Residents lament open defecation on Lagos-Ibadan expressway
Residents and commuters have expressed concern over increasing open defecation along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, calling on authorities to urgently address the public health challenges.
Residents, commuters and motorists have expressed concern over the increasing rate of open defecation along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, calling on government authorities to urgently address the situation. Affected locations include road medians and roadsides stretching from Kara through Pakuro, Ibafo and Mowe to the Sagamu Interchange. The practice has become increasingly common along those sections of the expressway.
A commuter, Adeola Famakinwa, described the development as a serious public health and environmental challenge capable of exposing residents and travellers to disease outbreaks and unpleasant conditions. A resident, Johnson Dickson, attributed the situation to inadequate public toilet facilities and poor enforcement of environmental sanitation regulations along the corridor.
A transporter, Olasunkanmi Babalola, identified street urchins, street hawkers and other informal workers as the main culprits. A banker, Femi Alao, called for stricter monitoring and enforcement of environmental laws, including sanctions against individuals found engaging in open defecation along the expressway.
The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is one of Nigeria’s busiest roads, connecting the country’s economic capital to the hinterland. That it has become a venue for open defecation is a damning indictment of the authorities. The problem is not just about aesthetics or public health; it is about governance. When a major highway becomes a toilet, it signals that the state has lost control of basic sanitation.
This echoes the 2018 sanitation crisis in Lagos, when open defecation also became a major concern. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a failure of governance that exposes citizens to health risks.
The winners: none. The losers: residents and commuters, who are exposed to health risks; the Nigerian government, which has failed to provide basic sanitation; and the Nigerian public, who must endure the sight and smell.
Bottom Line: Open defecation is becoming a common sight on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. The authorities are failing. The question is whether they will act before a disease outbreak occurs.