEC official, when it became impossible to hold election as scheduled, announced that the rerun would later take place on the following day, Sunday. Second Republic Senator, Lawrence Agunbiade, was attacked by thugs at Ise Ekiti, during the re-run of Governorship election in Ekiti State, responding to treatment at State Specialist Hospital in Ikere, on Saturday, April 25, 2009. Photo: Kunle Ajayi

Nobody had any cause to doubt INEC’s new date. The journalists were still in full gear to put finishing touch to assignment they were delegated to. During an election process, especially a sensitive one like Ekiti, where People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and Action Congress, AC, are test running their popularity and strength, it would be wrong for anybody to base his report on hear say or press releases from whatsoever corner. On this note a group of seven photojournalists from: Independent Newspapers, Punch, Vanguard, Daily Trust, Nigerian Tribune, Guardian and Horizon Express, also joined the team was Business Day writer and his two counterparts from Horizon. A Policeman carries some of the gun recovered from thugs to their vehicle

Without any premonition for danger, physical or psychological assault, left their base in the State capital, Ado-Ekiti and headed for Oye with mind of covering the rescheduled rerun election. It was a smooth trip; except for police check points on the road, in about 100 metres to Senator Ayo Arise house, the journey witnessed a drama, surprise and trauma.
Unlike other previous check point, as these journalists approached the last police road block before Oye town, there was a rowdy session. But, because there were no incriminating materials with them, they kept moving until they got to the scene. Police stopped them for checking and to know who they were. The point was tensed. It had both uniform regular and mobile policemen as well as those in mufti, who were later discovered to have come on special assignment from Criminal Investigation Bureau, CIB, Abuja. On the spot while the journalists’ vehicles were being searched the policemen were seen evacuating gun from two Hilux van parked behind a four wheel Toyota car which had Senator 61 as its number plate. It was a moment of keeping silent, the shock was enormours and unprepared for. Police did not want any obstruction they quickly passed each vehicle after it had been searched and discovered there was no weapons or arms.
In the presence of gun, brand new pump action machine, extra courage is required before a shutter could click. The photojournalists made up their mind to come down from their vehicles and record the incident. The personality involved was not yet known but for the fact that police were recovering guns prompted them to move back to see, ask question and get it documented. The writers may not be easily recognised but camera will always expose and draw attack to the photojournalists. That was exactly what happened to Punch Photojournalist, Segun Bakare; Dare Fasube from Vanguard and David Idowu of Horizon, who were beaten blue black and had their camera seized by the thugs of Senator Ayo Arise.

Thugs beating Punch Photojournalist, Segun Bakare. Photo: Kunle Ajayi

One would ask, what is the business of Arise thugs in the matter? The reason is obvious, the man whose convoy was found with sophisticated gun, is a PDP serving Senator, representing Ekiti Central, Senator Femi Kila. And, for the photojournalists to have gut to take shots of the Senator Kila, arrested thugs in his convoy and other exhibit, gun, were enough reasons to roast the dauntless photographers.

The police did a good job but show of supremacy and who would take the glory almost mare the entire arms seizure operations. Team of Mobile police at check point and that of CIB started fighting each other over who should be in possession of the suspects and the recovered arms. The men at police block said they are the one who made the arrest while the CIB team was laying claims that they had been trailing the convoy, having got a tip off, before it was stopped. The ensued argument degenerated to the point of slapping one another, which left one wondering if they were not acting under influence of ‘juju’. Meanwhile, a message had gone to Senator Arise who later rushed to the scene, discussed with the police and rescued Senator Kila to his house. Though Senator Kila has no immunity and has no business being at Oye at election time, he was not arrested or taken away by police along side with those thugs.
Bakare after he was beaten up.
The departure of CIB team unfolded what the family of Senator Arise had in stock for the dauntless photographers. It was a moment of reality to show what Ekiti was pregnant off. The photographers were still ruminating on the gun saga and what might likely come at the end of the rerun when the dragons were let loose. A woman led gang swooped on Punch Photographer, Segun Bakare, where he was receiving phone call. The woman alleged him of working for AC. All the effort by Bakare to explain his neutrality went to deaf ears and other thugs descended on him. He was severely beaten up and had his Nikon camera, handset and five thousand naira cash taken away. It was indeed a black Sunday for him as his two eyes were filled with blood. The maltreatment was extended to David Idowu of Horizon who also bade his camera good bye.
Dare Fasube, a photojournalist with Vanguard Newspaper, was lucky to get his camera back through a mobile police who intercepted the camera when the hoodlums were throwing it to one another, but was not spared of the beating.
That police were on ground was not a threat, the thugs carried out their horrendous act with impunity. ‘They are all working for AC collect their cameras’, one of the thugs ordered.
When it became clearer that lives were not safe and more importantly to take Bakare to hospital for medical attention, the crew left Oye for the State capital, where the Punch photographer was attended to at General Hospial in Ado-Ekiti.

