Societies are always looking to develop. After all, with change can come flourish. A popular theme for some parts of the world is now – urbanization. Societies are looking to have state-of-the art amenities, skyscrapers, marble-walled houses etc. Urbanization is a good thing. At least it is supposed to be a good thing. However, urbanization goes wrong when a society’s poor are further pushed to the margins, while the rich get richer.

A plan for urbanization must contain in it, a plan for the protection and even the advancement of the poor. For some societies, urbanizing means displacing the poor. This is quite common in Lagos State, Nigeria. About two weeks ago, the Lagos State government, using members of its police force, displaced thousands of residents of the Otodo Gbame fishing community, so that their homes could be demolished. A life was also taken. Those displaced included children. The displaced had to make a shelter out of canoes, and so, live directly on water. How dangerous but also, how unjust of the government of that State to do such, to some of its poorest citizens.

The government of Lagos State claims that the Otodo Gbame community brought risks to the Lagos State community. Even if that was the case, why displace a whole community because of whatever risks. To displace is far more different than finding solutions. This would not be the first time that the Lagos State government has displaced numerous people from certain areas and it is usually for ‘urbanization’, so I want to believe it is the same case with Otodo Gbame.

The more governments displace the poor and also, the people in the middle class who are trying to further themselves, the more governments widen the inequity gap and the more people are deprived of chances to overcome poverty or just further themselves. This of course affects the society’s economic development as a whole. Hence, unjust urbanization plans also cause further problems for that society. It is also important to remind the ‘powers that be’ e.g Lagos State government amongst others, that – injustice causes anger and with that anger can come crime.

Governments are symbols of protection for their citizens. When a government fails to serve the citizenry in a way that takes into account, their fundamental human rights, that government is a failing one. The poor should not pay with their wellbeing and/or with their lives, for the wellbeing of the rich. This might have become a norm in our world, but by exercising our morals, such evils can be put to an end. Not all people can be rich, but no one should be stripped of the opportunity to enhance him or herself. When a government displaces the poor and demolishes their homes, to ‘beautify’ and ‘improve’ a society, that government is trampling on the human rights of the masses and this is unacceptable.

Love & Peace,
Chiamaka

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