Flood causes Mayhem in Ibadan

For some residents of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, it was lamentations galore yesterday after losing their property to the downpour of last Saturday. The more than seven-hour rains started around 9.00 pm on Saturday, fell all through the night and continued till early hours of yesterday thus preventing many Christians from going to church. 

Some bridges in parts of the city were submerged as rivers and streams overflowing their banks. Unlike August 26, 2011 flood, in which lives and property worth millions of naira were lost, there has not been any casualty as at the time of filing this report, apparently because of the dredging of many streams and rivers in Ibadan by the Ajimobi administration.

The worst hit communities were Apete, Oke-Ayo, Eleyele, Odo- Ona Elewe, Amuloko and other parts of the city, where many houses were destroyed and bridges washed away. When Daily Sun visited some of the communities, residents were seen salvaging their property from the flood. At Odo Ona Elewe and Agara areas, residents could have been washed away by the flood but for their decision to move out of their houses.

Motorists at Amuloko community in Ona Ara Local Government Area of the state could not get to their houses, as they were forced to park their vehicles along the way and sleep outside their homes.  At Apete, Ido Local Government Area, the pedestrian bridge linking the community with other parts of the state was washed away by the rain, thereby subjecting the residents to hardship.

The old bridge of the community had been washed away during the August 26, 2011 flood, forcing the state government to embark on the reconstruction of a new bridge and putting in place a temporary wooden pedestrian bridge, which was washed away last Saturday.  Mr. Najeem Raheem of the Guardian Newspapers, who resides in Apete community, described the situation as frightening, while appealing to the state government to quickly assist the people.  

The heavy rain broke Arulogun-Ojoo Road into two parts, forcing motorists to find an alternative route, while motorcycle operators made quick money from residents of the area.  Daily Sun noticed that a Peugeot 504 car was inside the flood, while a makeshift bridge had been put in place by the people. 

The Special Adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo and the South West Local Government Caretaker Chairman, Mr. Abass Aleshinloye who visited the affected communities alongside members of the State Emergency Management Agency, people who erected structures on waterways, thereby obstructing free flow of water.

 “Rain is a natural phenomenon that cannot be prevented.”  Aleshinloye on his part said: “The flooding was as a result of the convergence of many rivers in the Ibadan metropolis especially on Odo -Ona Bridge that was responsible for the constant overflow of the river. All the rivers in Ibadan flow to this local government. That is why we are having much pressure on the river and the Odo Ona Bridge.  The Ogbere Tioya, Ogbere Nla, Foworogi, Odo Ona Nla, Odo Ona kekere Rivers- all flow to this place.

“One thing, aside the fact that we are going to do the dredging of this river is to make it much deeper. I am appealing to our people that they need to comply with the government directive. Anyone who has his or her house structure around water-ways should move it away. Life is much more important than anything anyone can think of.”  

While responding to questions on why the government had not demolished structures blocking waterways till date, Adedayo said: “Government has been very careful, lest the people rise up against it, just like they did when 3, 000 workers with falsified ages and forged certificates were sacked. If the red-marked 200 houses have been demolished at a time, you know what would have happened.

 Our advice is that people residing in such buildings should vacate them. The government had relocated some victims of last year’s flood. It cannot assist all. So, let the people assist the government to avert any further loss.” Also, the state Commissioner for Information Mr. Bosun Oladele in a telephone conversation expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost as a result of the flood.

He assured that the government would urgently put in place, another pedestrian bridge to ease movement of the residents of Apete Community, as well as Odo-Ona/Apata and Oluyole Estate communities, where two bridges were destroyed. Also included is the Orita Challenge in Ibadan South-West and Oluyole Local Government areas.  

The incident according to him had further exposed some of the structures that should be demolished on the waterways, especially at the Orita Challenge axis, where the flood prevented some residents from gaining access to their houses.

He said: “It seems as if we are driving the water, it is finding its way. Some of the structures that were not marked for demolition before were being exposed and the government would have no choice than to continue with the demolition exercise. But, on the whole, we thank God that no casualty had been recorded.”
Source; sunnewsonline.com