Lagos: Like Fashola, Like Sanwo-Olu

BY OLATUNJI OKE

Without attempting to deflect responsibilities or rationalize inadequacies, I will attempt a bit of explanation on the present situation of development in Lagos.

Firstly, development and progress don’t occur in a vacuum. They take years of careful planning, following to the letter and sometimes modification (in overriding public interests, not personal, parochial or sectional interests).
The triadic progression of policies, programmes and projects are components that ought to be duly followed. Sound and robust policies are the underpinnings of any true and lasting development. Programmes and projects can then follow. What most people look forward to are the bricks and mortar, encapsulated by projects.

Back to the present conundrum, the Sanwo-Olu administration inherited an ‘altered’ Lagos plan, that had sent the State into the doldrums of development in the last four years.

That the fan is still running does not mean electricity supply hasn’t been withdrawn.

We saw humongous projects and misinterpreted them for progress. Which progress and development occurs without commensurate impacts on the health and education sectors of the society?

This is why the new administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has found it tough for a while.

However, trust me, in the true Lagos spirit, one that NEVER surrenders, the challenges will be well surmounted.

This also reminds me of Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN)’s first 100 days. All sorts of darts and daggers were drawn and projections of his failure were made by all sorts of armchair speculators. Even The Guardian newspaper ran a story of an adverse and negative perceptions but here we are today.

The present predicament of the Sanwo-Olu administration is a bit similar.

Prior to Fashola’s election as Governor, (President Olusegun) Obasanjo, despite numerous court judgements, refused to release money meant for Lagos State development, making Lagosians suffer in an untold manner.

The Lagos that Fashola inherited was fraught with plenty liabilities. I remember telling anyone that cared to listen that Fashola won’t only do well, he’ll set a standard. This was because of my vantage position as the first appointee of the State’s Project Implementation and Monitoring Unit (PIMU), where I saw first-hand, plans to turn the tides around and also to actualize the previous administration’s vision.

You can research ThisDay interview published on September 9th, 2007, by the newspaper’s team made up of Lucky Fiakpa, Nduka Nwosu, Abiodun Ajala, Emeka Enechi, Louis Achi, and Olawale Olaleye, for more on this.

Conclusively, Govènor Sanwo-Olu’s public admittance at ‘The Platform’ on October 1 of the need to still do better, to make Lagosians happy is a testimony of his readiness to surpass their expectations.

Just like Fashola and possibly more than him, Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat will come through, beyond the confines of our expectations.

Oke is a Development Communicator and a certified Project Monitoring personnel. He is the Publisher, Lagos Indicator and Nigeria Indicator.