Residents of Lagos Communities Complain of Deteriorating Roads and Recurrent Flooding

For several years, residents of parts of Lagos State, particularly in Oyadiran Estate, Yaba, and Festac in Amuwo Odofin, have endured deteriorating roads, blocked drainages, and persistent flooding — turning once peaceful neighborhoods into sites of hardship and health risks.

In Oyadiran Estate, the smooth roads have given way to craters and deep potholes filled with muddy water, making daily commutes a challenge for both motorists and pedestrians. When it rains, blocked drains overflow, flooding homes and shops, displacing residents and destroying property.

Resident Kunle Adebayo described the ordeal as “tortuous,” lamenting constant car repairs and unfulfilled promises from local government officials. Small business owner Mike Ojo shared how floods routinely wash away her stock, while Ismail Adewale highlighted the daily dangers, including breakdowns of commercial tricycles in floodwaters and the struggle to get children to school safely.

The health hazards are mounting as stagnant water becomes breeding grounds for mosquitoes, raising fears of malaria outbreaks. The absence of streetlights compounds the danger, with deep gullies and waterlogged spots posing risks to motorists after dark.

Tayo Ogunyeye, Chairman of the Oyadiran Estate Residents Association, called the situation a “public health emergency,” urging the government to redesign and reconstruct the drainage system to save the community from further decay.

Similar distress is evident in Festac and other parts of Amuwo Odofin, where major roads like First, Second, Sixth, and Seventh Avenues have collapsed, with only heavy vehicles able to navigate some routes. Festac Extension Estate is plagued by open, stagnant water that fosters mosquito breeding.

Resident lawyer Marcellus Onah condemned the government’s neglect, noting that promised drainage repairs started last year but remain unfinished, worsening residents’ plight. Fellow resident Kolade Ademola expressed deep disappointment at the disrepair of Festac’s roads, calling on new local government officials to break from the past and deliver tangible improvements.

Despite repeated appeals and election-time promises, many residents feel abandoned, battling flooding, damaged infrastructure, and rising health concerns with little hope for swift government action.