LAGOS, VISION 2025 AND VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, by Tayo Ogunbiyi

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Vision, according to the Strong’s Concordance Dictionary is “a sight (mentally), i.e., a dream, revelation, a mental image, or an invisible inspiration”. Vision motivates, directs and inspires. The centrality of vision in all human endeavours is better illustrated with a declaration from the Holy Bible to the effect that where there is no vision the people perish. So, developing a vision is an issue of great importance. Famous author, speaker, and the late President of Bahamas Faith Ministries International, Myles Munroe, further reinforce the place of vision in human existence when he stated that: “The greatest gift God ever gave man is not the gift of sight but the gift of vision”. According to Munroe, “sight is a function of the eyes, but vision is a function of the heart. When a person doesn’t have a vision, they live by their eyes. That means we live by what we see. That’s one of the reasons why people are so depressed, and that’s why the future never becomes a reality”.

Therefore, vision is a source of hope; it’s the source of courage; it’s the source of perseverance in the midst of difficulty. Vision is the bridge between the present and the future. Vision gives pain a purpose. Those without vision spend their lives taking the path of least resistance as they try to avoid discomfort. The level of sacrifice that a vision requires will determine the size of people who follow. It is this sacrifice that eventually separates the small from the great.

Visionary leadership involves rallying people behind a dream or vision of something that has been out of reach. In short, visionary leaders are confident, purpose driven people, who can connect well with others and mobilize them into action. Visionary leaders are the builders of a new beginning, working with imagination, insight and boldness. They present a challenge that calls forth the best in people and brings them together around a shared sense of purpose. They work with the power of intentionality and alignment with a higher purpose. Their eyes are on the horizon, not just on the near at hand. They are social innovators and change agents, seeing the big picture and thinking strategically.

The story of Lagos state in the last fourteen years, without a doubt, has been that of the triumph of visionary leadership and idea. We have the privilege of a government that not only working for today, but equally projecting into the future. This much was recently brought to fore when the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, publicly presented the Lagos State Development Plan 2012-2025, assuring that quite a number of the items that form the bedrock of the Development Plan are already in progress. The presentation of the Development Plan is a symbolic step marking the transition from the development phase to the implementation phase and signals to all stakeholders that the government is ready to carry through with its development plan.

While presenting the plan, the Governor affirmed that infrastructure is being built to redress the infrastructure deficit that the state has suffered. Being a people oriented government, Fashola affirmed that the investment pillars upon which the Development Plan is being implemented is the people for whom it is also all about, emphasizing that everyone has a part to play in its realization.

The Development Plan document is about the vision for the future and how it would affect Lagosians. It consists a set of modest targets that would ensure that Lagos led Africa first by being Africa’s model city. This might not be a tall order because, presently, by many measures, in terms of crime management and security, Lagos has already achieved that comparably in Africa. The interesting thing, however, is that the State is not resting on its oars because whatever has been achieved now lies in the past. Therefore, the future remains the focus. This is the idea behind Lagos Vision 2025.

An integral part of the vision is a plan to turn the Lekki Free Trade Zone to the producers of all of Nigeria’s petroleum needs in the not too distant future. To make this a reality, work has already begun with the prospect of making the zone develop sufficient capacity to produce enough oil for Nigeria and much more for export. Incorporated into the whole idea of the Lekki Free Zone is an airport and a seaport. The plan for a sea port is quite strategic. It is quite evident that our ports are losing their competitive edge because of the depth. Now, most vessels on the ocean are increasingly coming out in bigger size. The implication of this is that, we need ports with appropriate depth in order not for our ports not to become mere Trans -Shipment center. It is this void that the proposed Lekki and Badagry Ports are being envisioned to fill.

Undoubtedly, with Vision 2025, Lagos is not only poised to sustain current development trend, but equally positioned to break new grounds. It is cheering that the Development Plan is already receiving approval from relevant quarters. Impressed by the visionary and innovative stance of the state government to governance, several of the state’s development partners such as the World Bank, French Development Agency, AFD, DFID among others have pledged their support towards the full realisation of the goals and objectives of the state’s Development Plan.

Presently, all indices point to a buoyant and flourishing Lagos. The state is leading in the delivery of embedded power and energy solutions with 3 completed power plants with two more to come. The state now enjoys over 300 KW of public lighting by street lights. With regards to food security, Lagos has multiplied increments in Agricultural outputs in the area of poultry, vegetable, and Agro-processing such as rice and cassava milling, transportation. In terms of infrastructure development, the state government is currently implementing 6 simultaneous transport solutions namely; Mile 12 – Ikorodu, Lekki-Epe, Lagos – Badagry, Lagos Light Rail, Lagos Ferry and Lagos Cable Car. In housing, government now delivers 200 Housing Units on a monthly basis with a 10-year mortgage and a maximum interest payment of 9.5 %.

Without a doubt, if Vision 2025 is pursued with the same vigour that gave rise to current development predisposition in the state, Lagos and Lagosians would be the better for it.

Ogunbiyi is of the Future Unit, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

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