My Dear Governor,
I checked my archive and found out that I have not congratulated my amiable governor on any platform yet, therefore I must correct my insensitivity to my immediate environment by extending my congratulations to you. Please sir, don’t tag it belated.
I am a Lagos boy who believes it will beneficial and great if we are in sync with the government at the centre; and I must commend the level of work done so far: quite an achievement in this short period. The photo-Ops tell it all.
But sir, I want to bring something to your notice. There is a road behind my house; it was built by your immediate predecessor, well-lit at night that the devil himself will have no darkness to veil himself with to perpetrate his typical devilry. Every night, even if there is no power in the neighbourhood, that light will come on. I have on many occasions, at night, taken a walk with my wife in the brightness of that light but today that road has become a menace as robbery activities are daily recorded thereon because our precious ‘ Fashola light’, as my neighbours will refer to it, is out. Not that Fashola took it with him but someone is forgetting to turn on the switch of those lamps, regularly.
The same story of darkness has enveloped Ikorodu Road and other roads. No wonder it is a huge risk to drive in Lagos at night these days that if you get home safe without your car shields broken by armed bandits that specialize in traffic robbery, one should count himself/herself lucky, not the kind that comes from Otuoke though. And if you get to work intact in the morning without your bag being snatched by some ‘phony Okada riders’ it is a blessing. Please follow @Gidi_Traffic to get daily reports on highway (traffic) robberies in Lagos. Also, homes and businesses are no more secure. The crazy Lagos driving is back as it seems LASTMA is on hibernation mode. Refuse collectors under the PPP arrangement, refuse to regularly pick refuse leaving the streets odoriferous for weeks on end yet they generate spurious monthly bills threatening to seal one’s property if payment isn’t made promptly: talk of regular payment for irregular services! The deathtrap on Lagos roads are getting deeper and increasing as it is obvious that the Public Works Corporation hasn’t been engaged as it used to be.
Let me hint you on some of the things I hear people say.
“We are not asking this Ambode to outdo Fashola because BRF’s shoes seem too big for anyone to fit into so quickly, but we will appreciate that he maintains, if he cannot improve on, the good legacy bequeathed to him; it is a Lagos legacy, not BRF’s”.
Hardly had that one finished his line that another one started, ” in case anyone is advising him to undo this Fashola man (who many Lagosians and non- Lagosians alike will continue to appreciate), for whatever political will and weal, he should be told that such adviser is pitching him against the people that voted him to service.”
People are already nostalgic of the Lagos of four months ago. Israelites!
I once told them that you appear to be a performer as your academic and career records reveal but one responded thus: “he only knows how to fold his shirt sleeves but does nothing.” They were making reference to one of your campaign posters. Awon eniyan buru sir!
Another one remarked: “the way of a Chartered Accountant is not the same as that of a SAN(d) Administrator”. I don’t know what that means. But I know accountants are not as good orators as some Senior Advocates but I know they are good at calculus that some of us will never venture. They can conjure digits here and there. I respect them.
From my observation sir, these people are getting wiser by the minute, especially the bloggers and social media activists. There is an ongoing awareness on the power to recall. Am sure you will opine that it doesn’t affect a governor but permit me to paint how it does the executive.
If I ask Hon. Desmond Elliot to commence an impeachment proceedings against you for below snail’s pace performance and he refuses, I will gather the required statutory signatures to have him recalled, and in his place vote an opposition candidate who will be glad to do the people’s bidding in order to continue in their good books. Imagine recalling all your boss’s puppets and replacing them with the people’s stooges: I am sure the Peoples’ Army will always win.
Some other person I interacted with said, Just Kidding (JK) would not have been kidding with the affairs of the state like we are experiencing presently while an ardent ‘Lagos politiker’ said: Lagos is drowning and you don’t need to visit the Bourdillon extension of LASG to save her soul.
I thought the arrows were flying in from too many directions so I challenged one in particular “you have not even allowed him to settle into office before castigating him” but she rebuffed my defense saying they will not wait till this mess gets to the knees before they raise their voices: “It is better we shout out loudly now as it is already covering the ankles”. They said there is a working and workable template before you and all you need to do is key into it.
Lagos is a Centre of Excellence and should be kept at that.
Sir, take this exposé to Bourdillon and am sure the Lion in there will order you to employ me as your Chief Gbefila and I will go to town for you.
Unbridled Vuvuzuela.
I read an interview granted by Mr Adams Aliu Oshiomole, the Governor of Edo State, Nigeria in the Vanguard of Sunday, 23rd August, 2015 where it was stated that the visibly angry Governor said he may not be able to reveal much as he would have liked but maintained that if Nigerians knew what actually went down during the Jonathan’s reign, they would stone him and his cabinet members on the street…
Mr Comrade- Governor don’t you think that statement like this is enough to put you in the same dock as Patience Jonathan in the ICC? In case you have forgotten, we all mauled her when she called for stoning of anyone who approaches her supporters chanting Change. Mosaic Law? But we expect you to know better as you are not a shepopo. Tame your emotions gather all evidence and approach the courts. I am sure this time the course of justice will not be thwarted. This is so important so that someday you won’t come and tell us how the privacy of your bedroom looks, a talkative will end up spilling so much.
