By Olatunji Buhari
Community leaders, women, and the youth in Okun-Aja, Kuramo waterfronts, and Okun Alpha (Alpha beach) in Elegushi have lamented the impact of seal level rise and diversion of water into their communities which has affected their environment and livelihood.
They called on the Lagos State Government to halt further dredging of the Lagos lagoon to stem the flooding of the communities which has led to the loss of property and caused displacements.
The residents raised the alarm during a town hall meeting on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, in their community which had civil society organizations including the Environmental Rights Action /Friends of the Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) in attendance.
The community said the women are the ones suffering the most impact of the dredging and sea level rise because they can no longer fish or get clean water to cook and use for other domestic activities.
Alhaja Amudat Alayaki from the community said the dredging and diversion of water made life vulnerable for them and their children. She appealed to the government to intervene because their houses and most businesses are now underwater.
Nibatu lamented that women in the community make a living from fishing but that is no more because of the ocean rise and the dredging activities.
Dupe Nojeem , added: “ I have been living in Okun Alpha for the past 50 years. When I came here there was coconut everywhere. Our water was clean and used for cooking and drinking. There was a road that is now underwater. I had three shops that have now been swept away”.
She explained that former governor Raji Fashola promised to intervene but did nothing as the community does not have road, water, and electricity.
“It is not worth it. The former governor came here and promised us intervention, but he did not do anything. We don’t have roads, hospitals, and electricity. We sleep in darkness and our mothers sleep anywhere they find”.
On her part, Aduke Lawal, said kids now walk long distances from their community to Maiyegun Jakande because there is no hospital or school around the community, adding that they are facing extinction due to neglect by the government
Jibrin Adedimeji, President, Eti-Osa Indigenous People, said the community folks have written about the situation in the community manual and presented their case at various national and international fora but sadly nothing has changed. He called for support from CSOs to help in advocating livelihoods support and skills acquisitions for the community.
Also speaking at the town hall, Sulieman Kolawole, said a recent study by Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) shows that the water will get to Chevron apartments nearby and affect the entire Lekki/Epe Expressway as well as the movement of people and vehicles if something urgent is not done quickly. He lamented that the community cannot drink the water in their wells because it is salty and has an adverse effect on them.
Hon. Noheem Babatunde Adams, their representative in the Lagos State House of Assembly who joined the discussion via telephone said he is concerned about the issue, and as a result provision for intervention has been made in the budget of 2023 to address the issue.
