10, Adeboye ELemide Street, that’s the location where my Dad sighted his “Castle”. Pretty serene neighborhood, safe (except we got robbed just once, I was slapped to silly that day). Growing up in a neighborhood that’s quiet and peaceful somehow shapes your preference for a location when you’re about to make your own family.
I attended the University of Ibadan, served in Bauchi state and got a Job working with a multinational company in Sagamu. I was there for 2 years before relocating back to Lagos. Upon my return to Lagos, I stayed with Jigga in Lekki by the Sea side at alfa beach. It was a natural Habitat for me. It was peaceful, quiet and very safe Neighborhood. Everywhere I had stayed in prior to that time was relatively similar. I was so settled in that losing a house in Gbagada and getting one in Ajah did’nt seem like mch of a disappointment to me.
On a terrible day, the journey to work and back while I was at alfa beach (alfa beach is closer to Vi where I work than Ajah) lasted no more than 1.45mins (now, 3 hours seems the best time you can achieve). The reason, the ongoing repair of the lekki road by the state Govt. a project overseen by Lekki Concession Company (LCC) and construction work carried out by Hitech. The Job, expansion of the existing 2 lane road to a 3 lane road, the length of road, no more than 30Km to Ajah from VI, the duration of the project thus far, over 4 years!!!!! Going by the pro’s, of staying on the island, it’s been bearable; Spending close to 2 hours getting to and from work. It’s been hard but bearable.
I’m a firm believer that we take a lot for granted in this country and that we have little or no value for life. You want examples, the carnage that happened so very recently around the Berger axis of Lagos. A trailer lost control, rammed into a bunch of cars. Over 20 people died. How did this happen? Unconfirmed reports say that road blocks set up by police to collect 20 naira suddenly stopped a car; he slammed on the brakes… a pile up ensued!!!! How did the police men collecting 20 naira at the scene respond? They shot sporadically in the air and sped off. There are countless examples, so to save your time and mine, I’ll move on.
The said lekki road was constructed 28 years ago. An addition of just one lane is going on now, and over a distance of just under 30Km, there will be 3 Toll collection points!!!! The reason, LCC needs to recoup the money spent on constructing the road!!! The duration of collection, 30 years!!!!! The most annoying thing is this; these loosers constructing the road are backed by the Govt of the day!!!!! After suffering untold hardship, for such a long time, upon completion of the road, the hardship continues in the form of paying the Toll for most people, till they die!!!!!
The reason for my anger you might ask? I pay my F**Kn taxes. How do I explain the logic of this action by the govt supposedly elected into office by the citizens to my kids? Look around you, even in West Africa, the rest of the world is moving on. Today if a Governor constructs any stretch of road, you’re sure to find a Bill board of him somewhere along it, or in the dailies commemorating the achievement!!!!! These are basic amenities and if in 2010, we celebrate such in this country, it only tells you how far behind we are.
There’s a popluar saying that goes, a people only get the kind of leaders they deserve. I’m afraid it’s true in the case of Nigeria, because we celebrate Mediocrity in this country… and don’t even go there by asking “what would he do if he were there”? That’s the very tactic that’s been used to keep us so backward for so freaking long!!!!!!
Nigeria turns 50 in just under a month, what’s with all the money being borrowed for the massive celebration? It’s sad, what will you tell your kids if they ever ask, “Dad, why didn’t you do something”?