Facing stiff criticism from bloggers and others on social media regarding the Ondo State government's (mis)handling of the recent flood emergency in the state, Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko today visited the people of Igbobini and Ilu-Agbo community.
Facing stiff criticism from bloggers and others on social media regarding the Ondo State government's (mis)handling of the recent flood emergency in the state, Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko today visited the people of Igbobini and Ilu-Agbo community.
The late visit is a minor consolation for the many who have suffered loss of property and livelihood due to the extreme flooding.
Sources reveal that it was the efforts of concerned citizens on social media that forced Mimiko, who initially had sent government emissaries to evaluate the damage, to finally visit the community himself.
Ondo State emissaries previously traveled down to the Igbobini and Ilu-Agbo communities to access the level of damage, and came back with amateur footage of the incident.
A source said the footage was screened at the government office, where arrangements were later made that relief materials should be urgently sent to the community.
It was also learned that the governor had initially wanted to send down the deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, whose office oversees disaster issues in the state. However, it is reported that current Muslim fasting in observance of Ramadan forced him to abandon the idea, the source furthered.
It is alleged that the consistent sharing of SaharaReporters' news stories on the crisis by bloggers and other media worried the governor and his wife, Olukemi Mimiko, who repeatedly advised him to visit the areas on Wednesday, another source in the government circle reported.
Heavy rain had overflowed a river in one of the communities resulting in flooding that submerged the Igbobini and Ilu Abo communities in the Ese Odo local government area of Ondo State.
At the visit, locals of the communities besieged the governor, his wife, and other government officials on the entourage. Residents expressed sadness and outrage over the loss of their livelihoods to the ravaging floods, and the perceived political indifference by the governor, who had, up until this point, neglected the people of the area.
Leaders of the communities took turns in explaining to the governor and his wife on how the flood started, with seemingly normal rainfall, before sending them packing from their homes.
Although they informed the officials that no casualties have been reported, several said they now have no homes, and are forced to stay elsewhere.
Our correspondent learned that many of the affected people, lacking alternative housing arrangements, now live in the open on roads around the area. These open areas serve as temporary camps where they now live, sleep, and cook.
Several others must use canoes to have access to some of the flooded buildings.
A reliable source notes that after listening to the complains, the governor’s wife, Olukemi, distributed food stuffs and other relief materials to the people, with an assurance that government would come urgently to their aid in no time, in an effort to avoid further damage.
“The food and materials donated today were from the office of the governor’s wife, and she has also promised them of more, as government make efforts in curbing further damage to their communities,” the source said.
Meanwhile, well-meaning Nigerians and philanthropists in the state who also read the SaharaReporters news story of the incident have also been donating to the communities.
Catholic churches from Ogun, Delta, and Lagos states were also said to have sent in their relief materials.
Regarding the coverage and support, a community source said: “We actually saw the news on SaharaReporters, and we were happy that many people came to our aid after reading the news. We appreciate the news medium for the exclusive. Even people from Lagos have been calling us, confirming that they read the news on SaharaReporters’ web page."
Another resident said “Many of them have visited us. There is even some Catholic association from Delta state that came down here to give us beverages. They claimed to have read the report on the webpage, and called their people here to actually learn (how bad) the situation (had become)," another resident told our correspondent.
Residents said breads, bags of rice, tissue paper, noodles, buckets, beds, clothes, blankets, and water, among other things, were being brought in from neighboring states to where they are presently camped.
Despite the outpouring of support both on the ground and online, residents must now face the first crucial steps to rebuilding and recovery after such a crisis.