City of cities; Akwa Ibom kingdom is ready to decogest

By Sam Omatseye

LAGOS may be the vertebral bone of the Nigerian economy. But, like a bone gone awry during a meal, it can get stuck in the throat. The question of how to make Lagos right for everyone was the subject of a webinar recently organised by the United States embassy.

The topic of discussion was transportation. Lagos is nothing if not its mobility. For all its residents, the story every morning is not whether to move, but how to move, who to move, who should move, who to move to, where to move, what to move, when to move. Sometimes the Lagosian would have to understand each of these options as an epicenter of all the other options.

It is weird jigsaw puzzle where if and how and when and who are equally and simultaneously important. So the resident would have little time thinking or else, the only thing that would move is a mind that is tossing around possibilities. The result is a whirligig of inaction. Much thinking, like studying, is the weariness of the flesh, apologies to Solomon. So, the Lagosian has to wake up and go.
The question is, when he goes, he stays. Sometimes in a rut. That is what we all call go-slow, a snail in perennial motion. The US picked an expert, Robin Hutcheson, to give the main talk, and Nigerians also were selected to talk, and they included a representative of the Lagos State Commissioner for transportation, Engineer Toriola, a traffic specialist Tola Odeyemi and Prof Innocent Ogwude, a former vice chancellor and also an expert.

What struck me was that the issue of transportation in Lagos was mostly addressed as transportation. But I could not but be impressed by the way each discussant displayed understanding of the technicalities of transportation. The number of cars, the inadequacy of roads, space management, budgetary bugbears, easing nodal knots, pot holes, et al. Hutcheson showed great knowledge of what we need for every city and they also apply to Lagos. Her focus on space management was on the money, except that all who move around for money think little about some of the fine points, like focusing on the bus as the target of mass transit. Other issues include sidewalks, bike lanes, trains, metro, bus, light rail, train and additional creative points to foster connectivity between buildings and facilities.


Professor Ogwude said the reason Lagos lost its reign as capital was partly because of the need to ease commuting. He called for smart traffic lights, road pricing to discourage car usage, taxing car parking, introduction of car-pooling, accelerating light rail system and more focus on water transportation, which is only one percent as yet. He added that long travel corridors like Orile to Apapa, and Apapa to Mainland can be circumvented with alternatives in ferry travels. He also observed that the work on Ibom Deep Sea port being pursued by Governor Udom Emmanuel in Akwa Ibom State and the Lekki Deep Sea Ports hold prospects for easing matters. He also called for subsidy.

The publisher of Business Day, Frank Aigbogun, set the stage for discussion because, as the organisers noted, his paper has been very fervent about transportation in the city. He told a story of a tragic incident that resulted from transportation snafu.
It is not an issue that should be taken slightly. The population grows daily, the pressure too. This may create a discontent that may not be Lagos’ alone to bear but the centre. If the centre cracks, the whole nation tumbles. This is hoping that the centre does not wait until it can no longer hold.

IN his novel, War in a Time of Cholera, Garcia Marquez understood that without human love, all other things collapse. No matter how light-hearted the Nobel Prize-winning author wanted his novel to read, it ended sadly because the couple in the story had romance without peace.

So peace is so important that it vanquishes even the challenge of a disease. That is perhaps the birthday gift Akwa Ibom State Governor gave at the weekend. He is harvesting peace but also mobilising it to the battlefield: against a pandemic. After inheriting a state that reeled in blood and fights, the state is at one against a common enemy.


He has been able to do that by being the front-liner in his state in fighting Covid-19. He holds nightly meetings to cap his work having constructed a 300-bed isolation centre with a three-tier PCR laboratory, staked as the only one of its type and standard fully owned by any state government. This has earned him applause from the DG of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Witnesses say the isolation centre at the Ibom Specialist Hospital has a five-star ambience and facilities.

On birthdays, we celebrate life. What a better way to do it than by working to keep death at bay in his state in a time of pandemic.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/thenationonlineng.net/city-of-cities/amp/
Lalastclala morning to you

All the best

helinues:
All the best

Morning sir

I thought you mean all yamirin will relocate to Akwa Ibom?

I think for now, it can be decogested through Port.
And only take over Lagos through port only (for now sha, we don't know of the future)

But not through Economy.

good luck to them

I love your write up but when u said that AKS is ready or set to take over from Lagos, i completely dissagree ooo.

Sammy07:
I think for now, it can be decogested through Port.

But not through Economy.

Creating more conducive environment for business will make people to migrate to the state..

helinues:


Creating more conducive environment for business will make people to migrate to the state..

