By Shina Abubakar

IN July 2019, the Nigeria Metrological Agency had issued a warning that some states in the country should take measures against flood, saying the downpour in the months of August and September would be enormous as a result of climate change.

•A flooded area in Osogbo, in Osun state. Inset: A flooded area in Osogbo, in Osun state

Though, Osun State was not on the list of states that could be affected, but a rainfall that led to flood destroyed properties along its path.

The flood took a different dimension on Friday, August 30 through Sunday when the torrential rains forced an overflow of the river banks in Osogbo and Obokun local government areas.

Atiku’s unrelenting appeal to emotion: A Gambit doomed to fail – Femi Adesina(Opens in a new browser tab)

The affected residents are already sulking over their losses.

Among the flooded roads are, Ipetu Ile-Ibokun road which connects Ikirun, Iragbiji, Ipetu, Ibokun, Esa-Oke, Ijebujesa, Ilesa, Ondo and Ekiti states, MDS street, testing ground, Olobedu areas among many others in Osogbo.

20 hectares of farmlands destroyed in Obokun

In Obokun town, the flood, which covered more than 3 kilometers on the Obokun Osogbo Ijebu Ijesa road, destroyed over 20 hectares of farmlands belonging to peasant farmers.

When Vanguard visited the farm areas, it was inaccessible while one of the relatives of an affected farmer disclosed that the farmlands in the area is owned by different peasant farmers and cannot quantify the loss accruable from the effect of the flood.

Also, the downpour damage the only bridge linking four rural communities, Coker, Omu, Iyere to Osogbo located along Osun State University campus.

A resident of the community, who owns a medical centre, Mr. Adebisi Rafiu said: “Presently, there is no other means of movement for vehicle, human and farm products.

“The only alternative is for us to travel to another town then get to Osogbo which will now have to take hours. Economic activities will now be impossible except the government comes to our aid immediately.”

Besides, he said the flood destroyed five buildings in the community and the owners are now homeless.

Community head seeks govt’s intervention

The head of the community, Baale of omu, Oba Operinmade Adejumo, also sought the help of government is rehabilitating the bridge so there would be ease of movement for both human and farm products.

Adejumo said: “As you can see, we resorted to self help to put something together so that vehicle can pass here instead of having to go through the long journey to get to the state capital. Also schools would be resuming next week and some our children attend schools in Osogbo.”

Fish pond owners suffer loss

In Osogbo, fish pond owners suffered the most as the flood submerged many of the earthen ponds leading to the fishes being washed away.

At Biker area, a resident, Gbenga Ahoi, whose brother owns four ponds, said fishes in two of the ponds were swept away by the ravaging flood on Sunday.

Ahoi said: “The two ponds’ capacity is 2, 000 catfish and all were swept away by the flood and the most unfortunate thing about the issue is that the ponds were kept in trust with my brother.”

Also, Mr. Shina Elebuibon, a fish farmer told Vanguard that fishes in his four ponds were swept away, saying no one cares about the loss fish farmers suffer during flood.

I‘ll commit suicide if the case is settled out of court — Rape victim(Opens in a new browser tab)

Elebuibon said: “The worth of the fish in my farm, when fully matured, is about N7 million but now, I am just salvaging what is left in one of the ponds, it is unfortunate, I plead with government and other stakeholders to help those of us who relied on fish farming as a source of income.”

House owners count losses

While fish farmers are counting their losses, house owners in Gbodofon, Ogo Oluwa, Awosuru, Oniroidunu, Ijetu, Ibu-Amo, Woleola Estate and Ataoja Estate areas of Osogbo, were battling the flood to safe their houses and business centers in the communities.

About 15 houses were almost submerged, as victims were, on Saturday morning, seen trying to salvage some of their valuables from the affected buildings.

Other affected buildings included a church, mechanic workshop, a retail outlet of a beverage company, a secondary school and a pig farm.

The flood, it was gathered was as a result of the heavy rain fall on Friday which caused the Osun river to over flow its banks.

The downpour, which continued on Saturday night, further complicated the situation.

Victims narrate ordeal

One of the victims, narrating his ordeal, said at first, he joined his family members of four scooping water out of the house before the situation worsened.

He said: “It didn’t start as something serious. We were initially scooping the water but I noticed it would amount to a waste of energy doing this.  I later decided that everyone moved out of the building. This morning (Saturday) when I came back, I was surprised to see that the whole building was submerged.”

Another victim, Pa Rauf Salam at Wole Ola Estate along Ogo-Oluwa, said the failure of the government to dredge the river this year led to the flooding.

Lamenting, Salam said: “This was not a new occurrence in the area. I have been living in this area since 1984. There is no raining season we don’t have this kind of experience, though it has been well managed in the last five years because of the dredging done every raining period. But this year, no dredging has been done which is why we are experiencing this.”

Also narrating his ordeal, Mr. Alao Hakeem said: “I am not happy at all. I have been unable to access my home since Friday night. I and my family are now squatters.”

Church activities disrupted

Also, the flood disrupted church activities in the affected areas.

At the Latter Glory Evangelical Church, members were seen bailing water; while at a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God could not hold service as the church was heavily flooded.

Bridge collapses

Besides, the downpour damaged the only bridge linking Coker, Omu, Iyere to Osogbo located along Osun State University campus.

A resident of the community, Mr. Raheem Adekunle said: “Presently, there is no other means of movement for vehicles, humans and farm products.

“The only alternative is for us to travel to another town, then get to Osogbo which will now have to take hours. Economic activities will now be impossible except the government comes to our aid immediately”.

The residents, however, called on government officials to come to their aid before they become homeless.

We’re taking proactive measures—Osun govt

Reacting to the flood incident, the Osun State government said it is taking proactive measures to mitigate the threat posed by this year’s flooding to lives and property.

The state government also called on the Federal Government to assist in dredging the River Osun.

I‘ll commit suicide if the case is settled out of court — Rape victim(Opens in a new browser tab)

The Supervisor for Works, Science and Technology in the state, Mr. Remi Omowaiye and his counterpart in the Environment Ministry, Dr Adebisi Obawale, spoke when they led a government team on an emergency inspection of flooded areas in Osogbo.

Engr Omowaye ascribed the incident to Climate Change which is causing River Osun to overflow its natural cause.

Also speaking, Dr Obawale said: “River Osun has many tributaries from the neighbouring states of Ekiti and Ondo and other local governments in the state that already have high volume of water, therefore flowing into the Osun River.

“Government had mobilised for the dredging of River Osun to forestall further flooding which would still occur between September and November as predicted by Niemet.

“We want the Federal Government to assist the state in dredging the Osun River going by the huge amount required for the exercise.”

Vanguard