By Esi-ife Arogundade
Besieged by a relentless ocean surge which has claimed about 90 percent of their community, the people of Ayetoro in Ilaje, Ondo state, have made a last-gasp plea for help to save them from extinction.
In a statement on Thursday, 28 November 2024, titled ‘’Time Is Of The Essence: Save Ayetoro Community From Extinction’’, Prince Akingboye Thompson, Secretary to Ayetoro’s monarch Oba Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi voiced the community’s frustrations over unfulfilled government promises regarding shoreline protection projects.
“The clock is ticking, and the fate of Ayetoro community hangs in the balance. The community located in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria, is facing an existential threat from the relentless ocean surge that has already claimed almost 90% of its land”.
“It is imperative that the government and relevant stakeholders take immediate action to protect the shoreline and prevent the total erosion of the community. Waiting for the whole community to be wiped out before taking action is unacceptable and would be a catastrophic failure of leadership,’’ Akingboye said.
According to him, the ocean surge has had a devastating impact on Ayetoro, resulting in a loss of homes and livelihoods, displacement, and environmental degradation.
He added: “Many residents have lost their homes, businesses, and fishing grounds, leaving them without a means of survival. The erosion has displaced many residents leading to social, economic, and cultural disruption. The ocean surge has also caused significant environmental damage, including the destruction of mangroves, fish habitats n and other ecosystem.”
Nigerian Current reports that the residents began seeking government interventions to address the issue over 25 years ago and in 2003, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) awarded a contract to build a seashore line wall at the sum of N6.4billion with an upfront payment of 25 percent. But, according to locals, nothing came out of the contract. .
“We are tired of continued promises of coming to do the shoreline project. We need an immediate and temporary short-term solution to prevent the ocean from further destroying our land. We can’t wait any longer; our homes, our livelihoods, and our very existence are at stake.”
But there is a way to solve the problem, the secretary said. He proposed that to save Ayetoro there were several measures, both temporary and long term that should be implemented.
Akingboye said: “implement short-term solutions, such as sandbags or rocks barriers, to [protect against further erosions, deploy degraders to create distance between the ocean and habitable land, while using large stones as wave breakers”.
As for the long-term shoreline protection plan, he proposed the: development of a comprehensive strategy that includes permanent structures like seawalls and breakwaters, as well as support for relocation.
Finally, he advocated relocation assistance to help displaced residents by offering them alternative housing and livelihood support; while environmental restoration efforts; should be initiated for damaged ecosystems.
“Immediate action is crucial to ensure the safety of the Ayetoro Community”. Akingboye added.
