By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo
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There is no gainsaying that several areas within Osogbo, the capital city of Osun State have suffered severe incessant floods in the recent times.
These unfortunate occurrences have necessitated flood vulnerability mapping out strategic measures within Osogbo Metropolis by applying geospatial techniques to facilitate fitting planning and to proffer lasting solutions to the frequent damage that humans and property suffer from flood disaster within the city.
The latest incident occurred in Ikire, the headquarters of Irewole Local Government area which was reportedly sacked and rendered many homeless.
Many residents in Ikire are now nursing pains and grieving over the ravaging flood that threw the entire community into serious threat following destruction of property.
Our correspondent gathered that a torrential downpour witnessed in the community led to the flooding which reportedly caused serious havoc on the residents.
Reports had it that the rain started around 8am on Saturday and lasted several hours.
Some of the affected areas in the town include; Oja-Ale, Atoto, Naira and Kobo junction, Fulani, Mateba, UNIOSUN Road, Campus area and many others over 100 residents were reported to have been sacked and shops, hostels, farmlands destroyed, killing livestock among other things.
Some personal effects and belongings of the victims including clothing and other valuables were sighted floating on water, as residents struggled to save their wards from drowning while some concerned youths of the town were mobilised to avert extreme damage as many of them were seen scooping water from affected houses.
The situation brought to a halt vehicular movements from Ibadan to Osogbo and passengers were stranded on the expressway as they urged relevant government authorities to rise to the occasion and save lives before the situation get worse.
In June this year, a similar occurrence happened at Sasa Market, after a heavy downpour where houses were submerged.
Traders in Sasa market in Osogbo counted their losses while speaking to journalists on their experience.
The incident, according to reports, occurred on a Saturday just like in Ikire.
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sympathised with the people of Ikire in Irewole Local Government Council Area of the state over the losses they suffered when flood ravaged the community last Saturday and its environs on Sunday.
APC reaction was contained in a statement by the State Chairman, Mr Sooko Tajudeen Lawal made available to newsmen in Osogbo.
“So many vehicles in some of the mechanic workshops and inside some houses were submerged in the flood while the parents were running helter-skelter to salvage their children and wards who were trapped in the flood in the ancient town and there were hues and cries throughout the community as everyone was a victim through their relations.
Lawal said the situation caused a traffic gridlock for the vehicles coming from or going to Ibadan-Ikire as the road became impassable for the vehicles.
” In his comment on the unsavoury development, the Osun State chairman of the APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, sympathised with the victims of the flood, saying that it was a clear case of planlessness and cluelessness on the part of the ruling government in the state.”
Lawal wondered why the state government was not pro-active enough in channeling all the water ways that could portend danger for the innocent inhabitants of Ikire in particular and the entire states in general despite the fact that the supervisory agency, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), had forewarned about the imminent danger of flooding in some states in Nigeria including Osun.
He recalled that the immediate-past administration of former Governor Gboyega Oyetola was always pro-active in solving the challenges that might be posed by flooding.
In Lawal’s words: “On behalf of the state executive officers and members of our party, the APC, under my watch in Osun State, I sympathise with the victims of the flooding and pray for their speedy recovery.
“I am happy to inform the entire people of Ikire that the Federal Government under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not abandon you in this your travail caused by the administrative negligence of the state government.
“We are hopeful and confident that all the necessary interventions that will ameliorate your losses during the flooding won’t be unnecessarily delayed in getting to you in good time.
“It is during such a period like this that the people would separate the boys from the men in governance and those who instantly are grounded with the ability to attend to unforeseen disasters in government”, the state APC chairman said.
However, the State Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke has reacted to the flood disaster and immediately directed the Commissioner for Environment to take proactive measures to address the ugly trend .
He expressed his sympathy with the people of Ikire on the flood disaster that wrecked havoc on the western part of the state, assuring them of his government’s commitment to address root cause of the flood and the fast tracking of the ongoing state flood prevention plan.
The Governor’s message was issued by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.
The Governor said his administration has previously embarked on prevention actions and initiatives, citing the massive rainfall as the cause of the sad event and that his administration has activated emergency measures to rescue people and livelihoods hugely impacted by the flooding, assuring victims of the incident that the government will do all in its capacity to support them.
“It is touching to learn about the monumental damage that flood has wrecked on homes and livelihoods in Ikire. The scale of the losses suffered by our people as a result of the flood disaster were too heavy especially at a time of economic strain as now,” the statement read in part.
“I want to, on behalf of the State Government, convey heartfelt sympathy to everyone affected in one way or the other. As a government, we stand with the people of Ikire in this difficult moment, and assure them of our commitment to support them overcome the challenges posed by the incident.
