When you want to think of one good example of an inefficient and incapable government in the world, think the Nigerian government, past and present.
We operate a predatory "Neo colonialist" system, all this grammar simply means “na we dey thief ourself”.

Look at it in the way of a father waking up at night and going to the kitchen, he dips his hand inside the pot of Egusi soup his wife cooked and take out one or two pieces of meat, eat the meat drinks water and goes back to bed. In the morning, the resultant effect is, the egusi soup sours and the wife cooks another.
Here in Nigeria, the government drains it's people. Not only this confusion government, the past and previous ones are culpable too.
3 weeks ago, Governor Ambode wailed and called for the revival of other sea ports in the country. He was literally shouting “Lagos will die o” nobody is listening now. Simply put, Lagos is dying slowly, the Federal Government is aiding this process.
Though I have never been, in Lagos people sit hours in their cars cause of traffic, they inhale both human, vehicle and refuse waste. I have never sat an hour in traffic. I grew up in Benin, in all my years there before I left for school in the East I have never sat 10mins in traffic.
In the 6years + I schooled in the East, I have never sat in traffic for 30mins. I talked to a friend last week and I told her about my never being in traffic for more than an hour, she laughed and delved into the traffic madness occurring in Lagos.

Lagos State is choking, from Apapa to Surulere the traffic is simply crazy. With Apapa being the point of call for all imported goods into the country, it has become the busiest. From Apapa, the trucks carry goods to everyone corner of the country thereby causing a maddening gridlock. Ambode said “as it is now, other ports in Nigeria MUST begin to work immediately to decongest gridlock in Lagos”.
The Federal government knows that Lagos is stretched, it is gasping for breath. If it is not a 40ft container falling ontop of a school bus carrying children it is a tanker exploding and engulfing lives and goods worth millions.

One would ask, why are other ports not functioning in the country? Why must it be only Apapa? The road leading to Apapa was constructed during colonial times, no expansion has been done, bridges in Lagos stretch to hold these trucks going in and out of Apapa. Due to logistics problem, corruption bad roads and traffic, imported goods would stay weeks, months, some years before they would be cleared.
These truck drivers have somehow become little gods, with the Federal government empowering them, they lord over the roads, flouting traffic signs. They know Ambode cannot do anything, they own Lagos now, where would Ambode tow more than 5,000 trucks to? Where would he park it?
Ambode knows he cannot do anything that's why he is crying to the Federal government to make other ports functional so that Lagos people can breath in good air and the traffic congestion would end.

A right thinking government would see that Lagos is stretched to its breaking point, sadly this country has never known a right thinking government. Why is there no seaport in Onitsha? A right thinking government would tackle the issue, a right thinking government would see that if the seaport in Onitsha begins to function, gridlock would disappear in Lagos.
The East has the largest markets in Nigeria and West Africa. In a normal country, the government would see that the Ontisha seaport would serve the Ariarra international market in Aba and the Main Market in Onitsha.
In Nigeria, the business savvy guys are located in the East. The Onitsha seaport would do them good, it would be dreams come true. A business man in Onitsha would import from China straight to Onitsha seaport, the man in Aba would import from China to Onitsha which is less than 2 hours from his shop in Aba. It would save the stress and expenses of importing from China to Lagos then transporting from Lagos to Onitsha or Aba.

Do you know what a functional seaport in Onitsha and Port Harcourt would mean to the entire South East and South South?

1) Lagos would be free of its unending traffic problem.

2) Businesses in the East and South South would boost bigger than it is now.

3) Lagos would lose it's invincibility, I bet you, in 3-5years almost all businessmen and women would relocate their businesses to the East and South South.

This government is so shitty. Dull in thoughts. Never thinking to do right and serve the people. This government is always thinking of means to rob it's people. Those in the National Assembly sit all day and discuss budget, they never discussed policy, policies that would move this country forward, they just cross carpet and share monies.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is playing the dooms day prophet now and Federal government is busy preparing for election.

PS:
Nigeria with a population of over 180 Million budgets 220billion naira for 2019 election.
India with a population of over 1.3 billion budgets less than 10 Million US dollars for it's election.
Who is deceiving who? Our election is it an election for electing the King of Kings of the galaxy?



Lalasticlala move to fp till it get to Buhari &co.

Leave them. They think they are doing the Igbos.

Good read.. I agree totally. Lagos need to be decongested fast.

They have no option. Nigeria as they are called can cheat igbos and deny their rights but not nature. Lagos with almost the smallest landmass in the country is harbouring everybody because federal government from ages failed to do the right thing.

Was talking with an Irish gent on Linkedin and dude said he was in Kano in the 60s and saw the largest population of black people he had ever seen in his entire life( he even witnessed the groundnut pyramids, lucky guy!)
I told him things have changed, the groundnut pyramids are gone and of course Lagos has long displaced the Kano of the 60's.
We talked at length about the bloated Lagos population and the conclusion was exactly what you just stated Op. Forget the whole expanding to Ogun state or whatever they believe they are doing to contain the teeming population, if nothing is done about this exodus, Lagos is a disaster waiting to happen.
I get surprised when people don't seem worried that the landmass can handle only so much.
It's just sad, what ever happened to investing and creating opportunities in areas like Onitsha, Kano and other major cities to create a balance?
Left for me, I can't in the name of seeking opportunities pack my Kaya and go live in a place like Lagos, but what of others who think differently or need these opportunities more than I do?

