HEADLINENEWS.NEWS — Lagos
A recent proposal by the Lagos State House of Assembly to relocate displaced Makoko residents to the Epe axis has triggered growing debate among policy analysts, community leaders, and development experts across Lagos State.
While many observers agree that government must provide humane and structured solutions for residents affected by demolitions in Makoko, field interviews conducted by Headlinenews.news in Epe and surrounding communities suggest that relocating the population there could create social, cultural and economic tensions if not carefully reconsidered.
Urban planning specialists say resettlement programmes succeed only when authorities consider three essential factors: cultural compatibility, livelihood continuity and host community acceptance.
Concerns From Epe Communities
Several residents interviewed in Epe expressed concern about the proposal, arguing that their communities have little historical or economic connection with the lagoon-based Makoko settlement.
Some respondents said the government should instead explore coastal areas where fishing communities already dominate economic life.
Others warned that relocation without proper consultation could create friction between host communities and relocated populations.
“Relocation is not just about finding vacant land,” said Adeola Sanni, coordinator of the fictional Centre for Coastal Communities and Social Stability.
“It is about placing people where livelihoods can continue, where culture is understood, and where host communities are not set up for future tension. On every practical index, Epe appears poorly matched for such a transfer.”
Another civic policy advocate, Bode Akinyemi of the fictional Civic Forum for Urban Justice, stressed that relocation decisions must balance humanitarian concerns with social stability.
“The Lagos State Government must avoid turning a humanitarian intervention into a social conflict. Any resettlement model that ignores host community consent, cultural compatibility and livelihood continuity is simply bad planning,” he said.
Cultural and Livelihood Compatibility
Makoko has long functioned as one of Lagos’ largest informal waterfront settlements, with a population estimated by various urban studies to range between 80,000 and 100,000 residents.
The community’s economy revolves around lagoon fishing, canoe transportation, fish processing and informal waterside markets.
Epe, however, has a different socio-economic structure. Although fishing exists there, the area is largely a Yoruba agrarian and residential community with distinct land ownership systems and cultural traditions.
Urban development analyst Ranti Odesanya of the fictional Lagos Indigenous Communities Protection Coalition warned that imposing relocation without compatibility could produce avoidable tensions.
“You do not solve one displacement problem by creating another community grievance.
Epe should not be treated as a dumping ground for a relocation plan that has not been properly thought through,” she said.
Why Coastal Corridors May Offer Better Integration
Several analysts argue that if Lagos State intends to relocate Makoko residents within the state, coastal communities along the Badagry axis may offer greater compatibility.
Badagry and surrounding areas share a similar lagoon ecosystem and fishing-based economic culture.
The region also maintains cross-border cultural and linguistic links with coastal communities stretching toward the Nigeria–Benin corridor.
Fishing, fish processing and cross-border trade remain central to the Badagry economy, creating a closer resemblance to Makoko’s traditional lifestyle.
Urban planners also point out that the Badagry coastal belt contains significant undeveloped land where structured waterfront housing and fishing infrastructure could potentially be developed.
Other observers have suggested that commercial corridors around Trade Fair, Alaba or the Badagry Expressway axis could also accommodate structured relocation programmes due to available land and proximity to economic opportunities.
International Standards on Resettlement
Global best practice on population relocation also emphasizes the importance of careful planning and community participation.
The World Bank’s resettlement framework stresses that displaced populations should have their livelihoods restored or improved and that host communities must be consulted to avoid social disruption.
Similarly, recent planning guidance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees notes that relocation programmes succeed only when displaced populations are fully involved in planning and when new settlements support their economic survival.
Experts warn that relocation that fails to respect these principles often leads to new poverty clusters or social conflict.
Policy Options Before Lagos
Analysts say the current debate provides Lagos with an opportunity to design a modern, structured coastal resettlement programme rather than a hurried displacement solution.
Urban policy specialists recommend that authorities carefully evaluate coastal compatibility, infrastructure availability, and host-community readiness before finalizing relocation decisions.
As one policy briefing summarised:
“Any relocation of Makoko residents must be guided by compatibility, consent, livelihood continuity and host-community readiness. By those standards, Epe appears a weak option, while coastal corridors with stronger fishing traditions deserve more serious consideration.”
National Patriots Position
The civic advocacy group National Patriots also weighed in on the debate, urging authorities to adopt a more strategic and inclusive approach.
“Resettlement must never be reduced to administrative convenience,” the group said in a statement.
“International best practice is clear: relocation must respect informed participation, host-community consultation and livelihood restoration.
Any proposal that ignores those standards risks social tension and policy failure. Lagos should pursue a better-matched coastal solution rather than impose a fragile and potentially disruptive relocation model on Epe communities.”
For many observers, the message is simple: relocation is not merely about moving people from one location to another.
It is about relocating entire communities in ways that preserve dignity, sustain livelihoods and protect social harmony.
And for that reason, analysts increasingly believe Epe may not be the right answer.
Dr. G. Fraser. MFR
Headlinenews.news Special Investigative Report
