Stumbled upon the video below on Facebook. It’s a rehash of MTV’s show “How I live”.
Several things came to mind watching this clip…
Forget about the million naira McMansions in the video for a second…
Is this really a decent way to live given the wealth and connections the homeowners command?
Beautiful houses crammed in tight compounds (yards) walled with high fences. Note the barb wires at the top too, and the high gates. Further in the video, you would see huge and magnificent structures being constructed on plots of land with little or no street drainage plan, sidewalk or even access roads!
I’m sorry if it seems I’m picking on the poor chap in the video; it’s not intentional. I have relatives who own properties and living in the area as well! What irks me deeply is that this microcosm of existence depicted in the video is a reflection of how things have fallen apart in the home country.
Everybody is interested in having the best, biggest and costliest homes in the land — even in a small residential neighborhood as shown in this video — but no one is interested in diverting/investing some of their resources — be it political connections, wealth, global exposure or technical expertise — individually, or collectively, in making the shared space better and more livable.
Simple logic demands that given the huge investment going on in some of the areas shown in the video, that efforts will be made also to make the place more livable and comparable to global standards. No that won’t happen. It’s every man for himself…in Nigeria!
“How I live”??? What’s the real point of focus of the rookie video clip?
Nice manicure by the way Mr Adediran
October 19, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Focus of the video? Showing off Lagos!!!
Back to the post…I agree well well o. Wait some 5 – 10 years, the area shown in the video will have fallen into disrepair and constantly flooded.
October 19, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Maybe not, I remember people saying same about Allen Avenue in the 70s and 80s but up till now Allen Avenue is going from good to better. What is needed to keep things going are – 1. Good maintenance culture, 2. Keeping roadside traders at bay and 3, Making sure that all drainage systems (which I understand are currently still being done all over Lagos), never gets clogged up.
That said, showing off MAGODO, not Lagos is the only goal I see in the video.
October 20, 2009 at 2:50 pm
my grandma will boil your entire post this way, down.
olowo kan, laarin oto-shi mewa,
baba awon oto-shi.
nuff.
October 27, 2009 at 10:21 am
I’m sorry for the owners of the houses in the valley…
October 27, 2009 at 12:19 pm