The most havoc one can render to cameraman is to deprive him of his cameras especially when it has some historical shots. Even though the cameras are replaced the content cannot be recovered and for that singular reason those who lost their camera would nurse the wound for a long time.
When will the photojournalists be allowed to carry out their constitutional duties without being harassed or molested?
If people are not engaging in hatchet job, why are they afraid of camera?

Climate Change

Taming Climate Change: The Green Option
By Kunle Ajayi
Senior Photojournalist
Independent Newspapers
Lagos, Nigeria

The world has come to agree that climate change is a major looming disaster that can ravage and consume the earth. The ozone layer has been confirmed to be depleted and the danger it potents to humanity and his environment is enormous. As it is, if urgent step is not taken to tackle its menace at the bud, can cause more havoc than what is being witness in part of the world in terms of desertification or rise in sea level. Due to the devastating effect, the world powerful leaders at the just concluded G8 summit in Italy made climate change a subject matter that needs drastic attention.
It is believed that industrialisation has contributed to this scourge but every man has a duty to rectify or minimize this effect. In Nigeria, Lagos State Government under the leadership of Babatunde Fashola is buckling up to check the effect of climate change. Lagos being surrounded by water is not immuned to this global threat.
As parts of the efforts, the state government has set aside July 14 of every year as Tree Planting day across the state. The programme that started in 2008 in which a total of 250,000 were planted has spread like a wide fire and the culture is being adopted at different levels of government

Member of Nigeria Union of Journalist planting tree.

Allen area of Lagos submerged after a downpour

in the state. Even the Non-Governmental and Corporate Organisations have joined in the campaign.
To complement what have been planted, the

2009 edition led by Fashola and Commissioner of Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire was decentralised with an estimated half a million trees said to have been planted.
And so by early hour of Tuesday, every nook and cranny of Lagos State was seen flooded with tree seedlings waiting to be planted. Fashola led his cabinet to Ajegunle area (popularly known as AJ City) while the exercise also took place simultaneously in different parts of the state.
This first anniversary got an impetus from the State’s chapter of Nigerian Union of Journalist, NUJ. NUJ Chairman, Mr. Wahab Oba, led the team of journalists in the state to observe the exercise at the premise of Independent Newspapers Ltd in Ogba area of Lagos.
Oba explained that NUJ cannot afford to fold its hand when a leader like Fashola is seen to be doing a good job that would benefit both the environment and mankind.
According to him, climate change is global issue that deserves concerted effort. ‘Many a time, we wrote and criticised bad government and bad leaders, if we see somebody doing a great job for our benefit and the environment at large, we have no options than to support and encourage him’, said Oba.
Lagos being a state surrounded by Lagoon and Atlantic has before now tagged one of the zone that may likely witness the adverse effect of climate change. Let us give kudos to the State Government. It has taken proactive and

Eroded Lagos-Abeokuta express road

preventive measures in ensuring the state is free of environmental hazard.
In the past ocean surge had almost wiped off Victoria Island and its axis before the state government’s intervention through building of concrete embankments that put the surge to a hold. Outside the Lagos Island, government has equally been trying to check flooding although no part of Lagos is free from seasonal flooding. Areas like Agege, Aboru, Oworo, and Oshod-Apapa express road, just to mention few, are places that are constantly flooded and caused people nightmare during the rain season. Also, in 2008, over 15 communities were destroyed by rainstorm at Epe area of Lagos.
The importance of tree planting cannot therefore be overemphasized; the same applies for the need for proper waste disposal as well as embarking on activities that protect the environment. When all these are done, it will reduce the level of rainstorm ravaging the community and also prevent all these catastrophes ravaging the environment.

One of the communities ravaged by rainstorm

No doubt, there is need to imbibe the culture of

tree planting to have a safe environment for this generation and coming generations.