Lagos Community Where 5,000 Souls Live, Trade Atop Filth
As you drive towards Ojota from Maryland across the bridge, look to your right and you would see a sprawling slum beginning from under the bridge right behind the Ojota New Garage. The unusual thing about the slum is that people live right on top of scraps and refuse dumps. Daily Times undertook a tour of the filth community called Kogberegbe, which has been in existence since the late 1950s.
For a first time caller to the Kogberegbe community behind Ojota New Garage in the Kosofe local government area of Lagos State, it would be difficult to fathom how the residents of this area survive in such an environment, considering the stench from the deluge of refuse and scraps that make up the entire community. In this diseaseprone settlement of over 5,000, the residents dine, wine, make love, give birth and perform all other activities of normal life.Inhabited by various ethnic groups but mainly Hausas, these people are far removed from the megacity mantra of the state. Many of these residents are into metal scrap sales and general recycling businesses and so to them what you call filth or scraps is actually wealth!While majority of the women engage in food selling and petty trading in provision items and perishable foods, their men are majorly into the business of scavenging for scraps and making large sales out of it. Apart from the pungent odour from dilapidated zinc and wooden buildings, the sight of malnourished women and kids playing around the refuse keeps one wondering how man, beast and filth can cohabit so freely. Another puzzling thing is that the residents seem content with the life they live.Alhaji Salihu Adamu, chairman of Gidankwali, the Hausa part of the community, disclosed to Daily Times that he is one of the very first people to come to that community when the place was all bush.“I came into this community in 1958 and, back then, there were no houses; everywhere was bush and swamp. You would not even know that anyone was living there because it was a very thick bush. We only managed to create narrow paths for us to move around. I was not here alone at that time.
Other persons were with me. We were many because what brought us to this community then was our job. At that time, we were into the business of dredging for sand. Sand digging and selling were our major jobs.”Adamu added that when the sand business came to an end for them, they had to start another type of business. “We had to start something else, and that was how we started the scrap business around 1967. We started gradually at that time and that is what we still do till today.” Scrap business, he explained, entails sourcing for discarded computers, air conditioners, and other metal items, and removing the valuable components like copper, iron, which we put together and send to Universal Steel Company for sales. “That is what we do till now and that is the major business in this community. As much as this community is residential, it is also a commercial one where waste is being converted to wealth and that is why you see a lot of scraps around,” explained Adamu. However, medical personnel do not share Adamu’s optimism all the way.Dr Francis Onyemuchara, medical director, Healing Balm hospital, Ikeja warns: “Inherent in this pile of metal scraps and refuse are serious likelihood of tetanus, typhoid fever, cholera and dysentery and even the risk of being bitten by snakes and scorpions that may be hiding in the filth or, worse still, hepatitis B.” He lamented that in most cases having access to basic amenities such as water, health system and other necessities may be difficult. Adamu had also noted that the community had collectively approached the state government for some amenities most of which are yet to be provided. However, Adamu affirmed that at present, there is an ongoing project by the state government to give them borehole water. “The project is almost completed and would soon be ready for use,” he said.Another resident of the community, Akeem Enitan, a Yoruba, who has been living there for over 10 years corroborated Adamu’s claims. He told Daily Times that although the place appeared filthy and dirty, those scraps are wealth. “Most of us living here are into this business of metal scrap sales and recycling. It is a very lucrative business, although people look down on it because it is a menial job.” Asked how he felt living in a place like this, he responded: “Although it looks like a ghetto, we all live in peace here and we are like brothers and sisters. We cohabit with people from other tribes like the Hausa, Edo, Yoruba and other ethnic groups. Another good thing about this slum is that we have had no cause to worry over armed robbery.“If any strange face comes in here today, it is very easy to identify because we all live like one big and happy family. We are each other’s brothers’ keepers here. If you are used to the life here, you will not want to live elsewhere. Besides, it gives me lots of access to where my business is.”
Rose Osagie, an Edo lady who has lived and done business in the community for about four years, noted that life in the slum was not as tough as it appeared. “Although things are not rosy, but like in other places, we are trying to make ends meet. I have been selling food here for almost four years now and all I can say is that I thank God.” However, Rose urged government to make their roads more motorable so that vehicles will be able to access the community easily and thus make life better for them. She noted that the community needed a health centre of its own. “Right now we don’t even have any health centre around. If you are sick, you have to go all the way to Ogudu before you can get any treatment.” Rose lamented.
*this was published in the Daily Times newspaper dated: Thursday, December 18, 2014