News

Residents Count Losses As Floodwaters Take Over Lagos Communities

Published

2 months ago

August 9, 2025

Editor

…Body of missing child recovered

Even days after the Monday morning downpour that submerged several parts of Lagos, conversations around the incident continue to trigger anxiety among residents, particularly those who were directly affected. For many in the metropolis’ coastal districts, the mere sight of a gathering cloud is now enough to send a chill down the spine.

The fear, unfortunately, is not misplaced. With warnings of more rainfall and the floods they bring, the aftermath of the storm remains a grim reminder of nature’s fury.

Communities such as Aboru in Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, Iyana-Ejigbo in Ejigbo Local Government Area, Adamo in Ikorodu Local Government Area and Oke-Elepe in Ijede LCDA were among the worst hit, with homes, cars and livelihoods submerged.

In addition to grounding economic activities statewide, the storm destroyed property worth millions of naira and rendered roads impassable for hours.

Body of missing child recovered in Ayetoro

Chairman of Agbado-Oke Community Development Committee (CDC), Mr Ernest Kasunmu, confirmed that a seven-year-old child swept away by the flood was later found dead at Mopo Junction in Ayetoro, Ogun State, four days after the incident.

“This is not the first time we’re seeing this. We have had children go missing, properties lost, but many cases go unreported,” he said.

While acknowledging efforts by the Lagos State government to mitigate the flood’s impact, Kasunmu lamented that current measures fall short.

“In Aboru, around the Erelu River bank, entire communities were underwater. The government dredged the canal last year, but flooding persists every time it rains,” he said.

He cited inadequate desilting, especially along the boundary with Ogun State, as a major issue, calling for consistent dredging of the lower stream that flows into Ogun.

Kasunmu also called for the demolition of buildings constructed along canal paths and urged the government to provide alternatives for those living in flood-prone zones.

“These wetlands are unsuitable for housing. But desperation, driven by hardship and housing scarcity, forces people to build there. Government housing isn’t affordable; they are not low-cost. We need inclusive solutions,” he said.

He further demanded community involvement in government contracts, noting that “in Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, we are always at the receiving end.”

Poor topography, land grabbers behind Ikorodu flooding – CDC

In Ikorodu, the story was just as grim. Alhaji Lukman Shonibare, Secretary of the CDC, pointed to unregulated land sales, blocked drainage channels and poor topography as key culprits.

“Flooding wreaked havoc in Ajegunle and Gberigbe. Even newly constructed roads in Adamo were damaged,” he said.

He blamed unscrupulous land grabbers who sell swampy, lowland plots without drainage provisions.

“There is no plan for water flow. That is why the Gberigbe road project by Governor Sanwo-Olu came as a relief; it included a proper drainage channel,” he noted.

Shonibare warned that the recurring floods will persist unless the government enforces planning regulations.

“Officials from Physical Planning and Environment ministries must visit these sites, assess the terrain, and enforce guidelines,” he said.

He added that waste dumping into gutters, often due to poverty and lack of waste disposal services, compounds the problem.

“Unfortunately, many CDA members are scared to speak up. You risk community backlash if you criticise the system,” he warned.

Abandoned road projects blamed for flooding

In Ijede LCDA, some residents blamed abandoned road projects for the current crisis.

According to Mr Saliu Oriyomi and Mr Ebun Campbell, the halted road construction at Itamaja and the lack of drainage in new estates were major contributors.

“There is no drainage in the new Oko-Ope estate. The Ijede road project was stopped at Gbodu junction. That is why flooding happens. The newly graded Adamo road has now been destroyed,” said Oriyomi.

Campbell pointed to rubble from ongoing construction on Agbole Road as the immediate cause of Monday’s flooding. “The river didn’t overflow, it was rain and blocked drainage from construction debris,” he said.

He lamented the economic toll, saying: “Many homes were flooded, and residents had to hire pumping machines. The losses are enormous.”

Iyana-Ejigbo Market built on drainage –Residents

Residents of Iyana-Ejigbo in Ejigbo Local Government Area said their troubles stem from a market built directly over drainage channels.

Ajagbe Taiwo, a resident of Rafiu Tijani Street, stated: “The market is the biggest obstruction to water flow. The road rebuilt by the last council chairman didn’t last. Rainfall immediately floods the T-junction, making the road impassable.”

He expressed the belief that until the market is relocated, flooding in the area will persist. “Water from Powerline and Ifoshi roads pools here; there’s no exit,” he said.

We are sensitising residents –Ejigbo LG chairman

Ejigbo Local Government Area chairman, Hon. Taoheed Taiwo, said his administration is actively engaging residents on proper waste disposal.

“The problem didn’t start today. We have begun sensitisation and desilting. We have deployed manpower to clear the drainage,” he stated.

