FROM SLUM TO HIGHRISE: LAGOS PATH TO MEGACITY

As we move towards the actualization of our dream megacity, it is of point to note that we must not just assume we can bring a mega city and hang it in the air and call it “LAGOS MEGACITY”

 

 

It is this present Lagos we have that we will transform into a megacity. We also need not destroy all the slums and send the residents to states we assume can accommodate slum residents, but we rather need to transform our slum residents to megacity residents (I would rather use the term highrise residents). We also need to engage in holistic transformation: people, infrastructure and city; to achieve our lofty dream, which is highly achievable.

We need not use propaganda to displace people from slums and then construct highrise; we did that in Ikoyi and it became a place for hiding cash.

We need to build the highrise inside the slum and build slum into highrise to stimulate growth and an all-inclusive economic development. The highrise will act as hope to the residents of the slum while the residents of the highrise will be stimulated never to rest on oars as there is a possibility of falling. I personally believe that the cause of ‘mad theft’ by people that came into corridors of power and money is the desire to run eternally from poverty and the slum life, which they once experience. We need to give HOPE to the residents of the slum and create a platform for them to ride. A lot of the successful individuals we celebrate today went through rigors because of a hope, a dream and a vision that tomorrow will be better.

The term ‘the American Dream’ is an example of this. It is the waking and sleeping thought of most Americans, which push them to achieve excellence. We need to give that dream to Lagosians. The Government, media and private institutions need to spread that dream.

The iconic ‘Lagos My success story’ must not just be a year event but rather a continual event that characterize our daily life. Lagos: My success story; must once again flood our streets and be the guide to our lifestyle to reduce the growth of slum and poverty.

We must also be very articulate in the ideal and idea we want to perpetuate. We must choose the story we want to celebrate because not all road leads to Rome because some roads just don’t. Hardwork must be celebrated and integrity recognize. Kidnapping and Terrorism is not success.

It is in the allowance of both slums and highrise and educating the residents of the slum residents to pursue success to become residents of the highrise while constantly ensuring that the residents of the highrise don’t rest on their oars that slums can be eliminated and not in the sending of slums from Lagos state to another state. 

 

There will always be new entrants because where the grass is green there you will find the birds. We need to find new ways to deal with the new entrants especially those that benefits from us and go to pay homepage somewhere else. We need to balance economic growth and development and when we speak of inclusive growth, we must really mean it

In summary we need to give a dream for the people below to move up and also give a stimulant to the people up to stay up.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. https://qz.com/936761/lagos-wants-to-be-a-modern-mega-city-so-its-forcing-thousands-of-slum-dwellers-from-their-homes/
2. https://www.usnews.com/opinion/world-report/articles/2016-12-02/nigerias-government-is-destroying-lagos-slums-and-undermining-its-own-aims
3. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/may/31/destroyed-community-lagos-nigeria-residents-forced-evictions-demolitions
4. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-18870511
5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbsdLI8kaWc

 All images are from the internet.

Send comments and questions to: smadeshina@gmail.com

 

THE ETERNAL COST OF IMMORALITY

You must not commit immorality (fornication or adultery)

Fornication is a sexual relationship between an unmarried person and either a married or unmarried personal

Adultery is a sexual relation between a married person and either a married or unmarried person.

When the Bible says ‘You must not commit immorality’

Some are fast to say, what of forgiveness; why give a law when Grace still flows at Calvary?

Some assert, all acts of immorality after conversion is covered by the past forgiveness received at Salvation.  Well, if the doctrine of ‘once saved being forever saved’ is true then I can also add; a student should never be failed in any exam once the person has passed a former exam. It will be right to conclude also that a food poison drank today should have no effect due to good nourishment consumed yesterday.

In all we must understand that the times of ignorance is winked at by Jesus, who surely forgives all offenders because a broken reed he will not break and a flax he  before becoming born again, such a one is easily forgiven. We need to acknowledge that though a person is forgiven by God such a one must be aware that the law of sowing and reaping will always abide.

A glossary look at the account of lives wasted on the field of battle between Christian and Islamic group all over the word shows that the affair of Adultery between Abraham and Hagar has never been worth.

The death sentenced on a whole race due to the affair between Reuben and his Father’s concubine shows that immorality is not worth.

The shameful capture of Samson the warrior on the laps of Delilah shows that adultery is never worth.

Immorality has an eternal consequence. It shames the soul, breeds avoidable jealousy and rivalry.

