World worst city ranking: Lagos is liveable by Frank Meke

Global cities ranking and many other comparative analysis of development from the eyes of Europeans and Americans are sometimes very subjective. When they came plundering our natural and human resources many centuries ago, it was also on the subjective premise of bringing to us “civilization” even with historical reality that the black man is more organized and better at peace with his environment.


As much as we may not dispute some “correctness” in some of the improved ways to which man could live better in the world brought about by scientific discoveries championed by the “white man”, what however rankles the mind is the so called “superior” index of living forced down the throat of the black man by the modern day city economic adventurists.

It is however sad that while these spin doctors are work, our people and government for fear of whatever reason, allows the heavy handed lies to stick and shamefully will not speak up. Recently, the Americans in their usual monopolistic hold as the world’s policeman, slammed 28 Nigerians cities as unsafe and before we could put a finger to how safe American cities of New York, Texas, Baton rouge, Virginia, Florida and others where day light killings by the police and citizens alike, including uncontrollable flooding and fire disasters abound, some cranks from the Economist Intelligence Unit(EIU) dubbed Lagos, our magical Lagos as the third worst city to live in stability global ranking for 2016.

The adventurist “economic” assessors based their report on broad areas of Stability, Healthcare, Culture, Environment, Education and Infrastructure. They “dashed” Lagos high scores on culture, environment and infrastructure with poor marks on stability. While the Minister of Tourism, Lai Mohammed told the Americans to first go and remove the stones in their own eyes so that can see better things about Nigeria, it is my duty as a Lagosian to advise the Economist Intelligence Unit that its eurocentric survey cannot stop Lagos in its stable mission to become Africa’s prime business and tourism investment destination.

STABILITY, A SWORD WITH TWO FACES?

Apart from security, the functions of stability in economic development could be seen from profiles and policies on taxation, transportation, commerce, trade and business opportunities, access to land, sea and ocean economy, labour and to add, political economy.  Even though this reporter is not an economist, it is a known fact that Lagos has consistently since democracy birthed in Nigeria about 16 years ago, proved that it has the capacity to stabilize the index of economic bliss for her citizens, including foreign economic adventurers. Indeed, the recent launch of Lagos global, one stop investment profile and policy check list, drives home the truth that Lagos is “stable” as a place to live and do business without stress. Even though security was not listed as driver of stability by EIU, there is however no denying the fact that nowhere in the world today, be it Vancouver, Toronto, Vienna or Melbourne are free from the storm of global insecurity.

LAGOS AND CHALLENGES OF MIGRATION

If Lagos is not liveable and “stable”, how could it attract migrant workers not only across Nigeria but the entire African continent? Indeed, of all inbound global flights into Africa, Lagos hugs the majority as businessmen and tourists pay their way to dwell and do business in Nigeria, driving up real estate and properties in the city of Lagos. Honestly, one wonder if the EIU survey ever took the bustling open markets of Ereko, Agbongbon, Aspamda and Idumota into consideration. From Ghana, Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast and the up lands of Africa, Lagos is home to stable living in trade and commerce, a process which drives human survival and growth.

LAGOS SECURITY INDEX

Nightlife economy and green neighbourhoods are certain drivers of longevity and better quality of life.  Lagos recently installed over 13,000CCTV cameras, 6,000 street lights and security sensors to enhance crime prevention and with a police force better equipped ever than before, a “human face” road traffic facilitators and refuse disposal platform that is private sector driven to keep Lagos city clean and habitable, these gains of development help boost the city of Lagos as a clinical tourism destination, evolving  new frontiers of development daily, soaking up pressures of pan African attraction as a place to live and survive to which Melbourne, Vienna, Toronto and contemporary city liveability expectations may find difficult to cope.

ONE LAGOS FIESTA

It is the biggest but yet to be profiled tourism entertainment circuit in Africa today. This nomadic outdoor entertainment show piece tailored to vibe up the various communities in the state, creating jobs and discovering talents in music, arts and culture. Indeed, Lagos fiesta is a global tourism evidence that profiled the land of aquatic splendour as a liveable place to rest and discover the true meaning of life.

LAGOS GROWING INFRASTRUCTURE PROFILE

Thank God, the oyinbo’s at EIU gave Lagos thumb ups in infrastructure. Check out the ongoing skyline changing rail line from Badagry to the Island, another city airport close to Export Free Zone in Lekki, expanded roads over across the state and the private sector driven fourth Mainland Bridge. It is just unbelievable the liveability structures daily put in place to ease movement of doing business and locating the various unspoilt tourism sites that abound in the city. The dynamism employed in growing and locating needed infrastructure in the city has become a culture with Ambode’s government and to which the gains are for not only Lagosians nay Nigerians but a world looking for a place of peace to do business with rest of mind.

LAGOS AND ITS GLOBAL ADVERSARIES

It is written that many effectual (progressive) doors are opened to us and there are many adversaries, so on one breath, the EIU assessment and ranking of Lagos as one of the worst places to live may be the hand work of enemies of Lagos robust drive to make the city the best attractive place in Africa to live and thrive in business. Many years ago, some European hospitality experts in the then World Tourism Organisation (WTO) came up with global ranking index and as you can imagine, no hotel in Africa not to talk of Nigeria even made it down the line. Some of us including some tourisms technocrats in Africa took up the battle and the renamed United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) gave Africa a commission that developed a home grown hotel and hospitality ranking index which took into consideration the challenges of hospitality growth and development in Africa. In a competitive world where businesses, city administrators and governments need to market various goods and services, “paid” influences cannot be ruled out to have an edge over others, so let Lagos tourism global beware and be responsive always.