asha 80:

9jaganja is from lagos state.

While I don't know him personally, there is a difference between living in Lagos, and being from Lagos, with the latter being the minority. Still, that doesn't change the relevance of my statement to him/her ("You fail to see anything positive in a project the moment you cannot relate it to a direct benefit for your own ethnicity."

To say the Kano-Lagos rail is a joke means you do not see the benefit of the project to all the cities that would be interconnected along the route. Unless one is prejudiced, it is easy to appreciate the contribution of such a project to the mass movement of people and commodities between affected cities (and the radial effect on neighboring towns)

biina:

While I don't know him personally, there is a difference between living in Lagos, and being from Lagos, with the latter being the minority. Still, that doesn't change the relevance of my statement to him/her ("You fail to see anything positive in a project the moment you cannot relate it to a direct benefit for your own ethnicity."

To say the Kano-Lagos rail is a joke means you do not see the benefit of the project to all the cities that would be interconnected along the route. Unless one is prejudiced, it is easy to appreciate the contribution of such a project to the mass movement of people and commodities between affected cities (and the radial effect on neighboring towns)

biina:

So the train will only stop in Lagos and Kano? It would not pass through the same middle belt regions? BTW do the cattle also come from the middle belt too?
Its thinking like this that bar the nation from moving forward. You fail to see anything positive in a project the moment you cannot relate it to a direct benefit for your own ethnicity.
If you were from Kano, you would likely be singing a different tune.

Hey!! suffer head, stop throwing tribalist accusations around. I'm a Yoruba and I'm from Lagos state. What has me saying Lagos-Kano light rail project is a joke got to do with tribalism?. I welcomed the Onitcha seaport project. What has that got to do with the tribalism? Are you just nuts and want to accuse someone as soon as possible? You are just so stupid to turn it to a tribalist accusation simply because I didn't agree with you. Tribalism doesn't run in the Aromire family abeg, go elsewhere!. I'll be more concern with the roads getting a rehab than a light rail simple. So what da hell has that got to do with tribalism? You de kolo for brain!!!!

9jaganja:

Hey!! suffer head, stop throwing tribalist accusations around. I'm a Yoruba and I'm from Lagos state. What has me saying Lagos-Kano light rail project is a joke got to do with tribalism?. I welcomed the Onitcha seaport project. What has that got to do with the tribalism? Are you just nuts and want to accuse someone as soon as possible? You are just so stupid to turn it to a tribalist accusation simply because I didn't agree with you. Tribalism doesn't run in the Aromire family abeg, go elsewhere!. I'll be more concern with the roads getting a rehab than a light rail simple. So what da hell has that got to do with tribalism? You de kolo for brain!!!!

and there goes decency out the window. it is possible for tribalism not to run in the Aromire family, but same cannot be said for lacking conversational etiquette.

regardless how anyone feels about northerners, or how many regions Nigeria wants to divide into, Lagos and Kano will still be connected by rail sooner or later.

Blueprints for a trans-national highway linking west African countries have been around for decades. 

Tribal sentiments shouldnt be allowed to stand in the way of development for the greater good.

A trans-saharan highway has also been on paper for ages. Starting in lagos, passing through Kano en route to Algiers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Sahara_Highway

Likewise the Lagos-Mombasa highway (trans-African Highway) is supposed to stretch from Lagos through central and east Africa to Mombasa. The major problem so far has been the instability in the Congo which hinders development.


Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania (three different countries) are currently linked by rail. Given her high population, there's no valid reason for Nigeria not to have a more progressive rail system.

biina:

and there goes decency out the window. it is possible for tribalism not to run in the Aromire family, but same cannot be said for lacking conversational etiquette.

Hey, don't insult my Family, insult me okay? You accused me of tribalism and I won't take it likely from a swine looking, fat, bacon munching, slowpoke like you. I disagreed with you and in order for you to feel like your short hand will have a upper hand, you accused me of tribalism. So you shoved decency up your ass in the first place.

Any form of development is welcomed but not a wasteful one. If the project will be taken seriously, let it start. My disagreeing with the project doesn't mean it'll be stopped will it? NO so Arrow disagree with me and not accuse me of an evil action cause tribalism is evil.

since the standard for what constitutes tribalism has been lowered and abused by so many on this forum (pots calling kettles black), then tribalism is now a PC term, it seems.

