Deputy governor of Lagos State,
Obafemi Hamzat, has come under focus after saying the constant traffic challenge in the city is not a problem but a lifestyle.
For many Lagosians, traffic is a big deal, draining hours and and resources on the road as workers and motorists commute to make ends meet
Speaking on Saturday at Podfest Naija, a gathering of storytellers and creatives, Hamzat talked on how Lagos’ traffic, crowds and chaos have shaped its identity and inspired creative works.
He said traffic has also become an unlikely patron of the podcast industry, as Lagosians consume episodes while commuting across the city.
“Anyone who has crossed Third Mainland Bridge at 6pm knows that Lagos traffic is not the problem, it is just a lifestyle,” Hamzat said.
“In fact, I suspect that many of us in this room, we produce things that are consumed, episode by episode, between Ojota and Obalende.
“So in a way, traffic has been a patron of your industry. So you must celebrate traffic. That’s why we are Lagos.”
He further said that while the story of Lagos was previously told largely by other people, the city is now telling its own story through its creative community.
“Lagos is now telling its own story and the people telling it in a very serious way are in this room,” he said.
“The podcasters, the filmmakers, the musician, writer, designers, developers and entrepreneurs who have turned Lagos microphone into a global broadcast.
“So we’re funding ideas, not just applauding them. Lagos is supporting nothing less than 90 research and development projects,” he said.
“Gone are the years of great ideas and no funding.
“A podcast with a million listeners and no business model is just a hobby with good microphone.”
The deputy governor, who is the
governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Lagos in the 2027 general election, said Lagos is presently the safest state in Nigeria, adding that the achievement came at a “ridiculous cost”.
“Creativity flourishes best when people feel safe,” he said.
“For us in Lagos, safety and liberty guarantees remain a matter of right.
“Lagos is today the safest state in our country and it comes at ridiculous cost because if we’re not safe then we can’t even tell stories,” he said.
