Persistent rainfall has triggered flooding in several parts of Osun State, forcing residents to flee their homes and seek shelter with friends and relatives as floodwaters continue to rise.
The affected areas in Osogbo, the state capital, include Ijetu, Oke-Ayepe, Aregbe/Abija, Baruwa, Omigade in Ogo-Oluwa, and Koledowo along the Ilesa Garage axis, where residents have been confronted with rising floodwaters and difficult movement.
In the Ijetu area, several residents have reportedly been displaced after floodwaters entered homes, destroying household belongings and leaving some families with limited access to shelter and other basic necessities.
The situation has also become a concern around the access road beside FirstBank in the Aregbe/Abija area, where floodwater has taken over the road and left residents and other road users stranded.
Speaking with journalists, Dr. Adeolu Adeyemo, a resident of Zone 10, located behind the Capital area in Osogbo, lamented that his family had no option but to flee their home.
Dr. Adeyemo explained that after leaving for work on Tuesday morning, he returned to find his residence completely submerged.
According to Adeyemo, about 200 residents have been displaced by the flood within the area.
“People had to run for their lives, leaving behind all their valuables,” Adeyemo said.
Dr. Bisi Oluwadamilare, Chairman of the Zone 10 Oke-Arungbo community, noted that the last time the area experienced flooding of this magnitude was in 2019.
He added that neighboring Zones 11 and 12 were also severely hit, appealing to emergency relief agencies to intervene immediately to help cushion the community’s heavy losses.
Another affected resident, Mrs. Adesola Kayode, lamented that the disaster has left many families homeless.
She urged the government to urgently begin dredging local rivers and waterways to prevent future occurrences.
The situation was equally dire at Baruwa Estate in the Ogo-Oluwa area, where residents were similarly displaced after the nearby Osun River overflowed its banks following torrential rains.
Findings showed that a similar incident occurred in Ilesa West.
Residents are calling for urgent intervention by the Osun State Government, Osogbo Local Government, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and other relevant authorities to assess the affected areas and provide assistance to those displaced.
They also urged the authorities to investigate the causes of the flooding and take lasting measures, including improved drainage and other flood-control interventions, to prevent a recurrence and protect lives and property.
Meanwhile, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, commiserated with residents and families affected by the recent flooding in parts of the state, asking residents to stop building and dumping refuse on waterways.
The governor expressed concern over the impact of the flooding on homes, businesses, and livelihoods, noting that Osun has experienced excessive rainfall in recent weeks, putting additional pressure on drainage channels and waterways across the state.
The Governor, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, directed the Special Task Force on Environmental Sanitation, led by Elder Ayanleye Aina, to visit affected areas and assess environmental conditions contributing to the flooding.
“I have directed the Special Task Force to visit affected areas and prepare a response plan for the administration,” he said.
Governor Adeleke recalled that his administration had undertaken initial dredging and drainage interventions to improve water flow and reduce flooding, assuring residents that the government will take further actions and interventions where necessary to reduce the impact of flooding on our people.
He stressed the need for community responsibility, warning that government interventions cannot achieve the desired results if waterways are obstructed by human activities.
“I urge my people, the residents of Osun State, to stop dumping refuse on waterways and roadsides, and to desist from building on natural water channels as well as flood-prone corridors,” Governor Adeleke said.
He urged residents to report blocked drainages, flooding incidents, and other environmental hazards to the appropriate authorities.
He assured affected residents that the state government will continue to respond to the situation and take additional measures to protect lives, property, and communities across Osun State.