100 Reasons Why You Should Stay Out Of Lagos

Lagos, City of Drones

Apparently I wrote that I will be giving you a hundred reasons why you need to stay out of Lagos. Yeah I mean it as much as I mean the truth that Lag0s is one of the best states you need to be in Nigeria. But then just like every other things in life. We have the very positive sides and the otherwise to every choice we make.

For me, this might actually turn out to be more personal but I think if you wear my glasses, maybe; just maybe you can see things the way I do. Lagos is a vast developing area, even though I personally hate the facts that some areas are neglected but yeah, civilization will get there just as it got to Mushin, Oshodi and other mainland’s and islands that house the old rugged Lagos.

This piece might be hard for you to accept, I know that so yeah, I have drafted a suiting way for both of us. I know that you love Lag0s, the glamour, even for the fact that you are in Lasgidi is fun to you.

· Land Of Opportunities

Like you guessed just right, I will be starting this long list with that notion that Lagos is a place to be when you are in search of opportunity and yeah, I agree with you if you are coming to Lagos as an entertainer, we have the top guns in Lagos, the Entertainment business mogul and yeah, this is the place to be to actually become the next big thing in the entertainment industry. Believe it, if you are an entertainer and you think Lagos isn’t for you like me, well… I think you better be doing some classic country music in some bar and that wouldn’t be your day’s job, maybe just for the fun of it. Except from that, please what opportunity does Lagos present?


“LOL” that was a joke, but seemingly not necessarily one. Except you exhibit a craft, a genuine craft that you posses which you have learned and mastered and I should mention that there is no craft you want to bring here that someone else does not possess, that’s funny but you must agree with me, what is left yet to be discovered? 

So yeah it’s going to take you some extra intelligence to study the market, drive traffic to your products, convince people, spend a lot of cash, give out for free (Lagosian love awoof) before you can start, I mean start driving your way into people’s heart. If Indomie did it, you can with a huge truck of money behind you.

So yeah, if you’re the type that thinks you will come from a nearby town with the notion that Lagos is for you to take legitimately, PLEASE KINDLY GO BACK HOME AND BUILD YOUR STATE cus it won’t happen. Statistically, it won’t.


· Lagos is a Fish Pond to A Billion Species Of Fish

Before I go on about this, I should mention to you that I am not writing as a hate to Lagos, you can come to Lagos, but you should stay away from Lagos unless you are ripe for Lagos. That been said, let’s face it, it won’t kill us to accept that Lagos is overcrowded with the wrong mindsets, I can tell it to you that average of the people in Lagos state are jobless and the other half, a quarter of them are rambling around with any days job, LETS JUST EAT.


As at this year from findings, Lagos houses 13,661,000. If fifty percents of the population are jobless, what are they doing? And if the other 25% are just working, what then is Lagos all about. Lagos is fixed with millions of people wandering around here and there and you may not agree with me, but this brings me to that question.

HOW MANY HOUSES ARE THERE IN LAGOS TO HOUSE over 31million people? Oh, yeah now you can see. If na lie I dey lie, ask them three brothers wey get 1 car and all their life dey inside am, they carry their life’s around like a luggage. I am not engaging anyone in a laugh mattaz, I am only trying to emphasize the struggle of majority of Lagosians.


· LAGOS MONEY STAYS IN LAGOS


There is this popular saying that EKO GOOORRRHHH “Lagos is stupid”. Truth be told, all of us except the ones still living with Alice in her wonderland knows that EKO WISE gaaaaniii. “OWO EKO, EKO LON GBE” meaning that whatever money you make in Lagos, stays in Lagos. No explanation for this, do the statistics naaaa. For me, Lagos is one place you come to squander money and get minute in return as a regular Hustler.


· Lagos is too ------------------------------- Expensive

There is no doubt about that, Lagos is and that’s nobody’s fault but yours sincerely. Lagos is more like a commodity in high purchase and we both know that the higher the demand, the lower the supply and equivalently the higher the price. And that calls for why I extended my dash………. To those who don’t understand this, let me explain to you.


There are many people youths like myself, working class earning, or then working from home like myself again and earning minute but living a sweet life in the coast of some traceable village around the country, with about a fifty to a hundred grand buck’s income monthly, you’re the man. 

You can afford to go to clubs at night and eat well, a fresh fish, wine and dine with some couple of friends without thinking that your money will disappear at the waiters check list. If you manage to get a 50 grand pay slip in Lagos, believe me, you be boss o talk less of getting a hundred bucks.


But verily I say to you, nonetheless 100 grand in Lagos, You have just begun.


· Lagos is too Hazardous for you

I was scrolling around the web some days ago and I stumbled on the ongoing rift at the ALMIGHTY BANANA ISLAND, I saw some pictures from the billionaires hive and believe me, it wasn’t worth it. Well you can be right in your thoughts; I have never been there before.

 

But I have seen better cleaned up roads in the states of the Senate President of Nigeria “Ilorin” to be precise (I am definitely going to tweet at the senate president soon and show him how much work he did in Kwara state “NOTHING”), Abeokuta is well polished than those pictures I saw and apart from that which I wouldn’t base my sentiments on, 

BRO LOOK AT LAGOS NAand tell me you don’t think you are dying every passing day at the flare of gaseous exchange emitted from various sources. Except from the rich haven mostly known to all of US, Lagos is still as dirty as a pig. Did I just see you nod in disagreement? OK then, tell me what the drainage level in Lagos state? 

I think at this juncture, I will like to pen drop, I know right, I mentioned that I will be giving you 100 reasons, but I want you to sit down in your locker room. Yes, sit down and ponder on the points I have said and you will see that “100 reasons more” from each point listed above. Of course, I do not write this to the SILVER SPOONED, 

I love you if your reading this, but I tell you, if you’re a real hustler really trying to make a resourceful use of yourself and meaning of your life. Live a life you can admire, I believe there is a need for a paradigm shift for you.

I am not saying it is impossible to make it in Lagos, Of course, anything is possible, but yes, anything is possible anywhere in the world, even in the holes. Daniel made a better name for himself in the Lion’s den; Joseph was from one hole to another before he arrived. Buhari was not a Lagosian, Dangote isn’t and so many others. 

There are vast opportunities outsides of Lagos, only that majority of us don’t want to go through the procedure and “that” Lagos will teach you. Start something in that remote area you find yourself, think about a resourceful way you can help relieve people in your area, turn your thoughts into business.

Start a small garden, plant a tree, vegetables… anything and before you know it, you are living comfortable. All of us can’t live the city life. You can make a good living from a far away town and if you stay relevant, you will be heard someday somehow. 

That same opportunity you are looking for will come looking for you if you do the right things NOW. For me, I hope to someday play my guitar with the beautiful voice I have crafted over the years and play sweet music to some old folks tryna catch up at a old coffea shop.

So yeah, if you looking for a good life, healthy and far away from the little lies of our poliicians, criminal acts and injustice of this living Valhalla", Live less of Lagos, its a city meant for drones.

Shojobi Solomon Ife