Over the years, flooding in Magboro, Oke-Afa Road, a community in Ogun State, has become a recurring plight for residents and commuters. As the rainy season descends each year, the community is submerged in a flooding crisis that has become all too familiar. Despite multiple complaints and calls for action, the flooded spots on the major road remain impassable during heavy downpours, often leaving commuters stranded.

Locals in Oke-Afa are forced to use makeshift canoes in dangerous conditions or wade through contaminated floodwaters, resulting in injuries, skin diseases, and disruptions to daily activities.


“It’s a daily struggle,” said Lawal Olugbenga, the youth representative from the Oke-Afa area. “Every year, we face the same issues. The roads become impassable, and our children suffer the most. The effects are visible and profound: schools close their doors, businesses shut down, and families are left stranded on the road.”

Flooding in Magboro is not a new phenomenon; it has been exacerbated by years of inadequate infrastructure and urban planning. Chukwuemeka Kalu, the chairman of the Success Estate and the road intervention team lead, expressed his deep concerns.

“I moved into this community in 2010, and that portion of the road was not this bad. This flooding became worse after the channelling of water during the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway,” Kalu said.


The economic impact of the flooding is staggering. Local businesses report losses amounting to thousands of naira each season. Shop owners recount how floodwaters force them to shut down for weeks, leading to declining revenue.


“When it floods, we lose everything,” said Atinuke Bello, a frustrated trader. “We can’t afford to keep losing income. There was a time my goods were swept away while I struggled to wade through the water.”

On her part, Folake Ayeni, a teacher who has seen her students wade through the flooding, lamented how they are stuck at home while adults can barely get to work. Students also feel the burden of the flood’s impact on their education. Ogbu Maryanne, a pupil of Absolute Success College, highlighted their challenges.

“It has been challenging for me and for those who attend school on the other side because of the heavy water obstruction. We shouldn’t walk through contaminated water; it has proven dangerous and contagious. We need support to solve this issue for everyone’s well-being. Many of my classmates have to skip school because of the floods,” he said.

Oshugwemo Emmanuel, another pupil of Crown Jewel College, added: “We spend a lot of time trying to cross the water. Sometimes, we stay there until 9 or 10 o’clock, and we often beg people to help us cross. That area has caused a lot of damage, and I feel the authorities should work to reduce the water level.”

Residents have, however, constructed makeshift wooden bridges and shared resources to establish safer passageways. Yet, these efforts remain temporary solutions, as the root causes of the flooding still need to be addressed.

Unheeded Appeals for Assistance

Despite their proactive attempts to resolve the problem, locals say their calls have fallen on deaf ears. Over the years, they have written numerous letters to government officials and local authorities, detailing their plight and requesting infrastructure improvements, yet their efforts have yielded no tangible results.


A press statement issued by the Oke-Afa Community Development Committee urged the immediate construction of the flood-prone road.

Chukwuemeka Kalu noted that the Ogun State government is aware of the dire situation yet has made no promises or efforts in the last seven years to construct the road.

He said: “We have built wooden bridges several times to enable us to walk through. We have been contributing to putting stones in the area to reduce the depth of the floodwater. The government is aware of this, as we have written several letters and met with the Special Adviser on Infrastructure.”

“Community efforts have provided only short-term relief, while the only viable solution remains a 50-metre low bridge, as recommended by engineers sent by the Ogun State Commissioner for Works in 2022 after a brief inspection following correspondences from the Oke-Afa community for help.”

As the dry season sets in, residents remain acutely aware of the looming threat of flooding. The accumulation of debris in drainage systems poses an imminent danger, and when the rains return, the situation will likely worsen.

However, as local leaders intensify their calls for attention from both state and federal authorities, they stress the urgent need for proper drainage systems and sustainable urban planning to mitigate future flooding.

Ifunanya Malizu, an architect, has proposed a sustainable solution to the persistent flooding issues on the Oke-Afa Road. He recommends redesigning the road network by constructing an elevated roadway supported by pile foundations and reinforced concrete or steel beams, ensuring stability and resistance to water damage.


https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2025/02/22/trapped-helpless-forgotten-the-dark-reality-of-this-ogun-community/