Visited Lagos recently after staying away for over a year. Used to live there, packed up and left when it suddenly became too noisy, chaos everywhere. A new pair of eyes and I finally see it for what it really is. One thing is for sure, Lagos is not as fast as it thinks itself to be. The residents are fast, upwordly mobile, ambition drives them in order to escape the chaos, but they don't. Chaos all around them so the buy bigger cars to navigate the unsightly side streets, bigger generators to provide electricity, poisoning the air and causing noise pollution. Expensive houses in gated estates for security reasons. Once they leave their houses, all bets are off. It is essential to be vigilant in Lagos as there are always those just waitinng to relieve innocent people of either their lives or their cash.

One thing struck me, Fashola constructed quite an impressive road, bridges and toll gates. I also noticed new hotels, and so forth. I drove past this impressive restaurant on Victoria Island, right opposite was a ramshackle. Saka Tinubu is an eyesore. Suruulere has Cinema, shop rite and reconstruction of Adeniran Ogunsanya and Bode Thomas. Taking a trip to the side streets, nothing has changed.

There are many things wronng with this country and Lagos is a great representation of the state of our affairs here. Window dressing being touted as progress in an over populated city. Why are there so many vehicles, it astounds me. Isn't it time they all got on a bus, a train, ferry maybe?

Everyday they wake up and go through traffic everydAy. Got so used to chaos, they can't imagine any other kind of life. Some measure of success ensure you are stuck in traffic in a very comfortable car, meanwhile time is awasting. Seeing how industrious Lagosians are, imagine how much more innovative they would become if only they had more time, more electricity, if they had a good measure of safety.

We always blame the government, but isn't it high time citizens took more responsibility? Why not tar the side streets leading to your home. A collective effort can go a long way. What about coporate social responsibility, shop rite is making a killing in surulere,how are they giving back to the community that is making some guys in South Africa shit loads of money.

Lagos is two faced, there is not clear boundary between the rich and poor, every where you go, both classes share the same location. Maybe not in equal percentages but they co exist. So wHat happens when the poor are constantly observing wealth, they want to take a part of t by force. In Lagos, everyone is taking, very few are giving. The environment became so unbearable, some people will do anything to cope. The thing is every single person suffers some hardship that does not discriminate.

I cannot begin to offer solutions, all I can say is Lagosians, look around you. Do you like what you see? Is your home a castle, do you drive the most exotic cars and your driver, maid and gateman cannot afford to send his children to school? Do you empower any young person? Do you help people in distress. Do you drive by your pot holed street in your german machine, when to make the road vehicle friendly requires simply sitting down with the neighbourhood to fix the problem.

Isn't all man for himself short sghted when you do not realise it is especially in your interest to lift up those around you. Dem say Lagos no go spoil but e don spoil since, the perfume cannot mask the stench that greets visitors when they arrive. I keep asking " how can people live like this" the answer I get is that they are waiting on God, even Fashola.

The government might be responsible for a good number of things but Lagosians are understimating their resourcefulness. Life is tough enough as it is without adding unnecessary inconvenience. E don spoil, na una spoil am, but na una go still fit fix am. Do what you can to contribute positively to your environment and those not as fortunate as you.

FASH is working Lasgidi is growing

The problem with Lagos ?
Lagos is overpopulated and more keep coming.
The question is
From where and why considering that the state's revenue/head is smaller than most of the states.

oduastates: The problem with Lagos ?
Lagos is overpopulated and more keep coming.
The question is
From where and why considering that the state's revenue/head is smaller than most of the states.

they are coming from neighboring yorubaland

Evergreen123:

they are coming from neighboring yorubaland

U dey mind am?

This is going to be interesting. I see some people suggesting deportation of "non indigenes" again and this thread turning to a tribal war fest between yorubas and ibos . I also see a lot of posts being hidden by the mods..... Grabbing my stool and a bowl of chin chin

You wont see how highly over hyped Lagos is until you open your eyes.

Watch this hit front page and start a tribal war...

FASHOLA NEED TO CARRY OUT THE SECOND DEPORTATION. THE Igbos NEED TO GO BACK TO THEIR EROSION/LANDLOCKED REGION.

#CAN ANYTHING GOOD COMES OUT FROM THAT LEAST REGION?

Op is on point, most part of lagos (accept lagos island) are all into facade beatification, you tend to see shit when you move into the interior of most of these areas. Even places like obalende and isale eko etc on lagos island are shanties.

I totally agree with you. One of the quickest solution to the Problem in Lagos is the issue of non governmental responsibility. Citizens should begin to take responsibility for thier neigbourhoods and not just thier houses alone. We should start collaboratiing and utilizing collective efforts to create better living spaces for ourselves.

