How to Develop and Grow the City Lagos Nigeria - Essay Example

The City Lagos Nigeria Specific purpose: After my speech, my audience will know about how to create an effective and functioning city in failed and struggling countries. Organizational pattern: Topical Intended audience: COMM 101 class Introduction I. Attention getting device: It is probably one of the most populated countries in the world. Available forecasts indicate that it is going to host one of the world’s poverty-stricken populations. In the past, it has had one of the most difficult cities to govern in the world. However, recent studies indicate that it has improved significantly in terms of quality transportation systems, clean and hygienic environment, conducive business environment and improved standards and quality of living of its inhabitants. Do you know the name of this city and country? You have probably come across it in your studies or seen it in the media, at one time or another- am talking about the City Lagos Nigeria. II. Orientation phase: A. Point: Today, I want to give you some information on what makes City Lagos a unique and exemplary city in the world. B. Adaptation: Most governments would want to develop and grow their cities at some point or another. Learning the best strategy of growing the cities would not only help countries to develop effective cities but also to decentralize power to other areas and to reduce many incidents of corruption that come with centralized systems of governance. C. Credibility: Centralization of power often results into growth of failed and weak states. In such countries, power and wealth is vested among the few individuals and systems, which always fail to serve their intended purpose. Absence of effective and credible governance often leave many states, towns and cities in a sorry and destitute state and the inhabitants are left to languish in poverty. To avoid this scenario, I have gathered adequate information regarding the strategy that the City Lagos Nigeria used to make its sudden paradigm shift that I believe would guide other States at the verge of collapsing. D. Enumerated preview: This research paper provides three main lessons that can be learned by failed states from the turnaround made by the City Lagos Nigeria that would enable them to improve in governance- embrace democracy, embrace diversity, and focus on effective devolution. Transition: The first lesson learned from the City Lagos Nigeria on how to develop excellent cities is to embrace democracy in governance. Body I. The only way to develop and grow a city is by embracing democratic form of governance in the affected countries. A. According to Kaplan (2014, n.p), embracing democracy could be an effective strategy for ensuring the growth and development of cities in failed states in three ways. 1. Democracy enables cities to hold free and fair elections regularly. 2. Democracy also enables cities to vote in leaders whom they want and to vote out leaders they do not want. 3. Democracy also enables the local leaders for each city to work effectively and competitively in order to gain credibility and chances for future re-election. B. Studies indicate that Nigeria has attained two important milestones in public governance namely decentralization and achievement of a metropolitan city, Lagos (Kaplan, 2013, n.p). 1. Decentralization has been instrumental in the reduction of ethnic rivalry and wrangles in the country. 2. Achievement of a metropolitan city, Lagos encourages competition between the cities and the central government, which is instrumental in ensuring growth and development of the country. Transition: Apart from embracing democracy, cites have a chance of growing and developing if they embrace diversity and harness from the great potential it is able to provide. II. Diversity relates to the differences that exist between people and their demographic surrounding. Cities that are able to utilize diversity creatively and innovatively will be able to navigate through most of the governance challenges (Purcell, 2013, 16). A. Embracing diversity would make it easier for people to live together and thus make it possible to engage in effective governance (Kaplan, 2014, n.p). 1. Diverse groups of individuals who are well organized and easy to govern inhabit most populated cities. 2. Leaders are able to govern effectively by understanding the various ethnic and religious differences in the urban population and establishing ways to ensure their peaceful co-existence. 3. Geographical diversity and spread in terms of settlements also promotes effective governance since the people who posses most of the wealth and authority would be influenced if their neighborhoods were affected by the urban problems. Transition: Embracing democratic governance and diversity can play a great role in promoting growth and development of cities and solving most problems resulting from urbanization, however there is need for countries to focus on effective and working devolution of powers and services. III. Devolution is a key factor in ensuring the growth and development of cities and urban centers. A. According to Campbell (2012, n.p), engaging in effective devolution could be the key to solving most of the problems arising from poor urban planning and overpopulation in the cities. 1. Devolution enables the government to collect more tax revenues from the respective cities. 2. Devolution also promotes the growth of various services such as education, provision of energy, transport services, housing services and sanitation. 3. Devolution also promotes the implementation of energy and environmental protection initiatives in the various cities. 4. Devolution also promotes creation of an effective and conduce environment for business to thrive and flourish. 5. Devolution also promotes entrepreneurship, which has the effect of raising the country’s gross domestic product; this intimately leads to the continuous growth and development of the city and the country. B. Several structural factors have been significant in the success of most urban centers (Kaplan, 2013, n.p). Implementation of these factors would enhance the efforts directed towards expansion and development of cities (Bagaeene and Olah, 2010, 40). 1. Devolution enables cities to depend on local revenues and taxes in running the city affairs. 2. Federal and devolved structure gives local leaders authority, power and discretion to make own decision. 3. Devolution allows for multiple elections, which promote development of ideology and development policy. Transition: these lessons are very important and can be easily be adapted by struggling and failed states to address their urbanization problems, develop effective cities and prevent their countries from collapsing. Conclusion I. Summary: embracing democracy, embracing diversity and focusing on effective devolution are some of the effective strategies of promoting the growth and development of effective cities and countries. II. Concluding device: By adapting and implementing these strategies, failed nations and states are able to solve most of the problems emerging from urbanization and poor governance and thus be able to ensure their survival and stability. Works Cited Bagaeene, Samer and Ola Uduku. Ed. Gated Communities: Social Sustainability in ` Contemporary and Historical Gated Developments. Washington: Earthscan, 2010. Print. Campbell, John. “Lagos a success story?” Africa in Transition, July 9, 2012. Web. 18 Feb. 2014 ` Kaplan, Seth. “City Development States: Why Lagos Works Better than Nigeria”. Fragile States, ` 2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2014 ` Kaplan, Seth, D. “What makes Lagos a model City.” The New York Times, Jan. 7, 2014. Web. 18 ` Feb. 2014. ` Purcell, Mark. The Down-Deep Delight of Democracy. USA: John Wiley & Sons, 2013. Print. Read More