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- Unilag student’s AI speaks Naija
- Abandoned islands
- Early rainfall in Lagos
- Ketu residents fight back
- Cop detained for assault
- Ikeja’s new traffic mayor
- NGO trains leaders in Ikorodu
- Prosthetics for civil servants
- Fani-Kayode walks free
- Hajj deadline postponed
UNILAG student develops text-to-speech AI model with Nigerian accent
A University of Lagos student, Saheed Azeez has developed a text-to-speech AI model that reads text aloud in a Nigerian accent called YarnGPT. Despite challenges like data scarcity, limited resources, and spending $100 on cloud computing and training, YarnGPT can accurately pronounce English and Nigerian languages such as Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. The model has potential applications in voice-overs and accessibility. Azeez gathered audio data from Nigerian movies and high-quality datasets to create the model, he told Techpoint Africa.
Abandoned Lagos Islands face poverty and neglect
Refuge Island, home to around 2,000 residents, and the nearby uninhabited Ita-Oko, which once hosted a prison and drug rehabilitation center, are two forgotten islands in Lagos. Despite being near the rapidly developing Lekki peninsula, both islands lack basic infrastructure like electricity, tarred roads, and healthcare. Refuge Island, in particular, has faced years of neglect with no major government projects since the 1980s, leaving its residents in poverty. While the area has tourism potential, small-scale interventions from middle-class Lagosians have been the only help, The Guardian reports.
NiMet predicts early rains, delayed end for Lagos in 2025
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecasted early rainfall in Lagos and parts of the South in its 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP). However, Lagos is also among the states expected to experience a delayed end to the rainy season, alongside Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, and others, Vanguard reported. “The SCP document offers insights into expected weather and climate patterns, equipping various sectors with the foresight needed to plan, mitigate risks, and harness opportunities,” Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo said. The forecast is expected to help Lagos authorities and residents prepare for potential weather-related challenges.
Ketu residents protest unjust demolitions
Residents in Ketu are raising alarms over the unjust demolition of their homes and properties. One resident returned home to find half of her house had been demolished, with no prior notice given to her or even her landlord. The monarch of Ikosi, Onikosi of Ikosi, Alamu Onikosi, who is allegedly responsible for the demolition, has claimed that it was carried out based on a court order, Punch Reports.
Police officer detained for tampering with evidence in Lagos sexual assault case
An investigating police officer has been detained for allegedly tampering with evidence in a sexual assault case involving a hotelier accused of abusing teenage students in the Isheri-Oshun area. The IPO, who was attached to the Isheri-Oshun Division, altered key documents, including a medical report and confessional statements from victims. The case, which came to light after one victim confided in his parents, led to the hotelier’s arrest.
New traffic mayor inducted in Ikeja
Meanwhile, Another traffic mayor was inducted yesterday at the Permanent Secretary’s office in Alausa, Ikeja. This time, Surv. Ayokunnu Adesina, the Permanent Secretary and Surveyor-General of the Office of the State Surveyor-General, assumed the role of Special Traffic Mayor.
NGO trains community leaders in Ikorodu to protect vulnerable groups
WaterAid Nigeria, an NGO, organized a training for forty community leaders across sixteen communities in Ikorodu. The training aimed to protect vulnerable community members, including children, women, people with disabilities, the poor, and marginalized individuals. The leaders, known as “champions,” were trained to raise awareness, sensitize their communities on safeguarding, and report incidents within 24 hours. The training was held to empower the leaders to create safer environments for vulnerable groups, Radio Nigeria Reported.
Civil servants with disabilities receives empowerment and prosthetics
The Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) has distributed work tools and assistive devices to 50 civil servants with disabilities in the state. During the presentation at the STO Resource Centre in Ikeja, LASODA’s General Manager, Mrs. Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, highlighted the distribution of laptops, speech-assisted software, calipers, and motorized wheelchairs. Additionally, 11 individuals received N1.1 million each for prosthetics. The initiative aims to empower Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Lagos to promote inclusion and enhance their productivity.
Fani-Kayode cleared of medical forgery charges
The Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has cleared Femi Fani-Kayode, the former Minister of Aviation, of charges related to medical forgery. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had charged him for allegedly using forged medical reports during his trial for an alleged N4.9 billion fraud. Justice Olubumni Abike-Fadipe ruled in favor of Fani-Kayode, agreeing with his legal team’s no-case submission and stating that the EFCC failed to present sufficient evidence to establish a case against him.
LSMPWB extends Hajj payment deadline to February 10
The Lagos State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board (LSMPWB) has extended the payment deadline for the 2025 Hajj fare to February 10, 2025. Board Secretary Saheed Onipede announced the extension to help intending pilgrims complete the fare of N8,784,085.59 due to the current economic challenges.