Nigerian architects are often wary of building homes and edifices that don’t look very attractive. They would rather build structures that are very attractive and very expensive. A call has been sounded out to builders, contractors, and architects, that in making Lagos a mega city, builders should start with what people can afford, not what they prefer.
Sir Paul Collier, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatrik School of Government and a Professorial Fellow of St Antony’s College, Oxford, made it clear that Lagos can’t hope to be a mega city unless drastic changes are made to develop the present mindset of people living in the city right now.
He bared his thoughts while delivering the keynote address at the recent 14th CVL Annual Lecture/International Leadership Symposium having the title: Living Well Together, Tomorrow: The Challenge of Africa’s Future Cities.
Sir Collier’s research covers fragile states, the effects of aid and the problems of democracy in low income and natural resources rich societies. So could rightly point out that it is futile for builders to build fancy homes that only few people can afford. That scenario plays out often in places such as Ikoyi, Victoria Island, or Lekki area of Lagos State, where many people are not able to afford a home because they are too offensive.
Secondly, as regards transportation, Collier believes Lagosians are yet to get it right because the transport systems are not in accordance with what is obtained in other developed mega cities around the world.
“Most of you came to this event in your personal cars. That’s not right, because that will create a lot of traffic jam. If you came in Bus Rapid Transit transport systems; that will free up the roads,” he said while delivering his keynote address.
Thus, Sir Collier is able to point out two areas in which improvement needs to be made. Especially in the transportation system, he encouraged government to consider opening up more routes, bridges, railways, so that bottle-necks on major roads will be avoided to a large extent.
By; Jude Chukwuemeka
Share this
