LAGOS LIGHT

Today I believe the sayings of my mother that if a woman lacks food for just three days, she can deny knowing the taste of her favorite food. This came to past on 28th of May, 2009 when I saw glittering lights in Lagos Streets.

As I always say, if there are good news, who wants to report bad ones? On my way home, very late in the evening along a major road in Lagos, I saw something twinkling, above my head, like a diamond it shines, lights in Lagos major road! Lagos was the capital of Nigeria before the capital was relocated to Abuja, but it remains the economic capital of the nation, it has over 14million inhabitants, a Dutch friend of mine who came to Volunteer in Nigeria said the population of Lagos is almost the same with Holland.

It may be hard for you to imagine how I feel, tears roll down my cheek and I heard women walking beside beside me praying for the Lagos state Governor, as we moved en-masse like xodus of the Israelites since there were no vehicles to convey commuters to their destinations, for the first time in a long time on our road.

We saw men erecting poles, everyone was skeptical, in a country where there is eclectic power supply how will this gentleman achieve the dream, but I learn it was solar powered while other said diesel generator, but the end of the story is that after long years of darkness, when all the pole erected have rusted, the Lagos State Governor erected new ones and supplied solar powered light for Lagosians. The lights were beautiful, it seems minor but to those of us who are used to and live in darkness, we have seen the light once again, rejoice with us!

How I wonder it was, a dream no reality, that up on our heads are shining lights provided by an unpopular party in Nigeria who managed to provide just 2 Governors in 36 States of the federation. This is the only stae where one can see visible change in Nigeria, even if anyone convinces me that this man is stealing Nigeria's money, I will think twice before conclusion.

The hours spent in planning and implementation is enough for a day, sweepers on the highways, buses with full aircondition plying the streets of Lagos, all illegal stalls demolished, you can drive through those market roads without hold ups and there are law enforcement agents evrywhere monitoring activities of street traders, first time in history.

Our prayers is this positive gesture is extended to Health care delivery, road, and other social amenities, we are not demanding for much but if Cheap affordable nutritious Food For the Masses can be slotted into his agenda, great!

To set the record straight, a Governor is painting Lagos red! May God touch Nigeria President too, to stop his slumber, because if he spends 2 good years to rehearse his madness, how many years will he spend to display madness?