Lagos Floods: Mainland and Island face off

On Friday July 7, 2017 the heavens opened and rained “cats and dogs." Floods on the Island went from viral punchlines to an avalanche of water. The social media was agog with photos and videos of flooded areas showing people trapped in their homes. Lagos mainland folks mocked the plight of the Islanders with witty tweets and memes. They mocked 'Lekki and Environs' for paying so much only to live in an 'aquarium.'
Somehow, it is often believed that the poor and the middle class of Lagos State live on the mainland while the rich stay on the Island but apart from the 3rd Mainland Bridge which separates the mainland from the Island wealth and its perception is another thing that separates both places.
Houses in Lekki and environs are believed to be at least three times more expensive than houses on the mainland. However there is no denying the fact that a vast majority of top companies, embassies, high consulate and headquarters of great organizations situated there. And with the classy prices of real Estates in places like Ikoyi, one cannot contend the fact that the Island is a hub of wealth and Lagos' commercial nerve center.

Lagosians have alluded to many reasons for preferring the Island, some of the reasons range from the level of improved security to the disorganized and frenzy pace of things on the mainland. However these are unfair generalizations as there are posh areas on the mainland and criminal activities on some part of the Island.

On the flip side, the mainlanders believe that the people on the Island are snubs and fakers who spend all their life savings to live in overpriced ghettos.

Majority of Nigerians middle/lower class have a baffling perception towards wealth, they believe that the rich person is arrogant, proud and never humble. And when disaster strikes the rich, the average Nigerian tends to make mockery of the rich

This was what happened when photos of the flood in Lekki and axis pop up on various social media timelines with comments and captions like:

“Serves them right”
“Victoria Island, Now Victoria Lake”
“their homes are flooded after paying outrageous amount of money."

However there are no good ways to do a bad thing. This is an insensitive, mocking opinion to have when people's cars have been submerged and destroyed by the flood.

Someone on social media commented
 “not everyone who lives on the Island is a multi-millionaire; a lot of people who live in Lekki, Victoria Garden City and Ajah do not have a fat bank account. They live in these places because it is closer to work considering the insane traffic situation in Lagos during rush hour.”.

However, Flood is not exclusive to the Island. There are parts of the mainland that get flooded when it rains heavily. Lagos has many problems of which bad drainage systems is major and no part of the state is immune to it.

It is high time that Lagosians living on the mainland and Island task the state government concerning this flood menace because throwing banters over affluence and creating false narratives are a waste of time when Lagos needs major restructuring.

Related story: Happenings Around The World: The Other Side Of Lekki: The Rich Also Cry http://rachelokporumedia.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-other-side-of-lekki-rich-also-cry.html?spref=tw

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Rachel Okporu writes from Lagos, Nigeria

Mail to rachelokporu@gmail.com

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