One of the major reasons we are struggling with development is because of the wrong framing and poor understanding of our issues. It is more distressing when those you expect to know better exhibit poor knowledge.
Seun Okinbaloye opened the Lagos Governorship debate with a declaration that Lagos State is rich.
For the life of me, how is Lagos a rich state. A state that is running a current 2026 budget of N4 trillion which in dollar term is less than $3billion. New York City Police Department 2026 budget is more than $6billion and in dollar terms twice the budget of Lagos State. We are talking about a city police department annual budget not that of New York State.
A city police department is running twice the budget of Lagos State with more than 20 million people. And a journalist is on a live debate where he is supposed to ask intelligent and well-informed questions said Lagos State is rich.
We really need to do away with this simplistic and populist view if we truly want to develop and move ahead as members of human society. And journalists who have the power of the mic should stop misinforming the people.
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