Lagos’ Snake Island has a huge
potential for economic growth and development, but its abundant
resources remain untapped, writes Ugo Aliogo
It is nestled in the deep flowing waters
of the Badagry creeks. Existing myths about the island say that it was a
place where condemned prisoners and slaves were thrown into in the
past. For these prisoners and slaves, it was a place of no return. Like a
caged animal, these slaves were caged here by the overstretching
vegetation in the Island. Another myth stated that it was an Island
filled with snakes in the past. Hence, the name ‘Snake Island’.
These myths are not entirely misleading.
But there is a more nuanced view. According to a community secretary,
Mr. Adebayo Adams, the island is called ‘Snake Island’ because of the
topography of the land, which is shaped like an ‘S’. He also said that
the Yorubas, who migrated from Ile-Ife about 400 years ago, are the
original natives of the community. “The main works of our forefathers
were farming, fishing, and other traditional works,” Adams said.
The Island has a large deposit of sand
and it is usually very flooded during rainy season. It has a few modern
amenities such as a public health centre, police station, private
hospital, hotel, primary and secondary schools. Life in the community is
slow and steady. Commercial motorcycles are used for transportation in
the community. The community is relatively safe. There exists a standby
team of foot soldiers who provide security in the locality. The
community has a fishing minority known as the Egun people. These groups
of individuals are not Nigerians. Findings in the community revealed
that they are foreigners from neighbouring Benin Republic and Togo. Many
of them don’t understand English language; therefore they prefer to
speak Yoruba language or their native language.
In some cases, the children are able to
understand Pidgin English and communicate with it. While in other cases
the children may not understand, but expressing themselves is a big
challenge. They live on the water in wooden makeshift tents. Children
from these families don’t go to school. For them, fishing means a lot
and been a trade they inherited from their parents. It is not just a
source of livelihood, but a lifestyle handed on to them by successive
generations. THISDAY gathered from a neighbour living nearby that the
Egun people buy most of their fishes from other people in the creeks.
The neighbour also stated that the Eguns give their female into marriage
at a very early age between 10-11.
The community has different festive
seasons and each is accorded its own traditional observances and ritual
rites. The festive seasons are Oro, Egungun, Gelede, Osun, Obaluwaye,
Awonga, and Akaka. The sources of drinking and cooking water in the
community are through wells constructed in residential homes. There is
also borehole water, and free tap from Niger Dock Yard.
Boat riding is another viable business
which most youths are involved in. These boat riders are under an
association known as Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water
Transporters of Nigeria (NATBOWAT).
However, despite the claim by Adams that
the land is originally owned by the migrating Yoruba settlers, there is
still a struggle over the ownership of the land, between the community’s
Oluwa family and Niger Dock Nigeria Limited, an oil and gas company.
“The Niger Dock Yard has been here for 20
years now. The Niger Dock paid compensations to the Oluwa family who
claimed that they owned the community. We are also in court with Niger
Dock Yard. The compensation paid to Oluwa was very wrong. They are not
the rightful owners of the community. On June 22, the case was also
taken to court. Niger Dock yard is also claiming ownership of some piece
of land with us,” he added.
He said there is also a claim by Niger
Dock Yard that about 250 hectares of land in the community belongs to
them. While noting that they (Niger Dock Yard) affirmed that they
acquired the plot of land from Oluwa family without the knowledge and
approval of the community, “this caused a problem about four years ago,
then we took the case to Federal High Court in Ikoyi. But at the moment
they are trying to settle amiably with us.”
Adams added: “The case is still in Ikoyi
Federal High Court. Niger Dock Yard has not done anything for the
community since their establishment here over 20 years. Though they
employed some indigenes of the community as security men, but many are
still on ground for them to employ. We have only one primary school and
one secondary school which were built by Lagos State government.
