Lagos and the American Dream

Going! going!! gone!!!.
The clock is ticking and time is running out, Lagosians are really trying to catch in the opportunity that comes once in a year.

The visit of a man to the cybercafe i was this weekend reminded me of the rush and urgency of people who are interested in the American Visa lottery.
A typical Lagosian attitude, always waiting till the last minutes before we get things done. We are so much used to running.

The buzz about the visa lottery can not be imagined in Lagos. Almost everybody i know wants to travel to America. It is even made worse because somebody that knows somebody has a winner who has relocated to the united states.

I for one knows couple of people have relocated courtesy the lottery. A neighbour of mine won the lottery and moved his entire family 4 years ago, this really got me under a lot of pressure because an aunt of mine will not let me rest until i do same for her.

The other day at a very busy place in Lagos called ikeja, the public address system was so loud that its almost deafening. The man kept screaming on top of his voice for people to come and register with him, the way he went about it sounds as if its rocket science to fill the forms and as if without him one can not win the visa lottery.
He is not alone in this, i have seen several television advert and listen to couple of radio jingles about the visa lottery.

How i wish we have a country that things are a lot easier , rushing to relocate to America will be minimized.

Lagos hospitality for the German President.

The German president visit to Lagos state have come and gone but the scenes that played out will remain in the memory of the German president Horst Koehler, his wife Eva Luise and the entourage.

I was on Allen Avenue one of the commercial center in Lagos
when i noticed the un-usual traffic situation. Its not that traffic
is new on the axis or Lagos as a whole but the uneasiness i
noticed in people on bikes who are suppose to have easier
movement that buses caught my attention.

The reason for the un-usual traffic got clearer to me when i saw
all manner of law enforcement officials{we have a lot of them in Lagos
in weeks to come iwill be introducing them to you}, it was then i
realized somebody of note is around the axis.

The people were rumbling as the waiting became unbearable and
alas here comes the entourage.

The people were wavering, the bikes doing all sorts of stunts, German and
Nigerian flags were hung on all poles were wavering, the law enforcement
officials were at attention. I even overheard a superior officer charging
at his junior officer to stand well and remove his hand from his pocket.
It was really a sight to be hold.

Nigeria and Germany have one thing in common that i know and that is the
movement of capital. Bonn used to be the capital of old west Germany before
the unification, while calabar was the capital of Nigeria then it was moved to
Lagos but now the capital city is Abuja.

Despite the movement of capital Lagos still remains the nerve center of Nigeria.

We have shown the German Nigerian hospitality, i wish the Germans will
do same when our president visits.

Hope for Lagosians?

Sitting in my office and watching the presentation made by the governor of lagos state Babatunde Raji Fashola presentation to the state house of assembly gives me an assurance that better days are really coming to the state.

If his words are anything to go bye then his initials BRF{better rewarding future} is really apt. He talked about the plans of his administration combating issues like employment, environment, flood control, road construction, security, education, health etc.

It is interesting to say the least that most his manifestos promises are coming to past. The rate at which roads are being constructed gives one a good idea of what the years ahead holds for lagosians.

Employment is another issue he is takling-head-on and this could be linked to the numbers of people who are under the Lagos state government pay role be it directly or indirectly.

Now to the big one TRAFFIC, if you ask any lagosian what they dread most in lagos i am sure you will get not less than 70% telling you its traffic. This is a feature that separates Lagos from any other city in the Nigeria.

The various plans of the government has shown that traffic, will reduced to it's bearest minimum. Signs of this are visible with the introduction of BRT {bus rapid transit} and the planned introduction of order complimenting transport services i.e water, rail etc.

If only other states in the country can emulate the visionary leadership and vigour of the Lagos governor{do i here you say what else do you expect from a SAN{senior advocate of Nigeria} }, then we will have a cause to smile.