GUESS WHAT I OBSERVED AS FASHOLA IS GOING

On the 29th day of May, 2007, at the Tafawa Balewa square, Lagos. I stood at a corner directly opposite the podium where the swearing- in proper was being done. It was for Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) and his running mate Mrs Adebisi Sarah Sosan. They both took the oath of office as a constitutional obligation for newly elected Governor. Whilst observing it all,  something in my mind said to me, “Jide! Hear this man making promises and pledges he will not fulfill.” After the whole event, I left the venue with my colleague, a member of Lagos State University Students’ Union, under the leadership of Agbabiaka Hammed and headed toward where the union bus was packed. 

I looked back at the TBS and it's environs and could see a cluster of touts snatching phones and wallets from unsuspecting spectators. Obalende and Onikan area was messed up. The traffic was terrible one could stay two hours before any chance at moving ahead. But for the fact that we were students, we forced our way through. “Is this how it is used to be?” That was the question I asked and a colleague that is very familiar with the Island answered “It is worst most times”. I don’t want to mention the situation of things in Oshodi, Mile 2, Mile 12, Ojuelegba and many other places because it was extremely bad then.

In less than two years in office in the 1st term of his administration, BRF delivered more than promised. The mess in every parts of Lagos was cleared, heavy traffic both on the Island and Mainland were decongested. Security and traffic management became everybody’s talk both within and outside Lagos.

Unfortunately,  the pace of development in the State  has been slowed two years after by a group of politicians who accused the governor of fund misappropriation and had worked toward his impeachment.

If you were observant, you would notice that Lagos Metropolis is degenerating. What I mean by this is that Lagos has started going back to the way it was before Fashola's administration. People selling wares by the road side, chased away by BRF are  gradually coming back to the roads. The free flow of traffic on which a lot of tax payers’ money was spent to achieve is now gone. The blame cannot be totally put on the commercial bus drivers that packed on the road to pick passengers. One would also blame the LASTMA and police official attached to various Junctions whose slogan now is “You can wait anywhere and pick your passengers, if you have money (N100, N200).

These and many others are happening even when the governor is still in the office and very active. Who can tell who the next Governor of the State of Lagos is going to be and what will be his attitude towards the laid down structure of the BRF administration? If BRF, Asiwaju and other king makers are reading this, I am telling you, you have a great work to do. Your Labour  for the past years should not be in vain.

EKO ONIBAJE OOOOOOOOO