Kunle Adelabu
Despite the fact that rain has just started, residents in various parts of Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, have lamented the effects of downpour in the last two days in their respective areas.
From Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area to Ikorodu LG, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Ikorodu North LCDA and Ijede LCDA among others, the situation is the same as residents found it difficult to move in and out of their houses due to flood.
They called on the Lagos State Government to focus more on road construction and rehabilitation, especially in the interior parts of Ikorodu division where according to them, there are basically no good roads.
The residents also called on the government at both state and local government levels engage in construction of more drainages and clearing of the existing ones.
It was also stated that government needs to upscale its sanitation enforcement to ensure the prevention of indiscriminate dumping of refuse.
The residents made these submissions while narrating their experiences on THE IMPACT WhatsApp platform concerning the heavy downpour on Thursday, June 17, 2020.
Mrs Temitope Bada, teacher and resident of Igbogbo, while reacting, stated:
“Morekete road and Bayeku road are nothing to write about. Over 2hours on the road because of bad road and flood. Please assist us.
“I’m back home because there is no vehicle”, she said while lamenting the situation of the road that prevented her from going out and was forced to return home after 2 hours on the road.
Dr Abiodun Fatai – Abatan, a senior lecturer in the department of Political Science, Lagos State University and resident of Agura/Gberigbe, while also lamenting the situation in his area today, stated:
“Agura-Gberigbe-Gbodu axis and Ijede road are impassable”, he stated.
A community leader and social media analyst, Mr Monday Ohi Obadan, while also lamenting the situation in his area in Igbogbo, stated that blocked drainages and shanties on road setbacks are some of the factors accounted for the flooding.
“Igbogbo-Oreta-Offin Axis roads are impassable.
“Blocked drainages, shanties on oad setbacks are factors that caused the flooding in my area”, he said.
He also queried the government’s management of roads and environmental situations in the state.
“The irony of leadership in this clime is lack of planning, lack of synergy among relevant government agencies on related matters and lack of coordination or oversight”, he added.
“How can you imagine major road rehabilitation or construction during the peak period of the rainy season?”, he asked.
“We had closed to 90days of COVID -19 lockdown and government failed to take advantage of this period to attend to these roads and drainages. Haba!”.
Bayowa Treasures – Olawunmi, the holder of the Guinness World record in ‘Read Aloud Marathon” and an ICT expert, also described the situation at Isawo where he resides as unfortunate while blaming Hi-Tech Construction Company for the sad experiences residents of Agric – Isawo – Owutu are facing.
“Isawo road is impassable. Any car or vehicle that dares it “ma je iyan e ni su ni” (will have his/herself to blame) and we kept hearing they are working on the road. Meanwhile, the contractors hardly work once or twice in a week”, he said.
Hon. Olatunbosun Balogun, former NNN candidate for the Ikorodu Federal Constituency seat at the House of Representatives, also contributing, stated that the situation is the same all over the state.
“Our beloved Lagos is flooded again. Well, I hope we have lasting solution to this mess in Lagos. It’s a big shame we all cannot govern ourselves and provide infrastructures to improve the lives of our citizens”, he stated disappointedly.
Hameed Sholanke, a youth leader and community developer in Igbogbo also lamented the situation in his area at WAEC/Ogboni in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.
“It’s very terrible in my area at Waec/ Ogboni, Igbogbo. The street is flooded and this is due to improper channel within the area that are not connecting with the canal.
Aladé Julius Oloyédé, a resident of Ikorodu and Social Activist and Developer, in his own contribution stated:
“In my community the rains add to the challenges of the pot holed dirt roads. The Lagos State government needs to coordinate street by street drainage network with the Community Development Association (CDAs) and monitoring NGOs.
“Thereafter, the state government will continue with the Lagos State Publcs Works Corporation (LSPWC) road works in a decentralized form. Desilting, reinforced wire-meshing of drains/gutters are strategic. These suggestions are open to modifications or improvements” he said.
Mrs Olanrewaju, a retired teacher, blamed bad road for the flooding in various parts of Ikorodu Division.
“For how long shall we continue to mention bad roads? Ogolonto-Ipakodo road is worst. Etunrenren to Haruna, the alternative route to Ogolonto from Ojubode, is a no go area because of port holes. All these were supposed to have been done before the rain started. ‘Oluwa a ko wa yo o’ (God will rescue us)”.
The President of Ikorodu Heroes (I – Heroes), an association of Ikorodu – born professionals interested in development of the division, Mr Seun Eleso, also contributing, stated:
“The flooding is not due to the downpour but the citizens’ bad usage of our insufficient drainage infrastructure and our inability to take responsibility for good environmental maintenance… We knew that the rain will come big”.
He cited the case of the Ikorodu garage roundabout where people dump their waste into the drainage as one of the cause of flooding problem. He called for the re-introduction of ‘Wole Wole’ to tackle environmental abuse.
“At Ikorodu round about, people empty their waste in the gutters. Government should reintroduce “Wolewole”, he said.
Alhaji Taiwo Odumbo stated that he had abandoned his house along Igbalu road in Ikorodu Local Government because of bad road.
He called on the Ikorodu Local Government, through its Supervisor for Works, to intervene by repairing the road.
“I had to abandon my house along Igbalu road and move to Ikorodu because I can’t afford constant repair of the only ‘kabukabu’ (car) that l have.
“Mr Yusuf Gbadebo, your attention is urgently needed on this matter”.
