Kunle Adelabu
It has been tales of sad experiences as flood continue to ravage communities across the Ikorodu Division due to the incessant rainfall in the recent times, but the heavy downpour of Saturday, July 9, 2022, which prevented many Muslims from celebrating the Ileya festival, has worsen the situation as the agonies have spread to other communities.
Many were forced to remain indoors on the Sallah day because roads in their areas were made impassable by flood while many had their homes taken over by flood.
This sad incident has caused serious uproars and lamentations across the social media related to Ikorodu as many residents took to the WhatApp, Facebook and other social media platforms to show what they are facing in their respective areas.
The expression of the grief continued on Sunday (today) as the flood resumed its onslaught in communities like Odogunyan, Odo – Nla, Agodogbon, Ita Oluwo, Agbede and other areas in Ikorodu North Local Development Area (LCDA), Gberigbe, Agura and other areas in Ikorodu Local Government Area, Igbe Laara, Ogunlewe, Bayeku, Offin and other areas in Igbogbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Agric, Owutu and other axis of Ikorodu West LCDA among others areas in Ikorodu Division.
The situation was more severe at Agodogbon, behind the Lucky Fibre Industry along the Ikorodu – Itoikin, Odogunyan, Ogunlewe/Bayeku road where residents were either stuck in their homes or had to wade through flood to return to their various homes.
Many vehicles were also stuck in the flood as it ravaged communities.
Causes of these perennial flooding, which has been affecting Ikorodu for some years now, has been highlighted to include lack of drainage systems in many communities, especially developing sites, bad/collapsed drainages, dumping of refuse on waterways which usually causes blockade, building on waterways and lack of building plans among many others.
There is also the problem of poor or lack of enforcement on the parts of the state and local governments regarding many environmental breaches which has continued to cause flood whenever there is heavy rainfall, and this has consequently caused damage to many homes and vehicles.
Ineffectiveness of waste management system is another major cause of flooding. Residents in many areas prefer to dump their waste on the roads or open spots in their areas as waste managers in most cases are not effective.
Another factor is the many unfinished road construction across Ikorodu which has blocked waterways, causing flood in many areas.
Many of residents that were affected by the flood that spoke with THE IMPACT, while proffering solutions to the flooding situation, said that there is need for effective enforcement of environmental laws, construction of drainages, reconstruction of collapsed roads and drainages and proper waste management.
Barr. Adeleke Dankuwo, a senior lawyer with the National Assembly and community leader in Igbogbo whose jeep got stuck in the flood around Ire/Odofin road in Agunfoye area of Igbogbo, came on the social media to lament his experience which generated lot of reactions.
“This is an SOS message. I’m inside a deep mess as my car is in a ditch at Ongbono bread. I need a tipper or big towing vehicle to pull it out. Someone should please help”, he said while calling for help.
“I’m badly drenched….need help”, he added.
This is one of the many sad experiences and lamentations by many residents across the Ikorodu Division regarding the flooding issue in lkorodu division. .
Mr Gbadamosi Adewale Fatai, Chairman CDC Zone 2 Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, speaking with THE IMPACT, said that the causes of the flood are failure of the government and negligence on the part of residents.
“Perennial flooding has been a major issue confronting parts of Ikorodu Division in the last two decades. The reasons responsible for the problem of flooding in ikorodu are not far – fetched and can be summarized under the following key factors .”
According to him, causes of perennial flooding in Ikorodu are:
“Unplanned developments, non-compliance with physical development laws and regulations, gap between physical infrastructural needs and provision by successive governments, poor drainages, non-compliance with state laws regulating refuse management and disposal.
“Also, indiscriminate building on flood plains, derelict condition of roads, poor flood control and management policies, effects of erosion and inadequate erosion control policies among others.
“A critical consideration of all the above factors reveals the undelying causes of flooding in and around ikorodu division, especially in places like Akin Ogunlewe, Bayeku, Odongunyan, and other parts of lkorodu division as a whole.
