I really do not know where my current residence falls in between a city and a village because to my understanding, infrastructures, and development are what separate a village from a city so I might just say that I am stuck between the two due to some reasons.
Although, we refer to the area as the City of Ikorodu but a lot of places aren't developed yet and I think my residence falls into the undeveloped area. It might be underdeveloped but it is definitely not a village.
I live in a big community in the City of Ikorodu but the place is lacking some infrastructure. There is currently an ongoing road project that started last year but has stopped before the new year and hopefully, it will bring more development if they by chance complete it because the election is over and we might not see these politicians again until another election.
Aside from infrastructure, the place still observes a lot of rituals that are slowing down the rate of development in the city. I enjoy their festivals a lot but those rituals they observe at different times of the year are a turn-off for many people including myself.
I won't deny the fact that many parts of the city are not safe due to constant gang wars but my community is a peaceful and quiet place to live in. It is my kind of environment because it is quiet except at night when bars and clubs in the community decide to raise the volume of their speakers high.
Despite loving the environment, I do still love to change the environment into a more densely populated area. I mentioned earlier that the area is underdeveloped but development is coming in really quickly and before we know it, this place will be very busy. The development will bring lots of goodies that I definitely want to enjoy, a good road network, and improved amenities like the health care centers and others but development also attracts things I find troubling as well.
Since the road project started, many Landlord has increased their rent even before the completion of the road. They know development is gradually coming and the first they are thinking of increasing rent not considering that we aren't making more money because of the development. It hasn't gotten to me yet but I know it will because the landlords here imitate one another actions.
Aside from the increase in utility bills due to the attention the area will be getting, there is a high chance of an increase in crime rate, pollution will increase and the environment will lose more touch with nature because people will troop in to buy lands, therefore cutting down trees will be inevitable.
I will love to relocate to another place that is densely populated for many reasons.
- I am a fish farmer and it is not easy doing such business in a developed area because of the waste from the pond. The water stinks a lot when flushing and if the people decide to report to authorities in charge of the environment, I might be forced to stop doing the activity. I intend to have a poultry and animal farm in the future, all these can't be done in a developed area so living in a densely populated place will be a good thing to do. I will have enough space to expand my farm anytime there is a need for expansion and collecting grass for my cattle will be easier plus I can also bless farmers if there are any around me with the waste from the ponds because it can serve as manure for their crops.
- Living in a densely populated place also gives me access to nature, I can get to grow my food and enjoy lots of other natural things. In my current place, there use to be a big tree in my environment where I use to relax but the tree was chopped off and now, I do miss the tree when the weather is very hot since it use to be the place I get the best air and now I just sit outside my house for air which is not as cool as sitting under that tree. If it was a densely populated place, there will definitely be trees around where I can hang around during hot weather.
- Another reason is because of how a densely populated place will help cut down my expenses. In the developed area, people pay lots of money for everything but I can save more money living in a densely populated area.
I will definitely miss the city vibe but I am good with that after all, I spend most of my between home and the farm so I will definitely be good with the environment as long as there is electricity. All I need to keep a good connection with the city is to have a perfect truck that can move easily even on untarred roads.
Please note that all images in this article belong to me and were captured at different times and days.