The recent floods in Makwa, a historic town in Niger State, Nigeria, have tragically highlighted the country\u2019s fragile infrastructure and inadequate disaster preparedness. Once a vital trade hub linking southern merchants with northern farmers, Makwa has suffered years of neglect and environmental degradation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The flooding, which claimed at least 150 lives and displaced thousands, is a sobering reminder of the urgent need for better urban planning and climate resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the aftermath, a Nupe proverb offers deep reflection on the tragedy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCigban na ma \u2018na na, dagba ga a tsun ce, ebi nu, u din fu ninmi wun a; dinniko ga yize yi vwonyi, edzu ga u yi finyi.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Translation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWood that burns well does not last long; when an elephant kicks, only another elephant can withstand it. However sharp the blade may be, it cannot carve its own handle. The fly says the world is vast, but the spider says it is small.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This proverb speaks to the fragility of strength, the interconnectedness of our actions, and the need for humility and shared responsibility in addressing systemic challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Preventable Tragedy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The flash floods struck in the early hours, catching residents off guard. Homes and infrastructure were overwhelmed, with the nearby River Niger intensifying the destruction. This disaster underscores how natural forces, when combined with human negligence, can become catastrophic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nigeria\u2019s long history of flooding is worsening due to several interlinked factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Rapid Urban Growth \u2013 Nigeria\u2019s population has soared from 122 million in 2000 to over 200 million today. Urban expansion has outpaced planning, often ignoring geography and environmental risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Poor Urban Planning \u2013 Building on floodplains continues despite zoning regulations. Weak enforcement results in chaotic development that fails to accommodate rainfall or drainage needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Waste Mismanagement \u2013 Many drainage systems are clogged with refuse. In numerous communities, drains are used as dumping grounds, impeding water flow and increasing flood risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Neglected Infrastructure \u2013 Ageing and unmaintained drainage and road systems leave communities repeatedly exposed during the rainy season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Responsibility Must Be Shared<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While government failures are evident\u2014ranging from ignored environmental warnings to poor infrastructure oversight\u2014citizens are not blameless. Irresponsible waste disposal, lack of civic education, and complacency contribute significantly to the worsening crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As one local engineer observed: \u201cWe keep building roads without considering water flow. When the rains come, the roads wash away because they were never built to withstand this pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This comment reflects broader systemic issues: infrastructure projects focused on optics rather than long-term sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Collapsed roads during the floods hampered rescue operations, once again revealing the fragility of Nigeria\u2019s transport network. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Each rainy season brings renewed fear, as critical infrastructure continues to fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Time for Action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The tragedy in Makwa must serve as a catalyst for change. Governments at all levels must prioritise:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Sustainable urban planning<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Investment in resilient infrastructure <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Strict enforcement of environmental regulations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Communities, in turn, must embrace environmental responsibility and demand accountability from leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As climate change fuels more extreme weather events, Makwa\u2019s story should not be just another news headline. It must become a turning point\u2014a clarion call for urgent and collective reform. Without it, preventable disasters will remain a recurring reality. The time to act is now! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ahmad Shuaibu Isa ahmadeesir214@gmail.com<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The recent floods in Makwa, a historic town in Niger State, Nigeria, have tragically highlighted the country\u2019s fragile infrastructure and inadequate disaster preparedness. Once a vital trade hub linking southern merchants with northern farmers, Makwa has suffered years of neglect and environmental degradation. The flooding, which claimed at least 150 lives and displaced thousands, is a sobering reminder of the urgent need for better urban planning and climate resilience. In the aftermath, a Nupe proverb offers deep reflection on the tragedy: \u201cCigban na ma \u2018na na, dagba ga a tsun ce, ebi nu, u din fu ninmi wun a; dinniko ga yize yi vwonyi, edzu ga u yi finyi.\u201d Translation: \u201cWood that burns well does not last long; when an elephant kicks, only another elephant can withstand it. However sharp the blade may be, it cannot carve its own handle. The fly says the world is vast, but the spider says it is small.\u201d This proverb speaks to the fragility of strength, the interconnectedness of our actions, and the need for humility and shared responsibility in addressing systemic challenges. A Preventable Tragedy The flash floods struck in the early hours, catching residents off guard. Homes and infrastructure were overwhelmed, with the nearby River Niger intensifying the destruction. This disaster underscores how natural forces, when combined with human negligence, can become catastrophic. Nigeria\u2019s long history of flooding is worsening due to several interlinked factors: 1. Rapid Urban Growth \u2013 Nigeria\u2019s population has soared from 122 million in 2000 to over 200 million today. Urban expansion has outpaced planning, often ignoring geography and environmental risks. 2. Poor Urban Planning \u2013 Building on floodplains continues despite zoning regulations. Weak enforcement results in chaotic development that fails to accommodate rainfall or drainage needs. 3. Waste Mismanagement \u2013 Many drainage systems are clogged with refuse. In numerous communities, drains are used as dumping grounds, impeding water flow and increasing flood risk. 4. Neglected Infrastructure \u2013 Ageing and unmaintained drainage and road systems leave communities repeatedly exposed during the rainy season. Responsibility Must Be Shared While government failures are evident\u2014ranging from ignored environmental warnings to poor infrastructure oversight\u2014citizens are not blameless. Irresponsible waste disposal, lack of civic education, and complacency contribute significantly to the worsening crisis. As one local engineer observed: \u201cWe keep building roads without considering water flow. When the rains come, the roads wash away because they were never built to withstand this pressure.\u201d This comment reflects broader systemic issues: infrastructure projects focused on optics rather than long-term sustainability. Collapsed roads during the floods hampered rescue operations, once again revealing the fragility of Nigeria\u2019s transport network. Each rainy season brings renewed fear, as critical infrastructure continues to fail. Time for Action The tragedy in Makwa must serve as a catalyst for change. Governments at all levels must prioritise: \u2022 Sustainable urban planning \u2022 Investment in resilient infrastructure \u2022 Strict enforcement of environmental regulations. Communities, in turn, must embrace environmental responsibility and demand accountability from leadership. As climate change fuels more extreme weather events, Makwa\u2019s story should not be just another news headline. It must become a turning point\u2014a clarion call for urgent and collective reform. Without it, preventable disasters will remain a recurring reality. The time to act is now! Ahmad Shuaibu Isa ahmadeesir214@gmail.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25538,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"[]"},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25537"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25539,"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25537\/revisions\/25539"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fctnewsgazette.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}