Lagos State is grappling with a devastating waste management crisis marked by overflowing refuse, rising collection costs, health and climate concerns, labour grievances and failing landfill infrastructure. That is even as the government promises urgent reforms and improved waste evacuation. LADESOPE LADELOKUN reports.
At the Terminal 3 area of Oshodi in Lagos, what used to be a refuse collection point with just two large bins by the road had morphed to a dumpsite, chopping off a considerable portion of the road as the stench emanating from the refuse got the palms of passers-by glued to their noses at the time Sunday Telegraph visited.Curiously, like other foodstuff traders beside the mountain of refuse, one of them, who identified herself as Sidi, could not be bothered as she swept away smelly water beneath the waste to start the day’s business.
“People often complain about the smell here but we can’t perceive anything. Can you perceive something now? Maybe, because we are used to this place,” She replied when asked about her coping mechanism without a nose mask.
From Ponmo (Cowhide)sellers to roasted fish traders, huge flies could be seen, just like the refuse beside them, liberally perching on their wares, raising public health concerns.
At another spot along Agege Motor Road, the overflowing refuse oozes a far more offensive smell, cutting the picture of a major dumpsite along that popular road.Moving down to Ikeja, near Allen Roundabout, another image of abandoned and smelly refuse sits by the side of the road. As if that’s not enough, directly after Allen Junction was another pile of refuse begging to be evacuated.
From Maryland to Ikeja, Ojota to Mushin, Alaba Rago to Ketu, Agege to Fagba, Yaba to Ijegun and other parts of the state of aquatic splendour, a great number of residents give a single verdict: Lagos stinks.
Like the Commissioner of the Environment in the state, Tokunbo Wahab, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu makes no pretence about the state of filth that pervades the state. In his plea for understanding, he vowed to pull all stops to ensure the current narrative is changed.He said: “We have deployed extra trucks and personnel to clear the backlogs across all affected neighbourhoods. You should already see progress on the streets and we will not stop until our city is completely clean again.”
Meanwhile, it is not the first time the waste issue in Lagos has generated public interest. Last year, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member based in Lagos, Ushie Uguamaye, popularly known as Raye, had posted a video on TikTok, lamenting the environmental condition of Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous city.In the viral video, Raye had said: “Lagos stinks. Lagos smells like ‘sh*t’. If you say’Ok, I want to take a walk, I’m depressed’, you can’t even take a walk. The place smells like crazy. Why does an entire state smell like this?
What’s the government doing about the bad smell?” While she was hailed by many, she attracted knocks from those who considered her observation an attack on Lagos, especially the Lagos State government. She would later apologise, affirming that her statement was based on her personal observation.
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