The general slogan of affordable housing for all as promised by the government has continued to suffer a setback as some Nigerian families now reside permanently under the bridge at the Onikan area of Lagos Island.
The bridge, as a matter of fact, links the inland waterway at Onikan with the popular Bar Beach on Victoria Island.
A week long investigation by our correspondent revealed that over 15 displaced individuals live under the bridge along with their children.
But life under the bridge is shielded from public glare as a result of the activities of fishermen and suspected smugglers, who use a portion of the bridge for their illicit business dealings.
Smugglers of petroleum products ply their illegal trade at a portion under the bridge, using speed boats to ferry the products from the high sea, while the foot of the bridge is merely used as a makeshift depot.
Meanwhile, just like that of many others, the portion occupied by a particular couple, whose ‘permanent abode’ is said to be under the bridge, has all the trappings of a family home-a bed, a television set, a set of chairs and other household items-all crammed in the cave-like cubicle. Electricity is simply tapped from nearby poles.
Other activities that prevent the prying eyes of the public from realising the truth about the burgeoning life under the bridge are the presence of a group of local gin sellers patronised by the fishermen around and some boisterous area boys, who also lazily lie in the open ground around the bridge.
But many of these ‘residents’ under the bridge, our correspondent observed, could be hostile to anyone trying to inquire about them.
A petty trader around the bridge, Mrs. Idowu Badmos, told our correspondent, “Those people living under bridge lost their accommodation when they could no longer meet up with the payment of the rent being demanded by their shylock landlords, and they readily found a new abode here. You can see that the environment is surprisingly neat. We clean our environment very well to escape the wrath of local government officials.”
Another man, who simply identified himself as Mukaila, claimed to be a fisher but said that he relaxed under the bridge whenever business was dull.
”I come here to smoke, drink and relax. We are not criminals. I am a professional fisherman. If you go to Jakande and mention my name, they will tell you my job,” he said.
But an elderly woman standing at the entrance to the ‘room’ under the bridge declined to speak with our correspondent, insisting, ”Telling you anything is like exposing myself to ridicule. We are not happy living such a miserable life, but what do we do? Please, do not come and drive us away from this place; remember, no condition is permanent. Please, I cannot tell you my name.”
Our correspondent observed people visiting the area to partake of the activities under the bridge, especially to take one alcoholic drink or the other and to also discuss ‘business.’
