₦airaland Forum

Oakland’s City Council has voted that a Nigerian medical doctor, Matthew Bernard, and his wife will pay a fine of nearly $1m for felling 38 legally protected trees on and around their Claremont Avenue property in the United States.

A California-based media platform, KQED, reported that more than 20 residents at a public hearing on Tuesday demanded enforcement of Oakland’s tree protection laws.

They argued that the leafy canopies of the trees in the area were important for wildfire prevention, public health and environmental equity.

Diaspora Tales reported last month that Bernard and his partner, Lynn Warner, said they removed trees from their property on an arborist’s advice.


At the hearing on Tuesday, the Nigerian medical expert told the council that the trees removed from his property nearly four years ago were “dead, dying, leaning,” or in “hazardous condition.”

The city, however, disagreed and fined Bernard and Warner $915,135.40 and placed a claim on their property that would prevent them from developing or selling the land until the fine was paid.

Defending the fine, a community tree specialist, Erys Gagnez, said, “Trees of that size are not commercially available for replacement. Even with replanting, it will take decades, even centuries, to restore the ecological and protective functions that were lost. The scale of the fine reflects this reality.”

Source: https://punchng.com/nigerian-to-pay-1m-fine-for-cutting-trees

Very harsh judgement if you ask me. Our ecosystem has to be protected no doubt, but if you suddenly decide to invoke and enforce a law that you have not enforced for years and then come up with this sum of fine hmmm sounds like some racist shit.

By the way, people think Africa contributes immensely to global warming cux our mothers used firewood? Dey play, these white people burned trees, sometimes 24/7 for centuries to keep themselves warm in winter.

One one hand, it's his property he should be able to do whatever he likes on it. On the other hand, those trees have been there for centuries and he took them down in one fell swoop. A lot of history was being preserved in those trees and now they're gone.

dominique:
One one hand, it's his property he should be do whatever he likes on it. On the other hand, those trees have been there centuries and he took them down in one fell swoop. A lot of history was being preserved in those trees and now they're gone.

The key thing here is that the trees he cut down are specifically PROTECTED by LAW. Harsh punishment though.

Nothing concern me with another country

adenigga:
Oakland’s City Council has voted that a Nigerian medical doctor, Matthew Bernard, and his wife will pay a fine of nearly $1m for felling 38 legally protected trees on and around their Claremont Avenue property in the United States.

A California-based media platform, KQED, reported that more than 20 residents at a public hearing on Tuesday demanded enforcement of Oakland’s tree protection laws.

They argued that the leafy canopies of the trees in the area were important for wildfire prevention, public health and environmental equity.

Diaspora Tales reported last month that Bernard and his partner, Lynn Warner, said they removed trees from their property on an arborist’s advice.


At the hearing on Tuesday, the Nigerian medical expert told the council that the trees removed from his property nearly four years ago were “dead, dying, leaning,” or in “hazardous condition.”

The city, however, disagreed and fined Bernard and Warner $915,135.40 and placed a claim on their property that would prevent them from developing or selling the land until the fine was paid.

Defending the fine, a community tree specialist, Erys Gagnez, said, “Trees of that size are not commercially available for replacement. Even with replanting, it will take decades, even centuries, to restore the ecological and protective functions that were lost. The scale of the fine reflects this reality.”

Source: https://punchng.com/nigerian-to-pay-1m-fine-for-cutting-trees

What is wrong with us? They should have been made yo pay more

Baba was looking for firewood

He cut the trees that he did not grow.

adenigga:
Oakland’s City Council has voted that a Nigerian medical doctor, Matthew Bernard, and his wife will pay a fine of nearly $1m for felling 38 legally protected trees on and around their Claremont Avenue property in the United States.

A California-based media platform, KQED, reported that more than 20 residents at a public hearing on Tuesday demanded enforcement of Oakland’s tree protection laws.

They argued that the leafy canopies of the trees in the area were important for wildfire prevention, public health and environmental equity.

Diaspora Tales reported last month that Bernard and his partner, Lynn Warner, said they removed trees from their property on an arborist’s advice.


