By: Okosun Dennis
From Obalende to CMS, extending to Orile, Alaba-Suru axis down to the busy Trade fair in Ojo Local Government Area, it is a sad reality of the notoriety of kingdom of refuse that is swiftly threatening human existence.
A transit through Apapa via Tin Can port through to Mile 2, sent ugly signals into the innocent spines. The medians were littered with decaying refuse, releasing intermittently, unforgettable odour.
Even when the thought of Epe beckoned on me with its less cosmopolitan nature, it was a plethora of herps of refuse that misconstrued comprehension.
Incidentally, the urbanic nature of Ajah, Jakande down to Ribadu Road in Ikoyi, didn’t not give any soothing reports either. The eyes were blurred with unpacked herps that dots major roads.
The pungent odour has the potentials of dispatching a pregnant goat into a forced labour.
Precisely on the 13th February, 2026, a tour through Orile-Mile 2 road, was a realisation of unfathomable deposit of waste on the road.
To confirm the unseriousness of Lagos state with Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), claiming to be in charge, the terrible garbage on the street on Monday, 12th October, 2026, in the same place about seven months later, left an unpalatable testimony of a mega city with mega nonsense.
Unfortunately, Lagos state government has not shown sufficient commitment to the eradication of waste. This is so, because the major dump site at Ikorodu is unable to cope with the traffic of trucks that are inching to offload their waste.
Again, apart from the PSP being inadequate to serve a mega city like Lagos, the few vehicles are poorly maintained hence they break down often; thereby limiting the capacity of times they can evacuate from various locations.
It was also uncovered that some PSP are engaging in sharp practices; while some hardly visits assigned locations to clear waste.
Beyond these, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu needs to be more decisive, apart from sacking the Managing Director of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, and the appointment of Dr Hassan Sanuth over the escalation of waste management crisis in the state.
It is expected that with the coming on board of a new helmsman, LAWMA will carry its functions will alacrity in such a way that it will bring transcendental relief to Lagos residents.