Tinubu: The Architect Of Modern Lagos

By Sen Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi

Many may not know that the history of Lagos dates as far back as 1866 to 1874, a time that Lagos was even a part of the Gold Coast, which today is what is known as Ghana!

But that is not even the issue here. The issue here is, who is the architect of Modern Lagos?

That evidently has little or no contention. Little, because we have politicians around with hidden agenda, who would rather deny credit be given to who deserves the credit. 

And why should credit be given to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu? It is because the structures are all in our faces today, for unbiased minds to see!

In each era in each city, a personality stands out as a leader or inspiration to guide such magnitude development that surpasses other leaders. In Western Nigeria, we had Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in Ghana we had Jerry Rawlings, and in Rwanda currently we have Paul Kagame and in Lagos currently, we have Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

True, Alhaji Lateef Jakande held the baton at a time, which was handed over to Tinubu who revolutionised Lagos when and after he got to the political scene.

Tinubu emerged in the Lagos political scene as governor between 1999 and 2007.

During the period of other governors, the space we know as Lagos literally ended between Isale Eko, Obalende, Race course, Ikoyi, Falomo and Victoria Island. And in the mainland we had Yaba, Surulere, Shomolu, Bariga, Ojota which ended with the market in Ketu that was coming up, Ikorodu was a little town accessed perhaps only by the indigenes and a few friends, Ikeja had come up but was mainly the GRA and the Secretariat. Life ended at Agege and going further was travelling effort to Otta and then (Egba) Abeokuta, with no major roads as we have it today. Life also ended at Mile 2, with a stretch of bush and forest Festac Town, until LASU. After that were small towns like ijanikin, Agbara, and then Badagry.

Then came the Master Planner and Master Strategist and the Architect of Modern Lagos: Tinubu.

Construction and expansion became the order of the day. Where Jakande tried, Tinubu remodelled and re-built, introducing new towns. Lekki came to be. Ajah unto Epe and even linking Epe road to Ijebu Ode. Banana Island saw the light of day as a fall out and such were enabled by vigorous, ambitious infrastructural support that metamorphosised a Bar Beach which was an annual overflow menace for residents of Victoria Island, to a Super Mega City now known as Eko Atlantic City!

But that's not all, Tinubu followed up with subsequent governors of Lagos to ensure continuity of the Mega City plan for Lagos. The creation of Lekki free zone area for industrialisation became possible to compliment the numerous estates that had sprung up in that axis.

The Chinese saw the vision. Top industrialists like Dangote and others, tapped into the vision and today, an airport, a refinery, a deep sea port and more are all taking shape as a near future feature of this area.

Tinubu's expansion did not stop with the island, it has been simultaneous, on going in all areas, the emergence of Ikorodu with modern infrastructures, viable transport system, Agege, with surrounding and extending new towns, Alakuko, Egbeda, right down to LASU and on to Badagry, which has also been enabled by his vision to create the extra LCDAs to champion these extensive rural developments.

Tinubu was the first governor in Nigeria to approach the Stock Market for funding of projects in the state. That can only come from the mind of a visionary leader. A sound technocrat, a leader who is also a builder. His works are all around for us to see. The modernisation of the transport system, the organisation of the markets, the structuring of the party system, the sound recognition of hierarchy in leadership, the growth of commerce in Lagos and the steady increase of the GDP of the state.

Modern Lagos Stands Tall today because there has been a leader in the engine room and that leader has been Tinubu!

His touch has always been evident in the civil service he left behind. he Lagos Civil Service has constantly been witnessing a growth in space and capacity with different innovations to accommodate a steady growth of population and creation of jobs leading to creation of LASTMA, LAWMA and many more. 

Being a centre of excellence, modern Lagos has been guided, programmed and administered by a leader in the engine room!

Tinubu is not just the architect of modern Lagos, he has also been the spirit behind today's modern Lagos.