Lagos Island, Apapa Pipo Don Gather Body To Fight Flooding.

For Lagos Island and Apapa, two coastal areas wey don chop better beating from flooding, sea level wey dey rise, plus government eye wey don close, climate change don turn serious wahala. Na everyday gbege, and di people don begin gather themselves to face di dangerous palava head-on. One kain groundbreaking pilot project don land, dem dey call am Citizens-Led Accountability Mechanism for Mitigating Climate Change Impact (CLAIM). Na dis one dey ginger youths and community people to face di climate wahala gidigba. Na Lagos State Civil Society Participation for Development (LACSOP) dey front di matter, with support from Bread for di World (BfdW). Dis project na real wake-up call for grassroots mobilization, environmental justice, and make citizens use dia hand build resilience wey go stand strong. For one recent validation workshop wey shele for Lagos, stakeholders from Lagos Island and Apapa gather ground to check beta beta one draft climate adaptation manual. Di koko of di matter na to make di document truly represent di real-life struggle and urgent needs of di people wey dey feel di heat pass. Market women, youths between 18 to 35, small small business owners, plus government people siddon together, no level pass another, as dem unite with one strong mission which na to take back dia communities from di hand of environmental wahala.

Dr Olushola Adeoye, wey be Director of di Ocean and Coast Programme for Nature Care Resource Center, reaffirm di matter wey don dey ground since. “Climate change no be jazz or spiritual wahala, na real life gbege, and e dey touch us steady every single day,” the man talk am clear. “Once you sabi di problem and know where e dey come from, e go dey easier to tackle am straight.” Adeoye still put weight for the matter as e talk say the manual no go get head if di same people wey e suppose help no validate am. “Dis na dia own product,” e yarn. “If e no show dia knowledge, dia language, or di life wey dem dey live every day, then we don fail be that.” “We want make di content clear die, make everybody fit grab am, from di market woman for roadside to di young carpenter for corner workshop, so dem fit understand am and take action sharp.” E still pour more fire for di matter as e blast di way people dey carry environmental problems turn spiritual attack. “All dis talk say na spiritual wahala dey cause flood or heat, na wrong thinking,” e talk. “To adapt, we gats change di way we dey live. Na that way we fit still get one Lagos wey person fit live inside without fear.” “We want make Lagos communities stop to dey act like passive victims wey just dey wait for help. Dem suppose stand up, take action, and become active agents of change. Na so we go take build resilience, one community at a time.” The CLAIM Project, wey launch for May and go run till September 2026, dey laser-focused on building one strong youth-led movement wey go stand gidigba for climate resilience. Project Manager, Ms Omolara Olusaye, explain say di initiative na target for flood-prone areas like Lagos Island and Apapa, and di goal na to raise one fresh generation of climate warriors, young people between age 18 to 35, wey go sabi di matter and take action for dia communities. “We dey carry young people along because we believe say dem fit be climate change advocates inside dia own communities,” na wetin Olusaye yarn. She talk say di participants go get power and knowledge to monitor wetin dey happen for environment, raise awareness about correct way to throw waste, and even ginger local government to take action with better policies. Olusaye point finger straight to man-made wahala as di major cause of flooding, especially di way people just dey throw dirt anyhow.

“You see something, you talk something. Na that kind active citizen spirit we dey try build,” she talk am clear. “Dis work no be one-man show, na join-body between di communities, civil society, and government.” She add say di koko na make di people own di movement by themselves, because na only citizen-led action go make climate solution last long and truly work. Di workshop show di serious gbege wey residents dey face, health risks dey waka come strong from flooding, water no dey well, and waste dey scatter everywhere. But e still show say people get strong mind to fight back. “We dey always think say na government go handle climate change, but e actually start for our side, inside our homes and communities,” na wetin Oluwaremilekun Abiodun Cole from Lagos Island Connect talk. “Di youth no be leaders of tomorrow again; we be leaders of today.” Digital expert and youth advocate Tanimola Yusuf Dauda from Apapa lament say, “If we want better change, we gats start for grassroots, from school pikin dem to community leaders. When flood waka come, e no be politician dey suffer, na we pipo.” Both Cole and Dauda put mouth for how clean drainage, proper waste disposal, and recycling fit change di matter. But more pass that, dem strongly believe say na young people get di power to push action, change policy, and ginger older generations to follow dia lead. Di CLAIM Project no be just pilot project, na blueprint for climate justice, community power, and sustainable development. As Lagos dey prepare for di heavy wahala wey climate change dey bring, di citizens dey show say true resilience dey start for house, and di fight for better future gats be led by those wey dey live am every day.