Where Are the Lights?

Yemi Olakitan

The Lagos state Government under its immediate past Governor Akinwunmi Ambode launched the Lights up Lagos project amidst huge budgetary allocation for maintenance and sustenance. The project was a success, only for a while since a new administration under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu came into power; the continuum that is required to sustain the project is not yet in the kitty, it seems.  AN24.net goes on a mission to find out what the situation really look like, what the government is doing about it and other plans it may have for it in the future?

A trip around Lagos reveals partial or total darkness in the nights, at Ojodu Berger, Ogba, Oshodi, the remarkable darkness is noticeable compared to the early days of the project, when it was first launched.  Although some Lagosians have argued that that the lights have been occasionally epileptic long before the administration of Babajide Sanwoolu came on the stage, so we shouldn’t blame the new governor. However, the darkness has worsened for reasons yet unclear as many areas continue to experience super darkness at nights. You dare not be caught in some parts of Lagos at such hours.

These days, hoodlums and men of such settings have taken advantage of the situation. Many Nigerians living in Lagos have come to appreciate the value of those lights especially on our highways. In a situation where Lagos has witnessed the inflow of hundreds of aliens from Niger, Chad, Togo and other neighboring countries, these lights have become even more necessary for security reasons since darkness cannot operate in the midst of lights. And it’s been said that the dog appreciates his tail more when it is cut off. Lagosians have now realize the importance of street lights which as they say cannot be overemphasized.

AN24.net gathered that the lights in Agidingbi, ojota to Kudirat Abiola road are no longer working; some of the polls have one bulb instead of two bulbs. At Ikorodu, many of the polls have dead bulbs without lights.  Oshodi which used to be like Paris at night because of all the shining lights is no longer like that. In fact, it is very dangerous to walk through some parts of Oshodi these days because of the darkness of the nights.  The absence of the street lights that used to illuminate Oshodi in the hay days of the Lights Up Lagos project are no longer there.

 It’s the same situation at Third Mainland Bridge as many poles are no longer with the usual bright lights at nights. At Gbagada there are no lights, same as Ojodu Berger and Alaba International Market. In fact, a drive through many areas of Lagos reveals that many poles are dead and without their illumination.

It seems however that the Nigeria factor of lack of maintenance and poor execution of projects has affected the lights up project after all. Although some Lagosians have argued that the darkness is as a result of ongoing construction works in some parts of Lagos which have necessitated bringing down the lamp stands and plunging the streets into darkness.  Motorists, commuters and pedestrians used to have a delightful experience around Oke-Koto in the Agege area of the state, but those days are now gone since the streetlights have failed to come alive.

The question on the lips of many is this: when will the lights be restored?  In a chat with Elder Bayo Emmanuel Ishola, a trader in the Agbara axis of Lagos, he said, ‘the disappearing streets lights are an evidence of our lack of continuity. As we can see in the administration of Akinwunmi Ambode, who abandoned most of the projects of his predecessor.  An example is the Lagos- Badagry Expressway which was abandoned until Governor Sanwanolu came on board. We are thankful that work has started on that road now. I want to believe that we are not going to experience the same thing in the area of streets lights since it was initiated by former Governor Ambode.  I want to call on our current Governor Babajide Sanwoolu to take the bull by the horn. He must not abandon Ambode’s projects simply because he didn’t initiate them himself. At the end, it is Lagos that will suffer for it, he said.

AN24 spoke with Commissioner for information and Strategy, Hon. Gbenga Omotoso, he said, ‘‘one of the reasons why some of the streets lights are not functioning is because the contractors have not received their monies for a long time. They are just receiving the monies after the administration of Governor Babajide came on board.  And they have started working. We are pushing stealthily to ensure that the streets of Lagos are lighted up. Our efforts will ensure that the lights cover every parts of Lagos. I can assure you. It will reach every corner of Lagos state, normally when roads are being constructed; the streets lights are erected simultaneously. The changes you have noticed are because we are coming in newly and we have started working on the problem. The Commissioner assured AN24.net that the administration of Babajide Sanwanolu will ensure that streets lights are functioning in every parts of Lagos state. ‘‘We will not abandon any project,’’ he said

AN24.net made efforts to speak with Hon. Lere Odusote, Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources; he was not available for comments.