24 (.5)hour uninterrupted power supply, cheap and reliable internet connection, "good" and transparent leaders and FOOOOOD everywhere!

You can't be talking about development without a strong educational structure. We are still underdeveloped because the level of education of the average Nigerian is very poor. I remember IMF unfathomed over what Nigerians call economic growth without education

Is planting of flower on bad roads in the name of beautification is a development? Employed youth and paying them N9700 per Month graduate for dt matter and they are generating money because they work like lastma( if dey nabbed ur car na 25k), we are just seeing all ur projec on air and very good on propanganda sha.. On your Own (OYO)

development is using sub standard materials to build a road and toll people for it


Eko Oni baje

Both the private and public sectors have their own quarter to contribute in the process of development.There are adverse advantages and dis-advantages to this process.Some economists believed in privitization(the transfer of public enterprise either partially or wholly to private hands) while others believed in government serving as the key element in the process of delivering development.But in my own opinion,it should be a mixed system that is the mixture of both private and public hands.
If we allow the private sector do it alone,knowing very well that they hav a lot of forigen experts as their top agents this would lead to a leakage whereby earnings of these forigeners would be transported back to their country leaving us with infrastructure and little or no money in circulation.On the other hand if we allow the govt.(The public sector) do it alone,political interferance coupled with massive corruption would also weaken the system.Economic systems works differently in different countries,so don't compare the Nigerian economy to that of America.In my own opinion sustainable development can only be achieved when the activities of both the public and private sectors are properly guided,and this brings us back to the usual problems we face in all sectors of the country which includes:
Transparency
Accountability
Political interferance
And we know the rest.

Yeah this will be interesting. I remember vividly the case in Cross-River. Durinng the tail end of Duke's tenure this debate surfaced. He was accused of building this and building that while the people remained in penury and we who were witnesses then coined a phrase for Calabar - 'a place where the streets are London and the compounds are Lagos' and it was true because you could drive through some parts where half a street will be lined with mud buildings but the quality of infrastructure - roads, drains, water, transformers, etc were class. Obviously having lived in Lagos, Port, Aba, and Uyo during Victor Attah's tenure this was not the case. Compounds were always better than streets. You will see mansions, duplexes with limousines and heavy jeeps wading through lakes and craters to get to their garages.

I think the question of development has to do with what a 'peoples' ascribe as their core values and in Nigeria this is where we have serious problems. The avarage Nigerian doesn't know what living the good life means and he has no idea whatsoever of the path to get there.

A bigger problem however I've come to notice lately going back to the Calabar example is that we donot have unified values, unified ideologies, a unified definition so its like a group of people not knowing where they are going and worse fighting each other to take charge of the trip before agreeing a direction.

Interesting debate. Continue.

Having access to ur basic needs and also a condusive environment to live. When the roads, schs, hospitals etc are available, it can also be classified as development

Afam4eva: [size=14pt]I’ve been thinking of what the universal definition of development is and have tried to juxtapose it with the definition of development to the average Nigeria and there seems to be some disparity. In other parts of the world, development is often used to describe a general appreciation of infrastructure and the people who use the infrastructure but here in Nigeria, the former seems to be the most accepted definition. Could we be getting all wrong in our quest to develop our country?

Just to expatiate on this topic, I’ve noticed that governors who are termed to be working are those who have erected gargantuan structures that are evident to the eye of the citizenry. Meaning, if the governor of Ebonyi state can erect the tallest building in Nigeria today, he will win many awards and be praised by Nigerians yet this skyscraper will have no direct positive consequence on the average Ebonyi resident.

On the other hand, if a government decides to spend money on different forms of education (not necessarily by building MEGA schools) which will develop the mindset of the average citizenry, as long as there’s no quick physical evidence of this, the governor is not termed to be working.

Are we not getting our priorities wrong? Cos it seems what the governors are doing is urbanization rather than development. If you go to Akwa Ibom state for example, despite the fact that the governor is praised for building gigantic structures, the average citizen of that state is poor and cannot relate with what is available in that state
[/size]

Don't be silly.

DEVELOPMENT IS THE STYLE OF BUILDING OR MAKING BETTER.

NOTHING BUT INFRASTRUCTURE IS IMPORTANT.INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALL I CARE ABOUT.THATS DEVELOPMENT.

A HUGE CONSTRUCTION BOOM WILL DO GOOD FOR NIGERIA.

anulaxad:

Don't be silly.

DEVELOPMENT IS THE STYLE OF BUILDING OR MAKING BETTER.

NOTHING BUT INFRASTRUCTURE IS IMPORTANT.INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALL I CARE ABOUT.THATS DEVELOPMENT.

