One of the most striking warnings in Akran’s work concerns the danger of politicising development. He cautioned that “community development must be continuous, regardless of changes in political leadership.”

Badagry’s modern history suggests this warning went unheeded.

Shifting political loyalties, prolonged opposition to dominant power blocs, unresolved land acquisition issues and the absence of institutional continuity have all combined to stall progress. Projects are announced, but rarely sustained. Engagements are publicised, but outcomes remain unclear.

The result is a development culture driven by photo opportunities rather than long-term planning, where leadership visibility substitutes for structural impact.

For Badagry to move forward, Akran’s framework implies a reset:
• Development agendas anchored in community institutions, not personalities
• Economic planning that survives election cycles
• Tourism and heritage managed as public assets, not political trophies

As Dr #SeunWilliams observes, “Badagry’s future will not be secured by representation alone, but by rebuilding the civic and economic systems that once made the town resilient.”

Closing Analysis

A Future That Requires Memory

Badagry’s story is not unique, but its assets are. From historic streets to islands like Jegeme, the town possesses the raw materials of a viable heritage economy. What Akran’s work offers is not nostalgia, but a tested framework: development that begins with people, is sustained by unity, and supported—rather than controlled—by government.

Whether Badagry can reclaim that model remains an open question. But the lesson is clear: progress will not come from sentiment or symbolism alone. It will come from organisation, continuity and the deliberate conversion of heritage into opportunity.