NEW OSHODI - Outcome of a WHY NOT ?Paradigm -Part 2

PART 2

As I started in Part 1, the question was, have you seen the new Oshodi? For those who have not seen the new Oshodi, let me try to paint a picture.

Most people in Lagos going to the airport now prefer to go through Oshodi because you can get to the Murtala Airport in less than 30 minutes from 3rd Mainland at any time of the day or night.

I remeber the last time I travelled to the Unites States, I went to the office in Victoria Island that morning, closed after 5pm, went for a shave at about 7pm and I still made it on time to the airline counter .I was about the 10th person on the queue to obtain my boarding pass (checking closed at 9pm). I could not try this before now ( I missed a flight to Kenya about 4 years ago because I left the Victoria Island at about 4:30pm for a flight of 11pm - checking closed at 9pm ).

Also, coming from the airport to Lagos Island especially from the local airport about 3 or 4 years ago,nobody I know in his or her right senses would think of going through Oshodi at whatever time of the day (certainly not at night). However,I waltz through Oshodi Isale , climb the bridge and get unto 3rd mainland bridge now. Infact, the roads are so free I once had a friend who had been out of the country and just came home asking if a particular access link we were taking in Oshodi existed before then.I laughed while explaining that it had always been there but you could not see or drive through because it was blocked 24hours of the day by wares and goods displayed by hawkers.

Vehicles now queue appropriately .Even amazing is the fact that they seem to be orderly.No more paraga sellers/joint for miscreants. The railway lines are now free of hawkers and their goods.Stench and sight of excreta are no more and more importantly, people walk around Oshodi without fear of molestation.

Truth is Oshodi is not paradise yet but it is a long way from the hell it was some years back.

This piece is not particularly about the transformation of Oshodi but about the fact that a man asked WHY NOT? Someone dared to ask not just why? but why not? Why not shake the status quo if it is not the right thing? Why not see how to make a difference rather than giving into the same "what can I do about it?" syndrome. Some may argue that Fashola is the governor/leader so he has the power to do anything but I disgree with that line of thought. Successive governors (even military governors who people presumed had the power of life and death) could not do anything about Oshodi.So it is not the position but the paradigm and thinking of the person.

Most importantly for me, the Oshodi phenomenon as I would like to call it simply shows me that there is hope for my nation.

I draw a parallel between Oshodi and Nigeria. The hawkers are like everyday Nigerians who are set in their ways and do not see what they are doing as having debilitating effect on others.Afterall, they are just trying to eke a living.The Area boys and miscreants are like the barons and cabals in different fields (oil & gas bunkerers, power and generators sellers who would not allow PHCN/NEPA work ) of endeavours who hold us all to ransome and successive governments have been afraid to tackle because they are important to votes and who gets to be in government (just like the area boys were in Lagos - believe me they were powerful). The excreta and urine being the stench of corruption (of course product from the Area boys, hawkers etc). and so on. The parallel is striking (topic for another day).

Until you and I decide to start to ask not just why we need to make a change, and start to ask why not? Why not make a change? why not push the envelope. Challenge status quo that are ruining our lives. Question long-term held beliefs about power brokers and how powerful they really are (most of them derive their powers from our fears of them).

We need to stop taking excuses from ourselves (as individuals) and then from our government and leaders in different areas.

Anytime anyone puts a limit on our collective fortune or wellbeing and is telling us why, we need to ask why not break the ceiling?. W need to ask why not have a better way of life?, why can we not change our environment?

As for me, my mind is made up.Anytime anyone tells me Nigeria can not change, I am ready to ask why not?If I am told that is how it has always been, I would ask why not change it?why not start? If I hear it is too difficult for one man, I would ask why not try and try again? If I am told it cannot be done. I would ask why not push the envelope?.

So I ask you, why not join me?, why not start with yourself and your neighbourhood?.

Why not believe and make a difference?.

Anytime I hear it cannot be done, I'll ask why but more importantly, why not? Look at the NEW OSHODI!!!

NEW OSHODI - Outcome of a "WHY NOT?" paradigm - part 1

PART 1

Have you seen Oshodi lately? I am sure for Nigerians living abroad (at least those who left not less than 3 years ago) whose last experience was having to go through Oshodi (I am sure you remember spending not less than 2-3hrs on a journey of less than 500m on the Oshodi bridge) to get to the airport would find it a little bit difficult to relate to the new look Oshodi.Even some of us living here still find it a bit difficult to believe - monitoring with bated breadth to ensure it does not go back to being the Oshodi of old.

Anyway, for those who do not know of the old Oshodi, a brief description of what I (funny enough) faintly remember (kai, it shows to forget poverty does not take too long o, once you start to enjoy (lol)).

