Popular Nigerian singer, Yemi Alade, has come under fire for claiming that the Lagos State Government gave the residents of Mende Estate Villa just two hours to evacuate their houses for demolition.
In a video that surfaced on X Sunday, Alade who decried the act, said it would discourage those interested in investing in real estate in the state.
Contrary to Alade’s claim, a tweep Alli-Balogun H. Lekan, who identifies as @Allibaloo, on Monday said the residents were served notice of demolition in 2021.
@Allibaloo said the residents ignored the notice while expecting some miracle to stop the demolition.
He wrote, “We were issued contravention and demolition notices sometime in 2021. The whole area falls within Kosofe Constituency 1. Even the honourable was shocked to see that none had building approval, the Governor’s consent or CofO.
“It’s unfortunate, but two minutes notice was a lie. Everyone was hoping for a miracle and probably the bulldozer go spoil.”
He added that their houses would have been demolished during Akinwunmi Ambode’s tenure as the state governor but it was held back due to his second-term bid loss.
“The initial stakeholder engagement for my estate happened in 2018/19 during Ambode’s tenure… It’s something coming, and the reprieve came when Ambode couldn’t get a second term. When the government says they are coming, it’s just a question of when.
“It’s easy to say this. On average, over 1000 houses are constructed daily. The responsible agency issues contravention notices, the contractor halts work for a day or two, and by Sunday or Monday, the decking is completed.
“Even if we assume this scenario is plausible, consider the cost to the government of mobilising bulldozers across the state to demolish illegal structures. Huh. The Koko is that we all need to do what’s right and proper,” he added.
Dissatisfied with her series of posts on the demolition, netizens said she was chasing clout.
Adex Smith, who tweets as @adex_smithjr said the government’s action is a response to her call to curb flooding in the state in 2022.
@adex_smithjr wrote, “Dear Yemi Alade, you lay a complaint about Lagos being flooded yearly in 2022 The government are doing things right for us but you’re still complaining, do you have human feelings at all? Do you know the damages that those buildings on drainage and Lagos State sewage system have caused to lots of homes and communities?
“Do you even know that it is those communities that go to Alausa to lay complaints of suffering from flood due to houses being built on drainage? You are a public figure you should know better, and advise the public not to build on drainage instead of emotionally blackmailing the Lagos State Government. If you don’t invest in Lagos, others will, and they will in a responsible and government manner not just build shanties. You should fix up, No Shades”
A tweep, Schrodinger who identifies as @Goddleader wrote, “Lagos needs responsible investors not like yours or your cronies.”
On X.com, @Olamother4luv, who tweets as OlaD24real claimed that the artist was only chasing clout.
A tweep, SJohnson….. #LFC, who identifies as @sheeun11 called on Alade to pull down her tweet about the demolition.
He wrote, “Hope she will take down that tweet and be honourable to do that.”
Another user, Adeda, tweeting as @tosinadeda said building on waterways without the government’s approval would land people in jail in foreign countries.
Joguns, who tweets as @segunjoguns wrote, “Clearly, it’s mischief or illiteracy for anyone to claim
@followlasg isn’t doing the right thing. Your attached video at 1 min, 53 secs was tampered with. For those with building approvals, @tokunbo_wahab and others should recommend to @jidesanwoolu
for compensation.”
Adeda, who tweets as @tosinadeda wrote, “Some of the things we do as Nigerians in Nigeria, we will get jail terms if it were abroad. On this Mende issue, just listen for yourself. Zero approvals, zero CofO, zero Governor’s consent. People have the audacity to build on top of waterways!”
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On Sunday, Yemi Alade, in a now-viral video claimed that the state government did not notify the residents properly.
“Lagos State, what is going on? Does it make sense that people will invest millions of naira, millions of dollars into real estate?” She asked.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
