The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins has condemned in very strong terms all forms of ethnic profiling, utterances, and violence witnessed in some parts of Lagos state, before, during and after the recent elections, warning that the trend if not urgently check-mated, could truncate the peaceful co-existence of residents of the state.

The Archbishop described as unfortunate and unacceptable, the tension, hate speech and violence, especially before, during and after the recent Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in some parts of the state.

In a statement signed by the Director of Social Communications, Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), the prelate urged the state government as a matter of urgency to call all parties to order and to put in place a machinery for the quick restoration of peace and normalcy.

He equally implored the law enforcement agencies to safeguard the lives and properties of all residents irrespective of tribe, religion, or ethnic groups.

Archbishop Martins also urged the residents of Lagos to remain calm and not allow themselves to be divided against their neighbours.

According to him, “the ethnic and discriminatory comments making the rounds particularly on social media, are not a reflection of the true nature of Lagosians, who are known to be very peace-loving, accommodating and cosmopolitan, including by promoting inter-tribal marriages for many decades.

“I call on everyone to put a stop to the spread of hate speech and fake news and to shun all forms of rancor. The divisive comments and behaviours, particularly along ethnic or tribal line is not conducive to good neigbourliness and peaceful coexistence. The people of Lagos must not allow the political class to whip up such divisive sentiments to disrupt their lives and livelihood. We are all equal before God and the only man-made distinction among people is between the poor and the rich, the privileged and the underprivileged.

“We are all Nigerians and have lived and interacted together as one people for decades in Lagos and other parts of our country.

“With the elections over, we hope that all those who have been fanning the embers of ethnic division will be more circumspect and desist from further heating up the polity. We must be law-abiding citizens and not take the law into our hands in any guise”.

While commiserating with families that lost their loved ones and persons whose properties were destroyed in the violence in the state and across the country, Archbishop Martins also called on law enforcement agencies to do the needful where offences have been committed, as part of efforts to facilitate a national healing process.

President, Nigeria Hotel and Catering Institute ( NHCI), Mr Gbenga Sunmonu, says his association is over joyed at the reelection of governor Babajide sanwo-0lu for a second term in office, noting the multiplyer effects on growth of Hospitality, Tourism and catering businesses in the state.

NHCI, flagship of professional Institute service to Hospitality and Tourism in Nigeria, Mr Sunmonu further explained is happy to join lagosians to fecilites with the amiable people’s governor, adding that the Hospitality and Tourism sector in lagos, will boom with his return, and promising to mobilize bridges of support to the rising greater lagos tourism and hospitality offerings and opportunities.

“We at NHCI congratulates the governor and we shall ensure creative capacity building ethos and strategies for hospitality and catering businesses in lagos, are scaled up and sustained, thus ensuring that real jobs, and standardisation of services and operations are factored and successfully laid bare” Mr Sunmonu further stated.

He disclosed that NHCI is satisfied with the governor’s intervention and dedication to lagos tourism space, suggesting that a well articulated 100 days in office for hospitality and catering businesses goals, particularly on capacity development, massive awareness and tax exemptions regimes, land use charges review to further encourage detailed investment in the sector, be pursued with vigor and strength.

“We appreciate the grants to the creative sector not too recently and other supporting budget releases within the ecosystem but we must advantage more of that strategic process to awareness creation and promotion of the sector through professional and specialised media organisations so that the people and visitors can be well educated about the huge benefits and contributions of hospitality, tourism and catering to the state coffers and sociopolitical growth,” NHCI President stressed.

The Labour Party has appointed Nollywood actress, Hilda Dokubo, as the new acting chairman of the River State chapter of the party days to the governorship and state assembly elections rescheduled for March 18.

A statement signed by the national chairman, Julius Abure, on Thursday, stated that the appointment of Dokubo followed the tenure expiration and dissolution of the caretaker committee led by Dienye Pepple.

Other members of the committee include Philip Loveday as secretary and Gogo Wellington as publicity secretary.

Abure added that the appointment letter was for one month.

The PUNCH reports that the leadership of the Labour Party, on Tuesday, announced the dissolution of the executive council of its Rivers State branch with immediate effect.

A statement signed by Abure said that the state officials of the party were axed for gross anti-party activities and corruption in the management of the party’s funds.

The dissolution came in the wake of reports that the state chapter of the party had collapsed its structure to endorse the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Sim Fubara.

He further stated that those who were at the helms of affairs in the state, where the presidential mandate of the party’s standard bearer, Peter Obi, was openly stolen should step aside until a full investigation into what happened at the last election was completed.

The Punch