First thing that strikes you about Oshodi is the sea of heads - literally,I mean.Lots of people packed like sardine who seem to be going nowhere and yet everywhere.Chaotic order of some sort.More of a coordinated mess.So many people who push and shove themselves hardly getting a place to put their feet (now that is Oshodi). Along the railway lines, street hawkers display their wares sometimes right on the railway lines and would scamper to remove their goods only when they hear the distant hooting of an oncoming train.You can bet the wares are back immediately the train leaves (sometimes as it is leaving). In the midst of this, are the Molues and Danfos (passenger buses) queueing endlessly and justling with pedestrians for every available space.With 27 seating and 99 standing passengers (as Fela would say), you will still see conductors struggling to load more passengers even when it is evident there is no more shred of space left. The drivers drive like they are on crack early in the morning, on acid/ecstacy in the afternoon and at night on heroine (so no time of the day is one safe).The roads were of no help either, full of potholes.It can take you up to 30minutes (okay so I exaggerate a bit) to go from one end of the pedestrian bridge to the other end not because the footbridge is that long but because of the sheer number of people at any time shoving and pushing to walk on the bridge and also numerous hawkers and sellers displaying wares/goods on the pedestrian bridge.A lot don't even bother to use the bridge.You would see lots of people weaving between cars and buses to cross the road. Okada drivers are a special breed in oshodi as well.

You were sure to find area boys (miscreants, muggers,swindlers,drug addicts,pick pockets, etc) all around.Lest I forget, the ever present disgusting sight and smell of excreta and urine (or is it pure ammonia) is a constant in Oshodi. I have just described Oshodi Isale (or lower Oshodi).

 In the same Oshodi, there is a bridge (this is called Oshodi Oke - or upper Oshodi).Almost a replica of Oshodi Isale except for the railway line (but not the hawkers and their wares, these are ever present). To get to Lagos international airport from the Island, you only had two ways of getting there but the Oshodi bridge was the closer of the two (in Kilometres).However, it took forever to get to the airport because of the hold up, bad driving, hawkers taking over half the road with their wares, street urchins stealing and causing distractions etc.

I forgot to mention paraga sellers, usually women or young ladies with trays of concotion on their heads made of herbs mixed with some strong liquor - gin, ogogoro,palmwine and so on.Their customers? drivers, conductors, area boys and so on. You would sometimes find the cause of a major hold early in the morning is a driver who has stopped godsmack in the middle of the road to take his first shot of paraga  for the day and every other person behind him could go to hell (and of course you will see the young paraga seller flashing you an apologetic smile - goodness!!!).

During the era of past administrations, cries have gone out to different governors of the state to do something about Oshodi but successive governments left us the same way. Some even swore it was not possible.Others said the problems were too great for any government to tackle.Some experts even told us the untold economic hardship and unbearable effects of "disrupting the oshodi structure". Above all, governments asked why? Why should we disrupt a way of life? Why should we bother ourselves with this ernomous and seemingly insurmountable problem? why? why? why?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mot72pmBTk8

PS: By the way, I found this picture of Oshodi after I finished writing and memories just flooded me like water -I was almost overwhelmed.Also, the link is from China but hilariously reminds me of Oshodi Railway line (of course Oshodi was not that dramatic but they sure shared a lot in common)

The Probe

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the comments and recommendations. Please keep them coming.You can also register to follow the blog.

For today, I wish to talk about the just concluded world youth FIFA U17 championship hosted by Nigeria with Switzerland emerging as the world champion.

Just this morning while listening to the Sports news on 92.3 Inspiration FM usually anchored by Wale Scott. (He likes to say, I am the voice you must be aware of and if not for anything, at least for your heart, do some sports).

The topic of discussion centred on the just concluded World Under 17 football championship hosted by Nigeria (another topic of discussion is the quality of hosting). The issues raised during the 20minute or so phone in programme were:

1.Alleged misappropriation of funds by local organising officials

2. That cars/vehicles ordered for the tournament were still on the high seas meanwhile the event itself is over.So what happens to these cars?

Lots of calls came in to contribute to this topic and one common trend was that Nigerians who called in did not expect anything better from the organisers so they complained bitterly and rang off. Others said they wished the matters would not be allowed to die down just like that .The last set of callers simply called to say more or less that Nigeria is doomed (in not so many words).

I listened with sadness to these calls. To call in to contribute to the programme was a nightmare as the phone line was consistently busy all through the programme.So I have decided to share my thoughts with you on this page.

I thought to myself that if truly there was misappropriation of funds, then I, as a Nigerian  have a right to be angry (as you should be too whether home or abroad) and demand justice but more importantly ensure we get justice.Not just talk about it and resign to fate because then, we would continue in rut and continue with the endless complaints.As Edmund Burke said, "the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing".Key word here is "do".