For instance in Lekki, the average land price(600sqm) in non-choice areas(around chevron) is in the region of 20-30 million. Most of the roads in these areas are untarred, have no streetlights or drainages and other basic amenities. Now, on a 1KM stretch of road you have about 100 plots of land. The average cost of building a street road complete with drainages, streetlights, road signs et al varies between N50m-N100m per km.
That means that if each plot of land pays out an infrastructure fee of 10% which equates to 2-3 million Naira each, they would have 200-300 million Naira to play with per km of road which is enough to build out beautiful roads & drainages, solar streetlights and send our unsightly electric cables underground as well as landscape our environs. We would even have enough change to create a few parks and gardens here and there, as well as place security cameras with a control unit.

But despite this possibilities, we would rather spend even more millions paying rubbish fees to our landlords as 10% agency and 10% legal fees which is 20%. Kind of very pathetic how we fail to see the power of collaboration and the attendant synergies that would result.

I WONDER WHY Igbos CAN'T STAY IN THEIR REGION

PapaBrowne: I totally agree with you. One of the quickest solution to the Problem in Lagos is the issue of non governmental responsibility. Citizens should begin to take responsibility for thier neigbourhoods and not just thier houses alone. We should start collaboratiing and utilizing collective efforts to create better living spaces for ourselves.

For instance in Lekki, the average land price(600sqm) in non-choice areas(around chevron) is in the region of 20-30 million. Most of the roads in these areas are untarred, have no streetlights or drainages and other basic amenities. Now, on a 1KM stretch of road you have about 100 plots of land. The average cost of building a street road complete with drainages, streetlights, road signs et al varies between N50m-N100m per km.
That means that if each plot of land pays out an infrastructure fee of 10% which equates to 2-3 million Naira each, they would have 200-300 million Naira to play with per km of road which is enough to build out beautiful roads & drainages, solar streetlights and send our unsightly electric cables underground as well as landscape our environs. We would even have enough change to create a few parks and gardens here and there, as well as place security cameras with a control unit.

But despite this possibilities, we would rather spend even more millions paying rubbish fees to our landlords as 10% agency and 10% legal fees which is 20%. Kind of very pathetic how we fail to see the power of collaboration and the attendant synergies that would result.

Great post, man. That's the way we should be thinking, rather than waiting for one messiah to solve all our problems.

Lagos is a an humanitarian crisis, virtually every problem of d state can be linked to overpopulation combined with chronic corruption plaguing the entire country

I have always thought living in Nigeria is a bit of a false economy. As far as the eye can see,development is still far from touching the common man.

From inadequate transportation links to poor health care. Most Nigerians are yet to see a comparable developed area to use as a benchmark, hence they are unable to notice just how little development has come their way.

I've seen Banana Island videos a few times, sans the mansions I have been left coloured unimpressed with the unkept nature of this supposed Billionaire enclave. Shabby roads, puddles of water and overgrown bushes.

PapaBrowne: I totally agree with you. One of the quickest solution to the Problem in Lagos is the issue of non governmental responsibility. Citizens should begin to take responsibility for thier neigbourhoods and not just thier houses alone. We should start collaboratiing and utilizing collective efforts to create better living spaces for ourselves.

For instance in Lekki, the average land price(600sqm) in non-choice areas(around chevron) is in the region of 20-30 million. Most of the roads in these areas are untarred, have no streetlights or drainages and other basic amenities. Now, on a 1KM stretch of road you have about 100 plots of land. The average cost of building a street road complete with drainages, streetlights, road signs et al varies between N50m-N100m per km.
That means that if each plot of land pays out an infrastructure fee of 10% which equates to 2-3 million Naira each, they would have 200-300 million Naira to play with per km of road which is enough to build out beautiful roads & drainages, solar streetlights and send our unsightly electric cables underground as well as landscape our environs. We would even have enough change to create a few parks and gardens here and there, as well as place security cameras with a control unit.

But despite this possibilities, we would rather spend even more millions paying rubbish fees to our landlords as 10% agency and 10% legal fees which is 20%. Kind of very pathetic how we fail to see the power of collaboration and the attendant synergies that would result.

then the govt shd stop collecting taxes, so that ppl will take over govtal functions

PapaBrowne: I totally agree with you. One of the quickest solution to the Problem in Lagos is the issue of non governmental responsibility. Citizens should begin to take responsibility for thier neigbourhoods and not just thier houses alone. We should start collaboratiing and utilizing collective efforts to create better living spaces for ourselves.

For instance in Lekki, the average land price(600sqm) in non-choice areas(around chevron) is in the region of 20-30 million. Most of the roads in these areas are untarred, have no streetlights or drainages and other basic amenities. Now, on a 1KM stretch of road you have about 100 plots of land. The average cost of building a street road complete with drainages, streetlights, road signs et al varies between N50m-N100m per km.
That means that if each plot of land pays out an infrastructure fee of 10% which equates to 2-3 million Naira each, they would have 200-300 million Naira to play with per km of road which is enough to build out beautiful roads & drainages, solar streetlights and send our unsightly electric cables underground as well as landscape our environs. We would even have enough change to create a few parks and gardens here and there, as well as place security cameras with a control unit.

