IF urgent interventions are not taken to control the ravaging sea incursion at Ayetoro community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo state, the community may be obliterated. In extension, the entire Ilaje local government is also at risk of being submerged by ocean wave, once Ayetoro is overrun.
THE Happy City, which houses the first Technical College in South West Nigeria and the last city known for communism in South West Nigeria has lost all its glory as about 75% of it’s 20km landmass already submerged and its population reduced from 25,000 to below 5,000 people.
OUT of an average of 32 buildings on each street in the town, less than six of the buildings are still standing. The Oba’s palace, primary, secondary and technical schools, Community Hall, playing field and every social structure in the town have all become history no thanks to the ocean waves.
THE major cause of this incessant sea nightmare is not far fetched – oil exploration and exploitating by multinational companies. The companies, in a manner far from humane and sensible corporate behaviours have defiled all rules of engagement in oil exploration to protect the community that is at the fore front of receiving the ripple effects of their multi billion dollar operations.
RELATEDLY, in its usual notoriousmanner of contracts awards and execution, a shoreline protection project was awarded to Gallet Nigeria Limited by the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC for a fee around N3 billion in 2004. A mobilisation fee of N650 million was said to be paid to the company but nothing was done before the contract was terminated. The peoples’ hope was temporary raised again when the NDDC re-awarded the shoreline protection project to Dredging Atlantic at the cost of N6.5 billion, paying a mobilisation fee of N2.5 billion: about 40 per cent of the total sum.
UNFORTUNATELY, several reports about the organisation showed that many projects awarded to it in several Niger Delta communities have been abandoned. The hope of the Ogeloyinbo-led community was lost once again.
THE Atlantic Ocean surge has constantly destroyed Ayetoro’s marine life, negatively affecting the peoples’ fishing business, which is the main stay of the local economy. In a community of mostly fishermen, the ripple effects of incessant sea incursion can only be imagined with the continuous destruction of the people’s physical, economic, cultural, mental and communal lives. Urgent actions are needed to salvage the remains of the Happy City.
EVER since, it has been one unimaginable loss of property as the community continues to sink under the ocean. Regrettably, the same ugly development is being experienced in other Ilaje communities at the shoreline. Notable among them are Abereke and Awoye Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has approached the World Bank for assistance to construct an embankment for the area, with Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) engaged to handle the project.
THE project has been designed and officials from the Ministry of Environment but the approval for its commencement is yet to be received. \However, the people of Ayetoro cannot continue to wait in perpetuity as the Atlantic ocean continues to push the community on a daily basis.
THE Hope, calls on NDDC to act swiftly to protect the shoreline and salvage the rest of the community. The embankment project should be adequately funded as soon as possible. We challenge the oil companies operating onshore to protect the host community. Their inhumane operations in that area are not acceptable in the countries they came from and it is expected of them to uphold the principles of sustainability in their operations.
THE Hope charges people of Ayetoro community to do away with any form of sentiment, divisions and unproductive tussles ongoing in the community. They should join hands with the state government and other interventionists to allow projects initiated to be successful as they are the major beneficiaries.