PRELUDE TO DISASTER:

THE DANGER OF OCEAN LAND RECLAMATION IN LAGOS

Everybody in Lagos wants to live in the Lekki and Ajah Corridor of Lagos. It’s a status symbol as living in that corridor signals your arrival in the big league of the movers and shakers of Lagos.

To make this possible , Government of Lagos , real estates companies omo onile and individuals are involved in the multimillion naira(some say dollars) ocean reclamation projects . In simple terms the Atlantic ocean is being driven back and humongous amount of sand is used in order to turn the seaside into paradise for the rich and mighty. And this is being done without proper planning and environmental impact assessment studies.
The consequences of this unbridled search for land in the ocean is here with us . It is a disaster waiting to happen as recently witnessed when the heavens opened up in early October and water had to find its level. Now major chunks of Lekki , parts of Lagos Island may be totally submerged by the tide of the ocean which has brought unprecedented flooding.

Those who should know say very soon the flooding in the Lekki Corridor will lead to major ecological disaster including loss of lives and property.(Of course some residents are already at the receiving end of the ocean surge with damages to their houses and property.

Now is the time for the Lagos State Government to lead the way ensuring that land reclamation near the Lagos Lagoon stretching up to the University of Lagos, Ilaje in Akoka and Bariga and close to the Atlantic Ocean is controlled and in some places halted completely. The water being driven away from the island is already causing havoc on the mainland.

Lagos can ill afford the looming monumental disaster.
The time to Act is NOW

-Adegbenro Adebanjo