“…I see the kids in the street with not enough to eat. Who am I to be blind pretending not to see their needs? A summer’s disregard, a broken bottle top, and a one man’s soul. They follow each other on the wind ya know, ‘Cause they got nowhere to go…” – Michael Jackson in Man in the Mirror

People who live under the bridges in Lagos State are often cited by well-meaning parents as cautionary examples of how a life can go wrong if one does not work hard, but this is not always the case for them.

These individuals are usually treated with disdain, as many fail to acknowledge their humanity and reduce them to stereotypes – drunkenness, poor spoken English, sloppiness, and a constant scheming to outsmart ‘normal people’. But Ayomide Oshindero, 39, defied these stereotypes that an average Lagosian might hold. He was neatly dressed and engrossed in reading a sports newspaper. His hair was neatly cut, and his beard was well-groomed. I spotted Oshindero just a few metres from the Christ Church Cathedral at CMS. The day was August 15.

I sensed he was surprised when I got closer, so I quickly showed him my identity card and explained that I wanted to speak with people living under the bridge to spotlight their experiences. He asked what I stood to gain by doing so, and I told him that people needed to understand the harsh realities faced by the underprivileged living under the bridge. His response left me stunned: “Do you know I live under the bridge and have been doing so for more than 20 years?”

Life under the bridge, Oshindero said, has been hell, but over the years, he has developed strategies to withstand the harsh reality of living without a home. He has learnt to maintain discipline, avoid alcohol, and keep a low profile to get through each day with a sound mind, as each day comes with challenges. Sometimes the police show up and arrest innocent people, and other times, the weather turns frigid. But no matter what, he confronts these challenges with his sanity intact, Oshindero says.

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Two men conversing under the CMS bridge on August 15. Photo credit: Emmanuel Uti/EQ

“The current weather is bad for us but it is worse when it rains. This is why I don’t want more people to experience this kind of life. I cover myself all the time and wear a hoodie all day. Many here suffer from chest pain, hernia, or pneumonia because of the cold,” Oshindero told EQ.

In retrospect, Oshindero said, his life could have taken a different, more fortunate path, but his stubbornness as a child cost him the silver spoon he was born with. With a smile, he admitted that it might be hard to believe he has spent most of his adult life under the bridge because of his neat appearance and articulate speech. However, these traits were ingrained in him as a child from a privileged background. He said he caused his family numerous problems as an adolescent and refused to listen to his stepfather until they all grew tired of him. When he realised he was becoming a nuisance and was no longer welcome at home, he left Ogun State and found his way to the bridge at CMS.

Oshindero told EQ that since leaving his parents, survival has depended on his physical strength, but he has lived legitimately over the years. He started as a bus conductor, but after some drivers disappeared from the park, he resorted to calling out to passengers to board a bus. When the bus gets full, the driver will pay him N200 before driving off. But this is not sustainable, so he takes up cleaning jobs for several organisations. He said this was the best work he could get because his long tattoos on his right arm often put off potential employers.

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“Many times, I get rejected for jobs because of my tattoos. A LAWMA supervisor I spoke with said I should contact him again for a job on September 1 to see if there is an opening. I want to get my life in order so I can return to my family,” said Oshindero.

“The only thing I want the government to do for people like me is to reintegrate us into society by giving us jobs and a place to live. They can deduct our rent from our salary, but many of us need a job.”

FROM ORILE TO CMS

Before I left for my next location, Oshindero asked me to meet Francis Sylvanus, his friend. When we met him, Sylvanus, 42, was on the other end of the CMS bridge, sleeping on a green mat between two culvert-like pillars. Oshindero tapped him gently, telling him a journalist wanted to speak with him. Sylvanus recoiled at the idea, but Oshindero reassured him that I was a “good journalist” who had also interviewed him.

Sylvanus was straightforward about his situation. He told EQ that he was originally from Cross River State but left home to fend for himself. He believes his family has not bothered to search for him because they don’t know whether he is alive or dead.

He started living under the bridge at Orile but moved to CMS in 2007 and has remained there ever since, although he often daydreams about living in a proper house.