“Another major factor of these floods is the heavy rains currently being experienced on yearly basis as a result of climate change which is responsible for the change in the pattern of rain fall resulting in more floods in lkorodu”.
The community leader, proffering solutions to the challenges, called for:
“Proper enforcement of physical planning laws, more aggressive enforcement of proper waste disposal to deter residents of affected areas around lkorodu from engaging in improper dumping of refuse and better erosion control mechanism by government”, Mr Gbadamosi said.
“There is also need for re-construction and maintenance of existing roads and drainages in these affected areas. Thank God for the Lagos State government for approving the construction of Bayeku road. We heard from the grapevine that Akin Ogunlewe road is also on the raider for action by government”.
Mr Gbadamosi also called for more physical development to correct the deficit in infrastructures in Ikorodu and deal with challenges.
A former Senatorial candidate of Action Alliance (AA) and resident of Igbogbo, Mr Francis Mani Shonubi, said that he has been unable to step out of his house since Saturday due to flooding challenges.
“I’m indoor observing the season. The drainage issues are still same problem since 1999”, he said.
“Our drainage system is skewed towards poor orientation by the citizens, they see the drainage as their refuse dump site, you need to see the blockage with different rubbish.
“The government should make it a point of duty to monitor our drainage often”, he said.
Another community leader and public analyst who, Mr Monday Ohi Obadan, described the situation as devastating while adducing both natural and human factors as causes.
“It’s devastating and quite appalling… Aside the phenomenal global warming exacerbating and not de-escalating, human factor is another major contribution to the flood menace viz: lack of drainages as part of building construction as CSR (community social responsibility); where drainages exist, lack of de-silting or periodic clearing of these blocked/clogged drainages, as a culture, is causing environmental nuisance”, he said.
“Lack of proper delineation of road setbacks in case of emergencies, building of shanties, lockup shops, illegal activities and businesses on road setbacks and drainage paths and lack of political will and government regulations in enforcement.
“The way out is to mitigate (individuals/CDAs), regulate and enforcement (government agencies) in adopting measures (moral suasion), strategies (adequate planning, sensitization, publicity and awareness) and consistent enforcement (not necessarily fines, but eject, evict and destroy obstructions to drainage pathways)”, he said in a chat with THE IMPACT.
He was also of the view that the monthly Environmental Sanitation exercise should be revisited.
A resident of Agura/Gberigbe community, Mr Ogbeni Adewunmi Amusa, also lamenting, said that residents of his area have resorted to longer route to go in and out of the area.
“Agura road still remains in a terrible state. Anyone going to Gberigbe, Agura and other communities in that axis will have to pass through Itoikin road to Imota and then back to Gberigbe. That’s the situation now, but we hope that Mr. Governor will fullfil his promise very soon”, he said.
Henry Gbenga, a social media commentator, in a chat, also narrated his experience on the Sallah day, adducing lack of drainage system and indiscriminate dumping of refuse as causes.
“I passed through Ogunlewe junction yesterday close to sawmill. I am 6ft1 inches tall but the water got to my knee. Though, it reduced after few hours”, he said.
“That area lacks proper drainage system which I think the government needs to help in that regard and I’ll like to plead with the people to stop throwing dirt into flood whenever it rains.
“We need to start punishing those that put dirt out whenever it rains”, he added.
Meanwhile, as the effect of the flood takes its toll on many residents of Ikorodu and other parts of the state, government has reassured the people that its ready to respond through its emergency lines: 112/767.
Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, gave the assurance on Sunday.
“We are also urging Lagosians to avoid non-essential travel in areas that are mostly affected by flooding. Parents and guardians are to keep their children and wards warm and dry to avoid secondary illnesses”, he said.
“This is an appeal to community leaders to use the public holidays to carry out some remedial clearing of blocked drainage. This will allow for free flow of stormwater and reduce the impact.”
