—The governor must act swiftly to save Jalupon Close, Surulere, Mushin, Apapa, and the future of Lagos

By Zik Zulu Okafor

A silent tragedy is unfolding before our very eyes in Lagos State. At Jalupon Close in Surulere, a ticking time bomb threatens not only the immediate community but the broader survival of critical parts of Lagos, including Mushin, Aguda, Apapa and beyond.

Weeks ago, we sounded the alarm. We published the facts. We wrote an impassioned petition directly to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and copied relevant ministries charged with safeguarding our environment and urban integrity. We expected action. We hoped for leadership. Because we know the governor to be a responsive leader.

Instead, what we have received is deafening silence from the governor’s office. As for the Ministry of Urban Planning, nothing but casual, noncommittal whispers ; a slap in the face of a citizenry desperately trying to protect itself from an impending disaster.

Meanwhile, land speculators are moving with audacity and alarming speed, trampling on urban regulations, and erecting illegal structures directly atop a critical drainage canal that runs from Mushin through Surulere to Apapa. The very drainage system that shields these communities from catastrophic flooding is now under siege, as these reckless invaders plot to demolish Jalupon’s protective wall and open a pathway to their illegal holdings.
If Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration has indeed championed the fight against environmental degradation and illegal development, now is the time to prove it. Governance is not measured by lofty slogans or by the ribbon-cutting ceremonies; it is tested in moments like this when the future safety of an entire city hangs precariously in the balance.
It is not about the history or historic attainments of a leader. It is about rising with immediacy to the urgency of now because the dangers are ominously glaring.
With the advent of the rain, the waters are rising gradually. The clock is ticking, signaling the iminent deluge that will sweep away everything in its path.
Lagos will inevitably witness a disastrous and uncontrollable flooding across Mushin, Surulere, and Apapa if the drainage system is compromised.

Still, there will be security breakdowns as criminals would exploit the new illegal access points created by the anarchic invaders . Added to this envisaged horrendous impact is the critical issue of institutional decay arising from the corrupt government officials reportedly aiding and abetting this lawless land grab. If the governor fails to act decisively, this festering corruption would take the garb of accentuated impunity.

Governor Sanwo-Olu needs to draw both inspiration and lessons from nations across the world in tackling this grave issue of flood.
Across the globe, responsible governments do not wait until tragedy strikes before acting. When faced with threats to infrastructure or environmental health, they respond with immediacy–not with silence.
In New Orleans, USA, after Hurricane Katrina exposed the dangers of neglected drainage systems, billions of dollars were poured into repairs and future-proofing.

In the Netherlands, a country largely below sea level, proactive investments in dykes and canals are a matter of national survival. In Japan, urban planning is a sacred covenant between the government and the people, with devastating consequences for violations.
Why, then, should Lagos, Africa’s pride, Nigeria’s economic heartbeat, and the trumpeted mega-city treat such a blatant danger with this level of nonchalance and mute indifference, if not cold complicity.
There is no question that history will record how Governor Sanwo-Olu reacted to this iminent disaster.
He will either be remembered as the governor who acted with courage and conviction to stop environmental criminals from endangering millions of innocent people’s lives or be remembered as the leader who stood with passivity as calamity unfolded under his watch.

The people of Jalupon Close are not really asking for a favour. They are demanding their right as enshrined in law. And that is a right to a safe environment. They are asking the governor to
immediately order a halt to all illegal developments around the Jalupon drainage canal to investigate and prosecute any government official found complicit and to protect this vital drainage infrastructure and the security perimeter protecting the residents. None of these demands is outside the confines of the law.
A resident of Jalupon Close, a Software Engineer, aptured the minds of the residents. ” We want the
governor to know that he is a leader loved by Lagosians because of his humility and openness. We truly, truly appreciate him. And he is a Surulere boy. Therefore, he has a solemn responsibility to
engage the affected communities directly and transparently. And I know he can do this.”

Another resident, an 80 year old retiree, urged the governor to read their petition , if he hasn’t, to appreciate the gravity of what is at stake. ” I believe the young man will act. He’s a listening governor and he cares about us. He grew up in this place. I know his family, a very good and decent family. But he needs to act now.”

The world is watching. Lagosians are watching.

The residents of Jalupon Close, Surulere, Mushin, Apapa, and beyond are counting on the governor to act with the urgency and decisiveness that this moment demands.
The situation that Jalupon Close residents found themselves is dire. The anxiety that has become their daily companion deeply rankles.
This is not just about protecting a wall or a street. It is about protecting lives, homes, businesses, and the integrity of Lagos itself.
The governor, therefore, should break this deafening silence.
He needs to break the chain of corruption evident in the relevant ministries.
Above all, he must break this cycle of disaster before it strikes in order to save Jalupon Close, save Lagos and indeed, save his legacy.

Award winning writer Zik Zulu Okafor wrote in from Lagos.