Following the release of water from Oyan Dam in early September by the Ogun-Osun River Basin Authority, residents of Elias and Unity Estates, Owode-onirin area of Lagos state whose properties have all been submerged by the water, are currently beckoning on government for quick interventions, Sunday Ehigiator brings report
One can’t ignore the dreadful sight of dead animals, and stranded livestock, as we manually paddled our canoe on a tour around the estates.
It was a three-hour tour of an estate you could have only been able to trek or in a vehicle, even within a shorter time if you had visited in August, 2021.
Elias estate, also known as God’s First CDA, and Unity estate, are known for their serenity and modern houses. Together, they consist of over 1,500 houses with no fewer than 50,000 people.
Many residents of the estates have abandoned their homes to seek harbour in a safe area outside the estate. Those still remaining have to contend with the water whenever the need to go out arises.
They are now learning to cope with the harsh conditions they have found themselves in since September 2, 2021.
With no lifejackets, residents are faced with a daily risk of transporting through the water to the linking entrances at Ikorodu road on floaters and few manually-paddled canoes operated by underage children for N100 per head.
It seems to be a yearly occurrence the residents are now used to as one could tell from observation that the floaters had long been kept safe somewhere over the years, in anticipation of this moment.
The water did not only submerge houses, but also vehicles. Many whose vehicles are still intact can no longer access their houses with their vehicle. While some now park along the Ikorodu express way, most now leave their vehicles at work or with family staying outside the estate.
Cry for Help
Speaking with THISDAY, a resident of the estate, Mr. Isaac Osanekwe said, “I have been living here for a long time. The situation is even better this year compared to previous years.
“This water is from the recently opened Oyan dam. They open it every year and this is the havoc it causes in our community. Past years it used to be the worst. The water would even get to chest level at this area that is close to the road, which is even the safest.
“But this year, it’s those living far inside that are seriously affected. Here it’s just about the knee level. The reason is that before the Dam was opened, many houses around here had mobilised and sand filled their streets.”
Also speaking, another resident of the community who simply identified herself as Mrs. Mary said, “We are tired of all this. Yesterday as I was returning home, with my baby on my back, we fell from the floater into the water.
“Floaters are solid foams. They are not like a canoe; they can’t stand the current of the water. It was people that quickly jumped into the water to save me and my child.
“I don’t know why the government cannot find a lasting solution to this water that always floods our area every September once they open the dam. The most painful thing is that rain doesn’t flood our area this much, it’s majorly the dam.
“It’s usually as if they channel all the water they released to this place. The river around us- the canal can’t contain the water, so it spills the moment it’s full.”
For Mr. Olajide Saheed, also a resident, he is more concerned of the safety of primary and secondary school children in the estate who had just resumed school for a new session on September 13.
“Schools have resumed. With this water how do we take our children to school? Schools within the estates have also been submerged by water, even the proprietors can’t even access the school to talk to more children.
“And with this water, you can be rest assured that many of our children would soon start getting sick of waterborne illnesses. We are begging and calling on the government to come to our aid, please save our souls.”
How Government Can Intervene
Speaking on how the government can intervene, Saheed said there was a need for the government to help them with a good drainage system and also sand fill the community.
According to him, “the main challenge here is that this community is below sea level. There needs to be a lot of sand filling before we can have est of mind. Although some of us have tried our best, it’s a capital intensive project.
“This is where we need the government’s help. When the water goes, I want you to come and go round the estate, not even on the drainage system here. There is no way water can go out since there is no drainage system.
“We need a good drainage system that can channel water to the canals close by. If it’s just on main drainage that cuts through the beginning and end of the state, it would be fine.
“We the community members can then mobilise to put drainages in our streets. But the first thing to do is to sand fill the estates.”
Also speaking on how the government can help with a long lasting solution to the issue, Osanekwe recommended that the river banks around the community should be properly barricaded in a way that contents from the river can no longer spill to the community.
He said, “first you need to understand that this community is a very strategic one that if the government really wants to explore, it can be very beneficial to the government especially in the area of freeing up traffic in Lagos state.
“It is just a river that separates this estate from Agility (a community in Mile 12 area of Lagos state), and then Ikeja. Government should explore the option of creating an overhead bridge across the water to link to Agility, and then Ikeja.
“Then they should fix our roads and drainage. This will not only solve the problem of annual flooding from the dam, but also open up faster and better alternative routes for people going to Ikeja, or entering or leaving Lagos from Ikorodu.
“Also, that river where the water spills from isn’t deep enough. Government has the equipment to dig it further beneath and also barricade it round in a way that water cannot spill from it to the landed area anymore.”
Oyan Dam Water Release
On July 19, 2021, the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority raised the alarm that it will release a large volume of water from the Oyan dams to cities in both Lagos and Ogun States.
A statement by the Managing Director, Ogun-Oshun RBDA, Olufemi Odumosu revealed that an average of 7-9 million cubic meters (mcm) would be released per day in September.
He said this was intended to create maximum space in the reservoir to impound more water and release it at a controlled average rate of 13-15 million cubic meters (mcm) per day.
Odumosu explained that the multipurpose uses of the Oyan dam include bulk water supply to Ogun and Lagos States, irrigation infrastructure for agriculture, aquaculture cage fish farming, flood control and hydropower generation potentials.
According to him, “In August, 2021, our releases may be reduced to the range of four to six million cubic meters (mcm) per day with a mind of maintaining water level below 57.50metres above the main sea level.
“In September, 2021, we may likely increase our water releases to an average of seven to nine million cubic meters (mcm) per day while at the same time preparing for the main flood in October.
“In October, 2021, we intend to maximise the created space in the reservoir to impound more water and release it at a controlled average rate of 13 to15 million cubic meters (mcm) per day or less.
“This is to allow other major and uncontrolled tributaries to River Ogun discharge into the sea while our impounded water will be released gradually at an average rate of one to three million cubic meters (mcm) per day till November and December 2021 when the gates may be likely closed for the year 2021.”
Although Odumosu implored the government of Lagos and Ogun state to take proper measures necessary to mitigate the effect of the water release especially in prone areas within the state, nothing seems to have been done in this community.
Reports on Sinking Lagos
Recently, there has been a series of reports and projections about cities in Lagos who experience flooding at least once a year, being submerged by water in the not-too-distant future.
According to a report published in the journal, Nature Communications, by Climate Central, a scientific organisation based in New Jersey, United States, it predicted that half of 300 million people currently living in areas that are flooded at least once a year, would be submerged by high tide line by 2050.
Also, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) not long ago, raised the alarm that Lagos and other coastal cities that are less than one metre above sea level could be submerged by 2050 if the ocean surge continues.
With the current situation of water at Elias and Unity estates, against the backdrop of this report, the responsibility therefore lies on the government to take necessary measures towards ensuring lives and properties are not lost to water in the state.
