The Okun-Alfa Community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State has appealed to the Federal and State Governments to save it from extinction, as a persistent ocean surge continues to threaten its survival.
Chief Yusuf Elegushi, the Baale of Okun-Alfa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the surge had already claimed over 80 per cent of the community’s land, leaving many residents homeless.
“This community has been in existence for over 500 years. Our forefathers burial grounds are here we are not illegal immigrants and we have been calling the government attention to the situation as our land is gradually being submerged.
“But some days ago we received a notice from government that we should evacuate the land which is very strange to us because our ancestral land we have elderlies of very 80 years residing in the community.
“We are only seeking Federal Government help not evacuation because we don’t know where to go our forefathers were indigene of the community.
“We only need government help to reclaim our land from surge not evacuation,”the community leader said.
Mr Adekunle Elegushi, the Chairman Community Development Association (CDA) Okun-Alfa Community also appealed to the federal government to halt the 24 hours autimatum given to residents to vacate the land.
Elegushi said that former Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State had tried to stop the surge in 2019 but the project was not totally completed.
“The project stopped. No continuity, that’s why other lands have been washed away by the ocean.
“All our maternity centre, schools and recreation centres have been submerged majority of houses have been swallowed by the ocean which rendered majority of people homeless.
“What we need now is the federal and state government intervention not evacuation we are appealing to them to rescue us and help us to resolve our challenges in the community.
Mrs Sidikatu Liasu-Banuso, the Octogenarians residents of the community also appealed to the federal government to halt demolition plan but rather come to their aide in fixing the surge.
“We don’t want government to drive us away from here what we want is help to fix the surge and we are appealing there is no where to go now this is my ancestral land and home am over 80 years of age.
Mr Taofeek Ibraheem, also a resident urged the government to consider the situation and stop the demolition plan as the community would go on extinction.
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, YEA Nigeria Chapter, has donated a solar-powered water facility to Oko-Oba Abattoir community in Lagos.
Designed by young Nigerian engineers, it was part of the society’s Global Decarbonisation Challenge to provide 30,000 litres of clean water.
The project not only supplies water resources to a facility that supports over 30 per cent of Lagos’s meat supply, but also operates with zero carbon emissions, eliminating eight tonnes of carbon dioxide yearly and saving over N4 milion in energy costs yearly.
Project Lead, Abraham Okoko, said: “EmpowerFlow shows that with the right support, young professionals can solve major infrastructure challenges using sustainable, homegrown solutions.”
“The project was a collaboration of Rotary Club of Lagos; Akdas and Perabeam; Lagos State and YEA Nigeria and ASHRAE society.
“EmpowerFlow also reflects ASHRAE’s commitment to workforce development and diversity. A mixed-gender engineering team received hands-on training in solar energy systems, site planning, and community engagement, reinforcing the organisation’s goals around sustainability and inclusive innovation.
“Despite bureaucratic delays and an unexpected borehole collapse, the team adapted to transparent budgeting, strategic planning, and proactive stakeholder coordination.
“As the project moves into its final phase, plans are underway to hand it over to the state. The team is also focused on capacity building to ensure the system’s continued operation. ”
Ateshimara ruling house in Ketu-Epe in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, has picked and rallied support for Prince Adekoya Babajide Adefowora as Alaketu- elect.
The traditional chiefs from the ruling house on Tuesday unanimously backed the nomination of Prince Adefowora as the monarch-elect.
Adefowora was accorded a rousing welcome as he paid homecoming homage, amid drumming and singing. He visited the Ketu-Ejinrin Divisional Police Headquarters, major streets, quarters, compounds, and the Ketu-Ejinrin General Hospital.
While raising Adefowora’s hands, at the Palace of Alaketu of Ketuland, the Elekun of Ketuland, High Chief Lateef Bello described Prince Adefowora as blood blue who has been of immense and positive influence on the lives of youths, women, and aged of not the family alone but others in the town.
