Ilorin: Churches, Mosque Prayed For Rain, Then It Came Causing Flood

Ilorin: affected areas

Can we say that God overheard or over-answered the prayers of the people of Ilorin?

Religious houses of different faiths offered prayers to God in Ilorin, beseeching the creator for one thing- rain. However, when the rain came, it brought along with it destruction which resulted into lamentation instead of thanksgiving as several structures in the metropolis fell into ruins.

Property worth millions of naira was also destroyed by the flood. It was reported that about 12 vehicles were washed away by the flood as well though men of the fire service recovered some.

Areas affected by the flood included Omoseebi, Adisco, Royal Shekinah, Pipeline, Gaa Akanbi, Offa Garage, Unity and Cocacola, as shops, houses, electric poles and cars were destroyed by the flood.

Residents of the affected areas, however, insisted that the perennial flood could have recorded more casualties and may have caused more grievous havocs if the incident had happened in the dead of the night.

It was gathered that the heavy rain, which fell for about three hours started around 4:30 last Thursday while some areas also experienced the rainfall early on Friday morning.

The downpour also caused heavy traffic gridlock in areas such as Gaa Akanbi, Royal Shekinah Omoseebi, until it subsided.

It was also gathered that while most culverts, drainages and gutters along major roads and streets in those areas were flooded, the flood spread into nearby houses and shops, destroying several property.

Unconfirmed reports had it that a vehicle carrying four people was swept off by the flood, while many other vehicles parked along the streets were washed away in different directions.

Speaking with journalists, some of the residents appealed to the federal government to intervene in the incidence of perennial flood in the affected areas of Ilorin metropolis, saying that the past efforts by the state government at solving the problem had not yielded any solution.

Alhaji Abdulwaheed Adigun, who owns an Engineering company; Adisco Nigeria Limited, along Offa Garage Road said the area started experiencing perennial flood disaster since the dualisation of the Challenge-Offa Garage Road.

“The road was a single lane with about six-feet wide and deep drainages on both sides of the road. We were not experiencing this annual flood then. But since government constructed the dual express road, the drainage on both sides of the road was reduced to about three feet. So, it cannot contain the volume of runoff from such areas like Offa Garage, Gaa Akanbi and Omoseebi, that is why we have this flooding.

“Whenever it rains and the drainage is filled up, it spreads into our houses, shops and pulls down our fences while destroying our roads and other valuable property.

Alhaji Adigun therefore called on the federal government to come to the aid of the people of the affected areas and end their suffering by taking up the challenge. He said the problem had gone beyond the capacity of the state government since it had not been able to fulfil its pledge of finding a lasting solution to the flooding problem.

Also speaking on the subject, Sunday Alabi, a community leader at Omoseebi area of Ilorin metropolis said the concerned authorities should assist the people of the area with the dredging of rivers and streams in the affected areas, adding that this should be complemented with channelisation of the rivers.

Innocent Ibe, who lives at Royal Shekinah area of the metropolis also said that residents of the area are usually apprehensive and frightened whenever it is about to rain because of the usual flooding that comes after.

Ibe, who said that widening of the drainage on both sides of the Offa Garage-Challenge road would solve the perennial problem of flooding in the area, admonished residents to change their attitude of dumping refuse in drainage and gutters.

In a swift reaction, the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has directed the permanent secretaries in the ministry of Works and Environment to inspect the areas affected by the flood.

Speaking on the development, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the governor, Dr. Muideen Akorede, said the state government is saddened by the incident.

He said the government officials directed to inspect the affected areas are expected to give on-the-spot assessment on the damages and  those affected in order to prevent a re-occurrence.

“You will recall that the state government set up a committee headed by the immediate past commissioner for works, Hon. Amuda Kannike, last year to come up with a recommendation on the affected areas and the people with a view to relocating them.

Meanwhile, de-silting of drainage and construction of drainages opposite Royal Shekinah and other roads along the axis were planned for. Unfortunately, funds have affected our ability to complete the work because we could not give the contractor all the necessary money to complete the work on the road. Nevertheless, the governor has asked for reports on the incident with a view to implementing remedies and resettling those affected.

“Also, the KWARTMA officials have been drafted to the areas for on the spot assessment, to control the traffic and get back to the state government with such report,” he said.

Can God over answer prayer?


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