Background

A besan Estate was built in 1980 by the administration of the late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, the first civilian Governor of Lagos State.

The estate was developed by the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC), as a low-cost housing estate. Then, it was allocated majorly to civil servants and middleaged professionals.

It is one of the 16 low-income housing estates in the state and is considered the biggest and the largest government estate in Lagos, with more than 1,000 blocks of two-storey and three-storey low-rise buildings. The estate has approximately 4,272 housing units (2,112 units of two bedrooms and 2,160 units of three bedrooms).

When former Governor Jakande built the Abesan Estate, he provided the estate with basic facilities such as open fields/spaces, land allocated for commercial purposes, religious facilities, recreation spaces, road networks, sewers, electrification, a public primary and secondary schools, alongside other basic infrastructure.

40 years after

However, in recent times, the estate has suffered infrastructure collapse and environmental degradation, with residents lamenting what they described as “40 years of neglect” by past and present administrations in Lagos State.

Among the challenges faced by the residents is insecurity, which has become a major concern as commercial vehicles, tricycles, and motorcycles including cows have turned the estate to their base.

The excellent road network built by Jakande has deteriorated as the estate now contend with poor road network that is almost inaccessible as many of the roads are filled with potholes while the sewage system has suffered collapse.

Insecurity

Speaking with New Telegraph on the near-neglect state the estate and plight that the residents contend with daily, the President of Abesan Estate Residents Association, Mr Kehinde Michael, noted the fact that the challenges facing the residents are compounded with the estate not having perimeter fence, which has opened to unscrupulous intruders.

According to him, inter-crossing into the estate is a daily affair. “Human movements, vehicular movements, and cow herders, including men of the underworld, have been our companions and they rob residents from time to time,” he noted.

A resident, Mrs. Bunmi Dimon who corroborated Mr. Michael’s comments on the issue of insecurity said, “They will come in with trailer loads of men from the republic of Niger and other places into Abesan Estate.

They loiter about, they don’t have a house but they are everywhere in the community. There are just too many of them around. ‘‘These people robbed homes when residents have gone to work or have gone to church.

Anytime you are not at home, you have to be worried because a burglar might enter your home. ‘‘This and many other challenges are what we face in the estate.

We want Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to remember us and not forget us like other past governors have done especially in the area of road infrastructure.

Our roads are truly bad but because the roads are inside the estate the government may not know. This is a major estate too,” she said. In a joint meeting held on September 15, 2023, the executive and chairmen of Abesan Estate declared a state of emergency on the estate’s security.

This decision came in the wake of recent events that have caused concern among the residents. During the meeting, residents were urged to heighten their awareness of their homes and surroundings as well as prioritise their security.

The Public Relations Officer, Olufemi Odeyemi, said, “It is crucial for everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities that may help in apprehending the perpetrators, who are believed to be among us.

“To effectively address the challenges posed by these marauders and guarantee the safety of the community, security measures have been put in place. These measures aim to halt the activities of those causing disturbances in our environment.”

The meeting, which was chaired by the President of the Abesan Residents Association, Michael, had in attendance among others Mr. Moshood Awogbade, and members of the AERA executive and sector chairmen.

Decayed infrastructure

On the issue of decayed infrastructure, Michael said, “Our roads are truly terrible. Apart from the road that the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande built over 40 years ago, no administration has done anything much on our roads.

There was one time that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was visiting. The agencies in charge quickly came in and did some makeover on the road. ‘‘Apart from that, nothing has been done on our roads since Jakande time and this has led to a state of total disrepair.

The residents are always visiting the mechanic workshops because of this as their vehicles break down from time to time.”

Unhygienic environment

On the environment, Michael said, we have more shops and kiosks in the estate than any other estate built by Jakande.

This has contributed to the dirtiness of the Estate. We have so many traders apart from Nigeriens. We have traders from Ota, Ojuore, Atan, Ifo and so on, people who built shops here.

