Makoko Residents Beg Gornment As Lagos Lawmakers Inspect Demolitions

By: Esther Ayoola

On Monday for Makoko waterfront inside Lagos, residents and children cry out, dey beg, (say “Jọwọ”) as members of Lagos State House of Assembly come visit di area to check ongoing evictions.

Di lawmakers, wey come under House Committee on Rules and Business for fact-finding mission, hear from students of Makoko Students Association wey sing national anthem and tell gornment say “our community, na our home,” begging dem make dem no demolish am.

Di visit come afta residents complain say gornment plan forced evictions and demolitions go affect tens of thousands of people for Makoko, Oko Agbon, and Sogunro communities.

Gornment say dem dey remove buildings because of safety under high-voltage power line, but residents argue say demolition teams don go far pass di agreed 100-meter clearance reach as far as 522 meters.