But despite this possibilities, we would rather spend even more millions paying rubbish fees to our landlords as 10% agency and 10% legal fees which is 20%. Kind of very pathetic how we fail to see the power of collaboration and the attendant synergies that would result.

your head is correct. You saw the koko of what op is talking about but tribal war lords are busy displaying their illiteracy

PapaBrowne: I totally agree with you. One of the quickest solution to the Problem in Lagos is the issue of non governmental responsibility. Citizens should begin to take responsibility for thier neigbourhoods and not just thier houses alone. We should start collaboratiing and utilizing collective efforts to create better living spaces for ourselves.

For instance in Lekki, the average land price(600sqm) in non-choice areas(around chevron) is in the region of 20-30 million. Most of the roads in these areas are untarred, have no streetlights or drainages and other basic amenities. Now, on a 1KM stretch of road you have about 100 plots of land. The average cost of building a street road complete with drainages, streetlights, road signs et al varies between N50m-N100m per km.
That means that if each plot of land pays out an infrastructure fee of 10% which equates to 2-3 million Naira each, they would have 200-300 million Naira to play with per km of road which is enough to build out beautiful roads & drainages, solar streetlights and send our unsightly electric cables underground as well as landscape our environs. We would even have enough change to create a few parks and gardens here and there, as well as place security cameras with a control unit.

But despite this possibilities, we would rather spend even more millions paying rubbish fees to our landlords as 10% agency and 10% legal fees which is 20%. Kind of very pathetic how we fail to see the power of collaboration and the attendant synergies that would result.

So what then is the responsibility of the Government?

I don't like these suggestions saying everybody should tar their own roads, that is all that is left for every community becoming its own government.

So in addition to providing:

-Our own Lights
-Our own Water
-Our own Security

we are saying we need to tar our roads as well, haba!

Government in Nigeria is really a terrible, terrible failure.

PapaBrowne: I totally agree with you. One of the quickest solution to the Problem in Lagos is the issue of non governmental responsibility. Citizens should begin to take responsibility for thier neigbourhoods and not just thier houses alone. We should start collaboratiing and utilizing collective efforts to create better living spaces for ourselves.

For instance in Lekki, the average land price(600sqm) in non-choice areas(around chevron) is in the region of 20-30 million. Most of the roads in these areas are untarred, have no streetlights or drainages and other basic amenities. Now, on a 1KM stretch of road you have about 100 plots of land. The average cost of building a street road complete with drainages, streetlights, road signs et al varies between N50m-N100m per km.
That means that if each plot of land pays out an infrastructure fee of 10% which equates to 2-3 million Naira each, they would have 200-300 million Naira to play with per km of road which is enough to build out beautiful roads & drainages, solar streetlights and send our unsightly electric cables underground as well as landscape our environs. We would even have enough change to create a few parks and gardens here and there, as well as place security cameras with a control unit.

But despite this possibilities, we would rather spend even more millions paying rubbish fees to our landlords as 10% agency and 10% legal fees which is 20%. Kind of very pathetic how we fail to see the power of collaboration and the attendant synergies that would result.

Its a leadership problem, there must be someone to arrange people in a way to perform all that function. Generally speaking though, Nigerians are greedy, selfish and shortsighted and not to talk, wicked too.

Well written article.
It simply shows that Tinubu and successor Fashola under APC have failed Lagosians.

UchihaMadara:

So what then is the responsibility of the Government?

I don't like these suggestions saying everybody should tar their own roads, that is all that is left for every community becoming its own government.

So in addition to providing:

-Our own Lights
-Our own Water
-Our own Security

we are saying we need to tar our roads as well, haba!

Government in Nigeria is really a terrible, terrible failure.

we're already our own government. Nothing new there

1. Lagos is what it is and so it shall remain till there are credible governance and socio economic changes are effected at the federal level and other states in Nigeria.

2. Lagos is basically bearing the burden from failures at the federal level and poor economic conditions in other states.

3. Regardless of Fashola's efforts, it's absolutely impossible for the Lagos state government to keep infrastructural pace with the ever increasing and over population especially after decades of rot and neglect.

4. We'll see meaningful changes once the metro rail, eko water ferry and cable car system transpires, but over population and lack of resources to keep up remains insurmountable since you need more and more money for schools, roads, bridges, water, civil service, vendor and utility payments and other social services.