A HUGE CONSTRUCTION BOOM WILL DO GOOD FOR NIGERIA.

See what I mean. This is one big obstacle we have, divergent interpretations. How do you get to where you can't agree to.

Going back to the Cross-river example one thing you'd often hear is that Duke spent so heavily on infrastructure and not much on 'human capacity development' aka pressing cash into hands. I remember even the debate on nairaland where I supported the 'creation of conducive investment environment' through the provision of infrastructure and legislation but Crossriverians replied that they can dance and sing along with the carnival but they can't even 'afford' to get to Tinapa thoughtless of buying stuff there.

Another thing. I once googled 'the single largest employers of labour in the world'. Guess what. Two of the top three organizations were American government parastatals. And this is the bastion of capitalism. Food for thought.

development is having good access roads
[img]http://3.bp..com/_WqbIUtQ2ZMo/S8aOWbdtWTI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/T10usHBgs38/s1600/P1000269.JPG[/img]

Development should be focused on human beings. Not necessarily about high rise buildings. Any development that is not sustainable is not good development. For example, a road is built but due to lack of maintenance the road gets worse than it used to be before it was 'upgraded'. That development did not need to take place in the first place. The bulk of what is taking place in Nigeria is not economically and socially sustainable. They are not development.

anulaxad:

Don't be silly.

DEVELOPMENT IS THE STYLE OF BUILDING OR MAKING BETTER.

NOTHING BUT INFRASTRUCTURE IS IMPORTANT.INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALL I CARE ABOUT.THATS DEVELOPMENT.

A HUGE CONSTRUCTION BOOM WILL DO GOOD FOR NIGERIA.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IS BETTER THAN INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT. IT IS THE DEVELOPED HUMANS THAT WOULD DEVELOP THE INFRASTRUCTURES.

sandrapower: development is having good access roads...

What about the cars to drive on them. In Abuja city centre I can name two streets that have full infrastructure - roads, walkways, drains, sewage, transformers, streetlights and cool houses with to let signs hanging on them without one single tenant. If it was in the country side those roads will be used to dry maize and pepper.

This thread is really making my morning. All the comments are very relative and it's stylishly turning into a debate. Development is a complex issue, with many different and sometimes contentious definitions based on mentality, reasoning, terrain and so on.

Development can be defined as :

- A specified state of growth or advancement.

- The systematic use of scientific and technical knowledge to meet specific objectives or requirements.

- An extension of the theoretical or practical aspects of a concept, design, discovery, or invention.

- The process of economic and social transformation that is based on complex cultural and environmental factors and their interactions.

- The process of adding improvements to a parcel of land, such as grading, subdivisions, drainage, access, roads, utilities.

So,I agree with you all on what you presented so far. It feels good to know that all Nairalanders are nt home-based,by that,Foreign-based Nairalanders get to tell us practically what development is seen to be where they are.

Development simply means a good justice system in a society

Development is if Seun Osewa adds "delete profile" on Nairaland.

Develpoment consists of massive structural transformation,change in the pattern of production from crude to modern techniques,and the most important aspect is the use of modern day technology to achieve all the required transformations.A nation can be developed but the standard of living of her citizens would still remain low.So yes! the govt. at all levels can bring about developement without actually adressing the living conditions of her citizens,that's another topic for another day.

Development is transforming a negative film from analogue camera to a close semblance of pictured object. It is fast becoming an archaic term no thanks to the advent and mass production of digital camera

Appliedmaths.:
Develpoment consists of massive structural transformation,change in the pattern of production from crude to modern techniques,and the most important aspect is the use of modern day technology to achieve all the required transformations.A nation can be developed but the standard of living of her citizens would still remain low.So yes! the govt. at all levels can bring about developement without actually adressing the living conditions of her citizens,that's another topic for another day.

This your username reminds me of my days as engineering student. Applied maths no dey make man laugh o...
Besides,you have a good comment!

OP is right.
Development is mostly about providing the enabling environment for citizens to achieve their aspirations. That encompasses the basics: access to food, good shelter, clothing, medical care, education, power, roads/transportation, and jobs/economic empowerment.

Once all of that can be guaranteed for the citizens, the skyscrapers can come

waleadex:

This your username reminds me of my days as engineering student. Applied maths no dey make man laugh o...
Besides,you have a good comment!

Hehehehe! Oboy! I am a maths economists oooo! Na disguise I dey oooo.

AjanleKoko: OP is right.
Development is mostly about providing the enabling environment for citizens to achieve their aspirations. That encompasses the basics: access to food, good shelter, clothing, medical care, education, power, roads/transportation, and jobs/economic empowerment.

