Lagos as we know it (actually used to)was a microcosm of whatever can go wrong in major African cities: saddled with high population density, filth, organized and petty crimes, and so on.
When Governor Babatunde took office in 2007, he decided to spend his political capital to change Lagos for the better. He started by fixing the broken window of the house by way of clamping down on illegal activities such as ad hoc markets that used to block streets and cause endless gridlock, setting up bus routes, forcing "kamikaze" motorcycle-taxi riders to wear helmets.
To mitigate the impact of his hash actions, he decided to harness the newly displaced youth by employing them as street sweepers and traffic cops--he did so to ensure his program sustains.
One may be quick to ask what is so special about all these, but mind you, none of these actions required big budget to implement--all what was needed was common sense and political will to push through unpopular agenda.
Governor Babatunde's example serves as blueprint for how African leaders should look ahead. No wonder he was rewarded by over 81% votes for his reelection. Congratulations Governor.
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