Badagry economic summit: Counting the cost of tomorrow’s fears

From its strategic location as water front border town with large agricultural and fishery options, to trade route, tourism and a once upon a time slave colony, Badagry and her ocean economy blessed sister, Epe Kingdom are mere talk downs of history and dreams.

Yes, these critical kingdoms of Lagos were mapped as tourism divisions in Lagos and left for historians, students and the people of these areas as laboratories of yesterday’s dreams and abodes for cemeteries of dead imperialists’ and colonialists who buffeted these places, raped the land and “cargo” away the founding human resources and left Badagry and Epe as ghost lands.

Indeed, the latter day administrators of “independent” and democratic Lagos, also toed the unprogressive footings of the colonialists and meted out same neglect of infrastructure and livable facilities to Badagry and Epe indigenes whose votes count only at elections. Therefore Badagry and Epe had this unacceptable historical trajectory of government neglect by both federal and state authorities until Mr. Akinwumi Ambode happened on the scene as governor.

It is true that Ambode, Governor of Lagos, an indigene of the very rural Epe threw developmental baits to Badagry and Epe, a process that possibly brought cheers to the people of these areas and at the same time, left them worried about the future. Notably and significantly, there has never being any concerted effort to fully develop the tangible and intangible natural endowments of these critical economic zones of Lagos.

To help the state government achieve acceleration and visible intervention in Badagry and Epe and also to practically take their future into their own hands, the Badagry Local Government and its private sector collaborator, Badagry Convention and Visitors Agency, brokered an open economic summit, with a prophetic insight on how tourism, oil and gas and maritime activities will bring gains to the people and their children yet unborn.

The invited speakers range from shippers, freight forwarders, resort owners, tourist boat operations, Port terminal operators, oil and gas investors, custom, and port administrators who gave detailed accounts on how Badagry and Epe could avoid the dangers associated with similar dream locations in the Niger Delta.

Fearful for the people, the youth and the traditional rulers who turned out in large numbers, was the issue of lands and ownership of water resources and waterfront locations; a blood bath reality that can’t be wished away if investors of all shades invade these prime ecological and historical destinations in the nearest future.

To me, Badagry and Epe are lucky kingdoms to have their own very indigenous professionals as evidenced in Badagry Convention and Visitors Agency managing their tourism growth and fears; particularly in preparing their minds on the importance of education, skill acquisition and vocational studies that can position the youths in these areas for the challenges of competitive labour market that may urbanize rural expectations.

I was convinced that Ambode’s special aide on Community development and communication, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan who stood in for his principal, learnt so much at that summit as he stayed put to encourage the arrival and reality of a new dawn for these two rural Lagos communities. Bamigbetan’s presence throughout the first technical session of the summit was encouraging and noted as the best way to govern a people.

For the records, a 13 points area of attention was highlighted and may form the bedrock of Lagos commercial blueprint for the two ocean economy based communities. Accordingly, the summit observed and suggested as follows.

That Badagry and Epe are as viable economic hubs for the promotion and development of Tourism, Oil and Gas and Maritime economies must prepare the minds of the indigenes to the emerging new investments in Tourism, Oil and Gas and Maritime investments. The summit therefore, urged stakeholders to take drastic measures to ensure and avoid a replica of Niger Delta crisis.

It also noted the urgent need for Government and the relevant stakeholders to institutionalize and establish vocational and skills empowerment schools to train youths of Badagry and Epe division to prepare and make them competitive in the labour market.

On Tourism industry in Nigeria, the summit notes the absence of consistence power supply hence, the need for Government to address the development particularly in Badagry and Epe through the use of abundant water bodies in the area including gas to generate electricity. It also marked up Global adverts on credible media all devoted to tourism promotion; therefore called on Lagos State Government to invest in strategic marketing and promotion of tourism potentials on Badagry and Epe in other to attract tourists and investors alike.

Since water transportation is part of the intermodal transport system in Lagos, Lagos State Government should endeavour to build modern jetties and encourage public sector initiatives in boat building and construction to create jobs and drive water based tourism.

The summit also called upon Lagos Ministry of Science and Technology to partner with relevant organizations to impact on the use of ICT in Tourism, Oil and Gas among the youths of Badagry and Epe divisions.

The summit advocated that for sustainable growth of Badagry and Epe economy in Tourism, Maritime, Oil and Gas therefore, there is need for Lagos State Government to develop a ten year business development master plan for the two divisions.