25th April, 2015
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
Residents in some parts of Abeokuta, Ogun state capital are now counting their following the havoc wrecked by rain last night.
The rain which began around 4:17 pm and lasted for about two hours, was preceded by heavy storm which caused many residents in Abeokuta to gnash their teeth as they picked the remnants of the belongings destroyed by the rain.
The areas affected include the ICT INEC Southwest Data Centre, Oke Ilewo, OPIC building, Oke Ilewo, Campaign office of the Ogun Central senator-elect, Prince Lanre Tejuoso, located along Kuto-Isabo road, many houses in Amolaso, Totoro, Sokori, Isale-Ijeun, Elites, Ijemo, Lantoro, Grammar School, Itoku.
Also, many PHCN and Mini Power poles were seen falling on roads like Oke Ilewo, close to Sweet Sensation eatery, Isabo and Erumbe.
The big bill board of senator-elect, Tejuoso erected in front of his campaign office was pulled down while another mounted directly opposite Amolaso junction in Kuto was uprooted.
The OPIC building, which is a glass house, located at Oke Ilewo area of the town has a touch of the disaster, as parts of the structure was shattered and broken.
Our correspondent also gathered that some areas in Ijebu Ife, Ijebu Ode, Ago Iwoye, Atan, Odosimadegun, Ikija, Ota, Sagamu, Ogijo, Sotubo were also affected in one way or the other.
Photo: Abiodun Onafuye
Some of the residents who spoke to our correspondent described the incident as unexpected and unfortunate, calling on government and individuals to come to their aid.
One of the residents in Amolaso, who simply identified himself as Mathew lamented that he just moved into the area few days before the rain disaster.
“You can see that all I have laboured for for many years have gone down the drain. I have paid for this house since February but just moved in finally on Wednesday, only to be called that the roof of the house has been blown off with water entering into my room. Everything is soaked with water while many have been destroyed. This is a serious thing and don’t know what to do now,” he said.
Another resident from Sokori area, Mrs Tinuke Babalola told our correspondent that if government and well to do Nigerians do not come to their aid, many people may die from the shock of the incident.
Photo: Abiodun Onafuye, Abeokuta
She narrated how she was helpless watching her properties and that of her neighbours washed away. “I was asleep when I heard a bang and hurriedly rushed out. When I got out I saw the roof of our house already blown off and there is this big tree around here, it has been caught off by the people after the rain stopped, but you can still see its remnant. The tree fell on the house and collapsed parts of the building.
“Before I could say anything, the house has become flooded and several properties were taken away to unknown places. I am short of words now because this is rather disturbing and confusing. I have to called others to see things by themselves. The flooding is too much and it was due to the topographic condition of the area. It is our fate and we just have to accept it.
Many others who share their experiences with our correspondent disclosed that the rainstorm havoc was a natural disaster and would be glad if government agencies saddled with such responsibilities could come to their aid.
They pleaded with the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun to lend his generosity to them.
When our correspondent contacted one of the aides of the governor, he disclosed that “the governor will be going out this morning (Saturday) to look around and see the level of destruction and see the palliative measures that can be done to relieve the affected people.
“You know the governor will never ignore the yearnings of his people and I can assure you that something will be done. A team went out last night for on-the-spot-assessment and they would have put up their findings and something will be done to that,” the aide said.
As at the time of filing this report, monthly environmental sanitation is ongoing in the state, many of the residents were still packing the remains of their belongings.