This is a very enlightening topic that deserves the front page.

I am so amazed and happy its coming from a woman, shows there is hope and shows we really need to empower Nigerian women if Nigeria must progress and take a center stage when it comes to global development.

Apapa is gradually going down.

Almost all roads in Lagos are gone, and u know why

Overpopulation due to poorly spread human and economic development structures and systems like the sea ports and company head offices all concentrated in Lagos.

I think things like these are some of the reasons some tribes crime fowl and feel marginalised in Nigeria.

Make an emergency policy to create functional seaports in Onitsha and Kano.

Revive Portharcour and Calabar ports at all cost.

Give the transport minister and every other responsible agency an ultimatum to make these ports start full operation in 12 months or get fired with jail term.

If there is no fund, there are a lot of private sector partners ready to come in with their money to partner and get these things done on a public-private partnership deal which will make them more efficient.

Lagos is dying slowly in terms of road networks, and its because Lagos is overstretched and need relief from other cities.

Will they listen No!

Why It will benefit their much hated Igbo people!

Will Nigeria progress where it is now No!

Why Because we don't love one another, we are all pretending to be one just for selfish gains, but deep down our hearts, every Nigerian tribe harbors one enmity for another, so how can Nigeria progress

SE Lo mo MO lafiet

Have you ever been to lagos

Have you even been with a girl from my city

Lo magnet

EKO nii gbaje

Please Mod move this to front page. I wonder what our leaders do everyday. Do they think?

I have discussed this severally with people around me.
If u hv bn to Apapa, Ikeja, alimosho, etc. One will know that there is a ticking bomb waiting to explode one day if proactive measures aren't taken QUICKLY

I moved from Benin City to Lagos about three months ago and I'm honestly thinking of going back. It's true that Lagos might have big beautiful houses and lots of business potentials but seriously the people here are suffering even if they don't know it. Everywhere is so dirty and stinking, no time to rest, even the mosquitoes wear amour; I seriously doubt if there is any house with mosquito net back in my area in Benin.
Lagos life sucks IMHO or maybe I'm just not cut out for this kind of life.

tenmariner:
I have discussed this severally with people around me.
If u hv bn to Apapa, Ikeja, alimosho, etc. One will know that there is a ticking bomb waiting to explode one day if proactive measures aren't taken QUICKLY

That Apapa road is the worst road I've ever seen in my life. I remember the day I had to trek with my suit and fine shoe along that dirty road because the police stopped buses from moving forward. The bus I entered also got hit by a trailer, though the damage was minimal just because they were contesting for the available tiny road.

Great objective post, more of such meaningful analysis of the problems facing Nigeria and possible solutions by the readers of this forum are required. Tired of the tribalism posts; like the white mans cares if you are an Igbo, Youruba or Hausa nigga. We are in a world economy it is black vs white/Chinese/India, tired of wanna be millionaires posting fake stuff online. Nigerians need to pull up their socks and get out of their daze of small thinking along lines of tribe/pretend wealth and oppressing other blacks for their personal gain.

Look at the number of views for such an informative thread and you will understand the level of interest and mentality of Nigerians in finding long term prosperity for ALL Nigerian citizens. If its gossip, English football lol not even Nigerian football, fake religion, tribal war or boasting the readers will be in the thousands

This article is on point. We need to tackle these problems urgently.

Jessam:
Great objective post, more of such meaningful analysis of the problems facing Nigeria and possible solutions by the readers of this forum are required. Tired of the tribalism posts; like the white mans cares if you are an Igbo, Youruba or Hausa nigga. We are in a world economy it is black vs white/Chinese/India, tired of wanna be millionaires posting fake stuff online. Nigerians need to pull up their socks and get out of their daze of small thinking along lines of tribe/pretend wealth and oppressing other blacks for their personal gain.

Look at the number of views for such an informative thread and you will understand the level of interest and mentality of Nigerians in finding long term prosperity for ALL Nigerian citizens. If its gossip, English football lol not even Nigerian football, fake religion, tribal war or boasting the readers will be in the thousands

I love your business brand. I look towards patronizing you soon.

Just leave Lagos for a month and live in a state with fresh clean air then you'll know one is dying gradually in Lagos. I've lived all my life in Lagos but I cannot but agree with the OP. Lagos is too congested, too too congested. Make govt forget all these politics games and create new sea ports, airports in the other regions, I see no reason why someone expecting a cargo in Anambra has to come down to Lagos port to clear his goods and then transport them by road when a functional seaport can be built in the south east. Me for one will relocate from Lagos to another state when the time is right and continue any business I have here online. Lagos is exploding and everyone is shouting Lagos is going forward. Decongest this state quickly, make our railway lines functional so I can work in Lagos and live in Ibadan.

Ports in Port Harcourt are working but there is no road linking port Harcourt to Aba PH to Aba is thirty minutes drive but it now takes FIVE hours to roll from PH to Aba It could take container bearing trucks a whole day

God help us