I was delighted during the course of the news when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan stated that there would be a probe into the funds management.This was good news indeed and I believe we should follow it to a logical conclusion rather than just complain and leave the issue hanging. In the words of Dennis Wholey, "expecting the world to treat you fairly becuase you are a good man is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you becuase you are a vegetarian". Accouuntability must be demanded.

There would be one of three(3)  possible outcomes to this probe:

1. The probe ends up exposing culpable members and we can ensure adequate prosecution (this pushes us one step further to proving that public office is not for looting). I am all for this and intend to keep pushing.

2.The probe shows the news was all untrue and we can be proud of the men/women we have put in place to serve the nation and they should be honoured.

3. The probe leads nowhere or is suspended -however, this would happen if we all go to sleep and take no action (by action I do not refer to complaint only).

We as a nation must ensure we hold our leaders and public servants accountable on all fronts (more importantly ourselves - more on this, when I write on the topic, "the enterprise of me") . By accountable I do not mean vociferous outburst on our leaders but dogged actions to show we hold them accountable and it matters to us what is done with our collective fortune.

If we all show we have a stake in this country and that every single kobo spent by the government is not just  national cake or free money, but it is as much my money as it is yours, we would be better and can enjoy the goodness of this wonderful land called Nigeria.

This call however means that I also will hold you accountable for your actions while I expect you to do same where I am concerned. This means, I am expected to actively challenge the driver that shunts the line, do same for the guy in 4x4 jeep along lekki-epe expressway taking pedestrian side of the road thereby creating 3 lanes where there should have been two.

Frederick Douglas my all time icon and hero (from slavery to freedom to public speaking in europe and finally newspaper and book publishing - amazing man) in North America once said, "Find out just what people will submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue until they are resisted with either words or blows, or both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress".

Most of us don't do anything because we have not seen that connection yet but truth is we pay heavily for it collectively.The unruly driver that shunts the queue at the filling station creates impetus for others to do same if he gets away with it.This leads to buying fuel in 6 hours (because there is now anarchy at the filling station, the queue is no longer maintained and it has become a free for all situation) rather than in 30mins or less.

The so called "oga" who creates a third lane may go scott free but behind him are 20 danfo/molue/bus drivers who believe that if the big man can do  this and get away with it, why not them as well.In not taking our time to caution the "big man", within 20 mins, the road becomes unpassable for us all and that function/event/meeting we were in so much of a hurry to get to sometimes becomes unattendable.What is saddening is that most times, men and women who had no idea how this situation started are usually the eventual victims.

Tell me, have you not suffered such before?

There is the role for the government establishment (I am by no means asking we usurp their roles and make them redundant or condone their inactivity), but I believe you and I would be more effective in some key areas if only we see the connection(s).

Nigeria is set to be better. You and I would make it so.

On a brighter note, CONGRATULATIONS to all NIGERIANS and the SUPER EAGLES on their qualifications for the WORLD CUP (SOUTH AFRICA 2010). We need to quickly start to work from yesterday to ensure we do well at the nations cup  and eventually the world cup.

I believe in NIGERIA. Long live my fatherland.

Welcome to my world (2) - Population

I was thinking just some minutes ago if truly there was anything worthwhile to write today and it just struck me that all I needed to do was just look around.It's all there. We are basically just stuck in the rut of all the negatives bombarding us to see the good.

Just yesteray, the world youth championship taggged, Nigeria 2009 -World junior championship (FIFA Under 17 ) came to an end in Abuja, and to believe that the team that came second was hurriedly put together is short of amazing. They played well by all standards and could have clinched the gold trophy.I am not unmindful of the controversy sorrounding the age issue and if it is true, I condemn wholeheartedly.

The major take away for me is the fact that we were able to put together a bunch of talents within a few months who went all the way to the world cup finals and gave very impressive showing - world class by all reckoning. This brings me to a crucial point .Nigeria is blessed with a large population.

I know different schools of thoughts have different things to say about our population and population growth and the negative impacts it has on our planet - resource depletion etc.However, I wish to take a step back and try to highlight Nigeria's peculiar situation and show that it is a stroke of good fortune - I am sure there was no articulate plan to have such large population or population growth -it just happened and may I say what a piece of good fortune it is for us.

For one, population has become a major factor when it comes to world reckoning - China and India by account of their population today cannot be ignored(I am quick to admit that population is not the only reason for this) .The world pays attention whenever China sneezes and India has a cold becuase we know that one in every 5 human in the world is from China and 1 in every 6 or 7 is from India.

It is said that 1 in every 6 African is a Nigerian.This on its own confers heavy responsibility and advantage on us as a country as major decision concerning the African continent must involve us.The question is, what has our contribution been (we shall talk about that later) ? or better, what should our contributions be to ensure that the world continues to listen and take us seriously.

Another important factor in Nigeria's peculiar positioning is our demographics - Oh what great demographic distribution we have.

