Sagamite:

Please try and be clear on which part of one's environment people should be responsible for and stop whining about.

Please list them.

You know, at least for the well-off, things  like effective indoor plumbing, garbage disposal,waste digesters and clean electrical energy generation via the use of solar panels.

tensor777:

I understand where you are coming from. But there is still a very expensive leap forward from the  fairly well-to-do residents installing environmentally-friendly systems for power-generation,water supply and water disposal in their homes, to the Lagos State Government installing integrated systems.
If you do insist on that then be prepared for Fashola to send in his bulldozers to the real slum areas before such systems can be set in place. It is that simple.

I don't know how the one connects to the other here. Let us not bother right now about my living being environmentally-friendly or not.

My neighbours are definitely not demanding that government come in to rebuild their houses for them, so I would definitely not understand why government would want to come in with a bulldozer in the name of providing people basic amenities they pay for. We all pay for the same amenities, but these are still lacking. I am fortunate enough to be able to pay out of pocket for these needs, even as I continue to pay government for the very same. My neighbors however are not as fortunate and so are forced to live with open sewage, clogged gutters, no access to clean drinkable water, no electricity, and no good roads. Do I live in a slum or not?

tensor777:

You know, at least for the well-off, things  like effective indoor plumbing, garbage disposal,waste digesters and clean electrical energy generation via the use of solar panels.

I wouldn't say I am an expert on it but I would think effective indoor plumbing can be heavily dependent on good communal sewage management system.

Also, in most sane societies, garbage disposal, electricity and waste digesters is a responsibility of the govt.

^^ What is your source for this data?

^^ okay, so many posts, I don't know which one to cite
But, about Alimosho?

Well, I was born, and grew up almost next door to that LG, in Ikeja. 

However, here are a few 'dishonest' newspaper articles online about Alimosho Local government:



http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/LocalCouncils/5487866-147/The_land_that_time_forgot.csp

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200912143223295

As per the population, a Wikipedia article citing the 2006 census, puts the population at about 2 million residents. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alimosho

Surprisingly, the PDP in Alimosho (the party that conducted the 2006 census by the way) puts the population at around 4.5million, just a few years later.

http://www.compassnewspaper.com/NG/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45234:lagos-2011-alimosho-pdp-unfolds-winning-strategy&catid=36:news&Itemid=702

My 88-12 apportioning is borne out of the fact that I know that local government like the back of my hand. I have driven from the Ogba end to the Ikotun end, and know both sides of the Abeokuta Expressway. Name it, Isale Awori, Ajassa, Ayobo, Aiyetoro, Meran, Ojokoro, Kollington, Shina Peters road, Fagba, Akute, Ajuwon, Oke Aro, Crossing, Alakuko . . . Alimosho is a sordid mix between downright filthy neighbourhoods and sprawling villages.

All said, I stick to my earlier submission. Lagos may be aspiring to mega-city status in the future. But right now, it's nothing but a mega-slum.

Can someone please tell me what Fashola is doing for the poor people of Lagos?

AngieFan:


Can someone please tell me what Fashola is doing for the poor people of Lagos?

Let us know what he needs to be doing that you think he is not doing.

Sagamite:

Let us know what he needs to be doing that you think he is not doing.

I was after a genuine answer hence the reason why I asked a genuine question.

AngieFan:

I was after a genuine answer hence the reason why I asked a genuine question.

The reason I am asking you is that it appears you have suggested because of the pix you showed, you are insinuating he is not doing anything for the poor.

I don't believe people should just vilify leaders for the sake that they can. You need to have a well reasoned position when doing that, hence my question.

You think it is easy to correct the wrong that took over 30 years to accummulate? Especially in a democracy? In a severely corrupt society? In bloody 3 years?

Where do you expect the funds to come from, first of all?

Can anyone tell me what measures Fashola has put in place to help the poor?

Sigh!! @AngieFan,

I understand your question very well. I am not really certain what he has done for the poor of lagos. I know most of the changes he has made to date seem to benefit the upperclass more than it does the 'middle'/lower class( I stand to be corrected). However, those who I have argued this with claim that the poor will eventually reap the benefits. Though I don't believe this, I wait to see if it does happen as they claim.
Only a couple of days ago, I asked my friend in Lagos the same question and even she could not really answer the question. There is still little or no access to basics in most all areas inhabited by the poor of our society. I remember she complained that she is still unemployed mainly because the electricity issue has seriously affected most of the businesses in our area of Lagos. She also told me that we needed filters installed on the well for it to become drinkable. She mentioned the street in front of the house needs to be filled up before the rains become heavy and flood up the place. But she ends it all by saying that she hopes that things will get better. That is really all she can do.

there is no poper census in lagos to accurately calculate it population.As 4 d number dat lives in d slums by bbc standards everybody in lagos reside der

All the indices of deprivation are multiplied by a factor of 20.

