The Megacity of Lagos, the future World's largest city - Impressions?

[JManc]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

I guess because you guys are all young, and maybe for many of you, you didn't grow up listening to stories told by the older generations in your families?

I turn 50 this year; my mom was born in 1941; my mother's father was born in 1888. He died 7 years before I was born, so I never met my maternal grandfather. But he told stories of his life experiences to my mom, who told those stories to me. My mother's mother was born in 1901, and died when she was 90. I knew her, and she told stories of her childhood, and her parents' stories of their lives.

I'm not African-American, but I'm Filipino-American. My paternal grandfather was born in the Philippines when it was still a frickin' Spanish colony; lived through the American occupation, Japanese occupation, and Philippine independence.

So if I were African-American, and I had a grandfather born in 1888, he most likely would have been the son of slaves/former slaves, and could have possibly passed on those stories to me. 155 years, in terms of family generations, isn't really all that long ago. So to say that people alive today wouldn't know about slavery... COME ON.

And just talk to any Armenian; they talk about the genocide like it happened 10 years ago; to them, it's very real, because I'm very sure their families have kept the stories alive.

Your grandparents were unusually old if you're only 50. I turn 47 in a few months and three of my grandparents were born in the 1920's and their parents were born in the 1890's while my maternal grandfather who was much older was still only born in 1905. They spoke of things like the Depression, 'the War' and JFK's assassination as if it was yesterday because they lived through it but since my last grandmother passed a year ago, that personal connection died with her. Stories told since then get lost in translation over the generations.

The Armenian Genocide was that much more recent (compared to slavery) to where a lot of people still alive and many only in their 60's or 70's had a grandparent or relative who were directly effected by those events.

[Qubert]

How come we can't have a world where we can have genuine, heartfelt reflection on the enormous and criminal sufferings people of African descent have suffered through centuries while not being straight up disrespectful towards other world events. We have people in here borderline saying "Well, the holocuast wasn't that bad because slavery"

Segun: I can't speak for others, and I understand your rage when people try to talk about the Black experience from a POV that seeks to make equivalencies or minimalize the point blank realities of what it means to be African-American: Children were ripped from their parents, Husbands and Wives sold off to different plantations, whole languages, cultures and histories wiped out. People starved, were raped (repeatedly), and beaten into submission. People killed for the simple crime of whistling at a white woman. But when you and others start pulling out numbers you're doing the very thing that makes your blood boil.

My issue with today's narrative is the idea that somehow White people are intrinsically more malevolent or conversely people of color more benevolent as a matter of biological fact. The grim reality of the Belgian Congo is that there are very few heroes in that horror story European or African for that matter. Nothing minimalizes the responsibility of King Leopold or Belgian commercial interests for the atrocities that took place, however, we also know the majority of the killing was done willingly by local African actors on behalf of Belgium.

The idea that other atrocities are somehow "Not important" in light of the Black Diaspora's suffering does come across as un-empathetic. As someone who himself is half AA, I'd like our pain to be a springboard towards a greater movement of human understanding and reconciliation, with restorative justice being a universal concept for all afflicted peoples, yes, even white ones....

This isn't a call out, and I respect your views even if they diverge. I just had to put mine out there. Peace.

[Segun]

Originally Posted by Qubert

How come we can't have a world where we can have genuine, heartfelt reflection on the enormous and criminal sufferings people of African descent have suffered through centuries while not being straight up disrespectful towards other world events. We have people in here borderline saying "Well, the holocuast wasn't that bad because slavery"

Segun: I can't speak for others, and I understand your rage when people try to talk about the Black experience from a POV that seeks to make equivalencies or minimalize the point blank realities of what it means to be African-American: Children were ripped from their parents, Husbands and Wives sold off to different plantations, whole languages, cultures and histories wiped out. People starved, were raped (repeatedly), and beaten into submission. People killed for the simple crime of whistling at a white woman. But when you and others start pulling out numbers you're doing the very thing that makes your blood boil.

