Two children die as flood sacks Ondo community

Residents of Ajapa in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State are mourning the death of two children, Igulapelewe Inuesokan and Justinah Seiwei, following several hours of torrential rainfall. The two kids of different parents, identified as Igulapelewe Inuesokan and Justinah Seiwei, had earlier been declared missing in the community.

The children had been missing since last Friday during the flood that occurred in the community. Sources said the kids went missing when their parents went through canoe to find the means of preventing their floating house, which has been partially submerged in flood. On their return, they discovered that their two children were missing.

Ajapa, a riverine community, has been submerged by water, which has rendered hundreds of residents homeless. The Iginabou of Ajapa community, High Chief Godwin Akpo, who confirmed the incident, gave the names of the parents who lost their children as Mr. Mike Inuasokan and Mr. Posi Feiwei.

He said: “It has never happened like this before. The situation has badly affected the whole community. No house was spared including schools and churches. It started about four days ago but today is the worst. All our houses and property are gone. It was so unfortunate that we even lost two children to the incident.”

He described the situation as worrisome, which has resulted in starvation and economic loss.

The principal, Okubama High School, Ajapa, Mr. Luke Azerege, described the situation as very pathetic, adding that it has taken over the school premises, thereby making teaching impossible. He appealed to the government for immediate response to bring succour to the community.

It would be recalled that most communities in Ilaje and Ese Odo LGAs, which include Igbotu, the hometown of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s mother, were badly affected by the flood. The development compelled the state government to force public primary and secondary schools to proceed on three weeks holiday to forestall further flood disaster.

The dreadful situation is the same for residents of Faloye Street and its environs in Ketu-Ijanikin area of Oto-Awori Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State. At the drop of a rain, Faloye Street gets flooded with the stagnant water not evaporating until several weeks after, which is also affecting their socio-economic activities.
 
The residents lamented the plights caused by the flood owning to a road constructed in the area. Ironically, when it was announced that Faloye Street, Ijanikin would be one of the 144 local government roads to be constructed by the state government in 2016, residents were elated at the development. 

Thereafter, the contractor moved to the site and the road was completed in August, but the residents’ joy was short-lived, when a month after, rain fell and the whole place was flooded, especially those whose houses were around the tail end of the newly constructed road.
 
Some residents had foreseen the present situation, reason they protested against the contractor, Tae-dos International Comm. Ltd, from digging sand from that section of the road. They also complained that the contractor was doing a shoddy job, as the drainage was not well channeled to convey the wastewater from Ketu bus-stop, where the sand dug was transferred to.

As a result, almost half of the newly constructed road is flooded, with many residents relocating to adjoining streets. To access their houses, many affected residents constructed wooden pedestrian bridges, while those on adjoining streets commute on tricycles, motorcycles or walk through the dirty, greenish water.
 
The residents are pleading with both the Lagos State government and the Oto-Awori LCDA to come to their rescue by ensuring the drainage on Faloye Street is well channeled to convey water to Adaloko Canal.