Flood drives away pupils

Flood has driven staff and pupils of Orile Primary School, Orile, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway away from school.

The school was flooded on Wednesday.

The staff and pupils were shared between the Ire-Akari Primary School, already sharing a compound with three other schools and the Metropolitan Primary School. Both schools are nearby.

Habitual visitor

Even though the flood is a habitual rainy season visitor, its company became disturbing for the staff and pupils when it flooded the staff rooms and classrooms last Thursday.

A primary two pupil, Kudus Ayobo said though it did not affect classes, they had to either stand on their chairs or sit on their desks in class.

"And we, even our teachers, have to walk in the water if we have to go anywhere. So some of us did not want to go anywhere," he said.

According to a teacher, the move was initiated by the Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Authority.

"Usually it just covers the compound," says the teacher. "This is the first time it would get into the classrooms. That was why we vacated the compound for this school."

School swimming pool?

After school, some pupils, obviously excited by the sight of the dirty and muddy pool of water played in it.

Three weeks ago, Kamoli Yakubu, a primary six pupil had a nasty experience in the ‘pool'; something had stung his upper lip in the water.

"I didn't see it, but I felt it," said Master Yakubu who still has the scar. "Later my lip became big and ugly and it started itching badly. I could not eat well for two weeks."

What Master Yakubu picked up was also strange to his colleagues, majority of who also had toe -infections from the water.

Ibrahim Olanipekun, also a primary six pupil is one of those who picked up a toe-infection from the water.

"One of my toes became big," he says. "I reported it to my class auntie who gave me ‘Rob' (A brand of balm) to apply to it."

Though Master Olanipekun is relieved that his class has been moved to Metropolitan Primary school, he is not yet on dry land.

The premises of Metropolitan primary school are also flooded as pupils naturally go bare foot in order not to get their sandals wet.

What the LCDA has to say

Muyiwa Jimoh, the special assistant to the chairman of the Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area on Media and Public Affairs blamed the public for the recent flooding.

"We all know that Lagos is surrounded by water, but I can tell you that the problem was compounded by residents of the area throwing refuse into the canals," says Mr. Jimoh.

Mr. Jimoh confirmed that the Local Council moved the school to another school as a palliative measure, saying this would not be the first time.

He was, however, not specific about when work will start at the flooded schools.

He said: "There are other schools that have been flooded and we are doing reconstruction work there. Because our fund is limited, we have to do it gradually, and not simultaneously. The case of Orile Primary School is fresh, so it is the third in line. But I can tell you that there will be proper reconstruction of these schools."