In the early 1980s, when President Shehu Shagari’s government began constructing the Third Mainland Bridge, many Nigerians protested. The question on their lips was simple but telling: “Na bridge we go chop?”…….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
To them, it felt like a waste of resources. Food was scarce, poverty was biting, and people could not immediately see how a bridge would solve their hunger. But fast-forward four decades and imagine Lagos without the Third Mainland Bridge.
It is now the artery of Africa’s most populous city — linking the mainland and the island, easing the daily commute of millions, and serving as the backbone of Lagos’ economy. That “bridge we couldn’t chop” became a bridge that keeps Lagos alive.
This story exposes a dangerous mindset that still lingers today: the consumption-first mentality. Too often, we demand instant gratification. We want rice on the table today, forgetting that sustainable development demands patience, vision, and sacrifice.
No nation develops on consumption alone. The infrastructure you enjoy today — electricity, roads, internet, schools — exists because someone decades ago dared to build beyond their present needs. And the struggles you face today? They’re often the result of what was never built yesterday.
So, the next time government embarks on a long-term project, instead of asking “Na bridge we go chop?” we should ask: “What future is this building for us?”
Because one truth will always remain: the infrastructure you’ll enjoy tomorrow must be built today.…….CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