In Lagos, you are not meant to live ur life, you are forced to live the Lagos life

Evergreen123:

they are coming from neighboring yorubaland

with claw face

PapaBrowne: I totally agree with you. One of the quickest solution to the Problem in Lagos is the issue of non governmental responsibility. Citizens should begin to take responsibility for thier neigbourhoods and not just thier houses alone. We should start collaboratiing and utilizing collective efforts to create better living spaces for ourselves.

For instance in Lekki, the average land price(600sqm) in non-choice areas(around chevron) is in the region of 20-30 million. Most of the roads in these areas are untarred, have no streetlights or drainages and other basic amenities. Now, on a 1KM stretch of road you have about 100 plots of land. The average cost of building a street road complete with drainages, streetlights, road signs et al varies between N50m-N100m per km.
That means that if each plot of land pays out an infrastructure fee of 10% which equates to 2-3 million Naira each, they would have 200-300 million Naira to play with per km of road which is enough to build out beautiful roads & drainages, solar streetlights and send our unsightly electric cables underground as well as landscape our environs. We would even have enough change to create a few parks and gardens here and there, as well as place security cameras with a control unit.

But despite this possibilities, we would rather spend even more millions paying rubbish fees to our landlords as 10% agency and 10% legal fees which is 20%. Kind of very pathetic how we fail to see the power of collaboration and the attendant synergies that would result.

This approach is elitist and is relevant to a tiny or even insignificant proportion of the ELECTORATE> Most Nigerians or lagosians are tenants and struggle to pay their rent. There is nothing wrong with rich people building their own roads if they so chose but that is not a solution to the problems of Lagos or Nigeria.There is more to Lagos than Lekki and there is no getting aroun the fact that government has a role and purpose

PapaBrowne: I totally agree with you. One of the quickest solution to the Problem in Lagos is the issue of non governmental responsibility. Citizens should begin to take responsibility for thier neigbourhoods and not just thier houses alone. We should start collaboratiing and utilizing collective efforts to create better living spaces for ourselves.
For instance in Lekki, the average land price(600sqm) in non-choice areas(around chevron) is in the region of 20-30 million. Most of the roads in these areas are untarred, have no streetlights or drainages and other basic amenities. Now, on a 1KM stretch of road you have about 100 plots of land. The average cost of building a street road complete with drainages, streetlights, road signs et al varies between N50m-N100m per km.
That means that if each plot of land pays out an infrastructure fee of 10% which equates to 2-3 million Naira each, they would have 200-300 million Naira to play with per km of road which is enough to build out beautiful roads & drainages, solar streetlights and send our unsightly electric cables underground as well as landscape our environs. We would even have enough change to create a few parks and gardens here and there, as well as place security cameras with a control unit.
But despite this possibilities, we would rather spend even more millions paying rubbish fees to our landlords as 10% agency and 10% legal fees which is 20%. Kind of very pathetic how we fail to see the power of collaboration and the attendant synergies that would result.

You do realise that when you buy a plot of land in lagos (Dnt know about other areas) but government allocated land you pay capital contribution which is the bulk of the money paid for the land. That is wht the money is meant for, but no they wouldnt use the money for such purpose. Plus i feel its high time we started paying capital gains tax in that country especially lagos where you see people that have 5 or 10 houses. Pay tax on the income generated from those houses which can then be used for local development.

Then again if out local governments function properly this should be their work, if the owners of every building with occupants in them pay a little contributions to the local government every year, this monies can be used to fund things like, waste collection, road maintenance in the local governments, provide street lights on side walks and local road etc, the state government too cannot do everything

Issues like these makes me want to go into politics. Who are the next generation of lawmakers? Its us. I'm not a bleeding heart and the kinds of things some People do to weild power is unpalatable to me. However we can't all just sit by and allow incompetent people make decisions that affect us on so many levels.

I also agree that in a way we have been governing ourselves for a long time, still its hard to make changes when your hands are tied by those unwilling to lift a finger to do what they were elected to do in the fiirst place.

Its so obvious what the problem is as far as Lagos is concerned. Its not rocket science yet these problems go unsolved. Time will tell I guess, what's gonna come out of the railway and ferry project. In the meantime, even if you are completely uninterested in doing something for your country, do it for yourself. I often wonder if its a case of Lagosians not noticing the horrid conditions or have they become masochists by embracing it.

talktimi: This is going to be interesting. I see some people suggesting deportation of "non indigenes" again and this thread turning to a tribal war fest between yorubas and ibos . I also see a lot of posts being hidden by the mods..... Grabbing my stool and a bowl of chin chin

Make I add pop corn join the chin chin as I follow you sit down they watch...

Oya our nairaland tribal warriors from the South west and the East over to you make una come entertain us as usual....

fitzmayowa:


Make I add pop corn join the chin chin as I follow you sit down they watch...

Oya our nairaland tribal warriors from the South west and the East over to you make una come entertain us as usual....

you carry 3d glasses come ? My own don lost