There is a problem hiding in plain sight across several communities in Kosofe Local Government Area – and it is one that residents themselves have the power to solve.
The Executive Chairman of Kosofe Local Government Area, Barr. Moyosore Adedoyin Ogunlewe, has spoken out firmly on the recurring flooding that continues to disrupt lives in Oworonsoki, Ifako, Ogudu, and Mende. His message is clear, and perhaps uncomfortable: much of the flooding we experience is not an act of nature – it is an act of negligence.
When the rains come, it is easy to blame the weather. But Chairman Ogunlewe is asking residents to look a little closer to home.
Drains choked with refuse. Waterways blocked by illegally erected kiosks and structures. These are not minor inconveniences – they are the primary reasons floodwaters rise and refuse to recede in our communities. The Chairman has issued a firm warning to those responsible, making clear that such actions directly undermine the government’s ongoing efforts to secure a safer, flood-free environment for all.
This is not about blame for its own sake. It is about accountability – and about recognising that every bag of refuse tossed into a drainage channel is a problem that someone else’s family will eventually wade through.
Chairman Ogunlewe did not stop at residents. He directed equal attention to those in positions of community leadership, stressing that environmental protection cannot succeed without strong, committed leadership at the grassroots level.
He specifically charged the Chairman of the Kosofe Community Development Committee (CDC), Hon. Segun Babatunde, to strengthen the Environmental Task Force Committees across all Community Development Associations (CDAs) within the local government area. The goal is straightforward: improve monitoring, sharpen enforcement, and deepen public awareness on environmental responsibility — community by community, street by street.
This is a significant charge. It places the burden of environmental stewardship not only on government agencies but on the very structures closest to the people.
The Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC) also received a direct charge from the Chairman. They are urged to intensify their efforts against indiscriminate refuse dumping in public spaces — a menace that quietly feeds the flooding crisis season after season.
Their presence on the streets of Kosofe must translate into visible, consistent action.
Perhaps the most resonant part of Chairman Ogunlewe’s message is also the simplest. “A safe environment,” he stated, “is the collective responsibility of every member of this community.”
That is not political language. That is the truth. Flood prevention is not a project that begins and ends in the chairman’s office. It lives in the decisions each resident makes every single day – where to dispose of waste, whether to report a blocked drain, whether to speak up when a neighbour’s actions endanger the street.
Kosofe Local Government will continue to do its part. The question now is whether residents, community leaders, and security agencies will rise to meet that commitment.