Promoting And Rewarding Communalism In Lagos

By Ayo Afuwape

The police all over the world are known to be responsible for the protection of life and property through the enforcement of laws and ordinances. The Lagos State Government has over the years recognised that Lagos communities especially the suburbs can be better protected by those living within the community themselves through the promotion of community communalism. The State government had urged rural dwellers to take charge of the protection of their community by coming together to form Community Development Associations CDAs, these associations maintains peace and orderliness at their community level and they exercise jurisdiction over certain issues that may not necessarily needs the attention of higher security personnel.

The charge to CDAs in the State to take control of orderliness within their communities had been kept alive over the years because of the support and motivation been given to them by the State Government. Every year, a day is usually set aside as the community day all across the world and the Lagos State Government, usually join the rest of the world in celebrating the activities and achievements of people living in different communities across the State. This year’s Community Day was celebrated for a whole week with the grand finale on Thursday 21st of November, 2013

Unlike last year when Ladegboye Community Development Association, (CDA), in Ikorodu area of the State emerged as the best performing CDA across the State and went home with cash prize of three million naira from the State Government, this year’s best performing CDA went to Ilututun in Olorunda Local Council Development Area, Tiwadire community in Igando/Ikotun LCDA and UNILAG in Ikosi/ Isheri LCDA. This gesture from the state government as token as it may seems had overtime spurred a healthy rivalry among these CDAs with each one of them striving to emerge as the best performing CDA and had greatly assisted the maintenance of order and peaceful co-existence. The State’s appreciation of the initiative of the communities explains government’s decision to monetize the token of appreciation by providing some cash support to help the communities in completing community projects that that have been started with self help.

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, who spoke at the Police College Ground, Ikeja venue of the grand finale of this year’s community day celebration in the State had posited that the strength of the society depends on the strength of the community, adding that such communities themselves thrive on the peaceful co-existence and on the interrelationships that goes on there.

According to him, this harmonious relationship explains why Lagos State has no issue of religion interferences because in almost every home, one would find a Muslim or a Christian just as in almost every family, you will find a husband and a wife who are either of Christian and Muslim background, stressing that it is because of the tolerance and understanding that Lagos is the Centre of Excellence and a home of first choice for every Nigerian. These CDAs are worth celebrating for their efforts in bringing together people in their various communities to enhance positive changes in their environment and improve their standard of living through self help projects and also partnership with the State Government in various developmental policies.

Worthy of note among the roles of these CDAs aside the community policing and maintenance of peace is the implementation of developmental projects at the community level without necessarily waiting for government at all time. Last year, the State Government completed a police post in Ladegboye community in Ikorodu area of the State which was initially started by members of the CDA in the community who later sought for the assistance of the State Government for its completion. The State Government took over the project and completed it as a way of broadening the scope of communalism while also stimulating the communal cord among members of the community.

Indeed, government is responsible for its citizenry, especially in the area of providing adequate security for lives and properties but the administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola SAN, had always reiterated the importance of public-private partnership in some core areas of need if the yearnings of the public must be met. In the last five years when the Lagos State Security Trust Fund was established, the Lagos State Government said that it has provided equipment and logistics valued at 8.7 billion naira for the police and other security agencies in the State with assistance gotten from corporate organisations and individuals.

This chunk amount of money was invested into security alone from 2007 till date. How can the State Government cater for the various needs of the populace without the donations and support of members of the public irrespective of how little it might be.

Governor Fashola had often expressed his desire to fix all roads across the State, provide uninterrupted power supply, reduce illiteracy level to its minimum, eradicate mortality and morbidity, sustain economic growth, employ all unemployed youths and make every Lagosian live a “paradise-like” life style. But this desire,  according to the Governor, had always been hampered by the limited resources available to the State from which diverse needs are competing to have a share from. Governor  Fashola has had course to say that if all the resources accruable to the State in a whole year is tailored towards road rehabilitation alone, some roads will still remain unfixed. What will then happen to other sectors which are also very germane to the existence of Lagosians? This, however, underscores the need to address pressing needs according to their scale of preferences and resources available to the State.

But some positive attitude aimed at partnering with government for development as exemplified by Ladegboye residents could make government go out of its way to address some needs it never had plans for at such time. The State Government will continue to chart the course for any developmental and noble initiatives similar to that of Ladegboye’s from any community across the State. Taking a clue from noble move like this will help increase communal union, fast-track community growth and open channels for government’s assistance.

Every resident owes it a duty to preserve and protect the place that provides the beneficial opportunities for all. The approach in use in Lagos to address security issues is also an indicator that some tough challenges may not necessarily need a ‘military-like’ approach, but rather a deliberate and purely systematic approach peculiar to that challenge and the environment especially when such challenge borders on security. This is not to in anyway undermine the efforts and the contributions of our various security personnel at curbing crimes.

The yuletide season is here again, the need for vigilance is more paramount as some would in the name of celebration be planning to perpetuate some devilish acts. It should be noted that when everyone is vigilant and security conscious, the state, and indeed the country, will be very safe and much safer.

•Afuwape, is of the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.