Nigeria's demographics according to the UN is stated below:

Age structure
0–14 years: 44% (male 27,181,020; female 26,872,317)

15–64 years: 53% (male 33,495,794; female 32,337,193)

65 years and over: 3% (male 1,729,149; female 1,722,349) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate
2.5% (2008 est.)

Birth rate
43 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

The age distribution is the reason the likes of MTN,Etisalat and other giants in the world of telecoms will do anything to remain in Nigeria - NIGERIA IS A YOUNG NATION (We have over 50% of our nation within the productive age and more importantly, we have a steady flow to feed that group when the 15-64 grow too old to work. The question is are we productive?

Nigeria's population age distribution makes it a very attractive place for any product especially goods/services that appeal to lifestyle and comfort because this age group is it!!!

Japan in contrast, though about the 10th largest country in the world (over 127million people) has over 21% of its population over 65-85 years with higher life expectancy and lower fertility rate, Japan would be spending 27% of its national income on social welfare by 2025.

Good news is that Nigeria right now is blessed both in number and demographics to make the difference.The question is are we actively working it out to take advantage of what we have been blessed with ?Rather than see our population and population growth as a major problem (and it can be depending on our actions or lack thereof), we should seize the glaring opportunities which it seems only foreigners see while we are content to just complain and bicker about and tap the enormous potential available.

As I said earlier, the purpose of this blog is not just to analyse but to set practical ways of ensuring we move forward and put it to practice.

The points raised so far are:

1. Nigeria has a large population with raw talents

2. Our demographic spread puts us in a prime position to be the best in the world

The questions are: So why have we not utilised these opportunities if truly they are there? I would submit that it is because we have not seen the opportunities.

Before MTN came and showed Nigerians that we can be declaring profit after tax of over N50bn (this was about 4 years or so ago, so you can imagine what it is today), Nigerians all complained bitterly about the state of our infrastructure not because there was no money (funny enough the same Nigerians are asking that MTN should be compelled to go public in order to spread the largesse - how funny), it was becuase we saw the problems rather than the solutions and in our typical way, we expected "the government " to sort things out.

MTN and the others foreign companies (thanks to Mike Adenuga Jnr. for showing Nigeria is not totally incapable of seeing the opportunities), saw the young population and by extensionan opportunity to sell lifestyle products/services (because that is what our phones have become).Now South Africa would do anything to ensure the relationship is strengthened - remittances from Nigeria is no joke!!!

So here is the challenge, instead of waiting for the government to solve the problems, start looking at the population to see what inconveniences you (light, water supply, fresh food supply, information availability or lack of it etc) and ask yourself, what can I offer this large demographic group knowing fully well what drives this group anywhere in the world are comfort and lifestyle solutions.

I shall continue on the other issues that are really opportunities for us to be the best. For example only 25% of Nigerians are urban dwellers so what happens to the remaining 75% ? Less than 50% of children of school age are in school, quality of education as we know it is almost zero etc.

Is there good in Nigeria? YOU BET!!!!

Welcome to my World (1) - Frames of Reference

Hi All,

I believe I should start out with a bit of information about myself and also set frames of reference and/or common grounds in order to either agree (in subsequent posts) or agree to disagree rather than having lots of unnecessary arguments and disagreements only to find out that we have been saying the same things all along but from different points of view.

Personal Information:

I am a Nigerian Citizen living in Nigeria.

Frames of Reference:

I believe wholeheartedly in Nigeria my country, I believe there certainly is a future worth living and dieing for.

I love my country firecely.

I am not denying the presence and proliferation of ills ,vices and other negative happenings in my country, neither am I promoting /condoning them.

I believe practically every Nigerian (at home and abroad) can enunciate, articulate and analyse my country's problems (albeit inaccurately sometimes). Even non-Nigerians have become experts in the subject of "negative-Nigeria".

On a global scale, my country's name has become synonymous with certain negative practices and vices.It has become so bad that people who have never met me in person , typify ,stereotype and categorise me on the basis of news about Africa and Nigeria in particular (whether the news be true or not)- Some even think Africa is a country (what ignorance!!).

However, I am of the opinion that my country is full of wonders (starting from the wonderful and resourceful people to the breadthtaking landscape and natural environment that the King Creator has blessed my country). Therefore,I leave the job of analysis to the experts.Rather,I "Choose" to see and showcase the good things about my country.

I choose to start with the "enterprise of me" rather than the "enterprise of them/they".I intend to work my way to having men and women joining hands in not just analysing our problems (many they are) but proffering solutions and more importantly, moving from "TALK to WALK" - Execute on action plans that have impact on moving us to a nation to be proud of. Make no mistakes, I am prepared to "WALK" alone if need be.

I choose to see "allthatisgoodaboutnigeria". Will you care to join me?

Welcome to my world!!!!