National pride drove us to complete Third Mainland Bridge, says ex-leader Babangida

Former Nigerian Head of State Ibrahim Babangida revealed that national pride fueled his administration's decision to complete the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. He recounted being angered by a U.S. television program that portrayed Nigeria as a country that starts but never finishes ambitious projects.

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National pride was what pushed us to do the Third Mainland Bridge.

Babangida recalled the program, which he believed was on CBS's "60 Minutes," featured Nigerian broadcaster Onyeka Onwenu and used the then-unfinished Third Mainland Bridge as an example of an abandoned "elephant project" in Africa. The American host's commentary about African countries conceiving major projects but failing to complete them deeply concerned Babangida about Nigeria's international image.

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I saw it and I was mad after watching the television programme.

"National pride was what pushed us to do the Third Mainland Bridge," Babangida said. He explained that upon coming into office, his administration's first decision was to prove the American broadcaster wrong. He rallied his colleagues, emphasizing that completing the bridge was a matter of national pride and a demonstration of capability.

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He gave it as an example of how African countries conceive programmes, elephant projects. He said, ‘Look at this bridge. It stopped here. Who knows, maybe it will end up in oblivion.’

Following this initial inspiration, Babangida's administration formed a committee involving stakeholders like Julius Berger and the Lagos State Government to devise a plan for the bridge's completion. This collaborative effort aimed to ensure the project's successful conclusion, thereby challenging the negative perception previously broadcast to the world.

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That word pained me a lot.