Oshodi Flood: Water Levels Drop, Shops Still Closed

Commercial activities slowly started again in Oshodi, a busy transport and business area in Lagos State, on Monday. This followed heavy rains on Sunday that flooded parts of this popular area.

When PREMIUM TIMES visited, buses, taxis, and private cars were moving freely on major roads that had been under water less than a day before. Customers were also returning to the market as the water disappeared, but many shops were still closed.

The shop closures were not because of the flooding. Traders told PREMIUM TIMES that they stayed away to mourn the passing of the Iyaloja of Oshodi, Sikirat Adeyanju, known as Socopau.

They said the floodwaters had gone down by Monday morning, allowing movement and business to slowly start up again.

This came less than a day after heavy rains caused severe flooding across Lagos. The floods blocked major roads and affected homes, disrupting traffic and forcing businesses to shut down. The international terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) was also temporarily closed.

Oshodi was one of the hardest-hit places, along with Opeki Road in Mosan-Okunola LCDA, Abesan Estate, Ilupeju Road, Mushin, Fashoro Street in Surulere, Akowonjo Road in Egbeda, Gbagada Expressway, and Idi-Oro. The Sunday flooding happened about two weeks after the Lagos State Government warned residents about possible heavy rains and flooding.

A customer, Ifeanyi Moses, said he delayed his trip to the market until he was sure the roads were clear. "The rain fell yesterday, so I decided to come around today to buy some items in the market because the water has gone," he said.

A shop owner, Paul Arinze, shared that water entered his shop during the rain but only caused minor damage. "We were able to clean up because the water inside the shop was not as bad as what was on the road. We have also raised the frontage of the shop with blocks because flooding happens almost every year here," he explained.

Although things are getting back to normal in Oshodi, residents and traders told PREMIUM TIMES that the flooding showed again how bad the drainage problems are in the city. They called for better drainage and waste management to lessen the effects of future rains.

The floods also affected the departure hall, boarding gates, airline offices, and other areas in the airport. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had to stop operations there. Airlines like Air France-KLM, Ethiopian Airlines, and Fly Gabon were moved to Terminal Two after water reached the terminal’s powerhouse, which made airport officials turn off the electricity for safety.

This incident happened just months after FAAN closed the old international terminal for a reconstruction project costing over N600 billion. Earlier this year, parts of the same terminal were damaged by fire.

FAAN spokesperson Henry Agbebire said the flooding was due to ongoing construction around the airport. "It was the construction works that affected the drainage. And for operational reasons, we have moved airlines operating from that terminal to Terminal 2, and the development has not really affected their operations."

“There were no cancellations at all. We have taken immediate action to fix that problem to the extent that it doesn’t happen again. You can rest assured of that,” he added.

In response to the flooding on Sunday, the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, told residents not to panic. He called the flooding flash flooding that would naturally go away after the rain stopped.

He explained that such flooding is common in coastal cities when there is heavy rain. High lagoon water levels sometimes stop stormwater from draining into the lagoon until the tide goes down. Mr Wahab said that the state has been doing drainage maintenance and flood control all year. He urged residents to stop throwing waste into drains and building without permission on drainage areas and wetlands. He also said that better drainage and stricter environmental rules have helped reduce flooding in recent years, even as rainfall has increased.

The flooding happened about two weeks after the Lagos State Government warned that many areas were at risk of heavy rain and rising water levels. The warning from the Federal Ministry of Environment listed Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Ikoyi, Lagos Island, Lekki, Ojo, Orile-Agege, Surulere, Agege, Alimosho, and Kosofe as places facing high flood risk.

Residents in these vulnerable areas were advised to stay alert, find safe escape routes, and avoid actions that could block drainage channels. This flooding has raised concerns about how well Lagos manages drainage and waste as the rainy season peak approaches.