He described Prince Adefowora as A youthful man with integrity, character, and charisma worthy of a king whose all the Ateshimara ruling are solidly being as the Alaketu elect.
Speaking with reporters, Prince Adefowora thanked the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab for his fatherly roles and support.
Adefowora assured the people of Ketuland that he would continue to strive for the uplift of the town and its people.
Two people have been killed and many others injured after armed men invaded Ijegun Egba community in the Oriade Local Council Development of Lagos State.
The gunmen were said to have attacked the community on Monday and Tuesday from a neighbouring riverine village over a dispute that began last Thursday.
The deceased were identified as Gbenga Areagbo, 40, and one Oladapo Olukoya.
A short video seen by our correspondent showed one of the victims lying lifeless on the ground with his head smashed and bloodied.
It was gathered that the attackers carted away the body of Olukoya through the jetty to Ibasa, the nearby riverine village.
Although the cause of the armed invasion was yet to be ascertained, sources said the gunmen started harassing and robbing locals last Thursday.
The Nation reports that land grabbing, cultism, pipeline vandalism and collection of illegal levies from miscreants were among triggers of violence in that part of the state.
A native of Ijegun Egba, Kudus Fadiku, who confirmed the incident to reporters, said the gunmen were thugs from Ibasa.
“They identified an indigene of our town, Wasiu Ademola, and they attacked him. He was seriously injured and they wanted to take him to Ibasa through the river when he lied to them that he is not from Ijegun Egba and that he is a policeman. That was when they released him.”
Residents of the community had accused dredgers of destroying their access roads due to their daily operations, but refuting the allegations, the operators claimed they have been doing their best to improve the community.
In a statement, the agency said: “At a meeting held at the Conference Room of MIREMCO Lagos, all parties involved in the crisis resolved to settle their differences in the interest of peace.
“Present at the meeting were officers of MIREMCO, the Dredgers Association of Nigeria (DAN), operators in the dredging business, the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LSWA), different Community Development Associations (CDAs) in the area, the Baale of Era Community, Chief Olumide Erinle, and representatives of the landowners, among others.
“All parties were given the opportunity to present their grievances. At the end of the presentations, the MEC officer in the MIREMCO, Mr. Waheed Popoola, called for the composition of a committee to settle the crisis. According to him, the committee should consist of the Baale, two representatives each from the operators, landowners, CDAs, and DAN.”
The Federal Mines Officer (FMO) in the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel, Engr. Abayomi Oyegunshen, urged all parties to come together for peace to reign in the community.
In the Terms of Reference to the committee, Hon. Olanrewaju charged the members to find a lasting solution to the lingering crisis and ensure that residents and workers in the area live in harmony and peace with each other.
He said: “I want a quick and speedy resolution to the crisis so that all can live happily once again.
Meanwhile, another meeting is expected to be held this week for a long-lasting solution.
For the residents of Oke-Arin Community, down-town Akinpelumi Street, Ikosi, Lagos, it’s a new dawn.
Courtesy of Lions International’s Leo District 404B2 Nigeria, the people now have access to potable water, suitable for washing, cooking and drinking; something they never had for well over a decade since they moved in there.
Oke-Arin Community is a little community further down Akinpelumi Street cut-off from the main Ikosi Community by a swampy area that also ensured that water accessed via wells were only good for certain level of washing.
As a result, they have had to travel hundreds of meters uphill via a plank bridge to the upper part of Akinpelumi Street to access water or to other nearby communities. The people told The Nation that it was always a hectic task, which they and their children had to go through to get their daily need of water to do simple washing, bathing and cooking.
According to one resident, Mrs Toyin Waheed, they still had to buy sachet ‘pure water’ water to drink, as they could not trust the water they were going through so much stress to access.
However, thanks to the youngsters of Leo Club, who as part of their youth activities, decided to meet their need by providing them with the borehole.