My issue with today's narrative is the idea that somehow White people are intrinsically more malevolent or conversely people of color more benevolent as a matter of biological fact. The grim reality of the Belgian Congo is that there are very few heroes in that horror story European or African for that matter. Nothing minimalizes the responsibility of King Leopold or Belgian commercial interests for the atrocities that took place, however, we also know the majority of the killing was done willingly by local African actors on behalf of Belgium.

The idea that other atrocities are somehow "Not important" in light of the Black Diaspora's suffering does come across as un-empathetic. As someone who himself is half AA, I'd like our pain to be a springboard towards a greater movement of human understanding and reconciliation, with restorative justice being a universal concept for all afflicted peoples, yes, even white ones....

This isn't a call out, and I respect your views even if they diverge. I just had to put mine out there. Peace.

Your thinking is problematic, because

1 - I never mentioned, said, or hinted at any opinion that White people are more intrinsically malevolent. What narrative are you referring to?

2 - I never said that any atrocity is less important, or even hinted at that.

That's your projections added to the argument.

I stated the facts. Do I really need to add a disclaimer or Trigger warning?:

"Hey White person, I'm referring to practices that destroyed our community, I'm not necessarily talking about you, your family, or any inherit characteristic you possess that leads you to committing these crimes. Nor am I minimizing atrocities that happened to White people. I apologize if these facts offend you."

They might as well add that disclaimer before the Slavery section in history books, (which I heard has been shrunk down to a sentence in some textbooks).

I hope I'm joking and people are more thick-skinned than that. What are we grief counselors now? Do we have to tread softly and remove all offending material from history so we don't cause anyone to get in their feelings?

F**k no!

[bossabreezes]

This thread is more of a rant than an actual intellectual discussion. Sad, because it could have been something of importance in discussing Lagos as the future largest city in the world,

Instead it somehow became about racism.

[jtown,man]

Segun is off the rails. He can't even be nice to people who are obviously supporting him.

[Segun]

Here's some older, but contemporary news about Lagos. Like everything in the World, it's up in the air post CV, but still points to a cultural revolution.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/l...-a7973871.html

Nigeria's comic book explosion: Why Lagos is the new Gotham

David Barnett, The Independent

10/1/2017

Growing up in the capital city of Nigeria, Roye Okupe didn’t have many super-powered role models. Comic books were few and far between in Lagos, and those that he did see – imports from the US – didn’t have many black main characters.

[Segun]

This is utter disrespect. You build a business in a country and refuse to serve the people of that country. What absurd level of privilege!? I hope this sends a message that dominoes to anybody with that same mentality as that restaurant owner, small business or big business.

Nigeria shuts Chinese eatery for refusing to serve Nigerians
MOHAMMED AWAL
Face 2 Face Africa
March 16, 2020


https://face2faceafrica.com/article/...Ttfl1IRqNAZ7m8

Authorities in Nigeria have closed down a Chinese restaurant in Lagos over its discriminatory policy against Nigerians.

The Haufei Restaurant and Mall was shut down Saturday for refusing to serve Nigerians.

[mrnyc]

^dominoes?



anyway, here ya go -- lots of views of the city here and the eko development:


https://youtu.be/SGIeAm6NolQ

[Segun]

Snowball rather?

That's a pretty big development.

[mrnyc]

Originally Posted by Segun

Snowball rather?

That's a pretty big development.

ah, now i get what you were saying. that went over my head.

and yeah the eko atlantic lagos development has been going on a long while and it seems it was starting to pick back up again.

kind of modeled after dubai versions i guess. it's impressive.

[niwell]

It's impressive but seems rather geared towards expats. Which is good, in a weird way. Lagos is trying to make their own Sandton City, which is by far the premiere business centre in sub-Saharan Africa (for now).

In regards to one of Segun's posts above, a few of my SA friend work in the film industry on the editing side. Many of the cameramen are from Lagos, interestingly enough. Lots of talent coming out of that city.

[mrnyc]

check out makoko the floating slum neighborhood of lagos:

https://youtu.be/kGVmi-ac1RA

Originally Posted by niwell

It's impressive but seems rather geared towards expats. Which is good, in a weird way. Lagos is trying to make their own Sandton City, which is by far the premiere business centre in sub-Saharan Africa (for now).

