The length of raining seasons differs from place to place. In Nigeria, research has shown that the length of rainy seasons decrease from south to north. In the south the rainy season lasts from March to November, whereas in the far north it lasts only from mid-May to September. However, wet seasons like any other seasons come with mixed feelings for different class of people. While some love and relive their childhood memories during these periods some others don’t just like the fact that the wet seasons are here again. In my chat with a set of young adults, while some of them applaud the advent of the season, some of them do not seem to like the wet season because according to them, speaking in pidgin English, ‘’everywhere go be yamayama.”
By ‘’yamayama’’ they mean everywhere will be soggy, messy and impede them from moving freely on the streets and roads. This indeed is the reality of many communities in Nigeria be it in the urban, semi-urban and worst still, in the rural areas unlike in saner, developed climes. But truth be told, wet seasons like any other seasons must come. There are also many benefits of rainfalls to the existence of mankind which outweighs the demerits.
Besides, it is interesting to know that some people, young and old even dread raining seasons and even ‘pray’ against heavy downpours just for a singular reason – flood. The major cause of flooding being sudden and heavy rain pours is made worse by bad drainages through which the flood water can flow and this many times culminate in bad roads network.
However, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) as well as the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) has not failed to especially warn citizens in flood prone areas of the impending flood which has been forecast for the year 2021.
In reacting to this, the Ogun state Ministry of Environment as well as its Lagos state counterpart has since been alerting residents in coastal areas as well as occupants in other flood prone areas to relocate ahead of the impending flash floods that will affect many areas within the states especially between the months of July to September.
Some highly probable areas to be affected by flood mentioned by the Lagos state government are: Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Mainland, Ikorodu, Mushin, Ijora Badia and some other coastal areas within the state. The Ogun state counterpart listed these areas under Ifo local government among other areas as suspected areas for flooding, Isheri, Wawa, Arepo, Akute, Alagbole … The two state governments has hereby advised residents in these areas to temporarily make provision for a safe environment to avoid severe impact of this natural event.
The Ogun state government, has in addition, advised farmers around coastal regions to complete their harvesting before the above stated time to avert loss of their livestock and crops to rise in water level while still contemplating the probability of releasing the Oyan Dam, which indeed, will compound the flooding issue.
The rain is not our problem. Our problem is no drainage and blocked drainage in other cases. We still empty our trash into waterways, impeding the flow of water. We still eat stuff and throw the wrap out of the windows of vehicles. And I keep asking within me, ‘who is supposed to pick up the dirt after you throw it out of the window?’
Exactly!
Poorly planned and maintained drainages are the real issues.