According to club president, Leo Olufolake Temitope Adegoke, the project was inspired by the desire to meet a need in line with the Lions Club mantra of ‘wherever there is a need, there is a Lion.’
“We learnt from someone that there is a community here in Akinpelumi Street, Ikosi, Lagos State, where they had no access to potable water. You will all agree with me, of course, that water is life; so we came over, indeed saw that they had this need and decided to take the lead by providing them with bore-hole water.
“This project is commissioned in memory of Late Leo Kolawole Iyanu-Oluwa aka Kola for All. He had a foundation and he is also a member of Leo District 404B2 Nigeria. Before his demise, he was the one who proposed this project; so after his demise, I took it upon myself that as District President, I would not allow his dream to fizzle away but live on. And that is what brought us here.
“We started from the beginning. We went to the community uphill to drill a borehole and to lay the pipe hundreds of meters down to this community. If you go up there, you’ll see where we dug the borehole. We also installed the taps as you can see.”
On how they as youngsters could finance such a huge project, Leo Adegoke said, “As you can see, it is an expensive project, don’t forget we are all students; so we put our little pennies together, then we reached out to our Lion leaders who supported us, and today we have it here. I can tell you with all my heart that I am fulfilled that this project is a success.”
Reacting to the unveiling of the project, the CDA chairman, Pastor Ilesanmi prayed for the youngsters for coming all the way from their respective homes to meet their most pressing and most important need. “For this, God will reward you abundantly and good things will always follow you and you will always record success in all your undertakings. Before now, our people used to trek uphill across the canal to fetch potable water. But thanks to you, we have overcome that challenge.”
Mrs Toyin Waheed corroborated the pastor’s declaration that they had to go far to access good water to even wash and cook.
“We had to go very far because water around here is not potable, not even the well water. This is because it’s a swampy area and as you can see, the swamp over there cuts us from the uphill where you can find clean water. Even the water we travel hundreds of meters to fetch, we cannot drink, and still have to buy sachet water to drink. We only use it to wash and cook.”
Thankfully, she revealed that they never experienced cholera or any outbreak of diseases despite their challenges.
Alhaji Badamosi Ismaila also thanked the Leo youths for the gesture and pledged to see to it that the facility is well maintained and protected from being vandalised by excited children who were already milling around the taps.
“We will appoint elderly people who would monitor it and ensure it is well maintained. We will ensure that the children are orderly so that they don’t spoil it.”
He also said prayed for the youngsters: “God will continue to protect and prosper them.”
‘’The initiative which began in 2020 during the pandemic will remain a cornerstone of my efforts to improve public health. If elected into local office, I would priotize the health of residents and ensure that such essential services are not only sustained but expanded. The wellbeing of the Agege community would remain uncompromised.’’
No fewer than 500 residents of Oke-Egan Community, Eleko Area of Ajah in Lagos, on Wednesday stormed the State House of Assembly complex, demanding compensation over the demolition of their houses.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that residents of the affected community wielding large banners with boldly written messages, as well as placards with inscriptions to communicate their plight barricaded the Lagos House main gate in the early hours of Wednesday.
Some of the inscriptions read: “We have been demoralised, nowhere to go. “We want our properties back.
Others include: “Our hearts bleed; “We now roam the streets with nowhere to stay; Our children are crying; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, your children are homeless; Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, please come to our rescue.”
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Dr Taiwo Alalade, lamented that her entire family, including three toddlers and her elderly mother, had been sleeping out in the open after their house was demolished.
She said, “One of us has four buildings here. We have all the papers. They demolished all four buildings. Now, I don’t have anywhere to go.
“Sanwo-Olu should help us so that they will stop the demolition. We were not informed before they started demolishing our houses. We don’t know these people at all.
““I went to work. When I came back, I saw my house in ashes. This shirt I put on has been on me for three days now.