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Francis Sylvanus, 42, lives under the bridge at CMS. Photo credit: Emmanuel Uti/EQ

His challenge with staying under the CMS bridge is the unpredictable visits from security officials who aim to evict them. Due to these constant disruptions, people resort to bribing officials to secure a place to sleep after a long day of toil. But his greatest challenge is his physical disability.

“I used to work as a bus conductor, but in 2020, a bus knocked me off. Since then, survival has been tough. Because I have no family, there was no one to support me financially when the incident happened. That’s why I’m now on crutches. My activities are limited to helping drivers load passengers onto their buses to earn N200,” Sylvanus told EQ.

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THE COST OF BEING HEADSTRONG

As the centre of excellence in Nigeria, Lagos draws many with its tales of grass-to-grace success, especially among non-Lagosians. Such stories inspired Ojuede Ojuejo (not real name), a man in his thirties who appears much younger, to leave his struggling parents behind and journey to Lagos. This poor decision has cost him dearly, leaving him homeless, said Ojuejo, a bus conductor EQ met at Costain on August 15.

A tyre repairman from Kwara State, Ojuejo informed his parents that he was heading to Lagos to make money but soon discovered that the city’s fast-paced life was far different from what he was used to. To survive, he began sleeping under the Ijora bridge. Every morning, he would go to Costain to work as a bus conductor or to call out to passengers.

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Ojuejo, who declined to reveal his full name and age to EQ, shared that life under the bridge at Ijora was fraught with danger. People often go missing due to arbitrary arrests by members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC). According to him, OPC officials frequently raid their area at night and hand them over to the police, who then do as they please with them.

“Although the police haven’t arrested me in my three years living under the bridge, I avoid staying there on Sundays because the raids are more intense. On Sundays, I sleep near the railway,” Ojuejo told EQ.

THREE DIFFERENT JAIL TIMES WITHOUT COMMITTING A CRIME

Azeez Olaitan, a bus conductor, began living under the Oshodi bridge when he was nine. Now, as he approaches his 29th birthday in September, he is a father to a nine-year-old child.

Determined to ensure his child does not endure the same harsh fate, Olaitan remains hopeful that one day he will leave the bridge behind and return to living in a proper home.

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Olaitan’s optimism is not unfounded. In 2017, he was arrested by the police and taken to a magistrate court in Ogba, where he was charged with disturbing the public. Despite claiming his only offence was sleeping under the bridge, he spent nine months at Kirikiri Medium Prison.

Azeez Olaitan at Oshodi. Photo credit: Emmanuel Uti/EQ

“In 2020, the police arrested me again, accusing me of the same thing. I was sent to Potoki Prison in Badagry for three months. Then, in September, they arrested me once more, and I spent another four months at Kirikiri. Each time, I did nothing wrong, but they kept accusing me,” Olaitan told EQ on August 15.

Despite these challenges, Olaitan dreams of becoming his boss by purchasing a shuttle bus someday.

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“I’ve been trying to save money to buy a korope, but it’s tough because I have to pay my child’s school fees. I want to be a good father and leave this life behind. Staying under the bridge isn’t a good thing. I pray that God helps me,” he said.

ABANDONED BUT STILL SURVIVING

In Agege, EQ encountered Ibrahim Momoh and Jide Ogunbanjo (pseudonyms), two young men who had lived under the bridge for over three years. Momoh, now 21, recalls that in 2021 his aunt convinced his mother in Kano State to let him visit Lagos for a Muslim celebration. Eager to go, he followed his aunt but was abandoned in Agege.

“She left me here and said she would return, but I haven’t seen her since,” Momoh told EQ on August 15. “I’ve had to fend for myself ever since. At first, it was hard, but now I work as a porter to survive.”

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In the middle of his story, Momoh suddenly dashed off to help carry a heavy load and left Ogunbanjo to continue the conversation. Initially hesitant, Ogunbanjo eventually agreed to speak, though he was brief. He believes that people’s lives are predestined, and there’s little one can do to change their fate. Still, he holds on to the hope that this phase of living under the bridge will be temporary.

Ogunbanjo said he left his family in Ogun in 2017 to find better opportunities, as they were struggling. Since then, he has been sleeping under the bridge. He said he was determined to return home a successful man or die trying. His biggest challenge is the frequent, unwarranted arrests by desperate police officers.

