The New York Times: Nigeria is “the Worst Run of the World’s Most Populated Countries” | Can Lagos Save Her?
Thursday, 9 January 2014
It’s official fans, The New York Times can’t get enough of Nigeria.
Seth D. Kaplan, a lecturer at Johns Hopkins University, writes on “What Makes Lagos a Model City“.
Although the lecturer and author
profiles Lagos as the possible solution to the deteriorating state of
the country, he begins by pointing out the flaws.
“Nigeria is arguably the worst run
of the world’s seven most populated countries. Despite earning hundreds
of billions of dollars in oil revenue over the past decade, it is
expected by 2015, by some calculations, to have the second-most
destitute people in the world after India.” he says.
He then goes on to state “But its
largest city, Lagos, which until recently was known as one of the
world’s most difficult cities to govern, seems to have turned a corner.”
With the improved social amenities,
Kaplan says Lagos with a population of 21 million, has had steady
improvement unlike any other city in the country. He also believes such
strategy in reshaping the state, can be used in creating a better
federation.
He praises the metropolitan city that “it may be pointing the way to a strategy by which fragile states might begin to succeed”.
The fragile states in countries like Nigeria, Iraq and Yemen contain a
rising number of the world’s poor which have become a focus of
international aid efforts.
He also narrates how the turnaround has led to a more democratic state, whereby leaders are elected or turned out of offices.
Will Lagos’ strategy save Nigeria? he asks.To read the full article, click here