“All my brothers and sisters don’t have anywhere to go. All our belongings have been lost. Where do they want us to go? Where do we start from?
“The state government should tell us where they want us to go. They have succeeded in rendering us homeless. We have been sleeping outside since our house was burnt. If it’s raining, we only cover ourselves with a canopy.”
Another affected resident, Pastor Abiodun Ajayi, whose house in the area was also demolished, said it was painful for someone’s house to be demolished in his presence.
“My house was the first to be demolished and we couldn’t take anything out of the house.
“They got there at 3.00 a.m, and they started the demolition by 5.00 a.m. They came with thugs and we could not talk.
“We have been coming here, we wrote letters and Oba Akiolu of Lagos also wrote a letter on our behalf, because we want to be lawful,” Ajayi said.
Addressing the protesters, the Majority Leader, Hon Noheem Adams, who was accompanied by his colleagues – Mr Oladipupo Ajomale, Mr Fatai Mojeed and Mr Tijani Suraju, commended them for their peaceful conduct.
Noheem noted that their letter would be presented to the Speaker of the house, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, adding that the needful would be done to bring respite to them.
It is everyday struggle for Jaiyeola Confidence, a 300-level student of Political Science in Lagos State University (LASU) to get potable water in her hostel area. With her condition as a person with disability, it is usually a battle for Confidence, who walks on crutches, to get water for her domestic needs.
Her hostel, situated at Shittu Close in PPL, a popular residential community in Ojo-Alaba, has only a pale green coloured well that serves as the source of water for her and more than a hundred other occupants of the compound.
Similarly, Adeniji Azeez, a 200-level student of LASU had to battle with facial sunburn and body itch for weeks after bathing with the water from a shallow and untreated well in his hostel.
It is the same reality for many other residents of PPL Okokomaiko community in Ojo-Alaba area of Lagos State where the prevalence of anti-social vices like insecurity, unstable electricity and lack of proper source of water system are a daily challenge.
Economically, as a fast-growing mega city in Africa, Lagos is the economic capital of Nigeria with huge commercial activities that attract people from different walks of life. Although the Centre of Excellence is surrounded by wet lands, lagoons and the sea, many of its residents continue to grapple with lack of access to safe and reliable water, especially in PPL Okokomaiko.
PPL, a popular residential community in Ojoo-Alaba, shares land border with LASU’s main campus. With its proximity to the university campus, students readily find PPL a handy alternative residential area due to the shortage of hostel accommodation within the main campus.
But rather than being a blessing, the anti-social vices in PPL makes life miserable for many of its inhabitants, especially the students who confront different hurdles during their stay in the community.
Common in the community are shallow and repulsive wells where many of its inhabitants source water to meet their daily needs.
Because many of the wells are in bad conditions as they are left without coverings, the water sourced from them are naturally unhygienic for human consumption.
Narrating her predicament with regard to potable water, Confidence said using the available well water in her compound is not only stressful, but the water itself is a threat to good health.
She said: “It is well water that we use, but we don’t drink it. We would rather buy pure (sachet) water. My roommates also go for borehole water.
“There is a borehole somewhere in the next street at Suya Junction where they go to fetch water.
“For the well water, we bathe with it, wash the plates and cook with it, but we are always careful. We boil it before we use it to cook.
“I am always conscious of the water, because most times, there are particles and earthworms in it.
“Using the well water is a bit stressful for me. I just fetch the little I can carry, not the full bucket, to make things easy for myself.
“My roommate, who fetches water for cooking, usually takes bike. We pay N200 to fetch a 25-litre keg.”
Asked what would make water more accessible for her, she said: “I would appeal for maybe a well constructed borehole to be able to easily get water. That would be preferable.”
High cost of sachet water: Financial obstacle for many residents
Due to the unhygienic nature of the well water, many PPL residents have resorted to purchasing sachet water for drinking. However, the rise in the price of sachet water, also known as pure water, is reducing the purchasing power of many residents who are now seeking affordable alternatives.
