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Funmi Iyanda
Lagos, Nigeria
Funmi Iyanda is a multi award-winning producer and broadcast journalist. She is the CEO of Ignite Media and Executive Director of Creation Television
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Monday, March 03, 2008

E kú ilé o.

So I have spent the last week in a country far away and in a room with
a view of waters only. I spent a few days just being, responding to
nothing, feeling nothing, communicating with only the most completely
necessary and eating, just eating.

Perhaps it is the fresh eyes but it seems to me that Lagos is looking good. I did my favourite late Sunday morning gym run yesterday and I thought I may be mistaken but I have been out and about since yesterday till a couple of hours ago and I am noticing little but good changes. Granted I can only speak for parts of VI and the Maryland/GRA axis but still.

The first thing I noticed was the huge new refuse trucks and the
cleaner highways, the new Lekki road of course is fabulous and driving
down the road was a pleasure. Then there are the road marking, the
street cleaners, the traffic managers, the work under the bridges and
wait for it, an insane okada man coming against the traffic sadly paid
with his life on the 3rd mainland bridge this morning and there was
was an ambulance to move the unfortunate corpse to the morgue within
an hour! The truth be told, there is a sense of focus and concerted
efforts that one gets from the Lagos state government. The best part
of it for me is that there is no cloying newspaper adverts to announce
these, no cringing propaganda, and no fuss, just slow but steady
progress. I really like it, perhaps Lagos might once again be Eko for
show and regain her true spirit of freedom, business, enterprise and
style…now if only they can solve the security problem, the transport
problem, the drainage problem, the... okay okay, there is still a lot
of work to do but for now, I am so pleased that I have been humming
that song “Fashola, Baba ni governor”, eko o ni baje o.

10 comments:

Sherri said...

se dada lode?
sounds positive.
real improvements or was there something in the water where u've been?

Iyaeto said...

Kaa bo o! I see a green Lagos.I see a clean Lagos. I see a safe Lagos. Eko o ni baje o!!

Anonymous said...

i pray ur new energy last gan...

Uzo said...

I agree with you. The changes are amazing. Driving down the fabulously expanded Agidingbi road on the way home and seeing that the medians have that glow in the dark thing.... The changes are everywhere and i am so proud to live here and excited at what is in the pipelines. We will be uncomfortable in the process of all the change but it will be well worth it....

Looking forward to seeing the Monologues....

Funmi Iyanda said...

@all, a dupe o. no vex say l just disappear, na that ekaette woman's mad bill just sink me into a pit of despair. And yes something slow but good is happening in Lagos. Sherri, Iyaeto, uzo, catwalq etc, l miss una all.

@anony, yes o, but wen he was quench again, l go disappear and reappear, circle of life.

Unknown said...

Yo you just made my day, I've been missing home so much these days i'm almost shaking, and now finally, good news. I send you many virtual hugs and kisses...

Comrade said...

This is what happens when planes land people in wrong destinations. I suspect your plane landed you in Abuja and you have been reporting the scenery over there as if it were Lagos. Please check and confirm that you landed in Lagos.

Anonymous said...

keep on keeping on

Funmi Iyanda said...

@comrade, which of the examples l gave was a lie? Don't be afraid to part on the back the people who you have and must still step in the face.

dScR?Be said...

Things are definately looking up, sometimes u have 2 be away 4 a while, to appreciate it all