9jaganja:

Hey, don't insult my Family, insult me okay? You accused me of tribalism and I won't take it likely from a swine looking, fat, bacon munching, slowpoke like you. I disagreed with you and in order for you to feel like your short hand will have a upper hand, you accused me of tribalism. So you shoved decency up your ass in the first place.

Any form of development is welcomed but not a wasteful one. If the project will be taken seriously, let it start. My disagreeing with the project doesn't mean it'll be stopped will it? NO so Arrow disagree with me and not accuse me of an evil action cause tribalism is evil.

You brought your family into the discussion, so don't cry foul. I have no intention of insulting you or your family, and only commented on the image your post portrayed. If you don't like such an image, then stop making rude remarks.

You failed to state any valid reason for opposing the project, rather suggesting that they pick a different destination. That comment does not speak in the best interests of those cities along the current route. I only stated my logical conclusion.

If you are not guilty of being sentimental as have been accused, then please provide a sound argument in defence of yourself. In good faith, I apologize for my earlier statement if you deemed it an insult.

biina:

You brought your family into the discussion, so don't cry foul. I have no intention of insulting you or your family, and only commented on the image your post portrayed. If you don't like such an image, then stop making rude remarks.

You failed to state any valid reason for opposing the project, rather suggesting that they pick a different destination. That comment does not speak in the best interests of those cities along the current route. I only stated my logical conclusion.

If you are not guilty of being sentimental as have been accused, then please provide a sound argument in defence of yourself. In good faith, I apologize for my earlier statement if you deemed it an insult.

I picked Onitcha slash Aba cause not only Nigerians trade in these places. People from Ghana, Togo, Cameroon and Benin come to trade in Aba and Onitcha market. Also it will benefit the villages and towns along the route too. By connecting a light rail from Lagos to Onitcha and Aba means people coming from Togo, Benin and Ghana going to Aba will not have to take another bus after getting to Lagos. And there are more villages and towns among Lagos-Aba/Onitcha route than Lagos to Kano route.

I never brought my Family into the discussion I only used my Family as a point to show you tribalism doesn't run in my blood. You just picked the easiest punch line to insult me with.

9jaganja:

I picked Onitcha slash Aba cause not only Nigerians trade in these places. People from Ghana, Togo, Cameroon and Benin come to trade in Aba and Onitcha market. Also it will benefit the villages and towns along the route too. By connecting a light rail from Lagos to Onitcha and Aba means people coming from Togo, Benin and Ghana going to Aba will not have to take another bus after getting to Lagos. And there are more villages and towns among Lagos-Aba/Onitcha route than Lagos to Kano route.

I never brought my Family into the discussion I only used my Family as a point to show you tribalism doesn't run in my blood. You just picked the easiest punch line to insult me with.

While the economic benefits are obvious, a rail road across the southern states (due to terrain and the limits on maneuverability of trains) is orders of magnitude more difficult (and thus more expensive) to construct.

The fact that the lagos-onitsha route might be more economically viable, does not overwhelm the argument for carrying the rest of the nation along. The dredging of the Niger would help onitsha and its environs while the lagos-kano light rail would bring development to the people in other regions.

A look at the proposed routes, and I feel at the end of the day, most interests would be covered. We have to start from somewhere and I think Lagos-Kano is as good as any other choice.

We have to start from somewhere but we have to think of which will generate revenue for both maintainance and help fund other projects faster than the other. The traders coming from Ghana, Benin and Togo will use this light rail if it's a Lagos-Onitcha/Aba route; thereby making it not only for Nigerians but also other West Africa nations and generating revenues really fast and improving trading in the routes. If the internal trade between the Lagos-Kano routes is not as much as that of Lagos-Aba/Onitcha route, the revenue that will be generated from the latter won't be as much as that of the former. That is why I don't support the Lagos-Kano route. Revenue generator is what we need right now.

9jaganja:

We have to start from somewhere but we have to think of which will generate revenue for both maintainance and help fund other projects faster than the other. The traders coming from Ghana, Benin and Togo will use this light rail if it's a Lagos-Onitcha/Aba route; thereby making it not only for Nigerians but also other West Africa nations and generating revenues really fast and improving trading in the routes. If the internal trade between the Lagos-Kano routes is not as much as that of Lagos-Aba/Onitcha route, the revenue that will be generated from the latter won't be as much as that of the former. That is why I don't support the Lagos-Kano route. Revenue generator is what we need right now.

