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Lagos State Government has addressed the fear of Obalende landlords and residents, reassuring that the planned regeneration and redevelopment of the community will not result in displacements.
It said the plan was geared towards achieving a mega city status and preventing building collapses.
Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, stated these at a stakeholders’ engagement forum on the Obalende Blighted Community Regeneration Project organised by Lagos State Urban Renewal Agency (LASURA).
According to the Commissioner, the present state of the Obalende environment does not fit into the government’s megacity vision.
He explained that the regeneration was also part of the proactive steps to prevent building collapses, especially in the 11 major communities identified by LASURA where similar plans are being implemented.
Salako said the meeting was the first stage of the plan implementation.
“The plan to redevelop and regenerate our blighted communities will evolve through these discussions with critical stakeholders to get their buy-in. The government will not impose any plan on a community.
“The government has made it a duty to upgrade most of our towns and communities. It is participatory. We’ll discuss their needs and do it together. We will carry out an overhaul of key areas without displacing the residents,” Salako said.
LASURA General Manager, Ms. Shomade Ajibike, added that the idea was to make Lagos a 21st century economy under the THEMES Agenda of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu Administration and to restore Obalende’s lost glory.
“There are no plans to displace members but to regenerate Obalende to a modern community that can be enjoyed by all. It is, therefore, imperative that we work together to achieve this purpose for a Greater Lagos,” she said.
Dr. Jide Babatunde, Special Adviser to the Governor on Lands and Physical Planning, reiterated the state government’s readiness to work with the Obalende community to achieve meaningful results and protect the interest of residents.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Development, Ayuba Adele, allayed residents’ fears over the safety of their properties, noting that though change comes with some discomfort, the Obalende regeneration exercise will be to their ultimate benefit.
General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Gbolahan Oki, urged builders in the community to obtain the necessary permits before embarking on projects.
“There are houses without approvals in the area which the Lagos State Government frowns at. We must, therefore, work together if we are going to reap the benefits of this exercise,” he said.
The representative of Eti Osa II Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Olukorede Yishau, said some renewal interventions were already ongoing in Ikoyi-Obalende, and that his constituents seek a better understanding of the government’s plan for the area.
One of the stakeholders, Mr. Patrick Forster, a second-generation resident of Obalende, urged the state government to bring residents up to speed on its template for the regeneration.
Some of the residents said if given adequate time, they would transform Obalende themselves.
There were heated objections at the beginning of the meeting when the master of ceremony described Obalende as a “slum”, with members of the audience asking him to revoke the comment.
Fatimah Oyesanmi
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