They come in the morning and go at night and dump refuse all around the estate and we have to be the one to dispose of those refuse.”

According to one of the residents, Olaolu Ashefon, the collapse of the sewage system has made life difficult for Abesan Estate residents.

When we moved to this estate in the 1980s, it was a beautiful estate. It was so beautiful that one could drive through the estate and not find a porthole on any of the roads and the roads were so fine but now they have all broken down.

‘‘The central sewage system now makes matters worst. You cannot walk through the estate now without perceiving some ugly odour.”

Another resident, Mr Oludayo Sunday, also lamented over the poor hygiene of the estate, saying, “the sewage system is a serious problem because the sewage infrastructure are archaic and needed to be rebuilt.

We pay tenement rate and other taxes, so I see no reason the Lagos State government shouldn’t listen to us. ‘‘I know that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is doing a lot in terms of infrastructure renewal in Lagos State.

We have seen all the roads been repaired within the city but they need to include Abesan Estate in the scheme of things. ‘‘This is one of the legacies of late Lateef

Jakande and Chief Obafemi Awolowo. They did not intend for it to be abandoned.”

No health facility

Speaking further, he said, “Our health infrastructure is in poor and deplorable state.

We have no hospital in the estate, no health care centre. If any of our pregnant women run into labour, we have no health institution to take them to. Our sewage system is a total wreck.

It has broken down and it makes the environment to be smelly. ‘‘This estate has the largest concentration of Okada riders and we have tried to reduce or discourage them but the people who are doing business with them such as those that resell motorcycles and food sellers, have resisted all efforts to crack down on Okada riders for security reasons.”

Plight of the residents

The Vice President of the Abesan Estate Residents Association, Mr Fapounda Babatunde also weigh in on the present state of the estate, noting, “we have had many opportunities to talk about the many challenges facing Abesan Estate Community but nothing has been done so far.

This is as he disclosed that, ‘‘we had a “ Save our Soul’ demonstrations and we went as far as the State House of Assembly. Ige promised to do something about our plight but nothing was done. We have been dubbed the dirtiest estate in Lagos State.

‘‘The Lagos State Waste Management Authority had a meeting with us in which they made many promises but nothing has been done so far.

We just pray that there won’t be an epidemic in the estate, this is why we are using this opportunity to call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to come to our aid.”

Further, Fapaouda said, “Lagos State has many offices and parastatals located within the estate. We have appealed to them to employ some of our youths who are university graduates.

‘‘We believe if they are working in government parastatals, they will have more passion for a change in their community but this was not done, rather outsiders are employed in these offices.

Despite all the breakdown in so – cial amenities, new estates keep springing up every day in Abesan. ‘‘The state government is adding more structures, yet the roads are very bad, there are security challenges and sewage issues.

We have more than 20 entrances to the estate and we would have loved to have perimeter fence but we don’t have the financial muscle.

‘‘What we are doing now is to mount gates on each entrance one after the other. You also need to know that most of the waste being dumped in the estate are not from residents but by surrounding communities.

We are calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to come to our aid and solve these problems.” The General Secretary of the residents Association, Mr Adesi Kazeem, on his part, complained that the estate’s voices are not been heard.

The Social Secretary, Mrs Azeez Grace Omole, wanted government to look into the incursion of foreigners from Niger, Chad and other West African countries into the estate.

According to him, “95 per cent of the Hausa Fulani coming to the estate are from Niger or Chad. This could be dangerous for Lagos State because we don’t even know what their intentions are.

They have no houses but they sleep anywhere and some of them are the robbers and burgers terrorising the community.’’

Diverse population and culture

New Telegraph Investigations revealed that Abesan Estate has become home to a diverse population; a mixed multitude and like many urban areas in Lagos, it continues to grapples with pressing challenges that impact its residents’ daily lives.

The challenges of infrastructure are quite significant, particularly in terms of road quality and drainage systems. The bad roads have made commuting difficult especially during rainy seasons.