At the hearing on Tuesday, the Nigerian medical expert told the council that the trees removed from his property nearly four years ago were “dead, dying, leaning,” or in “hazardous condition.”

The city, however, disagreed and fined Bernard and Warner $915,135.40 and placed a claim on their property that would prevent them from developing or selling the land until the fine was paid.

Defending the fine, a community tree specialist, Erys Gagnez, said, “Trees of that size are not commercially available for replacement. Even with replanting, it will take decades, even centuries, to restore the ecological and protective functions that were lost. The scale of the fine reflects this reality.”

Source: https://punchng.com/nigerian-to-pay-1m-fine-for-cutting-trees

he will and has learn the hard way

In my country, the life of a human being matters less.

baba think say him still dey Ogbomosho

U dey stay Oakland City.. U go dey cut tree... Uno dey fear

He use am roast goat. He misses naija roasted asun

U dey another man country, u no sabi dem law.

U don do your own, dem don do dem own. Pay up or return to naija

So the company that he contracted to cut those trees did not do their due diligence before cutting the trees. In some climes, you need approval from the council before embarking on such operations.

They know how to empty your pocket

ChristCee:
Very harsh judgement if you ask me. Our ecosystem has to be protected no doubt, but if you suddenly decide to invoke and enforce a law that you have not enforced for years and then come up with this sum of fine hmmm sounds like some racist shit.

By the way, people think Africa contributes immensely to global warming cux our mothers used firewood? Dey play, these white people burned trees, sometimes 24/7 for centuries to keep themselves warm in winter.

When you get to a new area or country, ask questions. Digest their laws into to. Before you take any actions or act, ask some local police. With this you will save yourself from unnecessary dramas. Abroad is not Nigeria that you do anyhow. Unfortunately for him, he was not well informed. He can appeal the charges.

He thinks hes in Nigeria where they vome from the thick bush into a city and start cutting down trees because they are too lazy to tend to them. Thereby causing erosion everywhere

Pay uo mudafucka.
You think say that side na Nigeria wer una dy do anyhow with no repercussions. Oh sorry I forgot tinubu is Nigerians biggest repercussions all in one

But if this guy dy eat 10k naira for 1week, he no go even see road talk more of strength to cut down trees

ChristCee:
Very harsh judgement if you ask me. Our ecosystem has to be protected no doubt, but if you suddenly decide to invoke and enforce a law that you have not enforced for years and then come up with this sum of fine hmmm sounds like some racist shit.

By the way, people think Africa contributes immensely to global warming cux our mothers used firewood? Dey play, these white people burned trees, sometimes 24/7 for centuries to keep themselves warm in winter.

Oakland prides it's on its trees and most are giant oak... Mighty trees bigger than your iroko trees

An oak tree of 100 years is still young. Whatever replacement they planted not mature by the time their grandchildren get old. The damage was really deep for the community

Here in Nigeria where you people destroy every forest and cut down every tree for firewood you will not understand

LMAO I jus cut down the tree at the back of my house inside another person's compound cause is disturbing my compound..



As Nigeria dey some freedom dey wey no go cost u anything...

I don't get it

1..is that old woman his wife or his mum.. it can't be his mum

2. The tree is what how much .... Why cut trees in USA

3.. there us nothing Nigerian about him ...

America No Be Nigeria and When you are in Rome...!
• Do you think the Advertisements -You Often See about California Forest - that Some Trees are 1009 yrs Old on CNN -Na Fake, abi❓
So,this is the reality!
Don't Do Anyhow and you know that $1-Million is just too much and where do they want this Family to get this Money?🥵.
Please,let California Govt-tamper justice with Mercy!

I will just deport myself,$1m koor…before they gave him that amount they already knew his worth,na for him to start again but why him go cut tree self

This one don carry nigerian way of clearing stuffs instead of trimming, calling everything dirty. I dislike our way of weeding instead of mowing.

ChristCee:
Very harsh judgement if you ask me. Our ecosystem has to be protected no doubt, but if you suddenly decide to invoke and enforce a law that you have not enforced for years and then come up with this sum of fine hmmm sounds like some racist shit.

