Activist Task Sanwo-Olu On Urgent Adaptation Plan To Avert Flood Disaster

Lagos-based filmmaker and climate justice advocate, Yeside Aminat Olasimbo says there is the need for urgent climate change intervention in Lagos State to avert a natural disaster.

She stated that though Lagos is the commercial hub of Nigeria and the largest city in Africa hosting over 20 million people, the cosmopolitan city is plagued with one of the most devastating effects of climate crises.

The climate advocate, in a statement, asked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to implement policies to curb climate crisis, especially on the issue of flooding across communities in the state like Abule-Ijesha, Alagbede, Abule-Nla, Iganmu, Ijero, Iwaya, Makoko, Ebute-Metta and Lagos Island amidst other flood-prone areas.

Olasimbo said, “We have had several incidences in time past mostly overwhelming because of our under-preparedness and lack of proactivity in setting community based adaptive systems in place. In Nigeria according to NEMA reports, more than two million people are directly affected by flooding most being in coastal cities like Lagos State.

“In 2021, I visited Makoko with my team and the sight was disheartening. It dawned on me the extent of this menace and how terribly unprepared we are in Lagos State. We did the best we could with the limited resources available to us as I facilitated the project with my personal funds.

“As I reminisced on the sobering encounter with the people of makoko and those displaced by flooding, I listened to them, heard their stories and engaged them in a needs assessment process. Myself and my partner Diolu Tobechukwu Prosper with more than eight years experience in different social work fields, decided to go deeper into the issues of climate change (Adaptation and Mitigation) hence the birth of my foundation Blue-lily Humanitarian Empowerment Initiative (NGO) which is focused majorly on climate Justice and human rights.

“My aim through this initiative is to go beyond providing relief materials to these communities but also enlightening them on issues regarding climate change. At Blue-lily initiative our goals are streamlined to systematically address the compounding issues of loss of Biodiversity, Waste Management, Public Health, Malnutrition, Education and Climate Based Negotiation.

The climate justice advocate believed that strategic partnership amongst stakeholders including the Lagos State Government would birth formidable intervention plan against flood disaster in 2023 and beyond.

Unarguably, Lagos occupies 3,577 square kilometers with water bodies accounting for 23% of its geographical position. In 2022, scores of people lost their lives while 24,131 households were affected by the floods as 920 houses and over 300 hectares of farmlands were flooded in Lagos. Many buildings also collapsed due to torrential rainfalls and floods arising from blocked or inadequate drainage systems.