Expdonaloaded News; Festac residents at the mercy of infernos

When it was conceived to serve as accommodation for visitors for the first African culture festival in the 70s by the Obasanjo administration, Festac town was indeed a sight to behold in terms of aesthetics and facilities.Indeed, it was arguably the best residential area in Lagos and could compete with similar initiatives in Europe and the United States of America, given the aesthetics and ambience of the new community. It was therefore little wonder that the high and mighty jumped at the slightest opportunity to buy properties in Festac then, as the Festival Town, as it was fondly called, was the rave of the moment.But that was then.  Like most things in Nigeria, Festac town, which was once the darling of the nouvea rich, has become a victim of the Nigerian factor.

Right from its main gate, a first time visitors quickly notices that things have since fallen apart in this community. The shine and sparkle of the once bubbling environment has since disappeared, no thanks to a gradual decay. At the moment, everyone that knows this part of Lagos will readily concur that Festac has metamorphosed into a sprawling slum, a mere ghetto where all manner of activities, legal and illegal, take place daily.
As a result, residents have been forced to pull resources together to take charge of facilities in the community which initially was the responsibility of the Federal Government through the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).
Though Festac town still remains under the FHA, signs that the organization is virtually in comatose could be seen all over Festival town in view of the rot that pervades the entire community that is the headquarters of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.  While residents have since resigned to their fate, they are agitated by the inability of the authorities to contain fire outbreaks within the estate in recent times.
This may not be unconnected with the fact that the Festac fire station is now history, as it no longer has fire vehicles to fight any inferno.
In the past months, unmitigated agony has been the lot of residents of Festac Town that have experienced fire incidents. Many of them have lost hundreds of millions of naira to fire outbreaks.
Only recently, a businessman, Ikechukwu Eburuaja, became a victim of fire. He lost about N100 million worth of goods due to a fire incident that engulfed his building on 5th Avenue in Festac.
Sometime last year, Eburuaja, a freight forwarder, had his left leg amputated due to health challenges. In spite of that, however, the businessman had continued to fend for his family of seven.
But when an inferno came visiting his building on July 18, it set the family back to ground zero. Members of the Eburuaja family as well as their tenants lost everything they had laboured for to the incident.
The businessman expressed his agony while narrating the incident to the reporter. His words: “The fire started from my tenant’s apartment about 2.45pm, but it did not extend to our apartment until an hour later. And while the fire was raging, residents did their best to put it out. They even brought a water vehicle from a pure water company.
“This was long after we had reached out to the fire service people, but they did not get here until after three hours because they came all the way from Ikeja. They couldn’t mobilise from Festac here because the Festac fire service has no fire fighting vehicle.
“Even the police Area commander and the divisional police officer (DPO) were here and they both witnessed the incident. The only saving grace at the moment is that the rains have since stopped, so we are able to sleep temporarily.”
Pointing to a bus in front of their razed home, he said: “This is where I now sleep most of the time because I don’t have anywhere to sleep.”
His distraught wife, Mrs. Eburuaja, who deals in jewellery, said she lost N80 million worth of jewels and ornaments to the fire.
“Even my husband lost his artificial leg as the fire consumed all we have laboured for,” she said.
The chairman of Festac Residents’ Association, Mr. Sola Fakorede informed that but for divine intervention, a man who was asleep in the house would have been burnt to death by the fire.
The victim is currently receiving treatment at the Holy Family Catholic Church Medical Centre, Festac town due to injuries sustained.
Also speaking, the member representing Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Oghene Egoh regretted the fate that had befallen EEburuoja, his family and his tenants.
The lawmaker, who was clearly saddened by the incident, asserted: “This is a case of failure on the part of government, because if government had been alive to its responsibilities, this should not have happened.
“I can’t imagine that a place like Festac will not have a functional fire station because we are talking about a place with no fewer than half a million residents.
“I came all the way from Abuja to sympathize with this family because I can’t imagine a fire incident without any response from the fire service for three hours. The blame is largely that of the FHA and I want to assure you that I will see the authorities when I return to Abuja.
“I also want to appeal to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode to compensate this family adequately and also provide Festac with fire fighting trucks.
“I know Ambode is a good man because he worked as the council treasurer while I was councillor in Badagry Local Government Area in 1987.  I know he is compassionate and would assist this family,” he said.
Recently three houses have also been razed on 23 roads, Festac town, raising serious concerns among residents.