John Omachonu
For residents of Arepo, a town in
Obafemi Owode local government area of Ogun State, the nightmares of the night of Friday/Saturday, September 23/24, would not be easily forgotten and certainly not in a hurry.
Arepo can be regarded as the gateway and last notable town to the nation’s economic capital and hub of businesses, Lagos.
To most people, it is a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria and it is often referred to as New Lagos while some others often refer to it as Magodo 3.
In the late hours of Friday and early hours of Saturday morning, residents were confronted with unsavory smell of gas odour which filled the air that was almost choking the residents, who, most of them, were asleep.
The unfortunate incident left the residents scampering for safety and members of the various estates coming out to find out the source of the repulsive odour.
For instance, residents of Praise Hill estate, a conglomeration of over five estates within had to rely on its ever busy and bubbling platform to inform members on safety measures where to congregate while trying to find out the source of the unpleasant and repulsive gas odour.
While some people relocated to some nereby estates considered safer as the intensity of the odour was lesser, some had to keep vigil and as well trying other safety measures.
As strategic as Arepo is, the feelings among most residents is that government is still very far from them.
Very far in the areas of presence of amenities, security, regulation of environmental pullution and degradation as well as monitoring building and other construction work going on in the area.
Many of the residents, relieving their nasty experience the previous night, were of the opinion that neither the impact of the Obafemi Owode local government, that is supposed to be the grassroots administration nor the state government with its headquarters in faraway, Abeokuta, is being felt.
That night, as like other nights, was ‘to your tent o Israel’.
In fact, Arepo is beginning to wear the posture and colour of a disorganized town, bearing some marks of the Hobbesian state of nature.
This is because there are some areas, where some citizens have taken laws into their hands and doing all manner of things like indiscriminate construction of buildings, parking of trailers, among others because of the seemingly absence of governance.
For instance around the popular indomie side, beside and behind the new NIPCO filling station, a pseudo, Central Business District, (CBD) where different companies and individuals operate with the attendant pollution of the environment with no government to challenge them, has gradually emerged.
Currently, what looks like ‘Tank Farm’ is being constructed in the area with an existing gas plant among the residents, while building constructions are going on without regulation and supervision.
The implication is that residents are being exposed to dangers ocasdioned by various emissions from the companies operating within the environment and possible outbreak of fire.
Opposite the Punch Newspaper and under the bridge, there seem to be areas carved out as colonies for beggers and destitute who have put up temporary tents and have since settled there without any attempt at relocating them to some more befitting areas.
Under the bridge has been taken over by miscreants who harass and sometimes rob early risers either for work or businesses.
In recent years, the only semblance of governance at local level is the inscription of disapprovals either written or painted on the affected walls of the building considered either wrongly located or non compliant by Owode Local government.
However in most cases, they end up at those levels as the buildings would eventually be completed.
Investigations also showed that most of the residents, through the various CDAs and CDC have resorted to embarking on projects that would enhance their well being and peaceful co-existence.
“In the early hours of today (September 24), we experienced the offensive gas odour and the resultant panic it caused within our estate and the larger Arepo community. While we remain grateful to God that it didn’t get worse, it throws up the need for us to do more in the area of safety and this requires all hands on deck.
while the smell was heavy in the air, one of our residents put a call through to Ogun State Ministry of Environment, they came around on Saturday morning and met us at the venue of the general meeting where we shared our experience with them.
Above is what they have come up with, which is at variance to the initial report from the Accda /Acdc that NNPC was responsible with the claim the information was from an official of the organization.
The Arepo leadership is still making their findings as it was discussed at the meeting on Sunday.“ statement from one of the estates said.
“An update on the strong Incident – Friday Night 23rd September
An investigation has been carried out by the Ogun State Ministry of Environment. and according to the officials after visiting various companies they eventually located a site where some vendors who engaged in the sale of chemical drums were sighted. Interrogation of the vendors revealed that when they buy the drums which seem to contain harzedous waste from companies in Lagos they transport them to their site and open them for cleaning before reselling.
The drums they opened on Friday night released the heavy gas fumes that was perceived throughout Arepo and its environs.
The company has been sealed by the Ministry of Environment and investigations are ongoing.“ statement from an official of another estate said.
Feeling despondent and neglected by government, one of the estates put up this statement:
“There is only a functioning fire station now at Opic available to respond to distress calls if required.
What do we do in an emergency at Coleman or Contec? these are questions we should jointly provide solutions to and not leave to only members of Exco and the few others who make themselves available to assist in executing the plans of the estate.
It is interesting that after the experience of the night we will go back to the old system of doing things.
Nothing stops us from having a Safety Committee to champion our safety matters, residents must be ready to step forward and take responsibility. “
In the midst of the confusion in the night, one of the estates had to issue the statement:
“Good morning House,
Nnpc was responsible for the offensive smell last night, they were flushing their pipeline which we know runs through Arepo.
More communication to come.“
Although, the situation is calm now, residents are demanding for more of government presence at both local and state levels to respond to emergencies and also take some proactive measures.
A visit to the culprit company confirmed its closure.
Various accounts revealed that the owner who buys the drums from Lagos and other places was actually not aware of what happened tat night as the driver dropped them from where they were bought that very day in the evening.
Another account said, it was the inordinate ambition of some ‘young boys’ who usually provide services on daily basis and are paid that wanted to play a fast one on the owner by opening the drums that night, possibly to drain what they thought would be the usual engine oil, gas or diesel among others that could remain for their own survival.
Yet, another account said the driver who picked the drums from whatever destination should have been more careful, knowing the area he collected them from.
Some of the residents who spoke to MBN under strict anonymity were optimistic that the company would be reopened in a matter of days.
But the sour taste the incident had left behind is the feeling of lack of responsibility and responsiveness on the part of government at whatever level.
The argument is that more of leadership qualities and responsibilities are expected from the state which should be able to lead the local governments to do same.
This, according to some political watchers, may have raised some moral burdens as well as questions on our leaders as, governance should not be only appearing at elections, but to always identify with the people.
The simple task of, for instance, regulating the activities of okada riders for orderliness and checkmating insecurity could be regarded as simple, but necessary for peaceful co-existence.
Allowing gaps and vaccum could lead to speculations as happened during and after the incident where neither the local government nor state government officials were on ground to give confidence and as well provide the answers to myriad of questions ocassioned from the unfortunate incident.
According to the analysts, governance should be all about people.