Globalisation of floods: The start of hundred years of change in Nigeria. By Dele Sobowale

“Climate change is more threatening than people realize”- Dr Kim, CNN, October 12, 2012.

Another climatologist has gone further by stating that climate change and the advent of perennial floods are already reshaping civilization as we know it and very few countries will emerge intact from the impact of climate change. Nigeria is no exception. Countries with long coastal regions and many rivers, which hitherto had benefited from water provided by rivers, seas and oceans will be the hardest hit.

It was in the 1980s that globalisation of markets became the mantra of the leading thinkers in management studies. “In today’s market you don’t have to go abroad to experience international competition. Sooner or later, the world comes to you”. “Harvard Business Review, March-April, 2002”. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p75). That explains why no sooner than a new product is released in America, Japan, China, etc, and it is available in Nigerian  markets.

#NGFloods: THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE SOUTH-EAST RESPONSE. BY Akachukwu Okafor

The floods are finally here, no doubts about that.  It has come with its full rage totally submerging communities, farmlands, destroying lives and property along its path, with thousands rendered homeless, now taking shelter as Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) and over 25 million predicted to be affected. No thanks to the increase in annual rainfall this year that caused excess water at Lagdo dam in Cameroun, Kainji, Shiroro, Jebba, Warama, Kiri dams in Niger, Kwara Kano, and Adamawa states respectively to be released. This resulted to over flow of the River Niger and River Benue in the form of flash and massive flood into communities along its plains and tributaries. Affected states includes: Niger, Kogi, Benue, Delta, Anambra, Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Katisna, Imo, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Kano, Jigawa, Gombe, Rivers, Cross River, Ondo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Lagos. The magnitude of the devastation can only be expressed by calculating the total land mass of affected area, number of persons killed and displaced, impact on affected population, worth of property destroyed, impact on local and national economy and post flood recovery costs.

National Climate Change Policy and Nigerian Floods.

Climate change, Floods and government responsibility.

Climate change is no longer an issue that is only discussed by a few elite groups in Nigeria. An ordinary Nigerian is currently facing the impacts, making life harder than it already was and governments keep saying that they are doings something about it. Well yes there are.