Kairoseki77:

What happened?

From the mid 1990s onwards, Obalende had become an eyesore. Commercial buses park anywhere they feel like parking, obstructing traffic and causing confusion. CD and cassette sellers blast loud music from giant loudspeakers. Companies and individuals pour water on the street to the extent that there's dirty and stinking water everywhere, even during the dry season. Hawkers block the side of the street, obstructing pedestrians (there were no pedestrian walkways) and they even encroach on the street, obstructing the flow of traffic. There were potholes on the streets that were probably partly caused by the awful dirty water that was on the road even during the dry season. Area boys often molested people and dispossessed them of their belongings in the early mornings and late at night.

Well, the Lagos State Government moved into the area about a year ago and started changing things. A new bus park was built for danfo buses and bus drivers that park on the street, outside the bus park are made to pay a hefty fine. The old LSTC terminus has been renovated and is now a BRT terminus. The traders at Obalende saw what happened at Oshodi and appealed to the governor that he shouldn't arrest them because they are now ready to comply with environmental laws (there's a video of that somewhere on Youtube). The government has not stopped them from carrying out their business, but they've been told that they must stay beyond the sidewalk. Anyone that strays onto the sidewalk or the road, will have his goods confiscated and he would be arrested. The roads are being reconstructed, there's now a raised pedestrian walkway/sidewalk and the drainages are also being reconstructed. The roundabout is being beautified (a garden has been planted there and gardens are springing up in different parts of the bus stop). Men of the task force (mobile police, kai and civil defence) are permanently stationed at the roundabout, so the place is safer. Huge lights have been set up at the new bus park, the BRT terminus and other parts of Obalende. The street lights now work.

And then there's the MacGregor Canal! I'm going to show you pics of that canal from the 1950s, 2008, 2009 and 2013.

^i agree, Obalende is now so cool. Dem try.
There are road repairs and drainage construction going on in Sinari VI, that's cool too.

Fash dey try.

McGregor Canal.

The McGregor Canal was dug by governor William McGregor. McGregor was a medical doctor who improved sanitary conditions in Lagos. The canal divided the island into Lagos Island and Ikoyi Island.

It was substantially filled in when the 3rd Mainland Bridge/Ring Road was being constructed in the 1970s

McGregor Canal runs from Lagos Lagoon, past Dolphin Estate, through Obalende, under Awolowo Road and empties into Five Cowrie Creek.

In the 1990s MacGregor Canal was turned into an eyesore. Mechanics set up their workshops right beside the canal and they often dumped tyres and used engine oil directly into the canal. Many Lagosians used the canal as a waste dump, throwing piles and piles of garbage directly into the canal. This was one of the causes of flooding in Obalende and South West Ikoyi. Someone even built a church right across the canal (near the Dolphin end of the canal).

In 2008 the government moved in to try and clear the canal. The chuurch was demolished (some said that this was done because Fashola is a muslim who hates christians. I wonder whether there's anything in christianity that encourages people to disobey laws, obstruct canals, cause flooding and inconvenience your neighbour). In 2010 the government erecting a wire mesh fence around the canal, to keep out unwanted people (mechanics, etc) and prevent people from dumping garbage in the canal. The canal was dredged and the tyres, car parts and other garbage that had blocked the canal were removed. Now the government is planting a garden beside the canal.

McGregor Canal in the 1950s
www.nairaland.com/attachments/708145_MacGregor20Canal201950_jpg7f95567a855c289ff9bcc6fa6593ba4a

McGregor Canal in 2008
www.nairaland.com/attachments/708146_MacGregor20Canal20March202008_jpgd7131c39f7187f94ce42ea6a8580bd46

McGregor Canal in 2010
www.nairaland.com/attachments/708147_MacGregor20Canal202010_jpg81e28cde5ecaaee271e8f7a5719f04b8

McGregor Canal in 2013
[img]http://img1.nairaland.com/attachments/1116829_IMG01673-20130520-1301_jpga6cd37cfcf26e5845f27503e624d2768[/img]

[img]http://img1.nairaland.com/attachments/1116830_IMG01674-20130520-1301_jpgc1a17cc3ec5471edcbf3699629a21a45[/img]

[img]http://img1.nairaland.com/attachments/1116831_IMG01675-20130520-1301_jpg029a757f06faba730137deab3326e3f3[/img]

[img]http://img1.nairaland.com/attachments/1125671_IMG01676-20130526-1643_jpg92cf376dabdad728825d282d760eb64e[/img]

[img]http://img1.nairaland.com/attachments/1125672_IMG01677-20130526-1643_jpg36b1b50230b6bdf3a6a2ec8528c7fbc5[/img]

[img]http://img1.nairaland.com/attachments/1125673_IMG01678-20130526-1644_jpgf52b2a46797696c3b283fc2d01338c97[/img]

Very impressed....

.

With good, credible leader and will power, anything is possible...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nsjHz7WWP8

who are the i.diots abusing Fashola?

are they mad?

That's no suspension bridge joor. Like what d hell is it suspending? I Think the pillars would do a better job than the so called "suspension cables". Buh the governor tried tho but I don't know why some dumb ass Nigerians would mistake that stuff for a suspension bridge. U guys should do some research before reporting. Fashiola rocks tho

Nice!