Akintola Michael, another student of Lagos State University, who lives at Bello Tapa in PPL, described the situation as tough for many students.
He said: “Two major challenges confronting students in this area are electricity and good water. To be factual, the major source of water is the well. And while using the well is not convenient for most students, some do not even have well water in their hostel compounds.
“And for students who have these wells, the water is not actually safe in the sense that the wells do not have covers and the water is not by any means treated before use.
“It is unarguable that the water is not drinkable because it is exposed to particles that could have contaminated it. To use it for cooking, it has to be well boiled.
“Students have however made provision for pure water to drink. But, the current economic situation has affected a lot of things.
“The price of pure water has gone up. When I came to the area in 2022, a bag of water sold for N200 per bag. Now it sells for between N400 and N450 for a bag.
“So, buying pure water for drinking is getting difficult for many students who are already battling with other expenses at home and inbschool.”
The Well And Its Health Hazard
Corroborating the distasteful water situation in PPL, Adeniji Azeez, another LASU student who stays at Omobalufun Street, recalled how the water from the well in his hostel harmed his face after using it for bathing.
Azeez said: “Essentially, for cooking related stuff, I use the tap water of the bakery close to my house. But for bathing and clothing stuff, I use the well water in our compound, which is so bad that it caused my face sunburn.
“Initially, I thought that mine was caused by the sun, but within weeks, I noticed that my cheeks were dry. I did not notice it early due to the fact that I had no mirror in my hostel.
“The scratching part began and it hurts a lot, especially when I walk in the sun. So I had to Google how to cure small sunburn, since I’m not someone who uses bleaching cream.”
He continued: “I use an antiseptic cream to massage my cheeks in the morning after which I place ice in my cheeks. I also always make sure to use sunscreen before I go out and in a week, my face is as good as new.
“There was a day I saw a child drinking from the water. The next day, the child had a very bad stomach pain; so bad that they had to carry him to the hospital.
“When they got to the hospital, the nurses asked the parents what the child consumed in form of water and food. That incident made me know that the water can be too dangerous for drinking.
“Most times, because of my health, I buy pure water. But my roommate fetches his drinking water from Aiyepe Junction, close to FSS gate. He told me the water is good.”
Uchenwa Henry, a PPL resident in Suya Junction street, who has been in the area for more than 26 years, said though the water from the well is used for other domestic works, drinking is out of it for many people.
His words: “I grew up here and our major challenges are security and water. Our well water is not drinkable.
“Naturally, we use the water for cooking, washing and other stuffs. But for drinking, it is a no-go area. The reason it is not drinkable is that most times it has tastes whereas water is supposed to be tasteless. That is why many of us don’t drink it.
“Although it is odourless, it has a different taste compared to pure water. We get our drinking water from borehole and we pay to get that.
“Some go for pure water, but we don’t usually buy it because we are many in my household. The price of pure water is unaffordable for a family of six members. We have to go for borehole water which has been treated.
Another resident, who identified himself as Pastor Peter Yemi, also lamented the situation as he called on government to come for firsthand assessment of the community to know the plight of the people and observe the critical need for potable water.
He said: “Well water is like a part of the community because most people use it to meet their water needs. Personally, I don’t see well water as very hygienic.
“Well system in this area is not really okay. Borehole water would be far better here, but few people here have access to it.
“If you take a step further, you would see that people buy drinking water from somewhere else in 5 or 10 litre kegs. If you go further, you we see that some go for pure water.
“Even for me, I take bottled water to keep safe because I don’t see pure (sachet) water as very hygienic.
“The government has the responsibility to change the narrative here by providing better alternatives through the already established federal and state Water Corporation.
“If they come here for assessment, they will discover that this community has a peculiar problem of having wells that are not good enough for drinking.
“Some drink from their borehole while some go for pure water or bottled water.”
