TELL Magazine

For the second time within a week, members of waterfront communities in Lagos State took to the streets to protest their fate. The residents were protesting the plan by the Lagos State government to demolish all waterfront communities in the state based on recent media reports credited to Akinwumi Ambode, the Lagos State governor. The governor was quoted as saying: “We will commence demolition of all the shanties around the creeks in Lagos State and also around our waterways in the next seven days.” It’s a threat the governor has not denied and the people of the earmarked communities-33 in all according to a source, decided to protest against the plan. On Thursday last week, they mobilized and stormed the Lagos Government House, Alausa and, failing to be pacified, repeated the visit today.  For hours, the protesting members, comprising  men and women, boys and girls, with placards and T-shirts with inscriptions such as  “Governor Ambode, Don’t Make Us Homeless,” and “Forced Eviction: Never Again, ” laid siege to the Lagos State Government House, Alausa, and prevented vehicles from driving in or out of the governor’s office. They refused all entreaties from the Lagos State commissioner of police, Fatai Owoseni and an official from the office of civic engagement to vacate the area and embrace dialogue.  They wanted the governor to address them but that hadn’t happened as at press time. “We are ready to wait. We are not tired of waiting,” said Bimbo Oshobe, one of the protesters.