But like I said earlier it would also cost more. Without specific figures, one cannot say which would be more viable in the short term.

It'll cost more but it'll also pay back way faster than the cheaper project. I don't think any Nigerian need figures to know that the trading between Lagos, Onitcha and Aba is a massive one.

9jaganja:

It'll cost more but it'll also pay back way faster than the cheaper project. I don't think any Nigerian need figures to know that the trading between Lagos, Onitcha and Aba is a massive one.

Don't be so sure. While there is an existing path for the Lagos-Kano route, there is no existing path for the Lagos onitsha route. The (true) cost difference would be huge.

Also you have failed to respond to the argument of providing development to other regions. If one follows your argument on a repeated basis, all the infrastructure would end up being concentrated in/between a few cities. It would be similar to the rich getting richer, and poor getting poorer.

It is a federal government project, and effort should be made to carry every part of the nation along, even if it uneconomical in the short term.

I support a rail going from Lagos to Kano but i still believe that priority should have been given to the most economically viable train line and perhaps the one that will be the most utilized should have been considered first. Lagos-onitsha-Aba-PH should have been the first of these project as the success of this one(which is guaranteed) will have lead to good encouragement and a possible chain reaction in developing other rail projects in the country. The possible success and economic viability of the Lagos-kano rail is still questionable based on the amount of trade and travel that goes through these places. Though i believe that it will eventually lead to development of cities in its path and possibly opening up some of the Northern cities to more trade and development, I'll still agree and maintain that the Lagos-onitsha-Aba- PH line should have been the best and first to be awarded because it just makes common sense from an economic standpoint.

biina:

Don't be so sure. While there is an existing path for the Lagos-Kano route, there is no existing path for the Lagos onitsha route. The (true) cost difference would be huge.

Also you have failed to respond to the argument of providing development to other regions. If one follows your argument on a repeated basis, all the infrastructure would end up being concentrated in/between a few cities. It would be similar to the rich getting richer, and poor getting poorer.

It is a federal government project, and effort should be made to carry every part of the nation along, even if it uneconomical in the short term.

Which rich will get richer? The tailor that needs to go to aba to buy cheaper materials? or the shoe maker going to Aba also for cheaper materials? or the Togolese going to Aba to buy shoes and clothes to sell? they are all average people not rich people. Of course we should carry all the nation along but we have to think which will carry people the most. You know well that Lagos-Onitcha/Aba will more people. Also I'm not disputing the Lagos-Kano rail but when it comes to generating funds fast enough to encourage another project, Lagos-Onitcha-Aba and like someone added PH should be considered first.

I wonder why people think there's little trade between Onitsha/Aba and Kano?

Because nairaland noisemakers give that impression?

9jaganja:

Which rich will get richer? The tailor that needs to go to aba to buy cheaper materials? or the shoe maker going to Aba also for cheaper materials? or the Togolese going to Aba to buy shoes and clothes to sell? they are all average people not rich people. Of course we should carry all the nation along but we have to think which will carry people the most. You know well that Lagos-Onitcha/Aba will more people. Also I'm not disputing the Lagos-Kano rail but when it comes to generating funds fast enough to encourage another project, Lagos-Onitcha-Aba and like someone added PH should be considered first.

The analogy of the rich getting richer simply meant the developed cities keeping getting more developed, while other areas remain less fortunate.

Do you have any figures (real or estimates) for the cost of the Onitsha route and/or the projected revenue from it? as you sound quite convinced of the economic viability of the project.
I doubt the margins are as wide as you seem to believe.

Lagos ports are built in LAGOONS but the ports in Rivers State are built in a Delta and are a far from the Atlantic ocean.

tpiah:


Instead of making this a tribal thing, I hope you know many different topographical factors may be responsible for this.

The Niger river, for instance, divides into a delta before it enters the sea.

In Lagos, the rivers form swampy lagoons instead.

Different geography.

Am just saying. The coastline isnt the same.

Its good and even expedient to have functional ports in Rivers State but that wouldn't diminish the importance of Lagos.
Lagos has been an important maritime city for at least 500 years.

Abagworo:
i only saw states in asha80s post and not tribe.the issue is marginalisation of rivers state by fg.if the port harcourt ports were upgraded,lagos wouldnt be important as it is today.