‘Theatre of flood at every drop’

• Awolowo Way, Olowu Street, Agege Motor Road, others become impassable after downpour

Awolowo Way, Ikeja is a stone throw from the Lagos State Government House in Alausa, but it is always a theatre of flood at the drop of a rain.As predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), there was a heavy downpour in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, yesterday that left many roads across the state covered by flood.

For more than an hour, movement at the mainland became hellish due to the flooded roads and traffic, forcing commuters to trek long distances. Surprisingly, the island was spared the horror, as there was no drop of rain there. .

Pedestrians along Awolowo Way Ikeja, Olowu Street, Ikeja, Agege Motor Road and Toyota Bus Stop, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway had the double tragedy of being drenched by the way and wading through flooded roads. To some, rescue came as some push-carts converted their carts to carriers to convey stranded pedestrians across the ‘river’ for N50.

A frustrated Segun Alade told The Guardian that a meagre amount of what is being spent on Lagos at 50 jamboree and posters could be used to address the perennial flooding on Awolowo Way, Ikeja.

“It is high time government paid attention to this road. This is the major artery to the seat of government and any time there is rain, road users are in trouble because the drainage has been blocked with refuse and plastic bottles,” he said.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, last month noted that government had in recent times carried out intensive tour of some flood-prone communities in the state to clear up blocked drainages and canals.

The NiMet had on Wednesday predicted cloudy conditions over the central states of the country for Thursday morning. The agency predicted that southern states would experience increased cloudiness with chances of localised rain showers over the coastal cities of Lagos, Ijebu-Ode, Port Harcourt and Calabar in the morning.