• Say It’s A Lie, 60% Residents Did Not Approve The Graveyard

Five years after issuing a stop work order over the construction of a cemetery around Babs Animashaun area of Surulere because of public health concerns, the government seems to be ready to renege on its position and has approved the construction of the graveyard despite residents kicking against it.

Since 1979, Alhaja Omolabake Buraimoh has lived in Natufe/Animashaun area of Surulere home. And over the years, she has lived through dry taps, flooded walkways and roads, and a canal that once carried rainwater away but now choked and still.

When word first spread in 2020 that a cemetery would be built in the heart of her neighborhood, she and her neighbours said no. They believed their protest had made the idea vanish. But this year, the announcement returned, bringing with it anxiety and petitions, which were written to different government representatives and the Ministries, Departments and Agencies like they did earlier.

Buraimoh, who is now the Chairman of the Natufe/Animashaun Community Development Association (CDA), insisted that putting, a cemetery within the CDA would pose huge public health hazard as it is close to residential buildings, and as a result, could lead to groundwater contamination from decomposing remains, especially as the area is usually flooded during rains while the canal water is stagnant.

She also said that having the cemetery in the location could result in potential spread of pathogens and disease vectors as well as foul odours affecting respiratory health, especially of children and elderly residents.

She added that the action contravenes Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning Law (2010) prohibiting burial grounds in residential zones, just as it ignores LASEPA Guidelines on Cemetery siting, which stipulates minimum of 300 meters from dwellings.

Speaking on the social and economic impact, Buraimoh argued that it could cause psychological distress to residents facing grave views from homes while there will be sharp depreciation of property values in the area. She further said that the land for the cemetery is under Electricity High tension

She said in a 2020 petition, the residents called on Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Lagos State House of Assembly headed by Mudashiru Obasa to issue an immediate stop work order on all involved parties, deploy inspectors to assess violations and document hazards and initiate legal sanctions against violators under LASEPA Regulation 2016. According to her, as a result of the petition, the project was discontinued.

But there is a renewed agitation following a stakeholder’s meeting conveyed by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Oluyinka Olumide, at Eko Club, Surulere, during the week.

According to the residents, notice of the meeting only got to them at midnight, and they could not mobilise their members officially since people left for their respective businesses and work places before dawn.

“Unfortunately, the short notice meant that the concerned stakeholders from our community could not attend. Instead, we found that the attendees included individuals who were not part of our community, and we objected to holding the meeting under these circumstances. We requested that the meeting be rescheduled to ensure proper representation and fair deliberation.”

According to her, though the CDA was not represented officially, some members attended and brought feedback of what transpired at the meeting. She further said that the CDA was also alarmed to read in the news that 60 per cent of the residents were in support of the project when majority could not make it down to the meeting.

“We don’t know where they employed people. They said 60 per cent have agreed, which we didn’t do. Those people that agreed, they brought them from Orile and other areas. We, the people that it concerns, we were not there officially because we told them to reschedule it due to the short notice.”

She listed streets within the CDA that would bear the brunt by the project to include: Chief Natufe Street, Ade Onitirimirin Street, Alhaja Oduola Street, Akintayo Akinbola Street, Alokwem Close, Ipaye Street, James Island, Muniru Oniwo Street, Taoridi Street, Balogun Street, Silifatu Arinola, Oscar Abu Street, Babs Animashaun Street and Agoro Street.