Nigeria: Oke Afa, One Year After the Neglect Persists

26 January 2003
opinion

THE figure of casualties were staggering going by media reports. For instance, one newspaper headline wrote: "600 civilians confirmed dead in Lagos explosions." But an unconfirmed report, however, put the figure at 2,000. The bomb explosions on January 27, 2002 at the Ikeja military cantonment has kept a sore that has refused to heal in many families. Tomorrow is the first anniversary of the disaster. In military fashion, such anniversary is called remembrance day, especially as the victims were given mass burial because their relations could not claim the unidentified bodies.

Reflecting on the disaster, not so much has changed in the life of the survivors. A lot of promises were made to them by both the federal and Lagos State governments but the promises are yet to be fulfilled and the pains linger. Residents of Oke Afa, a high density suburb of Ejigbo in Lagos expressed disappointment in governments' promises when Sunday Vanguard spoke to them. But indeed, Oke Afa canal, the blackish water was where hundreds of Nigerians got drowned while fleeing from the explosions. Today, covered by a mass of greenish leaves of water hyacinth, the canal appears calm, as if it is innocent of the souls it swallowed last year. The silence of the canal last Wednesday morning was ominous. But for the tragedy, the Oke Afa canal was not known to many. It passed for any other canal in the metropolis until that black Sunday. After the incident, however, the danger posed by the canal was appreciated by all and sundry. And almost everybody was gripped by the fear of the canal. To avert future disaster, government promised to construct a foot bridge to link the communities between Mafoluku in Oshodi and Ejigbo. This is yet to be fulfilled. Refuse dumps are surrounding the burial site for victims of the explosions. Often times, the state government makes promises to clear the dumps and convert the place to tourists site.

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