When broom becomes bond: How environmental sanitation builds unity in Lagos
After about 10 years of suspension, Lagos State reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation on Saturday (April 25).
The exercise was more than a clean‑up; it became a social event, a reconciliation tool, and an opportunity for neighbours to connect.
In Agege and Orile‑Agege, the aftermath has been striking: cleaner streets, stronger bonds, and renewed civic pride.
For Mrs Yemisi Ajayi, an Agege resident, the environmental sanitation day carried a heavy memory.
She once quarrelled with her neighbour over non‑payment of waste disposal bill.
The disagreement created tension that lingered for months but we didn’t have a choice but to work hand-in-hand during Saturday’s monthly clean-up.
“At the end, we had to say ‘well done’ to each other. That simple word broke the ice,” she said.
Across Agege, similar stories unfolded. Neighbours, who had avoided each other, suddenly rediscovered friendship through shared efforts during the exercise.
Mrs Kafayat Bashorun, a civil servant, who lives on Moricas Street, Agege, noted that sanitation days were also periods of bonding, relaxation and laughter.
“It is not all neighbours who fight; therefore, for many of us, sanitation days were periods to strike friendship.
Bashorun described the last sanitation as a mini social gathering:
“We talked about national issues, politics, football and even the prices of foodstuffs.
“An environmental sanitation period is a time to relax while working; you realise your neighbour is not just someone behind a gate but someone who shares your worries and hopes,” she said.
She also noted that children played during the period, while elders shared words of wisdom, and youths debated issues.
“The street becomes a living room and sanitation becomes a tool for connection,” she said.
According to her, many Lagos residents leave their homes early in the morning, return late at night, and spend weekends indoors except on Sundays when some of them will go to church.
“It is during sanitation that they meet their neighbours,” she said.
Mrs Funmi Oke, a banker who lives on Oko‑Oba Road, Agege, said: “Some of us only know our neighbours because of sanitation. I work on the island, and in order to beat traffic, I leave home early and come back late.
“However, the reintroduced sanitation brought us together on Saturday and I got to know a couple that moved into the next door months ago.”
For her, sanitation period is a rare moment of visibility for ‘invisible neighbours’ as well as an opportunity to put faces to names and build relationships.
Another resident and trader, who wants to be addressed simply as Mr Nedu, said he quarrelled with his neighbour last year, but worked side-by-side with him during the reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation.
” We greeted each other this morning,” Nedu, who lives at 20B, Oke‑Koto St., Agege, said.
Chief Leke Arowolo, a retired soldier, who lives at 18, Powerline Road, Orile-Agege, said: “When you sweep beside your neighbour, you realise you share the same problems and suddenly, you are not just neighbours, you are partners.”
The youth were not left out as Miss Fisayo Olabisi, a student, who lives with her parents at Mulero, Orile‑Agege, said, “I enjoy helping during clean-up. I am proud to see our street clean.”
Master Leroy Odeh, a seven‑year‑old boy, who lives with his parents on Agege Road, carried a small broom and dustpan to join in the clean-up.
“My teacher taught me that sweeping makes the house clean, and I don’t want my environment to be dirty,” he said.
His mother said that Leroy insisted on joining adults in cleaning to show that responsibility could be learned early.
Similarly, nine‑year‑old Miss Labake Yusuf, who lives with her mother on Moricas Street, Agege, joined her older siblings in packing refuse into bags during the exercise.
“If we don’t clean, everywhere will be dirty,” she said.
Analysts believe that words like those of Yusuf reflect a growing awareness among young people that sanitation is not an adult duty but a shared responsibility.
They are convinced that, by participating, children are learning discipline, teamwork, and the value of contributing to their community’s well‑being.
According to them, reintroduction of sanitation in Lagos State has proven to be more than a government directive.
“It is a social glue. The broom, rake, and shovel have turned into tools of unity, breaking down walls of isolation and fostering cooperation, an Agege resident, Mrs Peju Aderopo, said.
Mr Abdul‑Ganiyu Obasa, Chairman, Agege Local Government Area, had expressed satisfaction at the turnout of the residents of the council area during the exercise.
“Sanitation is not just about sweeping; it is about protecting lives and building unity,” Obasa said.
