MAKOKO: A SLUM IN A MEGACITY

The significance of any successful government administration any time any day is the evidence of good living standards of the governed. This drives home the reason every aspiring good government makes effort to better the lives of her citizenry through the provision of social amenities.

This effort gave birth to the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals initiated by the United Nations in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria to increase the standard of living of less developed communities regarded as slums all over the country by 2015.

In less than five years to the ‘magic year’ 2015, the inhabitants of Makoko area of Yaba, Lagos State, South west Nigeria are yet to come to terms with what it is like to be living in a millennium. Fish farming is the mainstay of the Makoko economy.

A walk through Makoko paints a picture of an over populated slum lacking proper amenities to qualify for habitation by people such as quality housing, good schools amongst others.

The youths are the future of any nation and so they must be prepared through quality education. This statement does not apply to Makoko youths as you find children hawking wares on boats during school hours to complement their parents’ efforts. This development defects the Millennium Development Goals, which concerns itself with achieving Universal Primary Education.

Ironically, for the Makoko residents they seem to be in comfort living in shanties built on water and a polluted water system that serves both irrigation and personal purposes.

The resultant effect of this is a likely outbreak of diseases instead of an outbreak of development that should transform their lives.

Target 11 of the Millennium Development Goal states that ‘by the year 2020, there should be an improvement in the lives of at least one hundred million slum dwellers' but the question is, will the residents of Makoko be a part of the one hundred million lucky slum dwellers in ten years’ time?

The Makoko Community like any other slum in Nigeria may be ignorant of the fact that they deserve a right to a better life but the truth is that it is the duty of the government at all levels to bring the Millennium Goals to fruition in their lives.

BY OWOLABI OLUWABUNMI VICTORIA & FATOKUN REBECCA IMOLEAYO

Note: This article was written in 2010 when 'Bunmi and I were  Mass Communications Students of the prestigious Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu.

It was supposed to be an entry for a competition. we didn't win but we were happy to feel the pains of this community. 

The truth is 'can we ever feel their pain'?

'Bunmi is happily married now

Photo Credit:

Fatokun Rebecca Imoleayo