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Nigerian singer, Yemi Alade, has questioned the Lagos State Government over the ongoing demolition of houses and other structures across the state.
Alade expressed her concerns in a video posted on her Instagram Story on Sunday, May 5, 2024.
The singer was reacting to the latest demolition of houses in the Mende, Maryland area on Sunday morning.
Officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources pulled down buildings believed to be standing in the way of a drainage channel.
Though some occupants of the affected buildings have claimed that they were only served vacation notice two hours before the demolition, the ministry's Commissioner, Tokunbo Wahab, said they were duly warned in advance.
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Yemi Alade wants Lagos govt to do things differently
Recently, the Lagos government has intensified its effort to get rid of structures illegally erected on water channels and other unapproved locations across the state.
The exercise, which commenced last year, has affected houses in estates on the Island and other parts of the state. Structures housing businesses have also been pulled down in the process.
However, Alade is concerned about the effect the exercise could pose on the real estate value of, not only the state but also the country as a whole.
She also expressed sadness over the losses suffered by owners of the demolished houses and wondered why the government could not devise another solution to avoid pulling down properties.
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"Lagos State what's going on? what's going on? Does it make sense that people will invest millions of naira, millions of dollars into real estate, buying houses, buying land and Lagos State would go and be breaking walls breaking houses, rendering people homeless overnight.
"And it's done serially. It's done back to back. Right now, Maryland, Mende area is on fire. People are sleeping in their houses, waking up the next day homeless.
"You're ruining the real estate value of the country, ruining the real estate value of the Lagos. Making people lose trust not only just in the idea of Nigeria but lose hope entirely in the little coin they've saved to make their lives worthwhile. To create some kind of generational wealth.
"How is this okay? And why? Does it make sense? Multi-million dollar houses, there is a better way to do things," she said.