Once all of that can be guaranteed for the citizens, the skyscrapers can come

But Duke went a long way in this direction but some of the people said bull. We want cash in our pockets. I've said it severally. I believe acts more than words. Nigerians act what they mean. They want buildings without water, limousines without roads and private jets withoiut airports or radar coverage. This is what I see happening. All else is theory. I don't know of any Nigeria that correlates his persona with the state if the nation. We essentially live a lie.

Reference:

But Duke went a long way in this direction but some of the people said bull. We want cash in our pockets. I've said it severally. I believe acts more than words. Nigerians act what they mean. They want buildings without water, limousines without roads and private jets withoiut airports or radar coverage. This is what I see happening. All else is theory. I don't know of any Nigeria that correlates his persona with the state if the nation. We essentially live a lie.

I don't think it's fair to generalize and say all Nigerians want cash in our pockets.
Many Nigerians, particularly the illiterate country folk, just want a few of those things I listed, and nothing more. The acts of a few greedy noisemakers can't determine the true mood of the nation.

And I am not so sure that Duke went a long way in that direction. I don't see how Tinapa or the Calabar carnival has contributed much towards food, shelter, clothing, etc., for Cross Rivers State dwellers.

before i answer your question,are you seriously picking on akwa ibom state governor? do you know what the 'urbanization' has done for akwa ibomites? it has changed their midset,which before now bothered on inferiority. now we feel equal to other states. apart from that,tourism (everyone now wants to go to akwa ibom) has increased and this has improved the economy of the state. its no longer just 'a civil service state'. i agree that poverty is still a major issue in the state but speaking as an indigene(born and bred in akwa ibom), id say that is changing slowly.abi,do you want him to start sharing money to everyone before you term what is happening in akwa ibom as 'developement'? if you knew what was obtainable in akwa ibom before now,you would know that what is happening in akwa ibom is not urbanization but its developement.

Didi_8: Development should be focused on human beings. Not necessarily about high rise buildings. Any development that is not sustainable is not good development. For example, a road is built but due to lack of maintenance the road gets worse than it used to be before it was 'upgraded'. That development did not need to take place in the first place. The bulk of what is taking place in Nigeria is not economically and socially sustainable. They are not development.

But there is a consensus that there are two things holding back Nigeria's development - the works and the will aptly represented by infrastructure and legislation. And there is a precedent. America bought its way out of the great depression by government's massive investment in infrastructure. It created jobs and stimulated the economy. Other recessions were handled by the private sector but when things get really bad governments alone can handle them by massive investments. Obama did it.

Anyway I agree with you that infrastructure is not the silver bullet. I mean what did we not hear when the telecom sector was going private. "We will witness massive influx of investors", "we will attain this target and that", "Nigeria is on the path to development". Well today after more than a decade it doesn't feel that way so the optimists have jumped on the next train saying, "don't worry, just fix power and its eldorado". Something doesn't sound right with that because to me if snappy telecoms just makes it easier for me to browse porn and chat up hookers, round the clock electricity means round the clock DSTV and super roads means obesity then what?

Debate continues.

AjanleKoko:

I don't think it's fair to generalize and say all Nigerians want cash in our pockets.
Many Nigerians, particularly the illiterate country folk, just want a few of those things I listed, and nothing more. The acts of a few greedy noisemakers can't determine the true mood of the nation.

And I am not so sure that Duke went a long way in that direction. I don't see how Tinapa or the Calabar carnival has contributed much towards food, shelter, clothing, etc., for Cross Rivers State dwellers.

That's what am saying. Some Crossriverians then felt that way. When Liyel was coming in the cry was loud and clear. We want stuff for us. It is also mistaken to believe the average villages gives a hoot about an airport in town. So how do you react to that if it crushes your budget for years.

Reference:

That's what am saying. Some Crossriverians then felt that way. When Liyel was coming in the cry was loud and clear. We want stuff for us. It is also mistaken to believe the average villages gives a hoot about an airport in town. So how do you react to that if it crushes your budget for years.

Well, Amaechi did a lot of good work with schools and hospitals, which I like.
He also decided to spoil it by getting himself an executive jet

Fashola, in my view is still the most balanced. I have seen a lot of good work all over Lagos, even in the most neglected places. Quite impressive. He's also done very well with the general hospitals, which is very important for grassroots. Where he has not done much is in the area of education, as it seems that ministry has been used to gratify political interests.

AjanleKoko:

Well, Amaechi did a lot of good work with schools and hospitals, which I like.
He also decided to spoil it by getting himself an executive jet

Fashola, in my view is still the most balanced. I have seen a lot of good work all over Lagos, even in the most neglected places. Quite impressive. He's also done very well with the general hospitals, which is very important for grassroots. Where he has not done much is in the area of education, as it seems that ministry has been used to gratify political interests.

