₦airaland Forum

This Present House releases statement on the sealing of their church

Read the statement below...
In the last couple of days, This Present House has been in the news, not in relation to what it is renowned for but rather over the right of way to its premises along Freedom Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
The Church led by medical doctor and social entrepreneur Dr.Tony Rapu is well known for its acclaimed programs in social rehabilitation through Freedom Foundation and The God Bless Nigeria initiatives amongst others.

It is a humanitarian enterprise that has successfully taken many young men and women off the streets, off drugs and crime and turned them into responsible citizens of Lagos State. This Present House and the Lagos State Government have enjoyed a robust and mutually beneficial relationship over the years.

This has enabled the Church implement its multi-faceted programs, which have become a case study in Nigeria and abroad. For more on these programs please go to www.freedomfoundationng.org.

The Church (This Present House) which prides itself in citizenship development and leadership training, has quietly run these and many other programs over the years; the Bethesda School program offers full scholarship in its primary and secondary schools across the State for the indigents while Genesis House has successfully taken commercial sex workers off the streets of Lagos.

The Church has run these programs from its Lekki Phase 1 office for the past 15years. The right of way to this premises is currently being re-assessed by the Lagos State Government. The Church will like to inform its congregation, well-wishers and the general public who have been anxious in the last couple of days following the discussion generated in the public space that it is in touch with the State authorities and avenues for a speedy resolution are being explored. We believe that this would be achieved within the shortest possible time.

There are many challenges confronting our dear nation. It has always been the belief of the Church that religious institutions being trustees of the discretions and personal struggles of the people are necessary partners of government. The Church has no doubt that the issue at hand will be amicably resolved with Lagos State government.

When the government was silent for decades, the local government passive at best on community issues, poverty, crime and drugs, This Present house (The Dome) and Freedom Foundation, under the leadership of Dr Tony Rapu engaged the community, provided welfare, counselling, rehabilitation programmes, and other initiatives to help the people in the community, taking on some of the government's fiduciary duties to the people (which they are quick to remind us of during elections).

Rather than being encouraged by the government, a campaign is being waged which is entirely political, wrapped in greed and shrouded in self interest. The government's new campaign is to grab land at will. Makoko and Otodo Gbame are examples of government's destructive influence. Now they want to add Itedo to that as well as a church that has influenced and is influencing the Lekki community on all ends of the spectrum.

The campaign is being spearheaded by Yetunde Onabule who serves as a special adviser to the Governor. Her desperation comes from a plan to develop the "Lekki" Banana Island, called Orange Island (which they are currently sand filling) and provide access to Admiralty road. However, because the church stands in between, it has created a challenge. Rather than creatively think of a solution, they do what they do best, BULLDOZE their way through.

The church did not build under high tension line, its very easy to verify some of these claims