When the idea of constructing a road at Alaramimo to link Oja Oba-Ota Road, in Orile Agege Local Council Development Area, of Lagos State was initiated, during the Bola Tinubu- administration, residents of the area were in jubilant mood. This was because they thought an end to the travails of crossing to the other side of the community was finally in sight.

Prior to this, the constant overflow of water from the abattoir in Agege, especially during heavy downpour remained a constant danger, and health hazard, and divided Alaramimo into two.

Even without a heavy downpour, crossing the massive stretch of dirty water from one part of the community to the other was a Herculean task, as every effort to construct a makeshift bridge was usually rubbished by the next rain, which sweeps away materials used for the improvised bridge.

However, work on the road project commenced under Tinubu, but abruptly stopped at the point of constructing a link bridge. Sadly, what the residents deemed a minor interruption has now become “the end of the project.”

The residents were battling the flooding until about five years ago, when the immediate past governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, came up with the idea of constructing a canal from the abattoir to end at Ota road.

Again, people of the area heaved a sigh of relief that respite may have finally come for them.

Soon, construction work on the canal started as planned, but as if the residents were destined to be disappointed yet again by the Lagos State government, immediately after the bridge that was to connect the western part of Alaramimo with the eastern part, the construction work was stopped.

This gave rise to a long stretch of smelly, stagnant water, which always overflow into the community whenever there was a downpour.

According to a resident, Ola Adebiyi, whose house is beside the canal at Alaramimo: “Our problem started from the administration of
Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu.  Construction of that abandoned was started by him more than eight years ago, but was abandoned.  The link bridge was built, but construction of the road proper was terminated, instead of linking us with the other side of Alaramimo, which was the reason for embarking on the project, otherwise, the link bridge would not have been constructed in the first instance.”

He continued, “If the road was completed as envisaged, it would have been one of the major link roads to Abule Egba, and would have been an advantage to motorists, especially now that construction of an overhead bridge is going on at Abule Egba.

“Our second predicament surfaced when about five years ago, the immediate past governor ignited our hope again. It was as if our heartache was over when he made known the construction of a canal that would pass through our community, down to Ota Road, meaning that an end had come to the flooding situation in this area. We rejoiced.

“The canal construction started from the abattoir side, up to Ogundele and when it got to Alaramimo, it was stopped. Whether we are not to benefit from the dividend of democracy like other Lagos residents, we do not know. Why we are left with the menace of flooding, and made to be victims of abandoned projects, we cannot understand. Tinubu dashed our hopes, Fashola followed suit, and I ask, are we only voters in Lagos State and not citizens?”

He lamented that as a result of the botched construction work, “whenever it rains, we have to put up with the menace of flooding. This entire area can be flooded beyond imagination, with residents’ houses filled with dirty, smelly water from the abattoir, which sips in through the canal. As you can see, because there is nothing to stop the water from spreading, it has almost entered into our house. Every effort we have been making to curtail the spread had proved abortive. Anytime there is heavy downpour, not only our houses, but the entire area would be overtaken by flood, and we would be cut off from the other side of Alaramimo.”

Another resident, Fatai Ogunrombi, pleaded with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, to take steps to save residents of Alaramimo, Orelope and Azeez Olaosebikan communities from impending health hazards, and even loss of lives by taking a swift action regarding the construction of the canal, and the road started by Tinubu.

A female resident of Alarimimo community, who simply identified herself as Iya Mohammed, also called on the governor to come to their rescue saying, “Whenever it rains, polluted water finds its way into our houses, and spoils our property. In addition to that, everywhere stinks because this is water from the canal that we are talking about.”

“We are tired of the entire situation because of the kind of odour oozing out of the stagnant water in the canal, which you are not able to bear, just because the construction of the canal was suspended. As we inhale this nauseating odour day-by-day, you too can imagine the effect it would have on our health,” a worried Elder Adetunji Ajao added.

“We are pleading with the government to know that we exist in this part of Lagos State, and so come to our rescue,” he submitted.

A commercial motorcyclist, Baba Sunday, who resides at Arigbanla, Agege decried the condition that residents have been subjected to, saying, “The flood problem is not limited to Alaramimo and the surrounding communities. It extends to Arigbanla and Tijani Close. There have been cases where floodwater not only enter into peoples’ houses, but also carried people away.

“Whenever it threatens to rain, people in these communities become jittery.  So, the solution is in the hands of the government, and it is only fair for the government to bail out these residents from this situation that can lead to serious sicknesses and even death.

Chairman of the Community Development Area (CDA), Mr. David Adesanya, who spoke through Alhaji Kasali Soyode, said Alaramimo and other communities have tried in vain to call on the Lagos State government to come to their rescue.

“Government would not desilt the uncompleted canal to the extent that the water had become stagnant and stinks. It is quite a pity to those whose houses are by the side of the canal because whenever it rains, the polluted water from the abattoir overruns their houses.

“Since the government stopped the construction work at Alaramimo, the water does not flow again, and had remained stagnant with everything entering into it… the canal is also not deep down enough. So, there is no doubt that the shallowness of the canal is responsible for the incessant overflow of dirty water whenever it rains.

“We are pleading with the present administration to come to our rescue by completing construction work on the canal. Secondly, the depth of the canal must be revisited as well as its width. It must be dug deep down and widened to accommodate the level of water flowing from the abattoir, and that, which follows heavy downpour,” Adesanya said.
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