Politician, Princess Oyefusi, Urges Sanwo-Olu to Provide Housing for Displaced Makoko Residents

Summary: A former PDP candidate for the Lagos East Senatorial District, Princess Abiodun Oyefusi, has urged Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to provide immediate housing for thousands of Makoko residents displaced by recent demolitions. She stressed that urban development must not come at the cost of homelessness or undermine the right to safe and affordable housing.

A former PDP candidate for the Lagos East Senatorial District, Princess Abiodun Oyefusi, has called on Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to provide immediate housing solutions for families displaced by the recent demolition of homes in Makoko, a waterfront community in Lagos.

The demolition exercise, carried out by Lagos State officials, has left thousands of residents homeless, including women, children and elderly people. Authorities say the structures were illegally built near high-voltage power lines and posed serious safety risks.

It was reported that the demolition extended beyond previously agreed boundaries and affected homes, schools and businesses, leaving families scrambling to salvage their belongings. Some displaced residents are now living in boats or among rubble, with no clear resettlement plan in place. 

In a statement released on January 26, 2026, Princess Oyefusi stressed that Makoko is not an illegal encampment but a long-standing community that has supported generations of Lagos residents through fishing and informal economic activities.

“Makoko is not an eyesore; it is a community,” she said, warning that urban development should not come at the cost of mass homelessness.

She emphasised that housing is a fundamental human right and that governments have a responsibility to provide safe and affordable housing before dismantling communities.

“Urban development cannot mean creating homelessness,” Princess said. “Safety and planning matter, but demolitions without housing alternatives deepen poverty and inequality rather than solving them.”

She added that Lagos can pursue modernisation without erasing its poorest residents, calling for inclusive urban planning and low-income housing as the foundation of sustainable development.

Makoko, often described as one of Africa’s largest floating slums, sits on the shores of the Lagos Lagoon and began as a fishing village more than a century ago. While there is no official population data, estimates range from 80,000 to 200,000 people living in the community, many of whom rely on fishing and informal trade for survival.