Nobody cares that these places are breeding grounds for cholera, botulism, typhoid, diphtheria, dysentery which translate into reduced life expectancy, infant and maternal mortality.

Animals should not live like this, talk less of human beings.

Even if the BBC miscalculated and the actual figure is 2 million, isn't that still too much?

Speaking of misplaced priorities the High Commissioner in London has written a letter of complaint to the BBC. Has this man no shame?

@ Sapeleguy,

The Nigerian High Commissioner is complaining to the BBC?  About what?

SapeleGuy:

All the indices of deprivation are multiplied by a factor of 20.

Nobody cares that these places are breeding grounds for cholera, botulism, typhoid, diphtheria, dysentery which translate into reduced life expectancy, infant and maternal mortality.

Animals should not live like this, talk less of human beings.

Even if the BBC miscalculated and the actual figure is 2 million, isn't that still too much?

Speaking of misplaced priorities the High Commissioner in London has written a letter of complaint to the BBC. Has this man no shame?

AngieFan:

Can anyone tell me what measures Fashola has put in place to help the poor?

I also don't know what you are getting at . But I believe the Fashola Regime is right now focused on the making Lagos attractive to prospective investors and middle class professionals.

But I have to say considering the state and location of such slums as Makoko and Ajegunle any solution Fashola would employ would be more destuctive at first than constructive.I mean that may entail sending in the bulldozers.

He or anybody else for that matter, has no other magic wand to wave that would make places like Makoko salubrious.

UpBendel:

@ Sapeleguy,

The Nigerian High Commissioner is complaining to the BBC?  About what?

UpBendel - I tire when I read am. E say some people dey chop from dustbin for London, so nothing spoil.

http://punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100422311576

SapeleGuy

I think someone put it best sometime ago; we sweep it under the carpet and pretend it does not exist. No shaking. You don see the Ajegunle video?

I saw it. Things seem to be getting worse.

On the positive side,we should be proud of those hardworking people. The real shame is for the government that doesn't value the life of its citizens.

BBC's estimate was wrong, the number of Lagosians living in Slums is more than that. don't ask me the actual numbers or my source of information.
Instead of that fool thinking on how he can alleviate poverty he is so busy planting flowers in place where they can easily be seen by visitors. And a lot of animals like him are praising him for these gabages.

^^ Well what is your source for such a highly spurious claim?

tensor777:

I also don't know what you are getting at . But I believe the Fashola Regime is right now focused on the making Lagos attractive to prospective investors and middle class professionals.

But I have to say considering the state and location of such slums as Makoko and Ajegunle any solution Fashola would employ would be more destuctive at first than constructive.I mean that may entail sending in the bulldozers.

He or anybody else for that matter, has no other magic wand to wave that would make places like Makoko salubrious.

i said it in a post earlier. 99% of lagosian live in what could be considered slums. that's before the bbc documentary. the post was deleted.

SapeleGuy

The solution to this Ajegunle problem is really quite simple.  A lot of people - 4 million by the reporter's estimate - will be displaced and source of income of some sort or at least something for these people to do would need to be provided, or else one would simply be moving this same problem to another location.  Once that is done, the process of rebuilding can start.  This sounds all simplistic but when it comes to the Nigerian way of doing things, that is where things get VERY complicated and complex.  Of all the complications that WILL arise, none is more gut-wrenching and detestable as that area politician or godfather that would want to collect 30% up front!

UpBendel:

SapeleGuy

The solution to this Ajegunle problem is really quite simple. A lot of people - 4 million by the reporter's estimate -

How do you propose to finance the keeping of 4,000,000 on government subvention.

tensor777:

I also don't know what you are getting at . But I believe the Fashola Regime is right now focused on the making Lagos attractive to prospective investors and middle class professionals.

But I have to say considering the state and location of such slums as Makoko and Ajegunle any solution Fashola would employ would be more destuctive at first than constructive.I mean that may entail sending in the bulldozers.

He or anybody else for that matter, has no other magic wand to wave that would make places like Makoko salubrious.

