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Fagba’s Terrible Roads: A Failure Of The Lagos State Government By Elias Ozikpu

August 23, 2015

The roads at Fagba are clearly an eyesore and they depict the failure of the Lagos Statement Government. This is incontestable. Quite clearly, on rainy days, I imagine that residents of this area simply would wish they had wings to fly, as the only possible way of eschewing the gruelling experience that mud and stagnant water create on wet days.

Much has been bruited about the glittering 'performances' of the Lagos State Government in discharging its primary responsibilities to Lagosians, but this bogus claim is risible. Only a thoroughly deluded Lagos resident, whose head is loaded with a myriad of political sentiments, will readily swallow such a dose of mendacity without making vigorous attempts to spew it out or even grimace.

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The road situation recently witnessed by this writer during a visit to the Fagba area of Lagos is worth pushing a flood of tears from the driest pair of eyes. Unfortunately, however, Nigerians have inured themselves to the severe hardship inflicted upon them by government at all levels so much so that enduring societal ills in the country has become a way of life – I was going to say a culture! This is why on several occasions, Nigerians, certified victims of their own government would remark, quite brazenly that: 'this government is trying o!' Perhaps for merely patching a six-year old pothole on a major road after it must have aided the deaths of many! Imagine the thinking capacity of a 21st century Nigerian: those in government were elected to 'try' and not to perform with excellence. This is one of the reasons for which I have campaigned for a civic education across Nigeria. To me, heaping praises on an inept and corrupt government is like expecting me to thank a robber who swept away my bag full of diamonds but decided against pulling his miserable trigger on my head. I do not owe this robber any appreciation. I will not thank him for robbing me.

The roads at Fagba are clearly an eyesore and they depict the failure of the Lagos Statement Government. This is incontestable. Quite clearly, on rainy days, I imagine that residents of this area simply would wish they had wings to fly, as the only possible way of eschewing the gruelling experience that mud and stagnant water create on wet days.

But it has to be pointed out that the bad road situation in Lagos State transcends Fagba. An important road linking Mushin and Oshodi is a death-trap that Lagosians have shown no willingness to challenge. In fact, on the Island, an area considered to be of 'high status' gets buried on rainy days, with the water deep enough to float a powerboat! The problem? Lack of drainage! Consequently, the water, lacking direction of any kind, goes wild on the street and swallows it up for several hours, even days.  Isn't it preposterous that a government should construct a road without considering a proper drainage system? This experience is better narrated by users of Ahmadu Bello Way or Akin Adesola Street in Victoria Island, whose vehicles journey through water like submarines.

It is ironic, therefore, that State generating monthly revenue in the region of N15 billion should be parading roads such as those at Fagba.

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The simple questions that the Lagos State Government should be made to answer are:

1. With what do they do with tax payers' money?

2. With what do they do with the money from the open fraud that is being exhibited under the name of 'toll gate(s)' on the Lekki Road and on the new bridge linking Ikoyi and Lekki? If we were indeed a conscious people who understand the meaning of accountability or governance, we would insist that the Lagos State Government answers these questions.

I must conclude by asserting that the situation at Fagba is a product of the bad followership that has become synonymous with the Nigerian people: our inability to put political office holders on their toes and also hold them responsible for their embarrassing failures. Until we adopt this system against all levels of political office holders, politics will remain the most lucrative 'business' in Nigeria and the majority of the Nigerian people will maintain their position as victims of the corrupt system that we have allowed to flourish like fertilised plants.

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Elias Ozikpu is an activist, writer and student

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Politics