An Inspiring Community: Living Under the Obalende Bridge In the Heart of Lagos’s Urban Conflict
More than sixty men have chosen this area as their home beneath the busy Obalende Bridge in Lagos, Nigeria. One of them is Liya’u Sa’adu, a 60-year-old who has lived under the bridge for half his life and has become an inspiration to those who come to the country’s biggest metropolis in search of safety. Even the most fundamental form of shelter has gone out of reach for these people, and they have no choice but to adjust to one of the worst parts of Lagos.
Many of the younger residents of Karkashin Gada, like the “Guardian” Liya’u Sa’adu, have come from faraway towns and villages in quest of a brighter future. The youths are susceptible to the numerous dangers, such as drug addiction and criminality, that Lagos presents because they have neither family nor assistance upon their arrival. The difficulties they encounter are not foreign to Sa’adu; he came to Zamfara state in 1994 from Zurmi. He feels obligated to help the newcomers stay on the straight and narrow after seeing the departure or passing of the people he had formerly befriended.
An individual named Tukur Garba, who has resided beneath the bridge for five years, recognizes the immense significance of Sa’adu in their existence. He talks about Sa’adu as if he were an older brother figure—respected for his knowledge and commanding respect in Lagos’s hectic milieu. “Karkashin Gada” (Under the Bridge in Hausa) is the name of this settlement. Sa’adu has a significant impact thereby giving people a feeling of security when they otherwise might feel unsafe.
An Upsurge in Lagos’s Homeless Population
A smaller representation of the bigger problem afflicting Lagos—the rising incidence of homelessness—is the expanding population beneath the Obalende Bridge. Many have fled their homes in quest of safety and improved prospects due to insecurity, economic downturns, and conflicts, especially in northern Nigeria. This leads more people to end up in terrible situations, like the ones in Karkashin Gada, where poverty and instability greet the hope of a better life in Lagos.
There is no way Sa’adu can go back to Zamfara. Many have lost their jobs and livelihoods due to the region’s worsening violence, which is marked by kidnappings and banditry. He has acquired a mosquito net, a wooden cabinet, and a mattress in Lagos, allowing him to create a false sense of comfort. Although this is quite a basic arrangement, it is a comfort when contrasted with the living circumstances of his neighbors, who often have to sleep on cold, hard ground while sharing sleeping mats.
Living under the bridge is an ongoing battle for survival. To make ends meet, Sa’adu would scour the streets and factories for scrap metal, which he would then sell to recycling companies. The 5,000 naira ($3) he earns from this employment is barely enough to keep him from falling into abject poverty, but it won’t get him very far either. Despite all this, he is determined to continue sending money to his family in Zamfara, which is putting even more strain on his already meager funds.
Members of the community pay 100 naira ($0.06) each time they use the restroom at one of the adjacent public facilities. Most people who live under the bridge buy their food from vendors who offer northern Nigerian delicacies; cooking is something quite rare among them. Traditional delicacies like fura, a popular millet flour and fermented milk combo, are sold by vendors like Aisha Hadi who has established a regular clientele among the locals of Karkashin Gada.
Concerns about eviction and lack of action from the government
The villagers of Karkashin Gada already face a difficult situation, and the occasional raids by the Lagos state environmental task force only make things worse. Arrests and fines of up to 20,000 naira ($12), which is a week’s salary for many, are the results of these raids, which are frequently carried out in the middle of the night. The locals see these measures as worsening an already tough situation, and they wonder what the government expects from them when they are helpless.
Despite the difficulties, the government is unlikely to step in. Housing programs in Nigeria mostly aim to help low-income workers like drivers and cleaners buy homes, and there is no provision for homeless shelters. The cost of renting a hut in an informal community starts at roughly 100,000 naira ($48) per year, making even the most basic accommodation out of reach for those living under the Obalende Bridge. Landlords’ demand for one year’s rent in advance is making matters worse, and the government’s failure to regulate the housing market means this practice will certainly continue.
Keeping Going When Things Get Tough
Adaptation and resilience are the keys to life under the Obalende Bridge for Sa’adu and thousands like him. They have learned to persevere and make do with what they have because there are no reasonable options for better accommodation, and eviction is always a possibility. Despite the constant hardships of being outside of society, Sa’adu finds comfort in the monotony of his everyday life, even though he has become used to the sound of cars going by above.
Karkashin Gada’s tale ultimately revolves about overcoming hardship and emerging victorious. This city in Africa is a sobering reminder of the human toll that economic and social inequality take, as well as the strength of the people who, in the face of insurmountable obstacles, keep fighting for a better life.