“We have a health centre which was built
by the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government which the Island is under. The
health centre is functioning very well. People go there for treatment
and there are nurses. Here we do various works in order to make a
living. Some are into apprenticeship, craft, and individual computer
training schools. We had only one Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO)
Stay Alive which came here 12 years ago. They taught youths tailoring,
hair styling, and computer training.
“The state government, through the local
government council, built the Igbologun Township Hall here. We have the
Amuwo-Odofin Local Council here which employs most of our people. Before
now, we had coconuts trees in the community. It was our cash crop, but
due to oil spillage, our lands were destroyed and we cannot farm any
more. We also have cassava and vegetables as other food crop in the
community. Men in the community get married at the age of 20-25, while
the women marry at the age of 17-18, (those are accidental marriages in
the case of women). The women are into tailoring, hair styling, and
trading works.”
The community is made up of six other
communities which are Igbologun, Igbese-yore, Igbosu, Ilase, Imore, and
Ibeshe communities. These communities are called the Badagry creeks.
However, the community scribe, Adams, remarked that despite being among
the Badagry creeks, they don’t pay homage to the King of Badagry because
they have a Baale who is the paramount ruler of the community. He also
added that presently they are proposing for a king.
He went on to call on the state
government to build a standard technical school for the community in
order to enable youths learn craft works. Adding that electricity is a
major challenge in the community, and it needs to be improved upon to
boost the growth of small-scale businesses.
“Electricity was brought by government, but after sometime, it stopped working. Therefore we are appealing that we have regular electricity. This will boost economic growth in the community. Welders, hair stylists, and computer operators all need electricity to do their works. We also need a large and organised market for our women. Women here sell in small kiosks shops only. We don’t have market here, we have been proposing for it,” he said.
“Electricity was brought by government, but after sometime, it stopped working. Therefore we are appealing that we have regular electricity. This will boost economic growth in the community. Welders, hair stylists, and computer operators all need electricity to do their works. We also need a large and organised market for our women. Women here sell in small kiosks shops only. We don’t have market here, we have been proposing for it,” he said.
Adams also appealed to the government for
the construction of a standard road network which would link Igbologun
with Igbese. While reacting to speculations that there are plans by
government to build a bridge from Kirikiri to Snake Island, he said “If
government can do such for us we will be very glad. This will enable
people to cross to the Island apart from using canoe.”
Building a linkage bridge from Kirikiri
is one sure way of opening the community up for development and
commerce. Presently, in the community, there are a lot of arable lands
which the public and the private sector can use to build to establish
industries. This will open the community up for development, and
employment opportunities will be created.
Small-scale businesses such as hair
styling, tailoring, carpentry, wielding, and others is another aspect of
the community which are growing at a fast rate. Many youths have taken
to these small-scale businesses, not only as a means of livelihood, but
also to meet the growing needs of the community. If there is an
appreciable support from government and the private sector, more youths
will be trained, equipment will be provided and seed capital will be
given to support them.
There are three health facilities
including a Public health centre built by Lagos State government through
Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, the Igbologun Medical Centre, a
private clinic and Mercy Home, a maternity home. An indigene of the
community, who pleaded anonymity, said that the Igbologun Medical Centre
is well equipped with up to date medical facilities and drugs, but
their bill is very high. Therefore people prefer to use Mercy Homes, a
maternity run by a mid-wife. But the challenge is that the maternity
does not have facilities, and it makes referrals to the medical centre
frequently.
He added: “The Igbologun Medical Centre
is which also known as Tolu. The reason is because the doctor came from
Tolu in Ajegunle Local Government Area. In Mercy Home, they carry out
delivery, treatment of malaria, typhoid and other minor illnesses. But
cases such as surgery and tests are taken to Tolu. While in the
community health centre, the women go there for immunisation and
collection of shared mosquito nets.” When THISDAY visited the public
health centre, the health workers declined to speak to stating that they
had no approval from the Chief Nurse of the health centre.
No comments:
Post a Comment