LAGOS UNDER WATER
Postcards from people affected by flooding in Nigeria’s economic capital.
My bike got stuck in the water
That is why many riders prefer to park and stay at home when they see the rain about to fall. If you don’t have money, you can’t repair your bike, and if you can’t repair it, you can’t earn. I know a friend of mine who left his bike unrepaired because he couldn’t afford to fix it. The flood has destroyed many people’s means of livelihood.
MY HEIGHT SAVED ME FROM BEING SWEPT AWAY
I managed to pass several vehicles already stuck. The water had entered my car seats, and everything inside was soaked. My only prayer then was, “God, let this car keep moving”, because if it stopped, I knew it would be another story entirely. When I got close to Freedom Way, the car suddenly stopped and wouldn’t start again. I was lucky that some young guys nearby came around to help me push it off the road. I packed my belongings, locked the car, and went home to change.
ALL THE ROADS HAVE NO DRAINAGE
If you know how many of my goods got spoiled and how much I lost. I became very sick. One of my machines is still with my community chairman. The freezer in my shop was affected. I spent ₦70,000 to repair my industrial machine. I am yet to settle down. I started work two weeks ago after the incident. I am not yet balanced. I had to borrow money to buy goods when people kept demanding my services. For now, I have spent ₦400,000 to repair the damage caused.
THE WATER WAS CLOSE TO MY CHEST
We were all asleep. The rain started the previous night, but it was not much. So, we felt it was just normal rain. But while asleep, I could hear a sound, and I was wondering where it came from. I never knew that it was my dad. He was using his walking stick to hit the chair. I believe he must have woken up. But because he has difficulty walking, he was probably using the walking stick to alert me.
WE LOCK THE SCHOOL FOR SEVERAL DAYS
Whenever there is a flood, we have to lock the school for three to four days. We won’t open until the flood is abated. The one in July was so devastating that we lost over ₦3,000,000 worth of books. We had just received a supply of textbooks and printed notebooks. Unfortunately, they were submerged. However, thank God the children were not in school. We had to lock up the school for days until the water dried.
The victims made me understand the frustration and heartbreak that come with flooding. I saw bitterness on people’s faces, heard the pain in their voices, and felt their despair as they watched their properties getting washed away. Many have lost resources they worked years to get, while others have spent a lot to get their lives back to normal.
Writing other people’s flood stories reminded me of my own experience in 2021. I was posted to Kaduna State for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). After camp, I was assigned to a school in Kaduna Metropolis. The house was close to my PPA, walkable even. Everything seemed fine at first.
It was the rainy season, but because I had just moved in, I didn’t notice anything unusual. The compound looked dry and normal. No sign that anything could go wrong.
The first time the flood came, it was completely unexpected. It started at night. I had just returned, exhausted from a long day of documentation and clearance. While resting, I suddenly noticed the floor was wet. At first, I assumed maybe water had spilt somewhere. But before I could process anything, it kept rising from the entrance. Not from the roof, but from the ground. Within minutes, everywhere was flooded.
I immediately began lifting books and important items onto the table so water wouldn’t ruin them. I didn’t sleep that night. I stayed awake till morning, monitoring the water, shifting things around, trying to salvage what I could. It was a horrible experience.
And that wasn’t the only time. It happened again and again. However, after the first incident, it no longer caught us by surprise. Anytime we stepped out of the house, we made sure nothing important was left on the floor. We became extremely careful, ready for whatever might happen.
Whenever the compound flooded, we couldn’t even access our own gate. We had to pass through the backyard, enter another compound, and connect to the main junction from there.
The best time to inspect or rent an apartment in Nigeria, especially in flood-prone states, is during the rainy season. That is when the truth reveals itself. A place may look dry and perfect during the dry season, yet become a disaster once the rains come. People must avoid flood-prone areas even if the apartment or environment appears luxurious. Damage is more costly than prevention.
What the situation in Lagos calls for is proper education and sensitisation, appropriate disposal of refuse, construction of drainage, supervision to prevent quackery or dilapidation, and adequate enforcement of sanitation by the state task force.
— Damilola Olufemi.
ALL I’VE WORKED FOR WAS DESTROYED IN ONE NIGHT
After the incident, I realised that I had lost goods worth about ₦2.5 million to the flood. Within two to three days, all the rice that had been soaked in the flood had turned black. The beans had already started germinating, so nothing could be used again. The melon and corn were no longer of use. I had to pack them and give them to people to feed their goats.
WE HAD TO JUMP OVER THE FENCE
I rushed to carry my son while my husband tried to check where the water was coming from. Before we knew it, the water had spread all over the house. I was just rushing to keep all our credentials away. We had to find a way to escape from the house with the thought that whatever was damaged, we would come back to it and settle everything.
NOBODY IN OUR COMPOUND SLEPT THAT NIGHT
Initially, I didn’t think much of it. Here in Lekki, that day wasn’t different from every other day when rain falls. By evening, the rain had refused to stop, and when I stepped out, I saw that the compound was already full of water. I drew my neighbour’s attention to it and she laughed, thinking it was the usual thing. But before we knew it, the water started coming inside.
COULDN’T SLEEP, I HAD TO TAKE PILLS
My son, a final year student of Lagos State University, had an exam that day at 11 am and was rushed to the hospital by 7 am, where he was admitted. He had a blood infection. We admitted him twice due to the aftermath of the flood because, after the incident, insects were flying both day and night. We had sprayed insecticide countless times. Up till today, we are still on it.
WE SLEPT IN THE LIVING ROOM FOR WEEKS
The government came here to see the level of damage the floodwater caused, but since then, we have not seen anyone intervene. Nothing was done. The Lions Club was able to compensate the community a week after the government came for sightseeing. The chairman of the New Generation CDA tried a lot because she’s a member of the Lions Club. She was the one who invited them to see the level of damage.
Curation and photography by: Damilola Olufemi.
Edited, designed, and vibe-coded by: `Kunle Adebajo.
Damilola Olufemi is a Nigerian journalist with a focus on investigations, development, climate change, and entertainment, who has written many impactful stories. He is a graduate of Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State.
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