• The rising water level sends jitters down the spines of residents who live in communities in Ogun bordering Lagos such as Mokore, Wawa, Magboro and others. It is a disaster being awaited. NPO’s Opeyemi Kamil Reports

It has been a weekend of anxieties around the Magboro area of Ifo Local Government in Ogun State with the rising water level showing signs that many communities along this route might be submerged.
NPO Reports spent hours touring the communities where residents are already moving belongings out of houses and goods out of shops in what looks like a sure disaster to happen.

Right from the entrance into the community of Wawa, Mokore, Arigbede and two other communities, the fear of flood every year when the Oyan River Dam is released is palpable.
It is not a new thing. But the residents say there is no sign the government even cares a bit about their plight.

Our correspondent reports that as at Sunday, October 23, 22, streets were already getting flooded even with no rains.
“We woke up this morning to see the gate of our house flooded. This is just the beginning,” a resident told NPO Reports.
In 2020, the flood in the area was intense and 2021 was mad according to on-site inspection.

Communities such as Mokore, Banko, Arigbede, Wawa Extension up to OPIC have two main entrances; one for gaining access into the community and the other one for exit which is about 1.5km distance from each other. There is bridge along the road and canal by both ends of the road and there is another canal at the back of the community

Along the road are located shops, which form extensions residential buildings.
Most of the occupants have been sacked as a result of flooding.

Perhaps as part of its corporate social responsibility, Mikano Company, situated near the communities, which is said to also generate some wastes channeled to the canal right inside the community also contributes to the flooding being experienced in the community.

The flood, according to resident paralyses economic activities.
Another resident said once the water level gets to a particular level, officials of the power company switch off power supply to the areas.
“This is because, about three years ago, a resident was electrocuted as a result of the flood,” another resident told the NPO Reports

Part of the economic activities impacted upon make it impossible for okada riders to operate, shutting both commuters and the riders who have no other jobs to be financially down.
Also, schools in the area are shut down while shops and closed.

Residents’ Views, Losses and Fears

Some of the residents interviewed by NPO Correspondent shared their views and anxieties as they are expecting another flood in the area anytime soon.

They recounted their losses over the previous years even as they prayed to have lesser impact this year.

“Flood is experienced annually but this year was a little bit minimal. It normally happens anytime the canal is filled to the brim and then flowing and the result of that is that everywhere gets flooded,” Nnamdi Nwokwo told the NPO Reports

“We have been greatly affected by the flood right inside our community. Anytime the problem comes, we use canoes from here to the main road,” he added

He said though, there was the government decided to de-silt the main waterway from Mikano at the back of Mokore up to Channels TV in Isheri North. The de-silting was done and linked to Ogun River and since then, we have not experienced flood.
“But, behind my house,” Nnamdi said, “there is water coming from Arepo through City View (estate), he said

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In his view, Mr. Toyin Ogundele, living along Road 401 in Mokore, he said there is hardly a year without experiencing flood. Though, he said the intensity varies.

“In 2020, the flood was intense. Last year was mad and has been on and on like that.

“Anytime Oyan Dam is opened, that’s when we normally experience it,” he said

He added that in the recent time, there has been a gradual release of water.

“What I learnt is that they emptied their reservoir ahead of the rainfall and when the heavy rain started, their reservoir was be able to consume higher volume of water,” Ogundele said

He too recalled the pains that come with the flood adding that the economic life is halted.

He said, “Anytime there is flood. We normally enter canoe and the social economic life is affected because our movement is highly regulated. We can’t go out as we like.

“Everybody in this community will be restricted during that period.”

No Government Intervention:

Speaking about the efforts made by the community so far, Ogundele said the community had contributed immensely both in cash and in kind to reduce the level of suffering occasioned by the flood in the area.

“We used to buy loads of sand but we discovered that each time there is flood, it is washed away. Then, we resulted to concrete rubbles and boarders to get the desired level that we want and at least, water won’t be able to wash it away considering the weight of boarders and concrete rubbles.

“There has never been any government intervention even from the local government not to talk of the state government. They brought a swamp buggy at some period to dredge the canal but the flood is like creating an artificial river over night. Dredging canal won’t solve anything considering the volume of the water.

“In 2011, Jonathan came around with Gbenga Daniel for an on-site inspection. Promises were made but nothing was done. The successive government has not been forthcoming. They are all used to the dredging of canal which can’t really make any effect.

Asking if there was any intervention from Mikano Company, he said,

“Mikano has not been forthcoming despite that all their waste waters are channeled to the canal right inside this place. Anytime they envisage the coming of flood, what they normally do is to drop heaps of sand around their perimeter fence so that they won’t get affected by the flood.

“There was a time the community even threatened to lock up their gate but the then DPO intervened. They are not doing anything.

“With the level of measures put in place by the community, we have really done well to savage the situation. You go to bed in the night and wake up in the middle of the water. Many properties have been lost in the process.

“In a situation someone needs medical attention whether a woman in labour or anyone who needs medical attention and everywhere had been submerged by water, how would you transport such a patient out of the water?” he asked

Losses Upon Losses

Narrating his experience, a carpenter, who identified himself simply as Mr. Taiwo has his carpentry workshop directly facing the canal and at the same time backing another canal.
He said he lost all of his working tools to the disaster last year.

“I left my shop around 6pm but to my surprise my shop had been submerged by water the following morning,” he said

“The water was there for about four weeks. You can imagine the pains one would have gone through while all this was happening.

“Mikano is also a major factor to this problem. Nothing good has come from them to us,” he added.