If that's all government does then who is responsible for taking us from 1 or is it 2 dollars a day to 3 dollars a day. How do we get there.

The lady above hails the infrastructure in Akwa-Ibom. That's fine until the excuse for grinding poverty. What is wrong with stimulus, cash in hand. Developed countries do it by tax breaks, coupons, subsidies. Obama did it - cheap cars, the EU does it. 25 percent of its budget, a mountain of cash goes to keeping its farmers merry who contribute only 5 percent of GDP. What does the AKSG subsidize that is visible, measurable and tangible.

AjanleKoko:

Well, Amaechi did a lot of good work with schools and hospitals, which I like.
He also decided to spoil it by getting himself an executive jet

Fashola, in my view is still the most balanced. I have seen a lot of good work all over Lagos, even in the most neglected places. Quite impressive. He's also done very well with the general hospitals, which is very important for grassroots. Where he has not done much is in the area of education, as it seems that ministry has been used to gratify political interests.

I've always been of the opinion that Fashola ranks one of the worst in terms of people oriented projects. His projects are not meant to change lives but to give impressions that are not a true representation of the residents of Lagos.

Like you said, Amaechi did well in education even though he spent more on the structures and little on the human resource. Our leaders have to start learning how to strike a balance.

Reference:

If that's all government does then who is responsible for taking us from 1 or is it 2 dollars a day to 3 dollars a day. How do we get there.

The lady above hails the infrastructure in Akwa-Ibom. That's fine until the excuse for grinding poverty. What is wrong with stimulus, cash in hand. Developed countries do it by tax breaks, coupons, subsidies. Obama did it - cheap cars, the EU does it. 25 percent of its budget, a mountain of cash goes to keeping its farmers merry who contribute only 5 percent of GDP. What does the AKSG subsidize that is visible, measurable and tangible.

We may not be able to achieve that in Nigeria, due to a number of factors. High cost of infrastructure development, mismanagement, corruption, and accountability. Even pension money is stolen in Nigeria.

Though some governments have tried. When the fuel subsidy was removed in January 2012, Lagos State actually made an adjustment in PAYE as a means of cushioning the effect of the fuel increase. Small, but at least it means someone is thinking about development. By and large we will get there.

AjanleKoko:

We may not be able to achieve that in Nigeria, due to a number of factors. High cost of infrastructure development, mismanagement, corruption, and accountability. Even pension money is stolen in Nigeria.

Though some governments have tried. When the fuel subsidy was removed in January 2012, Lagos State actually made an adjustment in PAYE as a means of cushioning the effect of the fuel increase. Small, but at least it means someone is thinking about development. By and large we will get there.

So if you were elected a governor today what will you do with a limited purse and massive holes to fill. Do you go out to lift the people, their suroundings or a bit of both.

Appliedmaths.:
Both the private and public sectors have their own quarter to contribute in the process of development.There are adverse advantages and dis-advantages to this process.Some economists believed in privitization(the transfer of public enterprise either partially or wholly to private hands) while others believed in government serving as the key element in the process of delivering development.But in my own opinion,it should be a mixed system that is the mixture of both private and public hands.
If we allow the private sector do it alone,knowing very well that they hav a lot of forigen experts as their top agents this would lead to a leakage whereby earnings of these forigeners would be transported back to their country leaving us with infrastructure and little or no money in circulation.On the other hand if we allow the govt.(The public sector) do it alone,political interferance coupled with massive corruption would also weaken the system.Economic systems works differently in different countries,so don't compare the Nigerian economy to that of America.In my own opinion sustainable development can only be achieved when the activities of both the public and private sectors are properly guided,and this brings us back to the usual problems we face in all sectors of the country which includes:
Transparency
Accountability
Political interferance
And we know the rest.

I totally agree with this......a lot of people mistake economic growth for economic development.while economic growth can be said to be increase in GDP/GNP,economic development is more encompassing.there can be economic growth without development.economic development can be defined as economic growth PLUS improvement in other spheres and sectors of the economy like healthcare,eduaction,power,etc.in otherwords,it cannot be said that there is economic development if there is no reflection of d impact of economic growth on d lives of d citizenry of a given nation.if d skyscrappers cannot directly or indirectly positively affect the lives of d individuals then there's no point!how does building d most exquisite government house affect d per capita income of d citizens?what's d point of building schools everywhere when teachers aren't properly motivated?what's d point of building hospitals without providing medical equipment needed to save lives?do the doctors have pre-requisite training and man-power needed to use the machines?the government knows this,and that's why they cannot trust our health care sector with their lives.they'd rather go abroad for medical check-ups than use our hospitals and they'd rather send their kids to school abroad than use our schools.