What makes the companies relocated to ogun state?
Or what makes them, set their companies in ogun state?

Ability to woo investors is also part of it.

MightySparrow:
I thought you mean all yamirin will relocate to Akwa Ibom?

What is Yamirin?

In century to come, Lagos remains Lagos. If you know you know.

Sammy07:
I think for now, it can be decogested through Port.
And only take over Lagos through port only (for now sha, we don't know of the future)

But not through Economy.

The economy is rising gradually and the state is peaceful and serene too

omonla555:
In century to come, Lagos remains Lagos. If you know you know.

Baba take am easy , they didn't say replace lagos ..who even want carry lagos burden self

Sammy07:


What makes the companies relocated to ogun state?
Or what makes them, set their companies in ogun state?

Ability to woo investors is also part of it.

Because Ogun proximity to Lagos
Secondly people sometimes still do think they are in Lagos not Ogun

Sammy07:


What makes the companies relocated to ogun state?
Or what makes them, set their companies in ogun state?

Ability to woo investors is also part of it.

Security is one of the major factor in business.. At least Ogun state is a bit secure...

Ogun state case is mostly because of it's proximity to Lagos and also a bit secure...

If both past and present Ogun governor's really focus on inviting investors to the state, Ogun state should have been more better than this..

Hunchogee:

The economy is rising gradually and the state is peaceful and serene too

Forget, for now you can do that via port

This is long overdue op

helinues:


Security is one of the major factor in business.. At least Ogun state is a bit secure...

Ogun state case is mostly because of it's proximity to Lagos and also a bit secure...

If both past and present Ogun governor's really focus on inviting investors to the state, Ogun state should have been more better than this..

Hunchogee:

Because Ogun proximity to Lagos
Secondly people sometimes still do think they are in Lagos not Ogun

Well, I'll agree that proximity is part of it.

Sammy07:




Well, I'll agree that proximity is part of it.

Yeah bro. with our high population as a country ..more mega cities should have been springing up

AKS has so much potential.

helinues:


Security is one of the major factor in business.. At least Ogun state is a bit secure...

Ogun state case is mostly because of it's proximity to Lagos and also a bit secure...

If both past and present Ogun governor's really focus on inviting investors to the state, Ogun state should have been more better than this..

Oyo too is also secure, both Ogun and Oyo state past and present governors ain't doing well.

I don't know what's wrong in constructing about 10 lanes (apart from the existing ones) in different part of the state to connect Lagos to ogun / Oyo state.

Let's see what the rail will do sha.

OVB123:
I love your write up but when u said that AKS is ready or set to take over from Lagos, i completely dissagree ooo.

He is right though it also depend on the angle you are coming from?

afroniger:
AKS has so much potential.

Sure they do

Sammy07:


Oyo too is also secure, both Ogun and Oyo state past and present governors ain't doing well.

I don't know what's wrong in constructing about 10 lanes (apart from the existing ones) in different part of the state to connect Lagos to ogun / Oyo state.

Let's see what the rail will do sha.

Ordinary regional development, SW states can't work together yet some people are shouting restructuring...

Most of the past and present all SW states governors are just not creative to think out of the box..

zangaozanga:
good luck to them

Yeah, morning

Ilaumoh:
This is long overdue op

Ofcos but is taking shape bro

helinues:


Ordinary regional development, SW states can't work together yet some people are shouting restructuring...

Most of the past and present all SW states governors are just not creative to think out of the box..

The problem is in every region not only SW

Hunchogee:

The problem is in every region not only SW

Then why are some people shouting restructuring?

helinues:


Ordinary regional development, SW states can't work together yet some people are shouting restructuring...

Most of the past and present all SW states governors are just not creative to think out of the box..

I still believe regional government will get us out of this mess.

And BTW, I think they ain't subscribing to "tap from Lagos"
Like they prefer "each person for himself"

helinues:


Then why are some people shouting restructuring?

Cos is better than our present situation

Sammy07:


I still believe regional government will get us out of this mess.

And BTW, I think they ain't subscribing to "tap from Lagos"
Like they prefer "each person for himself"

How many natural resources are in Lagos State compared to other 5 SW states...

Not until the youths shift their focus from President and governors and be more concerned about who they elect as their Representatives ( Senators, HOA members , State assembly members, then our way to go might be far than Kufuki land..

Those are the people who can edit, modify, adjust and introduce constitutional bills that will affect the masses...

Sammy07:


I still believe regional government will get us out of this mess.

And BTW, I think they ain't subscribing to "tap from Lagos"
Like they prefer "each person for himself"

I prefer it too