Makoko: Marooned In The Lagoon...

By David Ibemere and Olushola Ricketts

MAKOKO slum is seldom visited by anyone from outside. It is dangerous to go in without a guide.

Makoko advertisement

Living in houses built on the murky waters of the lagoon, the community of over 30,000, has over the years, endured lots hardship.

Their houses are still built on stilts stuck into the lagoon bed.

Most of the residents live in makeshift houses built with ordinary wood and zinc.

According to the Baale, Chief Emmanuel Shemede, the Makoko population of over 30,000 people has been disadvantaged in nearly every way.

"We are educationally disadvantaged as not many among us have received formal education.

"My people are more concerned about feeding their families and training their children to be better fishermen and women than about going to school.

" For most of them, sending their wards to school on the mainland is a dangerous venture and so they try as much as possible to avoid it.

"They feel the time spent in school could be better used teaching the children to fish so that they can fend for themselves and their families in the future," Shemede said.

But gradually, things are beginning to turn around for the better for the Makoko community.

The only English-speaking school, Whayinna Nursery and Primary School, was established.

The headteacher, Noah Shemede, a brother to the Baale, told The Guardian: "Having an English-speaking school established in our community has been a dream come true.

" It has given more children the opportunity to acquire education and learn to speak English rather than the local dialect and French."

Shemede, who said he was the only privileged child of his family to have formal education, noted that though three years old, the school already boasts  over 200 pupils with about 400 more waiting in line for admission.

"Though modern ways of life have been slow in catching up with the community, things are beginning to pick up, thanks to the Yaba Local Council that has taken keen interest in the area as well as non-governmental organizations such as Change-A-Life which has also sustained its interest in the plight of the community."

Worried by the constant threat of malaria to residents of the community, Change-A-Life, has touched the lives of the residents, especially nursing mothers and pregnant women with their bi-annual Malaria Prevention Campaign in Makoko Water Community.

It was a carnival-like atmosphere as  Change-A-Life visited the community with medical doctors and peer educators who talked to residents of Makoko about the dangers of Malaria, how it can be prevented, and the advantages of using Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN).

"Chief Shemede, in appreciation, thanked the body,  saying: "Today is a happy day for me and the entire community. Though we receive visitors once in a while, never before have we had this number of insecticide nets as we are experiencing today."

"Asked if he would like the community to be relocated, he said: "No, we do not want to be relocated because we are fishermen by profession, and we need a riverine area to dwell in.

We implore the government of Lagos State to provide the community with bigger and better-equipped hospitals and health centres to enable our women and children have access to proper healthcare.

"We need facilities to clean the waters and reduce the rate of malaria and other ailments in the community. We also need bigger schools, up to the secondary level because nobody knows if the next Lagos State Governor will come from this area", he added.

Other things, which the Baale said the community needed include bigger boats and life jackets for the fishermen.

The Executive Director of Change-A-Life Foundation, Ms. Jumoke Giwa, said Change-A-Life is borrowing a leave from the Millennium Development Goals, which seek the reduction of child and maternal mortality due to malaria parasite.

"One common disease threatening the inhabitants of Makoko, is malaria. This is as a result of the humid and aquatic nature of the environment."

Ms. Giwa went further to state that this year Change-A-Life plans to visit other rural areas to spread the word on the malaria parasite and also distribute Insecticide Treated Nets to the communities.

She added, "We are committed to changing lives and bringing succor to the less-privileged; although the 100 nets distributed is a far cry from the number needed,  with the help of other organizations and group more lives will be touched."

"The Change-A-Life Project intervenes in the lives of people with potentials, yet in great need. Its objective is to act as a bridge between the most needy people and the people, agencies and organizations that have the capacity to help and are willing to help these people."

Makoko women expressed their appreciation to the group

One of them, Mrs. Kadija Abum, said she and her three- year-old baby had been at the mercy of mosquitoes:

"Though we know the meaning of malaria, we could not prevent it ..."