Who Will Save Their Souls?
- Henry Oke
Dry season like this is a succor and happy time for the residents of some Local Governments area within the Lagos metropolis while the rainy season is a time of pains, sorrows and destruction of lives and properties for others particularly the people of Shomolu Local Government area of Lagos state.
But the residents lack over the seasons. Whether they like it or not raining seasons must surely come and when it comes, is a monumental disaster for school children, the aged, they petty traders and artisans that populate Shomolu. Neither do they have the power to remedy the situation. The long neglected area by and the service delivery failure of the governments and the public institutions to the community have made the solutions to the problem beyond the capacity and control of the indigenes. They are in a serious dilemma in place they have lived all their lives and they have youths growing up among them. How can the nation groom the youths to become better and versatile future leaders under these situations ands conditions?
The people have however, taken a lawful option by doing what they think they can do. African Independent Television (AIT) did a story of the neglected area last year and repeated it this year. The story did confirm that the Residents Association has sent several “Save Our Souls” message to Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos State to remedy the situations but up till now, no meaningful or significant step has been taken by the authority in Lagos.
Also, the SUN newspaper edition of July 9, 2003, titled “Shomolu: A disaster waiting to happen” carried a thoughtful report which said in part that “Shomolu is a Lagos suburb dotted by clusters of residential buildings. Majority of the residents are poor. Chiefly petty traders and artisans populate Shomolu. Other inhabitants of the area are school children and the aged. Some of the residential buildings were built without ‘real’ design thereby making them susceptible to any form of disaster that could result from the earth movement”. The report also stated further and l quote I part that “The dangers posed by the canal, the refuse dump and the pond are further compounded by the poor hygiene habit of some of the residents. It is the same people who are crying for governments’ intervention that dump refuse in and along the sides of the canal………”
The reporter, Mr. Emma Emeozor did a good job by revealing the truth and true situations of the neglected area. But how did Shomolu people find themselves in such sordid situations?
I grew up in Shomolu. I left my aged father in that area in the middle eighths when l was in the middle twenties. Today, l visits my father from time to time. Each time I get to the area l look back at the good old days when the area was neat, decent and well managed up to Morocco road. The neglected Pedro police station and barracks were newly built and well fortified. And the Ikorodu road was newly constructed with adequate provisions for drainage systems to cushion the effect of erosion on the affected residences including Shomolu area. I witnessed the ocean of flood in that area during the last year heavy rain downpour as I had to go and drag my old man out of the flood. The question is how did Shomolu people get themselves into the sordid mess when they had always been at least, under a Local Government administration?
As a matter of fact, the trouble started in the early 1980’s. Based on careful plan, study, projection and developmental structures on the ground, the government constructed good drainage systems from the Plamgrove/Obanikoro sides of the Ikorodu road through Shipeolu Street crossing to Akinsanya Street down to Lishabi Street and Bolaji Omupo end to the canal for onward movement to the Lagoon. There was no fear of flood and there was never any flood whatsoever even if it rained forty days and forty nights until someone decided with the connivance of the relevant/appropriate authority to cause pains to others for his own selfish interest.
The Alhaji is an influential, a wealthy and a rich man in the area. His mansion which was built close to the canal at Bolaji Omupo end after filling and raising the level up above others, disrupting the direction of the drainage constructed by the government against the residents’ outcry. He used his money, wealth and influence under our institutionalized bribery and corruption, he had his way, built the mansion ‘with’ or ‘without’ appropriate government approval and cause diversion and blockage of the drainage at Lishabi street to prevent flooding of his mansion during down pour. The people of Shomolu have not known peace during raining season since that time.
The problem has been compounded with increased population of the area and with more structures being put in wrong places and in the canal area. This could perhaps honestly mean that to permanently resolve the aged long problems and crises, some houses and structures would have to go for it come back to the basis and pave for draining the flood during raining seasons.
One lesson we can learn from Shomolu example is that we should stop blaming the government all of the time for our entire social and societal problems and woes. Sometimes, we are the architect of our problems and woes. Nothing has significantly changed in the polity and in the society since that time. Today, whatever power or position one may have, the tendency to use it to achieve maximum benefits for oneself with no regard for the legal rights of others is still very common among us. We must stop sabotaging government’s efforts because of pour individual selfish interest. We must support the governments by supporting ourselves to rid the society from the woes afflicting it.
There is a proverb in this part of the world that says “when you point an accusing finger to someone, the thumb remains neutral and the remaining three fingers point towards you. The unfortunate part of it is that when the neutral class people find their way into the mainstream, they easily melt in to the institutionalized bribery and corruption.
Another lesson we can learn from the Shomolu example is the maladministration and lack of control mechanisms on the part of the public institutions and governments to ensure adherence to standard and procedures, compliance, rules and regulations guiding proper management of public utilities, environment and social infrastructure are obeyed regardless of whatever status you find yourself in the society. In order words, service delivery failure and corruption of the public institutions and governments have contributed a great deal to the sordid mess the indigenes of Shomolu find themselves.
Another raining season will soon come. Time is not on our side. There is no time to apportion blames, we want action. Who will save their souls?
Yours truly,
For: Henry Sho.
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR: IN HIS WORDS: I
was born in 1957 at Ebute Meta Local Government area of Lagos state
Nigeria and attended South Bank Polytechnic, London where I graduated in
Computer Studies in 1987. I run a computer consultancy firm, a small
dry-cleaning business outfit and a Non Governmental Organisation arm
committed to Empowering The Youths For The Millenium Challenges. I like
traveling, reading and getting on with people from different
backgrounds. I am very inquisitive about issues and matters.
Mr. Henry Oke is the president of HenrySho and writes
from Lagos. He can be reached at henry_sho@yahoo.com
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