Donald J. Trump continues to grab the attention of Nigerians. Citizens react to his many statements and proclamations. Early in the week, property developer Trump declared that the United States would take over the Gaza strip and turn it into a prime property.
He asked neighbouring Arab countries to absorb Palestinians.
As the FT put it, Trump proposed on 4 February that the US should take control of the war-shattered Gaza Strip and force 2.2mn Gazans to go elsewhere. It is a move that would violate international laws, outrage Washington’s allies, and create yet another catastrophe for long-suffering Palestinians who call Gaza home.
Reacting to the video on Instagram, Dayo Akinbode said, “I saw this coming. I see war-torn Gaza transformed into a beautiful holiday resort. It reminds me of Maroko and the Lekki axis.”
Maroko was a large, densely populated slum on the Lagos waterfront. It was known for its vibrant community, industrious residents, poverty, and lack of basic infrastructure. In 1990, the government demolished Maroko, forcibly evicting its residents and displacing an estimated 300,000 people.
The former site of Maroko is now occupied by high-end developments, including upscale residential areas and businesses. However, the name “Maroko” is still associated with the memory of the demolished community and the struggles of its former residents.
The transformation of Maroko into the Oniru Private Housing Estate exemplifies gentrification. It replaced a low-income settlement with an upper-class residential area, displacing original residents and completely changing the area’s socio-economic and demographic character.
Maroko Before Eviction:
Maroko was a densely populated, low-income area with approximately 300,000 residents. The residents were mainly middle-aged, including fishermen, semi-skilled workers, and traders. The Yoruba ethnic group predominated.
The community had a strong social cohesion with “place-based platforms” for support and social mixing.
Eviction and Transformation:
In the early 1990s, the government forcibly evicted Maroko residents, leading to gentrification. The eviction was carried out with the assistance of the military government of the time. The displacement resulted in homelessness and family separations.
Oniru Private Housing Estate After Gentrification:
The redeveloped area became a luxury estate with terrace houses, detached houses, and semi-detached houses.
The estate is well-planned and has essential amenities such as electricity, good roads, and waste disposal systems.
Contrasting with the previous population, the residents are now highly educated executives and senior bureaucrats. Communal living has been replaced by a more formal atmosphere.
The conversion of Maroko to Oniru represents a significant shift in the area’s social structure, marked by the displacement of a low-income community and its replacement with an exclusive, upper-class housing estate1. This transformation highlights urban development challenges and its impact on working-class populations.
Historical perspective to Gaza plan
Another perspective suggests that Trump’s plan for Gaza is not original. Mrs Akinbode-Reiman stated, “The eradication of nations and peoples has been ongoing since the days of Noah, Sodom, Gomorrah, and all those groups whom God commanded to be destroyed in the Bible for various reasons. Fascinating times are unfolding in my lifetime. Even Hitler attempted to eliminate the Jews, and King Herod sought to wipe out a generation. It is human nature to expand territories, and if some must be eradicated for that purpose, they do not care.”
Progress in Soludo’s battle with criminality in Anambra State
The tide is turning in Anambra State, as Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo begins to receive praise from citizens on social media for his efforts to combat the numerous acts of criminality that have characterised the state for some time.
The administration has unveiled the Anambra Homeland Security Law and launched “Operation Udo Ga-Achi”. Activities have included the demolition of buildings used by kidnappers and the clearing of forests where they hide.
Information Commissioner Law Mefor proudly announced on Facebook on 6 February following the arrest of a notorious gang operating in the area. He stated: “A very important development! The Anambra Joint Security Task Force has successfully raided the hideout of kidnappers and UGM at Owerri-Ezukala, Orumba South LGA. There is no place for crime and criminality in Anambra! We are dismantling every hideout of kidnappers that we discover. Udo ga-achi na Anambra, and the solution is here! Together, we’re making Anambra safer for all.”
Soludo has publicly declared a zero-tolerance stance on crime, vowing to make Anambra safe for citizens and investors. He warned criminals operating in the bushes to surrender or face severe consequences.
Citizens on Facebook lauded the developments and claimed that Soludo’s efforts against criminals have made Anambra State the state with the lowest crime rate in the Southeast.
Nigerians criticise Kemi Badenoch’s Trump-like agenda.
Britain’s Conservative Party leader, Ms Kemi Badenoch, increased her anti-immigration proclamations during the week, drawing protests and criticism from Nigeria and the Third World.
Badenoch stated her resolve to toughen the process of granting UK citizenship.
One headline captured Kemi Badenoch’s threat to immigrants: ‘I’d make it harder to get British citizenship.
Immigrants should only be able to apply for British citizenship after being in the UK for 15 years rather than the current six,
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said.
In one of her first policy announcements since becoming leader, Badenoch also said indefinite leave to remain—which paves the way for citizenship—should not be granted to those with criminal records or who have claimed benefits or social housing, according to the BBC.
Speaking to the BBC, she said citizenship was a privilege, not just a right, and should be reserved for those with a “meaningful connection to the UK.” Obtaining indefinite leave to remain (ILR) gives people the right to live, work, and study in the UK.
The party wants the government to adopt the changes, backdated to 2021, by amending its Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill, which will be debated in Parliament next week.
Badenoch received immediate ripostes. Labour minister Angela Eagle said, “After 14 years of shameful Tory failure no one will take seriously anything they claim.”
The party wants the government to adopt the changes, backdated to 2021, by amending its Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which will be debated in Parliament next week.
Speaking to the BBC, Badenoch said the current rules had created a “conveyor belt” to citizenship for newcomers to the country.
She argued that too many people were getting citizenship through this route, “creating a strain on public services.”
“We need to make sure that people coming here have a real, meaningful connection to the UK, so no criminal records, they should be net contributors to the economy, not relying on benefits but people who care about our country and our communities.”
Nigerians reacted angrily on social media.
Citizen
If God asked Kemi Badenoch what she wanted between de-marketing Nigeria and becoming British Prime Minister, she would pick de-marketing Nigeria!
And here is British Yoruba Kemi Badenoch in Nigeria . Smiles. Every daddy with a Briton as a daughter fears what they will say about the country tomorrow.
Once again, Ms Badenoch’s comments stirred debate and soul searching among Nigerians.
It’s a Nwifuru family thing
Citizen Nwoba Chikw Nwoba satirised contracts and appointments in Ebonyi State, which were being awarded to individuals all bearing the surname Nwifuru, the same as that of the state governor.
He surmised that it is because “His father had many wives”.
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