He pointed to an ongoing road expansion from Daleko to Ori-Oke, which he believes will improve drainage in the long term.

Taiwo acknowledged street trading contributed to blocked drainage and praised the relocation of traders to the Iyana-Ejigbo market, while also stressing that many markets coexist with drainages without issues, provided cleanliness is maintained.

Government urges relocation from lowlands

In a Tuesday advisory, the Lagos State government urged residents in flood-prone areas to move to higher ground.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, emphasised the need for caution, especially in coastal Ikorodu and parts of Lekki.

“Lagos has experienced intense rainfall. People living on lowlands must move to uplands until the rains subside,” he said.

Yet, critics argue the state has been slow to enforce existing environmental laws.

Akeem, a resident of Raji Razak in Aboru, said stricter enforcement is essential.

“People dump refuse in gutters with impunity. This is one of the main causes of flooding. Until offenders, no matter how highly placed, are punished, this won’t stop,” he said.
(TRIBUNE)

News

Ogun Monarch Slams Taye Currency Over Performance At Olubadan Coronation

Published

4 minutes ago

September 27, 2025

Editor

The Olu of Kemta Orile in Odeda Local Government area of Ogun State, Oba Adetokunbo Tejuosho has condemned the popular Fuji musician, Taye Currency for engaging in what he called “disgusting and uncultured lyrics” while performing during the installation of Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday

In a viral video that has been generating uproar, the musician was heard singing in Yoruba “Were la fi n wo were”, meaning “we cure madness with madness.”

In a statement made available to journalists on Saturday, Oba Tejuosho said that Currency with such careless entertainment and vain glory song failed to accord the highly respected Yoruba tradition and sacredness of the coronation event the respect that it deserves.

The royal father said that the coronation of a monarch is expected to be a momentous occasion, steeped in tradition, grandeur and the collective pride of traditional institution and the nation at large, and that no one is therefore allowed to subject such highly significant cultural and spiritual event to any form of disrepute.

Oba Tejuosho explained that “The throne of our ancestors is not a stage for mockery, nor the coronation of a great monarch a subject for careless entertainment.

“Kingship is sacred, adorned with honor and guarded by tradition. It demands reverence, dignity, honor, class and the utmost respect from all who stand in its presence.

“Listening to the musician (Taye currency), who was invited to render music before the Crown, as a matter of fact before the entire world, to serenade the audience and sing in a way to express admiration, singing songs like (were lafi n wo were) We use madness to cure madness.

“Such lyrics were classless and unbefitting of such occasion, it is insulting to the sacredness of the gathering.

“His Majesty Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja Arusa the the first, is unarguably considered to be the first Nigerian to be a senator, a governor as well as a king, his coronation ceremony was filled with dignitaries from all walks of class, royalties, big political figures, world ambassador and representatives of diverse clans.

“Such conduct and lines of music was unfit and unacceptable in the presence of the entire world, music in the royal court is not mere noise, but an offering of homage to history, culture, and authority.

“It is of utmost importance to state it clearly that before the throne, words must carry weight, rhythm must uphold respect, and melody must be a vessel of honor, (Sekere loba njo).

“To do otherwise is to stain the dignity of our heritage and diminish oneself before the people.
The sanctity of the crown remains untouchable. Those who approach it must do so with wisdom, restraint, and profound respect.

“Doing a deep thinking will make one queries the reason of the organizers presenting such individual to represent an event of such magnitude, especially with presence of dignitaries such as His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Gcfr) the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“No wonder people invest so huge in having the likes of King Sunny Ade, Commander Ebenezer Obey or Alh Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1 d ultimate) at the band stand to duly represent and promote their images.

“And if Oyo State had wanted to promote their own, the likes of Alh Rasheed Ayinde (Merenge) and other calm artistes would have been an appropriate selection for an event like this”.
(PUNCH)

News

Naira Ranks Ninth Weakest Currency, Tanzania’s Strangest In Africa — Forbes Report [LIST]

Published

42 minutes ago

September 27, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Naira has been ranked as the ninth weakest currency in Africa, according to a Forbes currency calculator report for September 2025, underscoring the lingering pressure on Nigeria’s economy despite recent signs of easing inflation.

The Forbes currency calculator, which sources real-time foreign exchange market data via the Open Exchange Rates API, updates every five minutes to reflect live trading values.

The system captures the impact of demand and supply, market sentiment, and broader economic conditions on each nation’s currency performance.

According to the data, the São Tomé & Príncipe Dobra (22,282 per $1) topped the list of Africa’s weakest currencies, followed by the Sierra Leonean Leone (20,970), Guinean Franc (8,680), Ugandan Shilling (3,503), and Burundian Franc (2,968). Others on the list include the Congolese Franc (2,811), Tanzanian Shilling (2,465), Malawian Kwacha (1,737), the Nigerian Naira (₦1,490 per $1), and the Rwandan Franc (1,448).

