Residents of Oyadiran Estate in the Sabo axis of Yaba, Lagos, are living in constant fear and frustration as the once-serene neighbourhood has become a nightmare of broken roads, blocked drainages, and knee-deep floods whenever it rains.

What used to be a smooth drive through the estate has turned into a stretch of gullies and craters. Deep potholes have eaten into the asphalt, leaving gaping holes filled with muddy water. Vehicles now struggle to navigate the dilapidated stretch, while pedestrians tread carefully on the narrow edges of the damaged road to avoid slipping into stagnant pools.

On rainy days, the situation worsens. The drainage channels, many of them clogged with plastic waste and silt overflow easily, sending torrents of water cascading into homes and shops. Residents recount how, within minutes of a heavy downpour, their streets turn into a river, with water gushing through compounds and submerging ground-floor apartments.

Motorists lament the danger they face while navigating the bad road on a daily basis.

For Ayo Fashanu, it is a moment of agony passing through the road every day. “I have been repairing my car almost every day because of this bad road. Nobody is ready to fox. The local government came some weeks ago thinking that they want to start work there. We did not see them again.

During the election, the politicians promised every heaven and earth yet there is nothing we are seeing on ground, only failed promises.

Another resident, Nike, a small business owner, lamented that her shop has been carried away by the flood and by extension the estate’s poor drainage.

“The rain sweeps away goods worth thousands of naira. I keep losing stock because of the flood. The drains are completely blocked, and when water cannot flow, it comes into our shops and homes.” For Rasheed, it is a nightmare. “Each time it rains, we will struggle with the road. There are times; Keke Napep will break down in the middle of the flood. Sometimes, we battle with trying to navigate the flood for our children to go to school. The road has completely failed and nobody seems to care.”

The bad road, residents explained, has worsened due to years of neglect and poor maintenance of the estate’s drainage system. The open gutters, once deep enough to carry storm water, are now choked with debris. Attempts by residents’ associations to draw government attention have yielded little result.

Aside from the environmental hazard, health concerns are mounting. Pools of stagnant water have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, raising fears of malaria outbreaks. Children are often seen wading through dirty water after rainfall, while some houses have resorted to raising sand barriers at their entrances.

In the evenings, the failed sections of the road become dangerous traps for motorists. Without proper streetlights, unsuspecting drivers often plunge into the deep gullies or get stuck in waterlogged spots.

Others noted that beyond property damage, the floods expose residents to health risks. Mosquito breeding, water-borne diseases and foul odours have become a permanent feature of life in the area.

Speaking, the Chairman of Oyadiran Estate Residents Association, Mr. Kayode Adeyemi, lamented that the problem has lingered despite several appeals to government agencies.

“This is not just about inconvenience; it is a public health emergency waiting to explode. We have engaged the local government and other stakeholders, but we have not received any concrete response.

Our estate was well-planned, but over the years, poor maintenance of drainages has combined to worsen the flooding.”

“We cannot solve this alone. The entire drainage needs redesigning and reconstruction to handle the situation. That would mean the collapse of a once-thriving community.”

When contacted, the Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Mr. Bayo Adefuye said, “The matter cannot be discussed on phone”.