In Aiyetoro, Nigeria, the sea has swallowed most buildings — publication author
In the coastal community of Aiyetoro in Ondo State, Nigeria, the sea has swallowed about 80% of buildings and approximately 96% of valuable residential houses, said community native Ige Asemudara. According to him, the lost properties include his family home, part of the old palace of the community leader, schools, an information center, a town hall, a church, textile and shoe factories.
Premium Times Nigeria published Asemudara's post, which had previously been posted on his Facebook page. The author describes Aiyetoro as an oil-producing theocratic coastal community in Ilaje, Ondo State.
Appeals for coastal protection
Asemudara claims that since 1999, he has appealed to federal and state authorities to protect the shore. In 2001, he invited journalists to cover the sea's advance, and later, together with other residents, founded the Aiyetoro Community Youth Council.
According to him, the council sent letters to the presidential administration during Olusegun Obasanjo's tenure and to the National Assembly. The author also stated that, following public and media pressure, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) awarded contracts for the protection of Aiyetoro's coastline.
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Claims of uncompleted work
Asemudara accused unnamed politicians and contractors of failing to complete work under the contracts, including one re-awarded in 2009. He also stated that funds allocated for the projects were misappropriated and that the authorities did not conduct a proper investigation. These claims represent the position of the publication's author.
According to Asemudara, after 2009 the sea began advancing more rapidly into the built-up part of Aiyetoro: the coastal road disappeared, and later the sea swallowed homes on the outskirts, Happy City College, a primary school, and other facilities. He noted that the community appealed to the NDDC, government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and the media, but did not achieve a solution to the problem.
The author also stated that the ground floor of the old palace building is now completely underwater and that the sea has spread into adjacent neighborhoods.
