Photo credit: 1Africa
If wishes were horses…..
When I become governor, about the first thing I must do is to make every open space a farm. Of course, villages will all become farm estates. This is because we want to feed the teeming population of Lagos State.
And I am not talking of just planting. We must add value. Of course, we will invite experts, not from abroad, but from our various universities and colleges of technology. I remember the yam pounding machine was initially designed by scientists from Great Ife, but before we could finish spelling I, f and e, the Japanese had brought out the finished product.
Yes, they stole the idea!
In terms of roads and bridges, I will maintain the roads in the state capital but I will not tamper with the design. After all, double decker buses ply the narrow streets of London. I think the installation of lifts on Olumo is a retrogressive idea. Is there any lift on Kilimanjaro? It spoils the fun in adventure.
If I must develop an area in Ogun central, I will turn Owode Egba into a new city or Ibara Orile even the sleepy Odeda. As I said, I will leave Abeokuta city as a model city and transform all the roads while maintaining their narrowness. The taps will run. I will even introduce the use of solar powered energy.
Of course, there must be discipline on the roads. People will be persuaded to obey all traffic signs,
particularly pedestrian crossings.
I will move to the areas that are neighbours to Lagos State and start massive construction of roads and housing estates there. I am aware that even if Lagos wants to provide these facilities, it does not have the space. I will turn the inability of another state into a money making venture.
I might even go into negotiations with Lagos State to partner with us in the areas of agriculture and housing. Of course, they will since it is better than going all the way to Kebbi State.
Of course, I will reconstruct the old Abeokuta-Ibadan road from Adatan through Odeda to the border of Ogun State. I know it’s a federal road but I know the federal government will refund my expenses once the work is of high quality.
As for education, I will spend money on the existing schools, primary, secondary and tertiary. I know how much my people value education and I will not disappoint them. There will be no dilapidated classroom anywhere.
I will also reach an agreement with the Nigerian Society of Engineers so that we can establish cottage industries where light machinery could be manufactured at the beginning. When we become more proficient, we will start the production of the heavy ones.
As for sports, I will provide the enabling environment for sports to develop. In the first instance, I will organise age grade competitions in schools and colleges. The government will promote the establishment of privately owned sports clubs as government will not own any club.
I will be very careful in designing market places. I know the old woman grinding pepper or selling iru may not be able to afford space in a shopping mall. We will design shopping plazas modelled after our local markets for their benefit.
With all these and more the internal revenue generation of the state will be boosted and everyone will be happy.
However, wishes are not horses. Beggers will never ride!
That’s another way of saying, ‘Enu dun un rofo, agada owo se e be’gedu.’
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