To start with, I’m also a victim of that demolition exercise, likewise many of my friends. I have been able to dissect the situation under the following sub topics:
- MORALITY
The Government has NO justifiable moral grounds to carry out the demolition because, the jakande estate have suffered immense neglect from all administration after that of Alhaji Lateef Jakande. As a result, the Government is abysmally insensitive, wholly inconsiderate and generally unfair.
2) PALLIATIVES
No single palliative have been put in place by any Government of Lagos state or Local Government whenever in lieu of this or any other endeavour. I remember when the in-road of the Estate gate was a nightmare , it took the intervention of a church to get it fixed.
3) LEGALITY
To avoid argument, what the government has done is totally immoral but LEGAL. A lot of Estate dwellers have massively abused the opportunity of Government negligence to perpetrate undue oppression on others. Some residents have as many as four shops to themselves surrounding their block therein constituting avoidable oppression on people with single shops. This has equally brought haphazard structures that defies uniformity. I know some 3bedroom flats by default design which has been turned into 6bedroom bungalow en suite by attachments. This is simply unacceptable.
4) ENEMITY
As a fallout from ownership of more than one shop space, good neighbors have turned enemies initiated from space ownership or location. Escalations from such is a common place in the Estate.
5. SECURITY
About 40% of the shop in estate are beer parlors/Bars and gambling centers. How exactly can we rule out crime tendencies with such noticeable percentage?
6) FRAUD
Government itself had defrauded it’s own people via LBIC and Local Government who consistently levy all shop operators till few hours before the demolition. Either the fund are been remitted to state Government or not, is not our duty as resident except if state Government can prove that Local Government and LBIC are illegal institutions.
7) FOLLOW- UP
More often than not, it is quicker for government to demolish than to showcase the reason for the demolition. It is not unlikely that the demolished structures will be left for the next dispensation as Government works with budget. This will translate to further frustration from residents as they will likely have a feel of “the shops were demolished for NOTHING”.
8) COMPENSATION:
A lot of arguments have been forwarded on compensation. As much as it is good to hear, a question of right way to do a wrong thing could pop up.
SUMMARILY, I am of the strong opinion that the residents have done the best they could to portray the phrase –survival instinct. They have immensely contributed to the economy in their own way as numerous youths were turned into entrepreneurs and the emergence of the so called shanties are a direct reflection of consistent Government neglect BUT whether or not demolition is the right action is a continuous debate between LEGALITY and MORALITY.
Abdul Kabeer Oladimeji grew up in the Jakande Housing Estate, Oke – Afa and is a medical practitioner. He has since moved on with life outside the Estate but still a stakeholder therein, He is married with 3 beautiful kids.
**Opinions are solely the author’s and do not necessarily represent the view held by the admin of this blog.
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