By Mathew Johnson
Residents of Festac Town in Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos, over the weekend, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in what they described as the continued disposal of public facilities and open spaces within the estate, warning that the development could pose environmental, security and social challenges to the community.
The appeal was made during a press conference organised by the Take Back Festac movement, where residents and community stakeholders called for the preservation of facilities originally designated for public use under the estate’s master plan.
President of Take Back FESTAC, Mr. Valentine Uduebo, described Festac as a historic estate that should be protected from developments that could undermine its infrastructure and environmental sustainability.
He said: “Festac is our home. Many of us have lived here for more than 46 years and raised our children in this community. We are appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to save what remains of this historic estate.
The green areas, recreational spaces and other facilities originally provided for residents’ benefit are gradually disappearing. We believe these facilities should be preserved in line with the vision upon which Festac was established,” he said.
“Some of the facilities currently being affected were designed as part of the estate’s infrastructure, including channels for the safe disposal of waste. If such facilities are altered or put to other uses, residents fear there could be environmental and public health implications. We are therefore appealing to the President to order a comprehensive review of ongoing activities affecting public facilities in Festac and suspend further transactions involving such assets pending the outcome of such a review,” he added.
Uduebor also alleged that residents were being subjected to what he described as multiple and excessive charges during the processing of property-related transactions.
According to him, some property owners seeking consent for transactions or approvals for developments had complained of being asked to pay huge fees running into millions of naira.
“We are being subjected to multiple charges. In some cases, residents are asked to pay as much as N10 million as consent fees for property transactions. These charges increase the cost of housing and ultimately lead to higher rents,” he alleged.
He further expressed concern about reports that some locations within the estate were being earmarked for commercial development, arguing that certain sites are part of critical infrastructure and public spaces meant to serve residents.
“The local government is closer to the people. We can engage with elected officials directly. We do not want decisions that affect our daily lives to be taken without adequate consultation with residents,” he said.
Also speaking, Vice President of Take Back Festac, Chief James Ibeka, lamented what he described as the gradual disappearance of critical infrastructure and public spaces within the estate, lamenting that.
“Most of the things we see around here are contrary to development and civilisation. People who do not live in Festac are making decisions that affect the community’s future.
Some of these places should never have been put up for sale in the first place,” he said.
He called for a review of transactions involving public facilities and urged authorities to ensure that residents are consulted before decisions affecting the estate are taken”.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Amuwo-Odofin chapter, Monsuru Salam, commended the police for their efforts in maintaining security in the area and appealed to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to continue supporting officers serving in the division.
Salam, however, expressed concern over the reported sale of a security post on 51 Road, which he said serves three security zones within the estate.
He appealed to the Federal Housing Authority, the Federal and Lagos State governments, and the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government to engage local stakeholders before making decisions that affect facilities used for community security and public services.
The stakeholders maintained that preserving public infrastructure, green areas, recreational spaces and security facilities remains essential to sustaining the quality of life and orderly development for which Festac Town was originally designed.
