Population explosion: Nigeria sitting on a time bomb, Oba Akiolu warns

JIGI-BOLA: First Lady, Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu (right), presenting eye glasses to one of the beneficiaries, during the Jigi-Bola Relaunch in Lagos. While, wife of the Deputy Governor, Lagos State; Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat looks on. Photo: Vanguard

By Abimbola Oloyede

....As Sanwo-Olu relaunches Jigi-Bola free sight programme 

Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu I, has warned that with increasing population, without corresponding plans for the citizens, the country is sitting on a time bomb that will consume it sooner or later.

Oba Akiolu said this at the inauguration of the re-launch of the ‘Jigi Bola’ Initiative, held at the Police College Parade Ground in Ikeja, Lagos.

The monarch said: “The government is only capable of taking care of five per cent of the population of youths, while the remaining 95 per cent are the ones roaming the streets.

“Former President Obasanjo said something very important regarding our population. From the information at hand, my pioneer tenant, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, once researched all 774 local governments in the whole country on youths and things that can be done. From the report, a majority of the youths are willing and able, if giving opportunities, but the government can only cater for five per cent of the whole population, the remaining 95 percent is left to be roaming about the streets.

Oba Akiolu

“This is a time bomb, waiting to explode. The almighty Allah will not allow us to see another disaster, but the government has to do something quickly too, and Lagos deserves special status.”

Sanwo-Olu relaunches Jigi-Bola free sight programme

In his address, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Femi Hamzat, said: “We are re-launching the Jigi-Bola initiative in celebration of one of the many legacy grassroots outreach programmes of the administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and to restate our commitment to improving the wellbeing and welfare of Lagosians.

“The aim of this re-launch is to improve the capacity for efficient eye and ear care delivery and to ensure that Lagosians do not lose their vision and hearing when it could have been prevented.

“This initiative is open to all Lagosians including those in the grassroots across the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas. The services to be offered include early detection of eye conditions that may lead to blindness, eye and ear health education, free eye surgery and treatment, and also the distribution of hearing aids and eyeglasses.”  

Earlier, the First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu said: “The re-launch of the Jigi-Bola initiative is designed to strengthen the State’s capacity for efficient eye care delivery at the grassroots. Hearing impairment is a silent or invisible disability which makes it hard to notice a person with such disability. 

The use of hearing aids by those with impaired hearing due to sensorineural hearing loss results in a dramatic turn in the quality of life of these individuals. Sadly, only about one in five people who need hearing aid actually use one.”

  “The aid improves both hearing and speech comprehension; a major reason the State Government is including the distribution of hearing aid in this programme, thereby bringing relief to residents of Lagos State battling with hearing loss and cannot afford a hearing aid,” she said.

Culled from Vanguard