It was a mixed bag of feelings as residents of Lagos marked the Sallah yesterday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The inhabitants of Kuramo beach, where an Atlantic Ocean surge killed no fewer than four persons, and 12 others still missing, battled to salvage their properties and relocate while other Lagosians took to revelry to mark the event.
A task-force demolished shanties left standing after the surge.
Special Assistant on Security, Victoria Island Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Mr Stanley Iyere, who led the task-force, said the demolition was necessitated by Saturday’s surge.
Iyere said the government would not allow the people to return to Kuramo beach because of the inherent dangers.
However, three of the affected persons, Mrs Folashade Ajayi, Mr Kayode Lawal and Mrs. Amina Sura urged the state government to ensure that they were appropriately relocated as their livelihood depended on their daily sales from the beach.
Sura, who plies her trade at the bar beach, said they were not worried by the ocean surge.
She said: “It is an annual occurrence; we live on the Island and every year the ocean must surge.’’
The mother of two noted that the beach was one of the tourists’ centres in the country and urged the government to ensure the protection of lives and properties, especially of people living in the area.
One of the picnickers, Miss Vivian Aluko, an undergraduate, who stormed the beach with her friends to mark her birthday, said that she was not deterred by Saturday’s incident.
“Yesterday was my birthday, so I came to celebrate with my friends. I am happy because it coincided with the Sallah celebration when a lot of people are celebrating,’’ she said.
Aluko appealed to the Federal Government to make the beach safer so that it would continue to attract a large patronage.
Mr Isa Ibrahim, a father of four, said that he was at the beach because his children loved playing with the sand and watching the flow of water.
“We are having fun, although I am very observant and security conscious because of yesterday’s incident. But we are here to celebrate the Sallah,’’ he said.
On the mainland, thousands of lovers of movies thronged the National Theatre to watch various Nollywood and other indigenous films lined up to celebrate the Eid-El-Fitr.
A a businessman, Mr Nduka Onyema, who was at the theatre, said the occasion was an opportunity to take his family around the city to see new places and have fun.
“I know the road will be free today and many people will be at various spots; it is a good opportunity to mix with old friends,’’ he said.
Some of the eateries in the area witnessed a large turnout of revellers.
Alhaji Olarenwaju Ibrahim, who was at Tastee Chicken on Broad Street with his family, said that it was a thing of joy to be alive to celebrate Sallah.
He said: “I am happy to be here with my family; no matter the little we can afford I thank God because we are alive.’’
A banker, Mrs Maria Ogunde, told NAN that the celebration gave her an opportunity to take her children out to visit new places.
She said: “I have visited friends and Silverbird Galleria today, that is why I am at Tastee to eat and go home. It has been a fun-filled day.’’
Traffic was light on IkoroduRoad, and in areas such as Ikeja and Iyana-Ipaja, as well as Victoria Island and its environs.
However, transport fares remained stable with fares from Ikeja to Ojuelegba stable at N100; Mile 2 to Orile, N50; Iyana-Ipaja to Yaba, N150; and Costain to CMS, N50. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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