The month of January up is often known for Harmattan but torrential rains drenched Lagos on Wednesday and Thursday, plunging parts of the city into surprise downpours.
These early January showers have immediately raised concerns from heightened flood risks to hampered farming prep.
Already some neighbourhoods in Lekki, have seen rainwater rise above ankle level.
Workers at various offices at Victoria Island in Lagos were shocked to hear the sounds of rain on the third day in January 2024. “Yes, I have a couple of fears about it (the rain) especially since its not raining in other states yet, so I believe it’s climate change in Lagos,” said Ebere, a worker in Victoria Island.
However, Ebere’s colleague, Alabi dismissed concerns, seeing a divine perspective to the downpour, “I see it as God’s blessing to provide us relief from the heat.”
However, some farmers expressed fears that if the rain persists into the April/May planting season, it would negatively impact food production.
“If the rain persists in the coming weeks, farmers may be lured to plant early, only to face disaster later when drought returns, as most of them rely solely on rainfall for irrigation,” said rice farmer Aduragbemi Fasakin.
His counterpart, a cucumber/tomato farmer, Oluwaseun Ajose, added “Early rainfall can increase fungal diseases that stunt vegetables’ growth, which is bad market for tomatoes farmers.”
Climate change expert and and Chairman of the Sustainable Green Environment Initiative, Dr Sanmi Olowosile said “this early downpour has both positive and negative effects on food production.”
He explains further, “It could cause flooding which damages crops, or it could lead to drought if rain is scarce later in the main planting season… Either way, it reinforces the need for improved rainwater management and climate-smart agriculture practices.”
Residents of Lagos are now bracing up for the days ahead to prevent future surprises but it is unclear how prepared Government is to tackle the flood situation that may arise if the heavy showers continue.
