Tension is mounting in the Isale Eko community of Lagos Island as students of Isale Eko Grammar School continue to endure dangerous learning conditions caused by years of stagnant floodwater submerging their school premises. For over eight years, the school has remained partially flooded, forcing students and teachers to wade through filthy, stagnant water daily, risking exposure to diseases and physical harm.

The situation has drawn widespread condemnation from residents, parents, and education stakeholders, who blame the Lagos State Government’s Ilubirin Housing Estate project for blocking a critical drainage channel that previously allowed wastewater to flow freely into the Lagos lagoon.

Residents say the flooding problem escalated when construction began on the Ilubirin project nearly a decade ago. The development, which they describe as stalled and largely unproductive, allegedly sits atop a major drainage route connecting Lagos Island’s inner drainage system to the sea.

“This is environmental injustice,” said a concerned resident. “Tokunbo Wahab has been demolishing properties on setbacks and waterways across Lagos to restore flow and prevent flooding. We are calling on him to apply that same standard here demolish the part of Ilubirin Estate blocking our drainage.”

Parents of the affected students expressed frustration, accusing the state government of neglecting their appeals and making repeated promises that have gone unfulfilled.

“For eight years, we’ve watched our children paddle through water to learn. We’ve written letters, protested, and even attended stakeholder meetings, yet nothing has changed,” said Mrs. Adebayo, a parent of two students at the school. “The government cannot continue to ignore us while our children suffer.”

They are now calling on both Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to take urgent action. In particular, they demand that the blocked drainage channel be reopened even if it means demolishing parts of the Ilubirin Housing Estate, just as other structures on waterways have been removed in the name of flood control and urban renewal.

Community health concerns are also on the rise. With the combination of stagnant water, poor sanitation, and a dense residential population, fears of disease outbreaks have intensified.

Lagos Reporters visited the affected area and observed large pools of murky, unmoving water covering portions of the school compound and adjacent streets. Residents pointed out sealed culverts and blocked channels they believe are the root cause of the flooding.