What Ikorodu Need To Sustain Its Global Brand As A City – Prof. Haastrup

Kunle Adelabu

A Professor and Advisor/Council Member, Havard Business Review, United States of America (USA), Professor (Amb.) Adetunji Haastrup, has proffered solutions to challenges of sustaining Ikorodu as a city, stating that its infrastructures deserve more attention.

The scholar, who is also a member, United Nations Foundation, USA, said that Ikorodu’s city status was recently acknowledged by the UN as the 12 largest city in Nigeria.

Haastrup, who was the keynote speaker at the 2nd edition of the Ikorodu Business Community Breakfast with Ayangbure, spoke on the topic, “Challenges of Doing Business in a Modern City: A Case Study of Ikorodu”.

The idea, which was initiated to create an avenue to rub minds on how to continuously improve ease of doing business in Ikorodu, was initiated by the Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS), under the able leadership of Mr Rotimi Erogbogbo.

“The record breaking city of Ikorodu recently earned an international milestone as the United Nations recognised it as Nigeria’s 12th largest city and the 3rd Largest city in Southwest Nigeria after Lagos and Ibadan ”, he said.

“By this Declaration, Ikorodu has now become a global brand with an elite status. The UN further ranked Ikorodu bigger in population than the following cities: Abeokuta, Akure, Ado-Ekiti, Osogbo, Ilorin, lle-Ife, Ilesha, Ijebu-Ode, Lokoja, Enugu, Owerri, Abakaliki, Calabar, Umuahia, Bauchi, Maiduguri, Jos, Zaria, Katsina and Sokoto.

“Internationally, Ikorodu now has a bigger population than some African Countries: Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau and Equatorial Guinea. Interestingly, Ikorodu is now larger than Monaco and Bahamas”, he added.

While decrying infrastructural challenges facing Ikorodu, Prof. Haastrup, who also commended the leadership role of the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, for his support to the residents and working with the elected representative at the State and National levels to develop Ikorodu.

“At the 50th anniversary of the UN, which I happened to be one of its promoters in Nigeria, in 1995, some basic fundamentals steps that would be taken before a country gets into the limelight as far as development is concerned, were discussed”, he said.

“Ikorodu, as far as I am concerned, satisfies over 90% of that UN standard and I am not surprised that Ikorodu that used to be a town has become a city and would soon be a Mega City and afterwards, Smart city.

“But to achieve this, there are some things which are needed. They said to whom much is given, much is expected. Ikorodu is at the centre stage, there are 12 things that I think and I believe that Ikorodu needs to sustain its status”, he added.

“Ikorodu needs illumination ( Street Lights). At creation, the first thing that God emphasized was light. Let there be light. Ikorodu is not well illuminated. We need more street lights. Even, when you come to Ikorodu in the evening, it’s like a ghost town because everywhere is always dark”, Prof. Haastrup said.

“To be the number three city after Lagos and Ibadan and to be the 12th largest, bigger than all the cities that we know in the Southwest and North , Ikorodu deserves to have full illumination (street lights). The whole world is looking at Ikorodu and we cannot afford to fail. We must stand up”.

Aside illumination, the keynote speaker also stated that Ikorodu needed to have fly – overs, more medical centres, more fire service stations and improved drainage system to sustain its city status.

“We need fly – over bridges for vehicles in Ikorodu. I can’t imagine somebody coming from Atlanta to Ikorodu and then Google Ikorodu which is the third largest city in the Southwest to see that it has no fly – over. We need flyovers in Ikorodu”, he emphasized.

“Three, we need more fire service centres in Ikorodu. I think that we have two or so, but for a city as big as this, we need more facilities like that.

“We need more Health Centres now that Ikorodu is occupying the position as the third largest city. We need more health centres for the population. We need them in different areas so that people can go there at different points in time and make use of them”, he added.

The scholar deplored the situation at the Ikorodu garage roundabout which he said destitutes have taken over, while also calling for improved drainage systems.

“Ikorodu should not become another Kano Street. That Roundabout is fast becoming a City of Destitutes. Imaging people coming from abroad and arriving to see that kind of thing. It’s a menace. I shouldn’t be found in Ikorodu but they are there and are multiplying. You know Nigeria’s setting, when you don’t curb something at its small level, it eventual grows. That setting is not befitting of a Mega City status that Ikorodu is planning to enter into”, Prof. Haastrup said.

“We need an effective drainage system. I went to Igbogbo recently, I was nearing the Housing Estate and people were looking at me that I did not know what I was entering into. My Nissan Xterra went into it and I was almost submerged despite it was not really raining. In addition, I had to cross about seven of them and it was like crossing seven oceans. That shouldn’t be found in Ikorodu”, he said.

“The drainage system in Ikorodu needs to be harness the more”.

He also called for attention on roads, especially the Itamaga – Itoikin road and the need to have a 24 hours economy where people can move freely at night as they move in the day, effective security architecture to safeguard lives and properties, effective transport system and management among others.

“The aforementioned areas need to be annexed to realize a befitting mega city status”, he further emphasized.

“The journey to a thousand miles begins with a step. The step begins with you”.