MABS 2015: LOOKING FORWARD FROM THE PAST

MUSIC AFRICA BEACH SPLASH 2015 (MABS 2015) -- THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS:

It's 25 days to the biggest beach rock-down in Lagos, the Music Africa Beach splash 2015.  These are some of the images from the 2014 show:

LUCKY

AND LAGOS STATE ONCE AGAIN SHOWS US HOW GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE:

AMBODE HANDS OVER MILE12-IKORODU BRT EXTENSION TO THE PEOPLE

In many ways the governments of Lagos state (since 1999) have consistently shown to Nigerians the ultimate value of governance -- continuance in delivering tangible assets to the industrious people of Lagos State.

NEW BRT BUS DEPOT AT MAJIDUN, IKORODU

While in many other States of the federation a transition from one regime to the other (even within the same party)  almost always results in countless abandoned projects, revocation of contracts and a re-kindling of 'bad blood' among politicians and civil servants alike, Lagos state on the other hand,  continues to sprint on a different track ensuring that baton handovers do not blur the view of the end point :  In 2003, the Jagaban of Africa, Asiwaju Bola Hamed Tinubu  and his team including these 3 key players -- Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, (then Commissioner of Works, Lagos State now Governor Osun State), Akinwunmi Ambode ( then Accountant General of Lagos State, now Governor of Lagos State) Dr. Dayo Mobereola (then MD Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority now Commissioner of Transport , Lagos State) set out a  road map to redefine the infrastructural landscape of Lagos. Working mainly from revenues earned within the State itself, (The Federal government withheld funds from Lagos State at the time),   the then governor of Lagos State took the first giant strides in this transformation journey.

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE & BUS SHELTER

In 2007 Babatunde Raji FASHOLA (now Federal Minister of Works Power and Housing ) took the baton as Governor of Lagos State and 'bolted' with it .

In 2015, the current governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode has already indicated his commitment to the vision (of which he was a part in 2003), by ensuring ongoing projects receive the support they need from his government.

Generator /Power House at AGRIC BUS STOP, IKORODU 

EXPANDED MAJIDUN OGOLONTO LINK BRIDGE

On Thursday 12th November, 2015 Governor Ambode officially opened and handed over the massive Mile 12 to Ikorodu BRT extension project, a project which has virtually elevated Ikorodu to the status of a city . The atmosphere at the Majidun BRT Depot, Ikorodu was electrifying. 

AT THE OPENING/HANDING OVER  OF THE MILE 12-IKORODU BRT EXTENSION

The people could not control their joy at seeing the real architects of this transformation right in front of them: The Jagaban himself, Aregbesola also , and of course Governor Ambode. People jostled and pushed, almost trampling each other just to touch "Aregbe" as his convoy drove into the venue. There was even greater excitement when the Jagaban's convoy drove in too. It was unbelievable: A cult like following for these three  and there in that instant I got the message : In Africa, in Nigeria, we do not ask for 'heaven on earth' from our leaders but just the basics and they will be our heroes for a long time to come.  

Victor O. Sawyerr

13/15/2015

AND BUHARI TOUCHES THE PULSE OF NIGERIANS

           " Here on the pulse of this new day,

             You may have the courage to look up and out,

             And upon me ,

            The Rock,

            The River,

            The Tree,

            Your Country.

             No less to Midas than the Mendicant,

             No less to you now than the mastodon then

             Here, on the pulse of this new day,

             You may have the Grace to look up and out,

             And into your sister's eyes,

             And into your brother's face,

             Your Country,

             And say simply,

             Very Simply,

              With hope-- Good Morning!

                                          -------- Maya Angelou

                    (Award Winning African American Poet)

There on the Pulse of that fine day in 1993  award winning African American Poet Maya Angelou read this Poem to the world at the inauguration of Bill Clinton as America's  42nd President,  vocalizing the hope of Americans that the Clinton administration would bring freshness into governance.  

And on the pulse of another fine day,11th September, 2015, here in the business hub of Africa, Africa's most populous Nation,  the collective pulse of all Nigerians was touched by President Muhammadu Buhari for the first time since his inauguration as he allocated portfolios to his Ministers.  Although many felt disappointed by the " THE LIST" of ministers from the Executive, the allocation of portfolios evoked a different set of emotions altogether.

In much of Surulere, Lagos many were fixated on their TV sets  watching with rapt attention as President Buhari inaugurated his Ministers. Then he began allocating Ministries  to each and there was silence --- until he called out : Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minister of Works, Power and Housing -- and cheers erupted. People started clapping -- it was as if Nigerians were watching their under-seventeen National soccer team,  the Golden Eaglets score a winning goal in a FIFA world cup final. It was simply a spontaneous outburst of joy -- the first re-kindling of  hope that seemed to almost have been lost many a months ago. Two other names that drew some sort of applause also were Rotimi Amaechi (Former Rivers State Governor) named Minister of Transport and Kayode Fayemi (Former Ekiti State Governor ) named Minister of Solid Minerals.

For many with Fashola as Minister of works there is hope that at least some of this government's programmes will touch the lives of the masses in a positive way; there is hope that the many abandoned Federal Road Projects all over the country will be swiftly dealt with; there is hope that the national monster called Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) will be swiftly and comprehensively dealt with once and for all ; there is hope that the National housing policy will really and truly be available to all Nigerians, not just those fortunate to have 'godfathers' in high places.

And maybe we can re-echo Maya Angelou's words: "On the pulse of this new day, we did have the grace to look up and out, into our sister's eyes, and  our brother's face, our Country-- Nigeria, and say simply, very  simply, with hope-- Good Morning! 

                                        Victor O. Sawyerr

                                         12/11/2015