Dear Government, Please rescue Ota from the witness protection programme… Let the bridges finally become bridges…Let pedestrians stop negotiating with mud… Let Ota move from blight to bloom.
OTA is confused.
Very confused.
It hosts Covenant University.
It hosts Bells University of Technology
It hosts industries by the dozens.
It hosts one of Africa’s largest church movements.
It hosts major farms.
It hosts manufacturing companies.
It hosts an international border corridor.
Yet after hosting everybody, Ota still looks like the relative nobody remembers during family meetings.
Yesterday, I travelled through the Lagos–Ota corridor.
Dust was conducting evangelism
Mud was holding crusades.
Potholes had acquired Certificates of Occupancy.
Motorcycles had established informal local governments at major junctions.
Pedestrians were navigating gutters, mud, traffic and acts of faith.
Then came the bridges.
Ah, the famous bridges.
Started years ago.
Still under construction.
Already in use.
A new category of infrastructure has emerged:
Completed Uncompleted Projects.
One bridge whispered:
“I was designed to connect communities, not generations.”
Around the world, university towns proudly reflect the institutions they host.
But here, the road leading to knowledge appears determined to discourage learning.
Meanwhile, Ota’s distinguished residents are beginning to compare notes.
Covenant University sighed.
Bells University of Technology adjusted its tie.
The industries nodded.
The churches raised their hands.
the motorcycles paused briefly.
For once, everyone agreed:
The corridor deserves better.
Especially now that campaign season is approaching and forgotten roads are suddenly becoming important again.
Dear Government,
Please rescue Ota from the witness protection programme.
Let the bridges finally become bridges.
Let pedestrians stop negotiating with mud.
Let Ota move from blight to bloom.
Moral of the Satire
A city is not judged by the greatness of the institutions it hosts but by the quality of the environment it provides for those institutions to thrive.
Perhaps the time has come for Ota to stop being merely a host to greatness and begin to look like greatness itself.