In regards to one of Segun's posts above, a few of my SA friend work in the film industry on the editing side. Many of the cameramen are from Lagos, interestingly enough. Lots of talent coming out of that city.

yeah absolutely its for ex pats and visitors. who knows what the locals will get out of it? thats cool to hear about the film industry.

[bnk]

Originally Posted by mrnyc

check out makoko the floating slum neighborhood of lagos:

https://youtu.be/kGVmi-ac1RA


.

Well that was discouraging

I have seen other youtube videos of the same hood.

So they all seem to be catching the same 5 inch fish that must live on human feces and urine.


Never saw one fish bigger than ones hand. But I did see a lot of mostly naked skinny kids running around with no shoes skinny and bloated protein deficient kwashiorkor malnutrition bellies with no help in the near term to reestablish normal brain function.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwashiorkor

"if the treatment is delayed, the overall health of the child is improved but physical (reduced) and intellectual (mental disabilities) sequelae are feared. Without treatment or if treatment occurs too late"

So we are talking about a half of a billion that cannot be productive. In 30 years Nigeria will have like 2 billion people. I pray for their souls and hope they can stop reproducing at such prodigious rates, its non sustainable.


That's hundreds of million of children that will never get above 2 numbers on an IQ test because of their nutritional intake. That the future of the world? The future seems dysphoric if the globe supports billions of people not fit to do anything other than hustle and steal. That's the backbone of the Nigerian economy now and in the future?, shushing and Jiving for the next century?


If this is only just part of the future a Lagos


Its still very disheartening.

Perhaps those Rio in Brazil might feel better watching this but to the rest of the world this is freighting.

So many un educated children.... This suburb in a delta on stilts is a forth world nation if there is such a thing.

[SIGSEGV]

https://magazine.atavist.com/things-...loating-school

This is fascinating.

[Segun]

Originally Posted by bnk

do anything other than hustle and steal. That's the backbone of the Nigerian economy now and in the future?, shushing and Jiving for the next century?

.

You just described the nature of the global economy and power. Look at us now!

Walked right into that one 1st World.

[Segun]

Jokes aside, I would like to think a generation that's the most college educated in America would do something with that education to help their people back home.

[isaidso]

Even if Africa remains poor it will be far more powerful and influential than it is today. Demography matters. The US wouldn't have become a super power if it had 33 million people instead of 330 million. It would be Canada: wealthy but too small to be globally influential. India is very poor but managed top get a permanent Security Council seat. This was almost entirely based on having a massive population. It bears repeating. Demography matters.... and they will dwarf the West by mid-century.

If large parts of Africa manage to climb even marginally in wealth it will have global ramifications. If they climb to lower/middle income it will be a game changer.

[Nite]

here are some 2020 and 2019 pics of Lagos



















































































https://www.picuki.com/profile/f27arts

[jd3189]

^^^Nice, very nice. It reminds me of some areas in Miami and the Afro-Caribbean ( Haiti, Jamaica, Bahamas, Trinidad, etc). Makes sense, since West Africa is the origin of most of the Afro-diaspora.

[muppet]

At some stage in this coming century Africa will become the global centre of population (Nigeria alone will be approaching China's population), and an educated workforce with few dependents. Plus by dint of sheer numbers, vast legions of the middle classes multiple times larger than in the West.


www.pewresearch.org

You can either continue to exploit it as the world's largest resource mine coupled to a vast underclass, or start canvassing the populace into producing and buying your products and services.

One of these is far more profitable for everyone involved, especially in the next few decades.


That tide is already turning, where investment is moving towards the latter. When China builds a transport network, hospitals, schools, universities, shopping malls, hotels, CBDs and stadia in Ethiopia, it's not doing that between the usual mines and ports, but to cater to what's already a market, and in preparation for 300 million people. Likewise the other big non-resource rich investment countries, Tanzania, Kenya, Egypt, Niger, Malawi, Rwanda, Mozambique, Ghana.


www.economist.com


Luanda in 2015-2018 was the world's most expensive city