LAGOS AND THE CASE OF THE THEORIST

Lagos, a state of no equal in Nigeria and maybe the world over with respect to economic indices, population density, and the most part the people that live in it (very unique set of folks I must say), a state with a population of over 10 million and a geographical land mass of 3345.00 km², Lagos, a state we all love to complain and grump about but equally love to live in. However recent event under the new administration of Lagos, seem to indicate a sense of genuine detest of situations in the state. A situation of robbery, lost of lives of innocent citizens,  high level insecurity generally, staggering rate of traffic gridlock, lack of economic prospect, staggering rate of impunity among lagosians, just to mention a few. These issues have always been there, and which city as overpopulated as Lagos is won’t? But it has never been as bad as it is now, that a lot of lagosians actually do love to hate the city at the state it is. All we do before now is to just blab and blab about the situation, but now there seem to be a genuine contempt for the city.

The past governor and government of Fashola made Nigerians love Lagos so much that it even brought more people into the city to compound the already over populated state the city was in. Fashola worked for Lagos and we lagosians do actually see and appreciate the work, a number of initiatives that weren’t traditional in Nigerian sense introduced into the state, there was the BRT, the law enforcement agencies created, the improvement of security, economic development, redesigning of major areas of the city etc.  Lagos worked and the government made direct attempt for it to, EKO ONI BAJE was and still is the popular phrase around Lagos and truly for that period of 8 years EKO O BAJE, because we had a government that had the capacity and the capability to impact a change to we have, a change to a modern developed city one that would be the centre of excellence within Nigeria. There were several challenges that could have impaired Fashola in discharging his duty to Lagosians but not looking at that he did his part, he had a reputation to keep and he damn right kept it intact, politics is all a game about perception and he created a perception of capability and competence to public office for himself, many westerners believe in Fashola and when the time comes we will be there to get him to the highest political seat of all. We in Lagos have had a dose of his capability to lead for 8 years, and I know I talk for most when i say we wish we could have another 4 years of him as the chief Executive of Lagos state, now we are collectively privileged to have him at federal level which can only be positive thing for Nigeria as a whole, cause his intelligence is needed at the federal level if Nigeria is to move forward as a nation state. With the way he talk, it’s easy to see that he actually knows something is wrong with Nigeria but he shows the passion and hope that most of us share, one that Nigeria can be great and will be great if the simple/ rational things in government can be corrected.

Now in Lagos there is a new sheriff in town to take charge of the state, one that we voted for and one that Babatunde Raji Fashola vigorously campaigned for on the platform of continuity and experience in public office. Lagosians voted Akinwunmi Ambode as there governor to oversee the affairs of the state for the next four years, and majority voted him based in part on the trust on APC but mostly on the account of what had been witnessed an experienced by his predecessor, thus it would be easier for him to continue to follow in his footsteps and work on his plan while he overtime effect his own legacy. They were both an APC member and by this the transition should have been seamless which will mean a greater level of development in Lagos state.

However the first few months of the administration has not been as it was thought of by most, rather what we are seeing is a regressing Lagos state. A staggering change of ideas and plans to something totally different from before, if one didn’t know, one would have thought that there was change of political party in Lagos such is the level of change we are presently experiencing coupled with the varied number of propaganda levied on the past government. Is it a question of capacity or capability on the job? Well, in all honestly it’s too early to say but it’s still a worthy point of reasoning, one we need to consider going forward and thus help this administration out in this period of several challenges in Lagos, we are the 4^th arm of government and we can’t but play our part in government that is one thing Nigerian seem to always forget or are totally ignorant of. This present administration seems to take the approach of governance from a theoretical view, as though it reads from a book to make all its decision. Most of his actions so far seem to indicate an adherence to theoretical management. In a recent town hall briefing conducted in Ipaja, Alimosho local government area of Lagos, the governor indicated that Lagos under his administration have saved as much as 3 billion naira montly from a restructure of the financials of the state, which would infer that that 3 billion of public funds was being wasted by the past administration. I can’t say I was privy to the operational detail of the past, but one thing is sure that the person of Fashola may have spent what could have been termed as not so prudence, but the point of it is that there will be lot of spending in public space that wouldn’t make sense to the ordinary person, but are inevitable in seeing results are achieved. Not that I’m making a case for wastage but in administering public office there are a number of expenses that can and will be tagged as not being financially savvy, but those expenses in politics in most cases are necessary evil to have a seamless process to discharging duties. If those funds can be cut without any disadvantaged effect on the state, then I’m perfectly fine with it, but hitherto it hasn’t look as such thus my position. However from all intent and purposes, Ambode seem to be more focused in the rural part of Lagos, the not so worked on part of Lagos or incomplete projects under Fashola, which in all honestly is an honourable and good idea, but that shouldn’t legislate for the whole idea of setting aside the part that had been worked on entirely. That’s the idea he seems to be portraying so far. It would never work like that, and certainly not in a state like Lagos. Lagos and Nigeria in general is in a peculiar situation, every palliative needs to be considered before decisions are to be made. In management if production cost is reduced/cut, it is imperative that such cost cutting don’t affect sales, if it in fact does then it’s all amount to failure, thus you can’t say you want to cut cost while not contextualizing the impact such cost cutting will have on sales, every palliative need to be looked at. When such critical decision as production cost are therefore being made, the ultimate decision is to know the direct impact on sales, if sales will drop then its best to let it be. If such cost will keep sales at equilibrium then good, if it will in fact improve sales, then perfect. That seem to be the situation with Ambode and Lagos, a case where 3 billion naira is saved but the primary purpose of the government is lagging, what then is the end to that cost saved. The state is failing but here you are bragging about some illusionary 3 billion saved.  Lagos so far has practical managers, who seem to be focused or fighting one thing or the other, however Ambode seem to have brought theoretical managerial aspect to Lagos one that the state have obviously indicated it detest for.

I like Fashola, his a model for me personally to follow, the arrogance to which he makes his point when confronted, the confidence and calmness to which he delivers his assertions, the manner to which he discharges his duty, to which he has taken responsibility of, his level of intelligence and brilliance across board. Fashola is of no equal among our ‘abjectly poor’ political class, and if Ambode is to move forward and go with his campaign mantra of ‘building on what’s already been done’ then he’ll need to go back to Fashola’s fact book. I believe he’ll do well, is that believe backed by an objective reasoning? NO, but my reason to this believe is on the assertion of what have seen from his body language, he cares and that is the number one thing a public office holder need to have. You have to be sensitive to the needs of the people and he seems to genuinely care for lagosians, it’s just his approach towards leading that need serious change and fast to. He’ll need to do away with his theoretical rule and come back to practical realities.  I know Lagos will work again as it has for the last eight years, and as we lagosian say EKO ONI BAJE O.

Disclaimer: This particular post was written as far back as October of last year while the even that constitute the write up arent so in play now, i felt the need to put the write up out there for us to remember how things were once. A lot have actually changed and most for the better and this is appreciating the effort that the government has put in when remembring the way thing were before now. So reading this, i would emplore you to read in retrospect and not in relation to present happenings.