By J. J. Omojuwa
A working city reflects the people’s values…
I was holidaying in one of the richest countries in the world. I’d mention the country, but I don’t want the message lost to the distraction of names. There was a construction project close to my accommodation, and the site had a big garbage collection point. Somehow, the city had left the garbage of this community uncollected for more than the one week they’d usually take to retrieve it. This led to a seamy sight that most people do not associate with countries like this one.
Tokunbo Wahab, The Lagos Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, is leading the charge for a cleaner and saner Lagos
Gradually, the construction garbage collection point, intended to collect materials from the site, started to go from containing remnants of wood and sheets to the black and white bags of household refuse. Within days, the civilized system of households dropping their garbage in the designated collection point gave way to a new chaotic dumpsite. It started from the garbage being left unattended and then evolved into people making use of the alternative.
This is a developed country, your “sane society”. What I found was, humans, when push comes to shove, will never not be humans. It takes a lot of time to build a society that works, and way less to see it destroyed. And it often starts with that first neglected step.
This experience stayed with me. Not because I saw something dramatic, but because I saw something true. The illusion that there’s something fundamentally different about the DNA of people in developed countries is exactly that. What exists is an agreement, a time-tested, almost invisible contract, between systems, people, and enforcement. It is not magic. It is consistency. And that is where many of our cities fail.
The Lagos State Government, through its resilient and rugged Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Adetokunbo Wahab, has fought tooth and nail to restore order in the state. They have deployed advocacy, the rule of law, community outreaches and other such efforts to make the people understand the cost of breaking the laws that are intended to keep the city clean and habitable. Amidst all these tools, the rot is so deep, it remains a herculean task. Even those who ought to know better at one point knock the state for being not clean enough, then have a go at the government for doing something about it.
Order is more fragile than we realise it is. It depends on the small and big choices made by everyday people. The choice to wait for the bin to be emptied rather than toss trash on the floor. The choice not to bribe an officer. The choice not to throw your garbage on the streets or in the drainage system. All these little acts are the scaffolding holding up what we call a “functional city.”
Here’s the reality. Most people won’t choose discipline if the system makes disorder the easier path. If people believe no one will come to collect the waste, they will dump it anywhere. If they know traffic rules aren’t enforced, they’ll drive through red lights. If there’s no consequence for building on drainage channels, the entire city becomes vulnerable when the rains come. We have seen this in play. Shockingly, the same people who suffer the consequences of this disorder are the first to criticise the government for taking drastic actions aimed at fixing things.
In that so called “sane”, when the system faltered for just a week, humans defaulted to convenience. The thin line between order and chaos became visible, and quite easy to cross. There’s a common belief that government alone is responsible for making a city work. That belief is incomplete, if not erroneous. No government can sustain a city without the cooperation of its residents. The residents are the ones who will inspire best behaviours from visitors. The best policies are only as effective as the willingness of people to respect them.
Without a doubt, governments must lead. They must continue to invest in infrastructure, enforce regulations, and create urban plans that accommodate growing populations, especially one like Lagos that continues to carry Nigeria’s population and migration burdens. But cities thrive when citizens take ownership of public spaces. When the street cleaner is seen as essential, not invisible. When enforcement officials are respected, not negotiated with. When environmental sanitation is routine, not ceremonial. Sad that we are returning to the days of ceremonial environmental sanitation.
A working city is not just a physical space, it is a cultural artifact. It reflects what its people value, protect and tolerate. When we glorify shortcuts, ignore corruption, or excuse incompetence, our cities show it. The city becomes a mirror. Culture doesn’t change overnight, but it can change; through storytelling, education, policy, and media. When littering is frowned upon not just by law but by public shame, people stop. When praise is given to civic behaviours like recycling, commitment to cleanliness and obeying laws, it spreads. You can’t fix a city without fixing its culture.
This piece could easily have been about all the cities in Nigeria but with Lagos as the country’s Centre of Excellence, I believe that when Lagos leads the way, the rest of the country can find direction, a framework for how to make a city work. Governor Babajide Sanwoolu and his team continue to build the infrastructure to cater for this city’s booming population. What will help sustain them is a collective commitment to see this city as ours to build and nurture.
We can address infrastructural shortages, ruthlessly enforce the rules, invest in government officials responsible for restoring order, engage citizens, then measure and monitor progress. All these will help ensure that order will continue to prevail in Lagos. Beyond these, each citizen must face each day understanding that, Lagos is the culmination of our choices. If there is order, it is because we are people of order. If there isn’t, we must meet the source of disorder with urgency and immediacy. Order is fragile, the people must uphold it with strength. And if you say Lagos is smelling, check who’s closest to your nose.
No comments:
Post a Comment