Legacy museum set to mark 30 years of housing railway

By Fidelis Ugbomeh

As part of efforts to sustain efforts of individuals and corporate bodies that shaped the railway sector, Legacy Museum, has announced plans to host them to a dinner on December 14, this year.

The dinner according to President of the museum, Taiye Olaniyi is in commemoration of 30 years anniversary of the museum as custodian of railway artifacts, relics and monuments.

He said that most prominent families in Nigeria today including Dantata, Ibiyeye to mention but a few had their root either indirectly or directly as contractors and workers from the corporation respectively.

Olaniyi averred that the event will create a platform for past and existing players in the railway sector to rub minds on how to preserve our railway inheritance and encourage participation in development of the sector in Nigeria.

He also disclosed that management of the museum has in collaboration with Nigerian Youth World Council, packaged a beauty pageant scheduled to take place on December 13, 2025 inside the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge passenger train.

According to him the beauty contest which will be first of its kind will enable invitees to catch a glimpse of the contestants while the train is on motion.

Expert Canvasses for public, private, partnerships to curb vandalism

The most effective antidote against incessant vandalization of Railway Infrastructure is for federal government to deliberately enhance Public, Private Participation (PPP) in the rail sector

Former Secretary General, Nigerian Union of Railway Workers, (NUR) and railway safety enthusiast, Comrade Segun Esan who dropped this hint decried frequent cases of vandalization of railway assets, siphoning of diesel and ticket racteering involving some staff and their accomplice.

He averred that with the removal of railways from exclusive to concurrent list, the onus is for management of the corporation to enter into partnerships with states, local governments and private investors with a view to attract investment in the railway sector so as to keep the railway tracks busy.

“The government should populate the rail transport landscape with private investors who will get involved in doing railway business and reversing NRC’s agelong monopoly.

The more the players, the busier the tracks become and almost impossible for vandalization to take place in the corporation,” Esan declared.