By the way, people think Africa contributes immensely to global warming cux our mothers used firewood? Dey play, these white people burned trees, sometimes 24/7 for centuries to keep themselves warm in winter.

Is ignorance of the law a defence against infractions?

Did you see 38 trees? Not one, not two but 38 trees on the avenue and not just in his own yard.

If someone was bad and charged, why would you want to remain bad, despite this knowledge

Is that his wife or surrogate mother?

Lanretoye:
I will just deport myself,$1m koor…before they gave him that amount they already knew his worth,na for him to start again but why him go cut tree self

Deport yourself to Nigeria for kwashiorkor water from shitty boreholes

InvertedHammer:
/
It is by far better than Enugu.

500 gallons of water go for N20k. Multiply by 4 in a month, that's N80k. By extrapolation, that's N960k in a year on water alone. Why? Because the governor believes that clean and accessible water is the least of his worries. Yet they prance around like Enugu is Abuja even though the red muddy soil will have residents looking like they went tomb-raiding at night.

But then, considering where it was before Peter Mba, one can understand the accolades being that he moved the town from 16th Century to 17th Century but not anywhere near 20th Century. 21st Century is a stretch. EEDC? The worst of all.

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fergie001:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5v-F81hNTs

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources in Lagos State, Mahmood Adegbite, has said that people drilling borehole in the Lekki axis of the state is probably drinking ‘’shit water.”

While speaking at a stakeholders meeting in the state recently, Adegbite noted that contaminated boreholes in Lekki pose health risk and added that treatment of waste water would eradicate any form of disease that may arise from it.

He said, “On waste water treatment, I will say that everyone digging borehole within the Lekki axis is probably drinking what I will call ‘shit water.’

https://punchng.com/video-everyone-digging-borehole-in-lekki-is-probably-drinking-shit-water-lagos-govt/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMABDJjbGNrAwAEK2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEewOd7728C0FSKQJNWar4yKRxNpNKt1owSlw47y57FKAux2QxvQL24Iu18rtw_aem_3kB5Sd2GjpdqjN6zFuIs7w

He think he's in Nigeria where a phone call to the power that be or small brown envelope everybody go deh shine their 32 even clap for am.

E Don clear for am now.

Look at them shamelessly blaming the man for violating the law in the US and getting fined, as though accountability suddenly became oppression. Yet here in Nigeria, a fully grown, bald-headed man with a beard will brazenly violate traffic regulations, get apprehended, and the same crowd will descend on law enforcement agencies with insults and emotional blackmail.

So what exactly is this? Pure hypocrisy or the embarrassing peak of an inferiority complex? Some people only respect laws when enforced abroad, but at home they behave like untouchable village champions allergic to discipline and civic responsibility.

Haha him forget sey no be Nigeria where people have a hatred for trees

adenigga:
Oakland’s City Council has voted that a Nigerian medical doctor, Matthew Bernard, and his wife will pay a fine of nearly $1m for felling 38 legally protected trees on and around their Claremont Avenue property in the United States.

A California-based media platform, KQED, reported that more than 20 residents at a public hearing on Tuesday demanded enforcement of Oakland’s tree protection laws.

They argued that the leafy canopies of the trees in the area were important for wildfire prevention, public health and environmental equity.

Diaspora Tales reported last month that Bernard and his partner, Lynn Warner, said they removed trees from their property on an arborist’s advice.


At the hearing on Tuesday, the Nigerian medical expert told the council that the trees removed from his property nearly four years ago were “dead, dying, leaning,” or in “hazardous condition.”

The city, however, disagreed and fined Bernard and Warner $915,135.40 and placed a claim on their property that would prevent them from developing or selling the land until the fine was paid.

Defending the fine, a community tree specialist, Erys Gagnez, said, “Trees of that size are not commercially available for replacement. Even with replanting, it will take decades, even centuries, to restore the ecological and protective functions that were lost. The scale of the fine reflects this reality.”

Source: https://punchng.com/nigerian-to-pay-1m-fine-for-cutting-trees

guy man does not know the country he lives in! People that are looking for a way to practice their virtue signaling....California of all places!