Flooding Triggers Gridlock As Motorists Spend Hours On Lagos Roads
Motorists were left stranded for hours on Monday after rainfall triggered flooding around the junction linking Ogba, Agege and Wempco roads in Lagos State, causing severe traffic congestion across adjoining routes.
The gridlock extended to Wempco Road, Oba Ogunji Road and the Ogba axis, as drivers struggled to navigate flooded sections of the roads. Some vehicles reportedly broke down after encountering the floodwater, further worsening the traffic situation.
The incident has renewed concerns over recurring flooding in the area, where residents and road users say the problem has persisted for years despite previous road repairs.
A motorist, Sodiq Afolabi, who was travelling towards the OPIC end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, said he had spent nearly two hours in traffic.
Afolabi expressed frustration over the delay, noting that he had not anticipated that a brief rainfall would disrupt movement to such an extent.
He lamented that the flooding had prevented vehicles from moving freely, forcing commuters to spend valuable time on the road.
Another motorist, Sanya Adeolu, who resides in the community, described the situation as a recurring challenge whenever it rains.
According to him, the persistent flooding has continued to disrupt movement and expose vehicles to potential damage, particularly when water levels rise high enough to enter their engines.
Adeolu said the consequences went beyond traffic congestion, pointing to the additional financial burden motorists face when their vehicles develop faults after passing through flooded roads.
He called for a lasting solution to the problem, stressing that residents should not continue to endure the same difficulties every time rainfall occurs.
The situation also created challenges for traffic officials, who were observed making efforts to manage the flow of vehicles around the affected junction.
Another motorist, Funsho Oyeyemi, urged the Lagos State Government to address the recurring flooding, arguing that previous road repairs had failed to resolve the underlying problem.
Oyeyemi expressed concern that even a short period of rainfall could leave the area heavily flooded, causing delays for workers, business owners and other commuters with scheduled appointments.
He maintained that the government needed to move beyond road repairs and tackle the drainage problems responsible for the repeated flooding.
Similarly, a resident identified simply as Tony warned that the persistent accumulation of floodwater could weaken the road and damage previously repaired sections.
He explained that unless the drainage challenges were properly addressed, the road could continue to deteriorate, leading to repeated repairs and further hardship for motorists.
The residents called on the relevant authorities to implement a sustainable drainage and flood-management plan to prevent a recurrence of the problem.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
Calls placed to his telephone lines were not answered, while a text message sent to him had yet to receive a response.