Alfa Musa Abdulrauf, an Islamic cleric in the area, also decried the situation, noting that it is capable of leading to epidemic among the people.
He said: “In Okoko and PPL, there is hardly tap water. What we do here is to excavate the land to construct well or buy water.
“This has been so since the onset of the community. We mainly depend on wells, preserved or not. That is why we sometimes have epidemic disease.
“Those who can afford pure water or bottled one go for it. But in terms of washing the clothes and plates or bathing and other domestic works that requiring water, we rely on the wells.
“When it comes to drinking, we drink pure water or bottled water for those who can afford it. But for those who cannot afford it, they buy water from those who have boreholes.
“For drinking, majority of Okoko-PPL inhabitants depend on boreholes.”
Many hurdles, no leadership
Many residents attributed bad state of the community to absence of solid leadership structure. Efforts to reach out to any recognizable community leader proved futile as there was no existing leader recognized in the community.
The Islamic cleric confirmed the foregoing, saying: “No CDA chairman. No king. But they have peer groups and everyone has their leaders. On having a unilateral leader, I have not come across it.”
Meanwhile, one of the youth leaders known as Baba Ibeji on Yaro Street blamed government for not keeping its promises on providing adequate access to clean water in the community and the country at large.
He said: “All the problem is attributed to government not giving us water. If they have provided us water we would not be anxious to dig wells in our compounds because there will be regularly running water for use.
“Just like we all know, government has been promising us water for a very long time,yet such does not happen. That resulted in people digging wells.
“It is only people who are privileged to afford boreholes that can go for boreholes which they have to treat to make it drinkable because the well is not drinkable.
“We need clean water in PPL. Since we were young, there has been this agitation on this situation.
“Government has only been making promises on providing potable water, but none of the promises has been fulfilled.
“All over the country, what people clamour for most times is good water, health care, electricity, proper education and so on.
“We need water. They should provide a better system of water because we all need to drink water every day.”
Though Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation targets universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all people by 2030, the United Nations report in 2023 indicated that over 133 million persons were without access to potable water across Nigeria. This signals the need for government at all levels to assiduously work to improve the water situation in the country.
• This Report Is facilitated by Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its Collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA) Project .
Youths of Aminkale town in Agbado-Oke-Ode Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos yesterday protested an planned imposition of Baale on Aiyetobi Community in the town.
They described it as a disregard for the wishes of the people and a clear violation of the due process of nominating any Baale in the Local Government and Lagos State in general.
Leader of the youths, Rasak Adegoke, explained that Aiyetobi community is directly under Aminkale Town, which currently has a substantive Baale presiding over the entire community.
He said: “We are not just residents of this community because some of us were born here with our parents having houses and a property here, which makes us have a thorough knowledge of what is going on here. The plan to install a Baale in the Aiyetobi community is a slap on the people of the community who were not even consulted in the first…
“The process of nominating a Baale requires that the heads of the indigenous families align with his people and forward a name for such purpose, which was not adhered to in this situation. It is not also in place for the government to even suggest the need for a Baale in a community, rather the land owners are to solicit for it, which if it were to be done, should be done by High Chief Ayo Akeem Oladejo, the present Baale of Aminkale Town, who is also the head of the indigenous family in Aminkale including Aiyetobi.”
Speaking the Baale of Aminkale Town, High Chief Ayo Akeem Oladejo, said due process was not followed.
He accused Oba Sulaimon Suberu Odoalabe of Ajasa town, who he claimed was not related to their family, of being behind the planned imposition.
“He is doing all this because of the support he gets from the Executive Chairman of the Agbado-Oke-Odo LCDA, David Famuyiwa. A further investigation also revealed that he has sent invites to Obas to attend, which was confirmed to me by one of the Obas.” Baale added.
Executive Chairman, Agbado-Oke-Odo LCDA, however, David Famuyiwa denied knowing the planned imposition of a Baale on the Aiyetobi community.
