By Comfort
Persistent flooding in Ajah has left residents grappling with severe property damage and loss of livelihoods. Continuous heavy rains and poor drainage systems have intensified the crisis, leaving families displaced and communities struggling to recover.
Ajah Residents Struggle Amid Persistent Flooding
At a small roadside shop in Seaside Estate, Mrs. Wuraola Ojuri, a longtime resident of over 20 years, stood arranging items on a tray as water slowly crept toward her doorstep. Her expression wasn’t panic—it was exhaustion born of familiarity, a resignation to the annual flooding that disrupts life and livelihoods.
“This place is always terrible during the rainy season,” she said, adjusting her headscarf. “Sometimes, the water almost reaches the quarter height of my shop. When that happens, customers stop coming, and everyone stays indoors. This business is my only source of income, but since it’s been raining for days, I’ve barely sold anything. Today, I haven’t made a single sale, and I haven’t eaten.”
Flooding has become a yearly ordeal for Ojuri, one she no longer fears but simply endures.
“We don’t have enough gutters or proper drainage systems,” she added. “During the dry season, you wouldn’t believe this place can ever be flooded. But once the rain starts, everyone becomes unhappy. We live in fear, wondering how high the water will rise this time.”
Recalling the worst floods of the past, Ojuri said, “Back then, water almost swallowed homes. Phones, clothes, and properties were always destroyed. Things are a bit better now, but not by much. If only the government could fill this area with sand or fix the drainage, it might help. But with the economy the way it is, even feeding is hard, let alone fixing roads.”
Her story reflects the cycle of loss and endurance experienced by many Ajah residents, where flooding continues to disrupt daily life, destroy property, and threaten livelihoods year after year.
Public Health Risks and Mental Strain:
A public health expert, Dr. Tosin Ilori, has described the flooding crisis in Ajah as “a slow-moving public health emergency that affects every aspect of human well-being—physical, mental, and social.”
Dr. Ilori explained that persistent flooding in residential areas such as Badore and other parts of Ajah systematically undermines residents’ health and safety. “The health impacts of flooding go far beyond the visible water,” she said. “It represents a collapse of the entire environment people depend on, from access to clean water to mental stability.”
Her insights highlight that the effects of flooding are not only physical but also psychological, with prolonged exposure to such disasters increasing stress, anxiety, and social disruption in affected communities.
