Silent revolution in Lagos
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Few years back, former President Obasanjo called Lagos a slum. Today the former President cannot use the mouth he uses to eat yam and cocoyam (onu o ji eri ji eri ede) to repeat that Lagos is a slum. Today, the gradual metamorphosis, transmogrification, transformation, regeneration and renewal that kicked off in 1999 have started yielding great results. Those who left the city 10 years ago will find it difficult to recognize the new look of Lagos. The solid foundation for the new Lagos we are seeing today was laid by the former Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed from 1999 - 2007.
Through careful management of human and material resources, through playing politics of development and being a dynamic person with a developmental orientation, the road to the new Lagos was paved by the man we call the Jagaban Borgu. Good students of politics will tell you that a good leader is also judged by his succession plan.
Asiwaju's succession was furiously and seriously challenged but the rest is now history. Governor Babatunde emerged from the lot. In less than two years in office, the man has taken leadership of Lagos to a new level, formulating fantastic policies and programmes following them up with monitoring and evaluation, taking hard decisions and sticking to it no matter whose ox is gored and being responsive and responsible to the great demands of the exalted office.
And what words will I use to describe the new look of Lagos than what Justice Emma Ayoola, ICPC Chairman said recently: Listen to him: "it is my intention to make a slight modification to his slogan which I understand is Eko o ni Baje (may Lagos always excel). But for the fact that I am retired I would have ordered him to change it to Eko ti dara (Lagos is now good)"
A concerned Nigerian, from the South East, Fr Cajetan Obodozie recounts his observation of the new face of Lagos recently when he said: "Last September I traveled to Switzerland, France, Holland, Italy and Spain via Murtala Mohammed International Airport and almost lost my bearing in Lagos because of the enormous changes which had taken place within a short period. When I returned home after one month I noticed more changes. Every Lagosian I spoke to was enthusiastic to say flattering things about the relatively new BRF administration. Even the very critical press and the civil society in general were impressed. When I called my fellow priests who had about the same time traveled to the United States through Lagos namely Fr Luke Ibe, my worthy predecessor at Christ the King parish in Ihiala Anambra State, and Fr Nonso Anaedo, the secretary to the Bishop of Nnewi, they expressed delight at what they saw in Nigeria's commercial capital. Roads are being developed to international standards, the environment is being cleaned up and beautified, mass transportation in Lagos is being taken to a much higher level with the building of a number of modern and bid jetties, in fact I am informed that as many as 75 water taxis have already been bought. All this is the first step by Governor Fashola to turn Lagos into a sophisticated mega city"
Another wonderful Nigerian from the Niger Delta John Asuquo with eyes for good things says: "Every political office holder in Nigeria, including those at federal and local government levels should come to Lagos for a two-week crash program on leadership and change under the guidance of Governor Fashola"
But how did Governor Fashola do all these? He built from the Asiwaju's unprecedented revenue drive. By the time Governor Asiwaju was leaving office, the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR of Lagos was about 7 billion monthly. Governor Fashola has since moved up the IGR to13 billion Naira monthly. What other magic did Fashola do?
Before the coming of Fashola, the ratio of Recurrent to Capital expenditure was 70% to 30%. Through raw courage, political sagacity, political will, and deep concern for the ordinary Lagosians he had to take the hard decision to do what needs to be done: going completely opposite, 30% Recurrent and 70% Capital Expenditure. Results!
Every where you go in Lagos construction is going on. There is no good contractor in Lagos that is not engaged right now. Infact, contractors are being invited from outside Lagos to join in the massive drive. And because Lagosians see the monumental work going on, they now pay their taxes voluntarily without being hounded or forced to do so. This writer was in my town's end years party last year and was excited when some of my kinsmen walked up to me to say that they are willing to pay their taxes having seen what the government is doing with tax payer's money.
Under bridges, roundabouts and setbacks are being recovered for good every where in Lagos. All kinds of junks ranging from abandoned vehicles to scraps refuse, disused kiosks, etc were evacuated and in their places are different shades of flowers and ornamental plants. Area boys and undesirable elements that terrorize Lagos under these bridges are those planting the flowers and maintaining them on a daily basis.
They now earn a living, and have forgotten their former criminal ways of life. Many of these elements have been engaged as roads and streets sweepers, waste collectors and builders. It could not just be better. Drains and canals are being put in place in critical areas in the Lagos metropolis in anticipation to flood problems that may arise due to coastal nature of Lagos. Landlords are smiling because the values of their properties are appreciating on a daily basis. Values of properties appreciate in any location when new roads, with proper drains are put in place.
*Igbokwe is Lagos State Action Congress (AC) Publicity Secretary
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