Reliving the past with ‘Spirit of Lagos’

Several people would find it odd to hear that Lagos has a ‘spirit’. While it is not out of place to attribute a spirit to an emerging mega city such as Lagos, as it may conjure some diabolical feelings to some; but in reality, Lagos has a spirit.

   A group already goes by the name ‘The Spirit of Lagos’ and they simply depict the essence of the commercial nerve centre of Sub-Sahara Africa. “It is the embodiment of all things good about Lagos and the very lifeline that connects its glorious past with its future that we dream of,” Olaniyi Omotosho, the project coordinator said.

   Omotosho is worried that the once vibrant, enterprising, fun-loving and accommodating spirit, which Lagos is known for, has been challenged and diluted by a combination of factors. This is a problem the group is determined to address through a creative campaign.

   The factors include widening gap between the government and the governed, poor quality of life, unemployment, high density/poor housing, education, healthcare, social/environmental services, which resulted in indifference and diminished sense of belonging towards communal development and sustainability.

   “The initiative is to discuss the development possibilities that can make the city a better place for all to live in. It will probably be the most transformative thing to happen in this city in several decades. And it is only fitting to have it taking place in Lagos, the crown jewel of the Nigerian economy. Hopefully, its success will spur renewed focus, across the country, on ambitious, value-adding infrastructure projects,” he stated.

   The group noted: “As apathy deepens over time and people do not see a way out, a state of contagious depression, cynicism and negativity results. They loose all sense of restraint and violate established laws with adverse effect on them and society at large.

   “People become desperate and look to survive by any means necessary. Social values spiral down, as people stop caring for one another. This manifests in increased armed robbery, vandalism, lawlessness, road rage, kidnapping and others.”

   The group believes that recourse to social justice, equal opportunity, civic responsibility, citizenship education and good neighborliness would address the issues.

   Speaking on the subject of social justice, the group stated that Lagos historically has always been a fair and just place to live, both in terms of access to recourse for injustice and a collective responsibility to fight wrong to an individual or group.

   “History is replete with examples of these acts of liberation that make everyone ‘free’ in Lagos. These will be reenacted and presented to enliven Lagosians to a spirit that should never die through indifference and a lack of information of all that the government continues to put in place to ensure justice for all,” it explained.

By Adeniyi Idowu Adunola