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