Peacebuilding Outreach: Crisis Infested Lagos Community, Orile Iganmu Cries Out Over Neglect

An abandoned Lagos community, Orile Iganmu, ravaged by endemic poverty and insecurity has called on the Lagos State Government, donor agencies and Non Governmental Organizations to come to its aid, in addressing the sustained community violence and insecurity occasioned by lack of opportunity and government presence in the area.

Orile Iganmu community, designated as “threat to peace” in Lagos State in PeacePro’s January edition of State of Peace report, lamented government absence in the area, noting that almost all available infrastructures in the area were built with community contribution and the most basic needs from government, which is security presence is still not available.

The community leaders and elders made this submission over the weekend, during a peacebuilding outreach by popular peacebuilding organization, Foundation for Peace Professional also known as PeacePro.

The Chairman of the community, Elder Olubunmi Diyaolu, who spoke on behalf of all 12 Community Development Association’s (CDA) chairmen and secretaries all present, explained the challenges of the community, particularly poverty and lack of security presence, which has turned the community into a threat to peace in Lagos State.

According to him, there’s no security presence from the government, there’s no good roads or drainage, there’s no health care facility and everything on ground are from community efforts and contribution.

In an effort to address the security challenges in the area, a N500 million security trust fund project was initiated, under the chairmanship of High Chief Olabode Simeon Anifaloyin.

High Chief Olabode Simeon Anifaloyin, who gave an isight into the conception of the Orile Iganmu security trust fund explained that the community is determined to protect its environment, create opportunity for its Youths and build a more peaceful environment, thereby calling on government, donor agencies and Non Governmental Organizations to support its initiative.

The leadership of PeacePro in Lagos State, led by Board of Trustee member, Mr Adedayo Buremoh, Acting Coordinator, Amb. Afodum Charles and Project Director, Hamzat Barshan explained the purpose of PeacePro’s Peacebuilding outreach to the community, noting that the organization is there to understand root causes of crisis in the community and work with them to not only raise awareness on the issues affecting the community, but to also jointly fashion out ways to address the concerns.

Earlier, the Executive Director of PeacePro, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, through a message shared on the organization’s online page said that the Peacebuilding outreach is to advance PeacePro’s efforts in promoting peace from foundation.

According to him, “identifying the issues as contained in State of Peace report is not enough, as the the organization would be making efforts to bring all Stakeholders together to jointly address security concerns across the country”.

Similarly, KKF Foundation led by Mrs. Kirti Sudhanshu was also at the Peacebuilding outreach at Orile Iganmu.

Mrs Kirti, who promised to adopt Orile-Iganmu as her second home, assured the community of the intervention of her Foundation, particularly in the area of Healthcare delivery, Community Empowerment for Youths and Educational supports.