The drainage systems have broken down, leading to flooding in some areas during heavy rains, posing risks to both residents and properties.

Insecurity is a major concern among residents of Abesan Estate. Cases of burglary, theft, and occasional violent crimes have been reported, raising fears and impacting the sense of safety within the community.

Poorly lit streets and inadequate policing exacerbate these issues. Community members have organised neighborhood watch groups and collaborated with local law enforcement to enhance security measures, but sustainable solutions require increased police presence and improved street lighting infrastructure.

Abesan Estate lacks essential social amenities such as well-equipped healthcare facilities, and recreational spaces. Residents often have to travel outside the estate for medical care, leading to inconvenience and additional expenses.

Many residents feel neglected by local authorities and believe that their concerns are not adequately prioritised. Added to this is the challenge caused by the collapse of a central sewage system that has made it impossible for wastes to flow out from each household. However, reports revealed that this was already being fixed by the Lagos State government.

Protest to House of Assembly

In December 2023, more than 30 elderly residents of Abesan Estate stormed the Lagos House of Assembly complex to protest rising insecurity in the Estate as well as the dilapidated roads in the community.

The protesters, mostly retirees of the Lagos State government, were chanting various protest songs and armed with placards of various inscriptions. Some of the inscriptions read: “Sanwo-Olu, intervene in our situation.

Abesan Estate has become an eyesore”; “Our hearts bleed; Drug peddlers, robbers now terrorizing us on a daily basis.”

President of the Abesan Estate Residents Association Kehinde, who led the protesters, said, “The Estate which used to be a pride of Lagos State and its people have become an eyesore with dilapidated roads and no feasible sign of government presence despite its iconic role as the largest estate in Lagos State.”

He said insecurity has also become a major issue in the estate because of the porous nature of the community.

According to him, residents have lost count of numbers when robbers invaded the estate and carted away their property Between October and November 2023 alone, we have recorded dozens of burglaries, even the fire service office in the estate was attacked and vehicles parked within the premises vandalised,” he added.

Another elder and former President of the estate, Mr. Bisola Ogunyanwo, said the security situation was so pathetic and unbearable.

“It has degenerated to a level where everybody is vulnerable to attack and injuries. Residents are being threatened physically, psychologically, emotionally and economically.

Nobody can sleep with his or her eyes closed,” he said. He also disclosed that the main gate leading into the estate has been converted to a motor park by the LCDA contrary to the plans of the estate under late Lateef Jakande.”

Lagos Assembly promises to address challenges

Addressing the protesters on behalf of Lagos Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, Fatai Mojeed (Chief Whip) from Ibeju Lekki Constituency 1, urged them to remain calm and be peaceful while promising that the House would address their grievances.

Mojeed, who was accompanied by two member of the House, Oladele Ajayi of Ibeju Lekki Constituency 2 and Olayinka Kazeem Esho, said the protest letter will be delivered to the appropriate quarters and necessary steps taken to expedite their petition.

According to him, “I am here on behalf of the Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, and I will assure you that your petition will be treated with urgency.

The House of Assembly is your House and you voted us to protect your interest and you can be rest assured that your interest will be protected. “You can have the best of assurance that this matter will be looked into critically by the House.

I can assure you that very soon, you will get a favorable response and all I can tell you now is that we should be law-abiding and we should not take laws into our hands.”

Scheduled for rehabilitation

The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho while speaking on the situation at Abesan Estate community said, “Abesan Estate is very important to the Lagos State government.

It is one of the estates that our administration will rehabilitate and work on, in terms of infrastructure renewal. ‘‘We will make them modern and more habitable for the people.

I can assure you that the Lagos State government has a plan for Abesan Estate, not only Abesan Estate. We have plans for all the estates as part of our urban renewal efforts.

‘‘Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will do everything in his power to ensure that all the problems mentioned in the community will be solved.’’

Challenges

The Managing Director of Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, Ibrahim Odunboni, said, the challenges confronting Abesan Estate will be addressed by LAWMA officials assigned to the estate.