The previous evening gave no clue as to what will come, after the usual merriment and greetings, everyone went to their various homes with different plans for the next day.
At about 2am Sunday morning, the Atlantic Ocean surged above the sand barrier, made its way into the community and its environs. It was swift, sudden and the only thing the community could do was swim from their bedrooms, savaging their properties from the flowing current.
Days later, the community head or Baale, Chief Yusuf Atewolara, kitted in yellow rain-boot, wades through pool of water from his room for a chat.
"We had the same flood problem last year and the year before but this year, the problem is made worse because the water has no outlet to recede due to the Twin Lakes Estate fence."
When the Twin Lakes Estate area was inspected, the surrounding was a swamp of water on the side of the community. This is alleged to be the main reason of the continuous flood because the fence creates an artificial barrier for the water to recede. The nearby Admiralty Estate is not spared either.
"For over three years, we've been contacting all agencies concerned. Governor Fashola (of Lagos) and President Goodluck Jonathan (Nigeria) were here last year and they promised to come up with a quick solution to the problem. We have been complaining to Chevron through various means. We had a meeting at Protea Hotel, about two years ago, and they (Chevron) told us that they will construct drainage to channel the water"
Chevron however denied the allegation. In a press released made available to me, the Managing Director of the company, Obafunke Alade-Adeyefa said the construction in question is handled by another company and not Chevron.
"We sympathize with the communities and have taken time to explain to the community leaders that Twin Lakes Estate (TLE) fence is not responsible for their plight. We have conducted a joint inspection of TLE and the position of the existing Lagos State Government drain within the surroundings, with the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and other officials from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
The inspection proved that TLE had not encroached upon the existing or ant future planned alignment of a drainage channel."
Domestic animals are not spared as their lifeless bodies litters the water, the community Health Centre is deserted due to doctors and nurses run for dear lives, roads are taking over by flood, septic waste litters the water-street, no electricity. To move without wading through the water, residents now transport themselves with makeshift boats from refrigerator packing foams.
The once popular Alfa Beach is empty; many shops that lined the beach shore are deserted.
The only road to the community is the sandy strand accessible only to jeeps and bigger vehicles.
Some, who can take it no more simply pack whatever is left of their properties as they look to start their lives somewhere, somewhere other than Okun Afa.
The story of Okun Afa and indeed coaster communities along the Atlantic Ocean has been made worse by abandoned sea vessels, which increase the strength of the ocean wave as it approaches the shore. When the wave breaks, its forward motion creates a powerful surge of water that cart away sand barrier as it withdraw.
Today, the distance of the community to Atlantic Ocean, initial about four hundred metres is now less than fifty metres.
"We are appealing to the government of Lagos to construct sea barrier like the one erect at Bar Beach so that the surge can be caged on the other side," Mr. Samuel Poktum, who has been a resident of the area for more than thirteen years appealed.
During a similar surge in 2011, Lagos state government appealed to the community for time so that the ecology fund needed to tackle the challenge can be accessed.
For now, the community of Okun Afa Alpha Beach is battling with the flood, the much awaited intervention from the state government is yet to come, how they will battle with water borne disease which is impeding and with the health center out of business, is left to be seen.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.
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