Ibeju-Lekki Residents Cry Out: Coastal Road Project Don Turn Nightmare

Photo: The Punch

When Progress Becomes a Problem: The Ibeju-Lekki Story

My people, sometimes when government talk say dem want do development, you go think say na good news be that. But for the people of Ibeju-Lekki communities, this coastal road project don turn from blessing to serious wahala. And trust me, this matter no be small thing at all.

You see, these communities – places where people great-grandfathers build house, where dem born, where dem carry their papa lay for ground – now dey face serious threat. The coastal road project wey suppose make life better don block their drainage system, and now flooding dey threaten to scatter everything.

Ancestral Land Under Threat: More Than Just Bricks and Mortar

Make I tell you something about these communities wey some people no understand. This no be just house matter – na generational inheritance we dey talk about here. When you hear people talk about ancestral land, na serious something be that for African culture.

These Ibeju-Lekki residents no just wake up one morning decide to live there. Their forefathers settle there generations ago, build communities, establish traditions, create their livelihood around that environment. The fishing communities especially – their whole life revolve around that coastline.

Now imagine say government come with big project, block the natural water flow, and suddenly your community wey never see flooding before don turn to swimming pool every time rain fall. That one na serious emotional and economic trauma.

The Drainage Wahala: When Infrastructure Planning Miss Road

You know what pain me most about this matter? Na the fact say this kind problem fit avoid if proper environmental impact assessment happen before the project start. But as usual, we dey put cart before horse.

From reports wey I see, the coastal road construction don block natural drainage channels wey these communities dey depend on for decades. Water wey suppose flow comfortably to the sea now dey find alternative route – and that alternative na people house and farmland.

The residents talk say every small rain now dey cause flooding. Properties dey damage, people dey lose their belongings, and some don even start to dey pack comot from house wey their family build with blood and sweat.

Government Accountability: Where We Dey Miss Am

This matter bring serious question about how government dey plan infrastructure project for Nigeria. How person go start major coastal road project without properly study wetin the project go do to existing communities?

The truth be say, government get responsibility to make sure say any development project no go scatter existing communities. But from this Ibeju-Lekki matter, e look like say proper consultation and impact assessment no happen before dem start the project.

These people no say dem no want development – they want am! But dem also want make sure say the development no go wipe away their heritage and livelihood. Na reasonable request be that.

The Human Cost of Poor Planning

Behind all these technical talk about drainage and infrastructure, real people dey suffer. Families wey struggle to build house over many years now dey watch water destroy everything during rainy season.

Some of these communities depend on fishing and small-scale farming for survival. When flooding destroy their farmland and make fishing difficult, na serious economic blow be that. And for people wey no get plenty alternatives, this kind displacement fit push them into serious poverty.

The elderly people for these communities – people wey spend 70, 80 years for the same place – where dem wan go at this age? This kind displacement dey cause serious psychological trauma especially for old people wey don root their life for one place.

Possible Solutions Forward

The good news be say this matter no be impossible to solve, but e go need serious commitment from government side. First thing na to do proper drainage assessment and create alternative channels wey go handle the water flow without affecting communities.

Government fit also look into compensation and proper resettlement plan for people wey the project don affect seriously. But make the resettlement dey reasonable – no be to carry people comot from waterfront give them place for middle of nowhere without access to their livelihood.

Most importantly, this incident suppose teach us lesson about proper planning. Any future infrastructure project must include comprehensive community consultation and environmental impact study before construction begin.

Lessons for Future Development

This Ibeju-Lekki matter na wake-up call for how we dey approach development for Nigeria. Development wey destroy existing communities no be progress – na displacement. True progress na when new infrastructure improve life without scattering the foundation wey people don build over generations.

As we dey push for more infrastructure development across the country, make we remember say the people wey the development suppose help must remain at the center of the planning. Otherwise, we go just dey create new problems while we think say we dey solve old ones.

For now, the people of Ibeju-Lekki communities dey wait for government response to their cry for help. Make we hope say their voice go hear, and proper solution go come before the next rainy season start again.