Last week, some notable elders from Lagos State visited President Bola Tinubu during his year-end celebrations in the state.
To any curious mind, such a visit would have presented an opportunity for the elders to discuss issues of utmost concern about Lagos which is in its worst dilapidated state of decadence, socially and economically.I strongly believe it was also an opportunity for the elders to tell the President the true situation of things in the country.
But to the chagrin of many of us, particularly Lagosians, whose expectations were high, nothing about the visit has been heard on what transpired between the elders and their host.
It is a well-known fact that these elders are prominent Lagosians, from Lagos Island, the foremost commercial centre in Nigeria.
The president also paid a visit to the Palace of the Oba of Lagos at Iga Iduganran, while most municipal roads in the axis are in their worst state of disrepair.
I expected the elders to have made the issue of rehabilitation or overhauling of decayed infrastructural facilities in the state their utmost priority during their visit to the president.
For instance, all the adjourning roads to the Oba of Lagos Palace are in their worst state of disrepair. Of particular attention is the ancient commercial area of Jankara Market and its adjourning communities of Idumagbo, Reclamation Roads and others, which have been abandoned for over 20 years, making life a living hell for the people. The elders should have discussed the urgent need to rehabilitate the popular Onola Mini Sports Ground, which helped in shaping our childhood lives in our growing-up days, from its present abandoned state. The visiting elders from Lagos also missed the golden opportunity to demonstrate to the president the urgent need for the rehabilitation of the teeming youth population in the state, who are unemployed and economically stranded in their hundreds of thousands. They should have advocated for programmes aimed at lifting these individuals out of poverty through skills acquisition, in order to curtail the nefarious activities associated with social vices that have become prevalent across the state.
Additionally, issues concerning the rehabilitation of roads in the outskirts of Lagos, such as the Lagos-Abeokuta Express Road and Mile 2-Badagry Road, should have been a matter of urgent concern for the elders.
To say the truth, the general state of infrastructure in Lagos is appalling, with attendant lack of social amenities like public toilets.The state has descended into one of the worst health risk areas, where hygiene is severely lacking in human existence.
Economically, life in Lagos is at the worst human existential state, where poverty stares over 90 per cent of the population in their faces. The points I raised should have been the topic for discussion with the president, not just a mere courtesy visit.
Instead of discussing these urgent state and national issues, I was told some of these elders, who are old students of the prestigious King’s College in Lagos, told the President they wanted to take over the school. They even made the President an Honorary member of their Old Students’ Association, somebody who did not attend the school. All Nigerians know the story and history behind King’s College, a Federal Government school. How do these elders even think the government will hand over the school to them to run as a private enterprise? How do they intend to run the school? What is the blueprint? What are their education plans? Will old students of Queen’s College also ask for a similar favour from the president? What of old students of AIONIAN Schools? Will they make the same request? Is this distraction what we need now? What I believe they should do is to ask the Federal Ministry of Education and the management of the school where they can intervene to continue to project the image of the school and help the students.
For example, new classrooms can be built, laboratories can be well equipped, a new bus can be purchased and given to the school, scholarships can be given to some students, workshops, debates and sporting activities can be arranged for the students.
During their meeting, the president should also have been told the truth that millions of Nigerians are suffering. At every given opportunity, the president himself would admit this but what are the concrete steps he is taking to alleviate the suffering of the people?At this stage, it is not enough to be talking of reforming the economy. The question is: reform at what cost and in whose interest?
When the president came in May 2023, he met a litre of fuel at less than N200 per litre. Today, it is more than N900 per litre and some people are jubilating that a litre has dropped from N1, 200 to N950. What sort of logic is that?
Now that the government is happy that Port Harcourt and Warri refineries have commenced operations, this is the time for Nigerians to be happy too.
Nigerians will see the positive effect of this when they start buying a litre of fuel for about N300. And nobody should tell me it is not possible. I am an engineer. I know it is possible if the political will is there.
I think this is the time for the President to emulate Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State who has announced plans to subsidise fuel at N600 per litre to thousands of farmers in communities hit by Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East state.
The excuse before was that the cost of importing fuel into the country was huge. Today, Dangote Refinery, Port Harcourt and Warri are all working. We have crude oil in abundance and fuel is locally produced. So, why should Nigerians still be buying fuel at more than N300 per litre?
Finally, let me reiterate the importance of a government that listens and acts promptly; by alleviating the suffering of numerous Nigerians under the weight of soaring fuel prices, which will be in line with ensuring respect for human dignity and relieving the economic pain that Nigerians are presently experiencing. Government must therefore, reduce the pump price of fuel to about N300 per litre. I believe it’s time for a government that listens, acts and puts the people first. May God Almighty give Nigerians succour in the year 2025 and beyond.
Written By Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George
Atona Oodua of Yorubaland
