Olusegun Adeyemo
A cross section of Lagos residents have responded with frustration and concern to a recent warning from the state government, urging citizens to brace for even more rainfall in the coming days.
The alert, issued by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, via social media, confirmed that the state had experienced heavy rainfall over the past 12 hours, resulting in localized flooding across several parts of Lagos.
While the government appealed for calm and urged residents to remain vigilant, many citizens said they were tired of the recurring issue and demanded sustainable solutions.
Speaking to the Journal Nigeria, Mr. Uzoma Williams expressed deep dissatisfaction with the government’s response. “The government is asking people to calm down. Would you tell someone in a panic attack to calm down while their house is under water too?” he said. “People don’t panic for fun. Something is shaking their world. Before you ask someone to be calm, ask yourself if you’re standing dry while they drown.”
Another resident, Ako Chi, offered a more optimistic perspective, commending the current administration for its efforts. “Thank God we have an experienced Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources; otherwise, the entire state would be underwater. We are grateful to have a hardworking governor like Babajide Sanwo-Olu, a man full of wisdom and knowledge for approvals,” he said.
However, for others like Michael Antigha, the issue goes beyond emergency response. He pointed to structural problems and urban planning failures. “This flooding will continue as long as houses are built on waterways and natural water channels are being sand-filled to make room for more buildings in an already overcrowded Lagos. We need to open up seaports in other regions to ease the population pressure on Lagos.”
Bitrus Jacob, a resident of the mainland, recounted the severity of the recent downpour. “Since Sunday evening around 7 p.m., rain just dey fall nonstop till today,” he lamented.
Olar Komolafe criticized what he described as a lack of political will to address the root causes. “The government faces this same problem every year. They know what the lasting solutions are, but they refuse to act. Enough of the talk, we need action,” he said.
With the forecast predicting more rainfall ahead, many residents are now demanding urgent infrastructural upgrades, stricter building regulations, and long-term environmental reforms to prevent another flood disaster from crippling Africa’s largest city.