My dear friend please shun immorality in all its forms.

From the thoughts of your heart, to the things you watch, please avoid immorality.

Immorality will take you farther than you want to go

Immorality will keep you longer than you want to stay

Immorality kills, Immorality weakens and Immorality destroys.

Immorality forbidden.

YOU MUST NOT COMMIT IMMORALITY

AFTER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Dear,

I bring you greetings from Calvary and the empty sepulchre. Calvary reminds us of the greatest love and compassion ever shown while the empty sepulchre reminds us that Christ is risen and I pray that you will experience both in your life.

I write to congratulates you on the successful completion of your secondary school education and pray that the good Lord blesses your labour and rewards you with good success and that He gives you strength to finish other stages of your life.

Am writing to forewarn you of the challenges you will likely encounter in this new sphere of life and to provide you with time proven technique of combating them and maximising your life.

EXPECTED CHALLENGES

1.         Loneliness: At this moment of your life there is a tendency for you to be lonely. The daily meeting with your classmates in school is over and though you might have some friends around your neighbourhood you might sometime still feel lonely.

2.         Cash out: Now that your daily, weekly, monthly or termly income is out you might experience cash out. Also your need will expand because you will probably be changing your hair look, your wardrobe, your library, electronic gadget and the likes. You need income for all these new expenses and you could become cash strapped.

3.         Peer pressure: With the abundance amount of time in your hand will come peer pressure. Pressure to attend all the parties, streets jamz, jamboree, spend endless time on social media and just to be like you peers in all ramification.

4.         Idleness: Remember the saying, ‘An idle man is Satan’s workshop.’ There is the possibility of being idle, which comes with the temptation of engaging in vice or vices.

MAXIMISING THE CHALLENGES:

1.         Make friend: This is time to make new friends. I don’t necessarily mean physical friend. You should make the Bible your friend and learn to develop great closeness with it because it will lead you in the right path in life. You should develop an insatiable appetite for reading books with different interests. You should make friend with yourself and learn to love yourself. The outside world might have dictates your tastes while in school and might have feed you with their expectations, your peers might have also distort your view but it is time to seek and know the real YOU. It is time you know your strength, uniqueness, beauty and modus operandi (mode of operation). Now is the time to know what works best for and you get to the point by befriending you self. You are fearfully and wonderfully created; get to know that fearfulness and wonder!

2.         Get an income plan: You should have a plan on how to make income and this is where the study on scale of preference in economics comes in handy. You have to know your need and want and also plan how to spend your money. You need to cultivate the bait of tithing. Pay God his tithes and also pay yourself your tithe. Get a bank account, a small save, a wallet or anything you can save your money in and know it will be safe. Find ways of making money also. You could get a small job or teach some students for financial returns, use what you have to get what you need (this is a biblical principle; it is the using of what you have in a sinful way that is a sin).

3.         Face the pressure: You cannot shy away from the pressure but rather face pressure. There will be both positive input and negative input from your peers and you must only accept the good ones and reject the evil ones. The pressure of having either a boyfriend or girlfriend should be shunned, the emotional trauma outweigh it benefits. You should rather be a friend to all without a particular associating with one. The lies that no boyfriend or girlfriend now means no future marriage partner is a blatant lie from the devil. Your Boaz and your Ruth is being prepared by the Lord, don’t allow a Delilah or an Amnon to destroy your future.

4.         Never get idle: There is a distinction between meditation and idleness. You need to spend time to meditate on God’s word, the type of future you desire, the type of news you hear and happening in your society but never get idle. Meditation in itself is an activity while idleness is to have the time and strength to get an activity done but don’t have anything to do.

5.         Get a skill: It is time to add hard skill to your soft skill. You could learn a musical instrument, go for computer appreciation course, learn a craft, learn how to plait hair and also don’t forget to learn good home making skills: setting of tables, cooking, decorating of house etc.

6.         Invest in your future: It is time to start preparing for your future. Your future is divided into two: a future here on earth and a future in heaven. It is high time you get a picture of the future you want. The picture might not be perfect now but an idea and a perspective of it is needed to guide your choice. It is time to start praying and also working for the future you want. In life labour, might and power has its place so also the Spirit of God has its place; don’t lose any of them. For your spiritual future, you need to get save if you have not, get committed to Christ, do the work of evangelism to get stars on your future crown and live a continuous holy life in order to get to Heaven.

For now my dear friend, this is my piece of advice and I pray that God bless and multiply you.