“Last November, officers from Elere Police Station arrested me. After being accused of constituting a nuisance, I spent five weeks in Kirikiri, but I know I did nothing wrong. Now that I’m back, I’ll keep working hard to make money,” Ogunbanjo told EQ.

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Under the bridge at Agege. Photo credit: Emmanuel Uti/EQ

Despite his lack of formal education, Ogunbanjo earns more than the former minimum wage of N30,000. He told EQ that he struggles to make an average of N2,000 on bad days, but on good days —what he describes as when God does him a favour — he makes more than N4,000.

“I always pray for God to show me his face. Our job is tough, but at the end of the day, we earn enough not to beg, and we eat well. One day, I will have saved enough to rent my own house, God willing,” said Ogunbanjo.

THE CHALLENGE OF HOMELESSNESS

The United Nations defines homelessness as the condition of people without stable housing, whether they live on the streets, in shelters, or inadequate conditions. By this standard, a staggering number of Nigerians are homeless.

According to the 2023 World Population Review, an alarming 24.4 million Nigerians lack a place to call home, thus making Nigeria the country with the greatest number of homeless people. This is despite Nigeria not being a war-torn country.

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A 2014 report by NOI Polls revealed that only 31% of Nigerians live in homes they built, bought, or inherited, while 51% reside in rented accommodations. By 2022, the Association of Housing Corporation of Nigeria (AHCN) estimated that just 25% of Nigeria’s population owned their homes.

Akinderu Fatai-Moruf, Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, acknowledged that over 80% of the state’s approximately 22 million residents live in rented accommodation, with a staggering housing deficit of about 2.3 million homes.

The devastating consequences of this housing problem in Lagos are many, some of which reinforce the stereotype people living in homes have of those living under the bridge. For instance, traffic robberies are often blamed on the homeless. Many homeless individuals, unable to make ends meet, resort to aggressive begging, and some even turn to violence when denied.

In areas like Mushin, where homelessness is on the rise, many seek escape in the form of substance abuse. For the most part, some of the young homeless ladies resort to prostitution, while young men increasingly engage in betting and crime as a means of survival.

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AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS NOT AFFORDABLE

The roots of homelessness in Nigeria lie in the broader socio-economic challenges facing the country. A 2011 study identified poverty, unemployment, overpopulation and inadequate housing as key factors driving homelessness. The study found that a significant number of homeless individuals live in extreme poverty, with 44% earning less than $14 per month, 29% earning less than $28, and 27% earning less than $42. These meagre earnings fall well below the average of $1 per day, making it impossible for them to afford necessities, let alone secure adequate housing.

In many parts of Lagos, where the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment is N300,000 (four times the current minimum wage and ten times the previous one) affordable housing remains a distant dream for many. Faced with such dire circumstances, these individuals are left with no choice but to take refuge on the streets, in makeshift shelters or, in the most extreme cases, survive through violence.

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Although the Lagos State Government has acknowledged the housing crisis, its response has been far from adequate. In recent times, it has forcibly removed people living under bridges without addressing the underlying causes of their homelessness or offering meaningful support to help them escape their plight.

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In June, Fatai-Moruf stated, “To bridge this gap, the state government has delivered 39 estates across Lagos, amounting to 10,060 flats, with ongoing projects adding approximately 1,938 more flats.”

“Lagos State has launched multiple affordable housing schemes to cater to people with different income levels — low, medium, and high. The Ministry of Housing handles the low and medium-income brackets, while the LSDPC oversees the high-income category.”

On paper, these plans seem promising, but in reality, they remain out of reach for the vast majority of Lagosians struggling to make ends meet. For example, as of 2021, a two-bedroom flat from the Lagos State Government was selling at over N10 million — an amount not many Lagosians have.

A 2023 investigation by EQ revealed that the Lagos State government’s efforts to address the housing deficit over the past two decades have fallen short, with mortgage plans remaining largely inaccessible to the majority of residents. The investigation also uncovered that middlemen within state government agencies were capitalising on the skewed demand-supply ratio to profit from prospective buyers of Lagos housing estate units. With various illegal operations flourishing unchecked within these estates, the homelessness crisis in Lagos may persist for the foreseeable future.

The post HOMELESS NOT HOPELESS: Forgotten Kids, Stolen Dreams… The Harsh Reality of Life Under Bridge in Lagos appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.