Over the past few days, Lagos has witnessed severe flooding, leaving many families, businesses, and communities affected.
The Founder of A3 Botanical World – Osunlolu Abimbola (born Adejuwon Adefunke Adetutu) gave some thoughts for us to reflect upon.
Different people will explain it from different perspectives. Climate experts may point to changing weather patterns. Engineers may speak about drainage systems and infrastructure. Urban planners may discuss poor planning and development on flood-prone land.
All of these perspectives deserve attention.
But I also believe there is another way to reflect on moments like this.
For me, this is a reminder that we cannot continue to ignore nature and expect harmony.
Too often, we buy land and see only what we can build. We clear the trees, reclaim wetlands, fill waterways, and replace living ecosystems with concrete, believing that because we own the land, we have complete control over it.
But nature has its own order.
Water has always known where it belongs. When we block its natural path, we may succeed for a while, but we should not be surprised when it seeks that path again. What we call disaster is sometimes the consequence of disrupting the balance that already existed.
This is not about fear. It is about responsibility.
It is a wake-up call for developers to build with greater respect for the environment. It is a wake-up call for governments to protect natural waterways and enforce responsible planning. It is a wake-up call for every one of us to remember that development should work with nature, not against it.
Progress should not come at the cost of destroying the very environment that sustains us.
As we rebuild and recover, may we also rethink how we relate to the earth, the water, the trees, and the spaces that have supported life long before we arrived.
When we honour nature, we honour ourselves.
May wisdom guide our choices, and may we learn to build a future where humanity and nature can thrive together.
