Passing through roads in the major areas of Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun State, southwest Nigeria, and viewing the spectacle of refuse that now outline the ancient city, brings to mind the grim reality of another cycle of pain and death due to Cholera.

Last year, in Ogun State, 108 people contracted cholera and 17 of them died due to the outbreak of the disease. More worrisome is the fact that the 2021 Cholera case fatality rate (CFR) of 15.7% (17 deaths from reported 108 infections) in Ogun State is the second-highest proportion of deaths from the disease in Nigeria after Kogi’s 24.5% case fatality rate (37 deaths from reported 155 infections).

The national average of deaths resulting from the disease was 3 in 100 people (3.2%), while in Ogun state, an equivalent of 16 people out of 100 persons (15.7%) died after being infected by Cholera.

In total, 3,604 persons died out of 111,062 persons reported to be infected with cholera in the 34 affected states,  according to the NCDC 2021 report.

Dumping waste products in non-designated sites like this causes air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution, predisposing people to water and air-borne diseases such as cholera.  

Besides, when refuse is not quickly and routinely evacuated from these undesignated dumpsites, the mass of refuse blocks the drainage in the affected areas, leading to flooding and other environmental hazards.

Refuse litter the Streets of Abeokuta

A visitor touring through Abeokuta cannot miss the paved and unpaved roads littered with dirt from abandoned refuse, defacing several bus stops in the town. This environmental situation is evident in Obantoko, Saje, Panseke, Adedotun, Lafenwa, and other Abeokuta suburbs.

For months, residents have shown their displeasure at how heaps of refuse litter the ancient city lately, as such is yet to be addressed. The situation is not only peculiar to the residential areas but to markets and parks such as Kuto, Lafenwa market,  Panseke, Omida market, and Kudirat Abiola motor park.

DATAPYHTE visited some areas in the city to confirm the people’s frustration at the indiscriminate dumping of refuse around the state. It was observed that much refuse was dumped at major roadsides, highways and motor parks in the administrative capital of Ogun State.

Some of the residents who spoke with the reporter said that it’s been months since the refuse had been dumped at the roadsides, junctions and highways, and they keep piling up on a daily basis without attention from the authorities.

Mr Sola Adefioye, a roadside vulcanizer in the Alogi area of Obantoko said the issue of indiscriminate refuse dumping is quite alarming, and it has been a major challenge to roadside workers. He said people do dump their refuse in front of his workshop and it used to be cleared by the members of the Ogun state Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA). But recently, the OGWAMA officials turn a blind eye to them each time they pass by.

Remilekun Atobaru, a hairstylist at Fajol also faces the same challenge. She and her fellow shop occupants do not allow people to dump refuse in front of their shops because the awful smell that comes from the refuse is appalling, and they believe it is not safe for their health.

She said “I am a hairstylist, and my shop is not the only shop around here. If the government isn’t ready to address the issue, we need to caution our people. The smell that comes from the refuse is so bad to the extent that we have to close the doors most times.”

This Indiscriminate act has caused Kehinde Sotanwa, a petty trader at Itoku market, to move her goods from the initial spot to a cleaner area. That way she avoided the dirt that flies around, which made her customers complain that her business environment was dirty.

“That was the previous spot where I displayed my wares at the roadside but our people do complain that they can’t stand the dirt flying around the area. The way dirt is all over the place needs to be addressed.” Mrs Sotanwa said.

Meanwhile, Tajudeen Saliu, a resident of Asero estate told DATAPHYTE that some workers from the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA) do come to his house to dispose of the refuse bin every week, but his fellow occupants have to contribute some amount of money before the refuse can be disposed of. 

Many areas in Ogun state have been littered with dirt without prompt disposal by the workers of the Ogun state Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA). So, residents now dump refuse anywhere they choose since the designated spots for dumping refuse are full already.

Iliyasu Saheed, a roadside fruit seller at Itoku market said “We are dying of the odour coming from the waste dumped by the market people. If those that are packing refuse want to start charging us, I think that will be better. The stench coming from the refuse is unhealthy.  

Another Cholera outbreak likely

Iya Anu, as fondly called, sells food items at the Safari area of Abeokuta. Due to the dumping of refuse in front of her shop, she has decided to limit the display of her wares since they are consumables, but that does not totally shield the food items she sells from her germ-infested surroundings. 

“I sell food items here in Safari; it’s been a while since these people have packed the refuse. My shop is near the refuse spot, and I can’t stop residents from dumping dirt because it has been a refuse spot for a long time and denying them might trigger violence in the area”, she regretted.

The World Health Organization (WHO), affirmed that cholera, an acute intestinal infection, is spread through contaminated food and water, reappearing periodically, especially in countries that are unable to secure access to clean drinking water. Cholera infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.

While Ogun State did not report a Cholera case in the first 2 months of 2022, dumping of refuse around the state could trigger a worse cholera outbreak in the state than the 2021 event. 

This is because major consumable items are displayed and prepared openly on major roadsides especially those that are close to the junctions where refuse is dumped at. 

For instance, going through major roads in some areas in Ogun state, one would observe that many food vendors occupy the streets on a daily basis. These food vendors usually display their wares for easy access by their customers.

Mrs Kasali, a roadside fruit seller at  Panseke, Abeokuta lamented, “We are dying of the odour coming from the waste dumped by the market people. If those that are packing refuse want to start charging us, I think that will be better. If anyone comes to the market on a hot sunny afternoon, they dare not stay long. This is because the odour coming out from the refuse is bad.”

Meanwhile, Barr. Toyin Obatosin,  Commercial director, OGWAMA told DATAPHYTE that the refuse is being evacuated on a daily basis. He claimed that there has been prompt evacuation within the Abeokuta metropolis but due to the non-compliance of residents, refuse are now occupying roadsides in Abeokuta.

Mr Obatosin said, “The claim that the refuse was not evacuated is false. There has been prompt evacuation on a daily basis. The residents have not been complying with our directives. We have advised them to avoid dumping refuse by the roadside as such end up littering everywhere,”

However, Mrs Yemisi Awe, a PhD student at the Pan African University Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, University of Ibadan, Nigeria warned that indiscriminate dumping of refuse could cause serious public health problems.

“A dumpsite is a breeding site for many organisms such as pathogens and vectors. People living close to dumpsites can suffer a lot of illnesses such as malaria, cholera, and diarrhoea. There can be the risk of terminal diseases from long term exposure to chemicals from dumpsites ranging from hydrogen sulphide released into the air to heavy metals contamination of the underground water (well water). 

The unpleasant sight of refuse in places other than landfills can be very irritating. This can in turn reduce the value of such an area. It may affect the source of livelihood of people staying as people may not want to buy any edibles close to such areas because of the disgusting sight and the foul smell,”  the university scholar submitted.

Ignoring this indiscriminate refuse disposal around residences, markets, motor parks, roadsides and other and other public places in Abeokuta, poses not only a public health risk of epidemics like Cholera but also diminishes the economic, environmental, and cultural value of Abeokuta, the administrative capital of Ogun State.