Our leaders will never be acountable because we are such a docile lot who dont think we deserve better. Mende maryland which I lived in for over 15 years on the surface may not  be classified as  a slum. While there is decent accomodation available, there are also people living in zink and wooden shacks in the same neigbourhood. People also live in partially sunken houses which have been abandoned by their owners. When I used to go jogging in the mornings, you had to be careful so as not to step on human faeces tied up in nylon bags, cos there are houses there ( face me I face you) still without toilets in this decade. Chickens from other peoples houses even used to stray into my compound from time to time, not to mention goats and stray dogs which wandered around the neighbourhood.
So while many of us lived in what we considered decent accomodation, a large percentage lived in what will be described as slum conditions . And I am sure this is replicated all over Lagos.Places like Amuwo Odofin low cost houses would be considered slum dwelling in civilized nations.
Unfortunately, once any of us gets some level of comfort we build a high fence, sink a bore hole, buy DSTV and pretend to ourselves that we have arrived. Shame of a nation.

Tensor777

When did Lagos (Nigeria) become a welfare state??

tensor777:

How do you propose to finance the keeping of 4,000,000 on government subvention.

Freiburger:

BBC's estimate was wrong, the number of Lagosians living in Slums is more than that. don't ask me the actual numbers or my source of information.
Instead of that fool thinking on how he can alleviate poverty he is so busy planting flowers in place where they can easily be seen by visitors. And a lot of animals like him are praising him for these gabages.

Truth.

UpBendel:

Tensor777

When did Lagos (Nigeria) become a welfare state??

I agree Nigeria is not a welfare state and what is  more has no plans to become one.

The point is there is no easy way out of the slum issue in Lagos. It is simply not possible to put basic infrastructure in place without sending in the bulldozers. Then how do you take care of hundreds of thousands of homeless people?

It is very easy to pontificate and villify government officials but it is far more challenging to actually come up with constructive solutions.

tensor777

I think I only alluded to the fact that certain politicians would see this as another opportunity to once again enrich themselves at the expense of the masses they are supposed to be serving.  Once again, I also note that you are going down that slippery path of pretending that this is not an issue.

Anyway, contrary to your beliefs this is not a complicated problem to solve and there are loads of constructive solutions.  For starters, we don't all have to live in Lagos.  Nigeria is 923,768 km2 and yet everyone wants to cram themselves into Lagos - 999.6 km2

tensor777:

I agree Nigeria is not a welfare state and what is  more has no plans to become one.

The point is there is no easy way out of the slum issue in Lagos. It is simply not possible to put basic infrastructure in place without sending in the bulldozers. Then how do you take care of hundreds of thousands of homeless people?

It is very easy to pontificate and villify government officials but it is far more challenging to actually come up with constructive solutions.

UpBendel:

tensor777

. For starters, we don't all have to live in Lagos. Nigeria is 923,768 km2 and yet everyone wants to cram themselves into Lagos - 999.6 km2

I hope LASG officials put programs in place to prevent people just coming to Lagos without a cogent reason or without contacts.

allycat:

Our leaders will never be acountable because we are such a docile lot who dont think we deserve better. Mende maryland which I lived in for over 15 years on the surface may not  be classified as  a slum. While there is decent accomodation available, there are also people living in zink and wooden shacks in the same neigbourhood. People also live in partially sunken houses which have been abandoned by their owners. When I used to go jogging in the mornings, you had to be careful so as not to step on human faeces tied up in nylon bags, cos there are houses there ( face me I face you) still without toilets in this decade. Chickens from other peoples houses even used to stray into my compound from time to time, not to mention goats and stray dogs which wandered around the neighbourhood.
So while many of us lived in what we considered decent accomodation, a large percentage lived in what will be described as slum conditions . And I am sure this is replicated all over Lagos.Places like Amuwo Odofin low cost houses would be considered slum dwelling in civilized nations.
Unfortunately, once any of us gets some level of comfort we build a high fence, sink a bore hole, buy DSTV and pretend to ourselves that we have arrived. Shame of a nation.

Well said!

And I will argue that those who feel offended by the BBC docu and their statistics are the Ajebotas whose big egos have been bruised because their pretty, privileged Lagos is spoken of in the same breath as these slimy dirty Olusosun and Makoko slums

Did anyone ask the people of Makoko or the scavengers on the dump sites how they feel? I bet those folks would not mind seeing their story on TV, since Nollywood won't show them. We are a very funny people, always aspiring to greatness by screaming and posturing while ignoring the necessary dirty work of nation building.

Fashola is trying, that is fine, but work needs to be done and we do ourselves no favours by hiding that fact. while we all browse and sip cold drinks, the poor folks in Makoko and other slums all over Nigeria against all odds, are going about the business of survival, who will tell their story?