The 52 Year Old Flood In Nigeria By Prince Charles Dickson

So who do we blame, and
really is it a blame game or
the scary realization that we
are just a nation run on
auto-pilot, one for which
after 52yrs, we are still
plagued largely by the same
problems.
We are 52yrs today, parts of
the country is in water, we
are deep in flood, and
equally flooded on all fronts
by corruption,
mismanagement,
maladministration and poor
governance structure
coupled with a citizenry with
a vague picture of what
patriotism is or should be.
Barely two months ago when
parts of the Shendam,
Mikang axis and the
Southern parts of Plateau
was cut off from the North.
It was just one of those rare
occurrences. Then the city
center was next with a death
toll of over a score…parts of
Bauchi too was not left
behind. But like all floods, all
issues that have plagued us,
with a wave of hand, its
been confined to the bin of
history.
While we mark our 52nd
year of ‘dependence’, we do
so with the news that over a
million of us are likely to die
if the Nyos Dam in
Cameroon happens to
collapse.
Many have never heard the
name Nyos before or know
that we could be victims of
this magnitude of disaster if
neighboring Cameroun open
a dam until now. The names
Kiri and Lagdo dam in
Cameroon are new, River
Benue overflowing its banks
brings new significance.
And while we witness
realities of a bad situation
on ground NEMA was
presenting a manual to
prevent an even more
disastrous occurrence at a
ceremony.
Like I said, this is no blame
game, NEMA has tried, tight
budget, using big boats and
local canoe owners for the
evacuation exercise,
exhibiting ‘Nigerian
promptness and expertise’ in
the rescue efforts and relief
distribution’, but it smacks of
selfishness that while on the
immediate very little had
been done as prevention, by
a body responsible for
combating these forces of
nature is a reflection of all
that has been wrong with us
for 52yrs.
Lake Nyos is close to Nigeria
and sources say a 2005
UNDP report had predicted
that the dam was at “a point
of potential collapse” infact
within 10yrs it may collapse.
Yet after some 7yrs, nothing
has been done. So it is for
52yrs, and same
lackadaisical attitude, same
way of doing things and
expecting different results .
Emergency body, NEMA says
“It is estimated that between
Cameroon border and River
Benue, 50 settlements,
including Katsina-Ala,
Kashimbilla, Waya, Manga,
Gamovo, Andie, Terwegh
and over 15,000 hectares of
land will be flooded by Nyos.
“Also, over one million
people and 20,000 heads of
cattle and other livestock will
be affected and could
perish,” by the same Nyos.
Based on the report,
financial losses estimated to
be in billions of naira,
comprising of crops,
residential and commercial
structures, utilities and
infrastructure, including
roads and bridges and other
services will occur.
All that havoc, when the
Dam at Lake Nyos collapses.
However, it has not, but
when it does, all these
predictions and others not
known will occur. The reason
is simply, the facts very
undisputeable.
In the last one month there
has been no Lake Nyos but
how well has NEMA coped?
In many of the flood
ravished states, there were
flood warnings and alerts by
the appropriate bodies. But
really how much was done in
terms of proper
enlightenment and were
there cases that enforcement
was necessary, or its same
old story, 52yrs after,
Nigerians sadly do not take
warnings serious.
We are not only just faced
with a bad case of flood, but
possible outbreak of
epidemics, it is so strange
that with the level of
devastation, no national
emergency was declared.
Both ruling party and
opposition played politics of
Labaran Maku, sale of power
stations and health of
Patience amongst many
inconsequentials while
citizenry are carried away by
all sorts of floods.
From Anambra, to Kogi,
Niger to Edo, Delta to
Plateau, parts of Nassarawa,
Taraba, Adamawa and Imo,
little has been done, apart
from the usual assessment
tours when people are in
desperate want, displaced
and not knowing where to
start from. This excludes the
Lagos, Ibadan and Ogun
axis…
Depending on whose figures,
more than 30,000 people
around the country are
displaced, and stranded.
Death toll now beyond 500
people and its on the
increase. No one really
cares, and 52yrs no one
cares.
Interestingly as Nigerians
groan under the effects of
these floods, the House of
Representatives called the
Ecological Fund a mystery
fund, one with no
accountability whatsoever.
And here we are, with a
situation where the monies
in that fund could be best
utilized. But has that not
been the case with us, 52yrs
of misplaced priorities.
One cannot point to any
very-quick-fix-it solution, no
drastic measure, no long
term plan either, no one
even understands how and
why the dam was opened
causing the rise in water
level in some states.
We are marking 52yrs in
what is now popularly called
low-key, when indeed it is
actually disastrously and
calamitously a big national
tragedy we have.
Farmlands have gone, food
prices would soar, so also
livestock that have drowned.
And while I said its not a
blame-game, I dare say
government has failed, same
way its been for 52yrs,
flooding in corruption,
missed opportunities and
nearly chances.
It hurts to know that you
cannot blame government
for removing roofing sheets
from submerged houses, A/C
or electronics that have
disappeared from peoples’
home. 52yrs we have been
our own flood…
The fact is, we remain
largely the architect of our
flood as a nation…we really
can address the floods that
ravage us as a country, the
long unanswered question
is, do we want to, only time
will tell.

#CONSENSUS 2015