By Bose Adelaja

Madam Rufai Adikat has lived in Imowo-nla area of Ikorodu for about eight decades, while her neighbour, 35 years old Mrs Oseni Adenike, moved into the community with her two children three years ago after completing her mini-flat.

Due to old age, Madam Adikat has since retired from her trading business unlike Adikat who is still actively engaged in petty trading, optimistic that fortune would soon smile on her.

However, Saturday March 8, 2014 will remain a sad day in the lives of these women and several other members of the community who were displaced when rainstorm ravaged Imowo-nla community as well as eight neighbouring communities, including Agura, Sole, Oke-Eletu, Jajo, Mowo-Kekere and Ewu-Elepe, all in Ikorodu Central Local Government.

*Adenike’s relatives taking refuge in a makeshift shed after rain reduced their house to rubbles

This came few months after some of the communities were sacked by some land grabbers who took laws into their hands in the communities, maiming many and sending others to their early graves.

According to residents, the rainstorm which started at about 8.30pm lasted for about ten minutes and blew away the roofs  of most of the buildings in the area, while others caved in under the torrential assault. Electricity poles were not spared as several of them fell.

At the end of it all, no fewer than 200 residents were rendered homeless, three casualties were recorded, while several others sustained injuries, including children.

Adenike who was earlier discharged from the hospital after an auto crash, was confronted by another disaster as her mini-flat caved in on her and her two children while they were preparing for bed. They were however rescued by sympathisers and taken to a nearby hospital where they were said to be responding to treatment. When Vanguard Metro visited last Tuesday, Madam Adikat’s children were making plans to relocate their aged mother. The centenarian, however, vehemently refused the offer, arguing that a change of location will have an adverse effect on her health. Segun Alabi and his younger sister were seated under a shed when VM visited their community although both were confident that the incident will not dampen their hope.

Chairman of the Community Development Committee CDC, Mr Azeez Sikiru, told VM that: ‘’About ten electricity poles fell due to the rainstorm, while many buildings were affected. We lost three residents to the incident while many were injured’’.  During VM’s visit to the communities, some of those affected were trying to renovate their buildings, while those whose buildings were completely damaged were seen hanging around.

Also last Tuesday, a team of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA, visited the victims to commiserate with them. The team was led by the General Manager Femi Oke-Osanyintolu who first visited the local government chairman, Sherif Amipole, who expressed appreciation to him for his prompt response.

Amipole also lamented the loss of lives through the tragedy and urged the team to come to the aid of residents. Osanyintolu told the chairman he had earlier sent his officials to commence an enumeration of the displaced victims to know the extent of the tragedy.

The LASEMA boss who arrived Imowo-nla around 2pm was conducted round the community by the community leaders.  Osanyintolu urged residents to insure their property so as to save themselves from undue pain in the event of disaster.

’’A stitch in time saves nine. The state government is passionate about its people and we don’t want any loss of lives and property; that is why we are advising people to help themselves; doing so will lessen the burden on the government,’’ he said.

According to him, safety of lives and property is a joint responsibility of both people and government. ‘’This is a task between residents and government; I am sure the government is ready to help the people and the people should show a sense of responsibility by helping the government,’’ he reiterated.  ‘’The government is ready to cushion the effect but victims should be patient with us and allow us to sort things out. Your situation will be critically analysed to know where to render assistance,’’