News

I Apologise For Mutilating You, Let’s Reconcile, Former FGM Tells Estranged Daughter

Published

9 hours ago

September 27, 2025

Editor

Mrs Bridget Omobude, 56, a former Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) practitioner who cut girls for more than three decades, admitted to mutilating even her daughter, a decision that fractured their relationship.

For Omogbode, reneging on female genital mutilation, a trade she learnt and had been involved with from age 11, was because of her daughter, who had relocated abroad.

Her daughter called to confirm whether she was genitally mutilated as a baby. Her mother’s affirmation led to her daughter stopping talking or receiving her calls.

Although Mrs Omobude tried all she could, to date, her daughter had stopped talking to or receiving her calls.

Mrs Omobude, now an advocate for FGM, believes that maybe when her daughter reads about her apology, she might be forgiven.

Omobude said, “When I joined this programme, I was happy to be with the children. My family has always cared for children; it’s a tradition passed down from my great-grandmother to my mother and now to us. When they brought the children for the service, we held them so we could learn how to care for them properly.

“I have surrendered my knife as a cutter, though I used to carry out the procedure on only family members. But with the experience I am having with my daughter now, I recommend other cutters stop this hazardous act.”

Mrs Sakirat Makinde (not her real name) is a survivor of FGM and a mother of five girls and a boy. Three of her female children had already been cut (circumcised).

“I am a mother of six: a boy and five girls. Among those five girls, three are circumcised. The reason why the remaining two were not circumcised is that when I gave birth to my number five girl, there was no money to circumcise her,” recounted Mrs Makinde.

She added, “So when I gave birth to the last one, I was now planning to circumcise the two of them together. So when I heard that the money they told me was big, I went back home hoping that maybe later I would go back to circumcise them, but I didn’t go back.

“Till the beginning of this year, 2025, I was still planning to go for those two because they said when they’re not circumcised, they would not stay with one husband due to promiscuity myths and beliefs.

“This was about 12 years and nine years ago, as the children are now between 12 and nine years old. At that time, I was asked to pay N12,000 each for the two of them. It was while I was still planning how to circumcise them that a female chemist introduced the FGM programme to me, which I attended,” she said.

Another FGM survivor, Hannah (not her real name), said the painful experience has left her struggling to enjoy sexual intimacy with her partner.

The 38-year-old lady from the indigenous Igbo tribe in Enugu State said that she was cut without her consent on the orders of family members.

Hannah described FGM as barbaric and unnecessary, urging those involved in the practice to stop, saying the trauma still lingers, making her feel less feminine.

Meanwhile, Hannah, who was a victim of this act, joined the practice at age 25 and operated on girls, too. She told how girls were subjected to the surgery with no anaesthetic and bled severely.

She noted that the cutting comes with physical complications, severe pain, excessive bleeding, infections, urinary issues, menstrual problems, emotional trauma, and psychological effects, including anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction.

Another survivor of FGM and secondary school teacher, Doris Akare, in Edo State, was mutilated at 8 days old. This made her spend an extra three months at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LUTH.

“FGM is a no-no for me. Every mythical belief about the promiscuity of women is not good.”

She blames some elders for sticking to this traditional practice and harassing individuals who refuse to comply with their beliefs and values.

At a two-day media dialogue in Benin, organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation in collaboration with UNICEF, these survivors and campaigners shared their pains and the devastating impact of FGM.

They are transforming their personal trauma into powerful advocacy, determined to end a practice that continues to scar millions of Nigerian women and girls.

The Chief of UNICEF, Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, said at the media parley that nearly 20 million women and girls in Nigeria had undergone FGM, ranking third highest globally.

“This is a huge number that we cannot be blind or deaf to,” she said.

Lafoucriere said that despite being outlawed in Nigeria, FGM persists in numerous Nigerian communities, adding that the practice is fuelled by myths and traditions and should be acknowledged as detrimental.

She emphasised that no cultural or traditional practice should compromise girls’ health, rights, or prospects.

In her remarks, Blessing Ejiofor, UNICEF Communication Officer at the Lagos Field Office, noted that while campaigns have led to a decline in FGM, the advocacy efforts aim for its complete elimination.

Ejiofor, who declared that no woman should undergo the harmful process of FGM, revealed that it was now a criminal offence in Nigeria to engage in it.

Moreover, the Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Lagos Office, Dennis Onoise, said that the testimonies from the survivors and former practitioners are enough evidence that FGM is not only harmful but also dangerous to the lives and livelihoods of women.

“We need to reach out to community members and say we want to abandon this practice. We can no longer continue with this practice; we are not helping the people we cut in terms of reproductive health. It doesn’t help the woman to enjoy her body. It does not curb promiscuity, so its purpose is defeated,” Onoise declared.
(TRIBUNE)