BY NEWTON JIBUNOH
This is the first part of a two-part series reflecting on the rains, not as mere weather events, but as powerful teachers. In this section, we explore how seasonal floods are both a result of natural cycles and the consequences of our own habits particularly plastic pollution and how our urban environments are increasingly unprepared to cope. Once again, the heavy rains are here, falling with an intensity that awakens memories and stirs warnings from the past. Nature, patient and silent for months, has begun to fight back, not with swords or fire, but with torrents of water, overflowing rivers, and silent, creeping floods that claim both the innocent and the careless. Lives will be lost, properties destroyed, and families uprooted. And, as it has become tradition, the chorus of blame will rise. Some will point to local governments, others to state authorities, and still others to the federal agencies. The blame will depend on where one stands both geographically and politically, but rarely will we pause to ask the harder question: What role have we ourselves played in shaping this disaster?
The rains do not come only to water the earth; they come as teachers. But like all teachers, they can be gentle or harsh. In years past, they arrived like an old friend steady showers that nourished crops, filled wells, and refreshed the air. Now, they come as storms, pushing rivers beyond their banks and sweeping through cities like an uninvited guest who demands to be noticed. Every year, the script seems to be the same. In the early days of the rainy season, warnings are issued. The meteorological agencies forecast heavy downpours and urge communities to prepare. Government officials make public announcements about clearing drainage systems. And yet, as the first floods appear, we seem surprised. People wade through chest-deep waters, clutching possessions, while others climb onto rooftops to escape the rising tide. In Ogun State, a family watched in despair as their home and street disappeared beneath the murky flood. Desperate for safety, they scrambled onto the rooftop only for the raging waters to swell with terrifying force, tearing the entire house from its foundation and carrying it away like driftwood. Relief efforts begin, donations are requested, and the conversation turns inevitably to blame.
But if we pause and listen carefully, the rain is telling us something deeper: we cannot continue to live against nature and expect safety. Our urban centres have grown faster than the systems meant to manage them. Drainage channels that were built for smaller populations now groan under the weight of millions of tonnes of water. And into those same channels, we have thrown millions of tonnes of plastic waste; water bottles, discarded nylon bags, sachet wrappers which act like gates, blocking the flow until the water bursts free in destructive waves.
This is why the United Nations’ call to “Beat Plastic Pollution” is not a seasonal slogan; it is a year-round survival plan. FADE has long reminded us that plastics never truly go away, they break down into smaller pieces, entering rivers, soils, and even our food. In a flood, they move with the water, spreading disease and contamination in their wake. Beating plastic pollution is therefore not just about a cleaner street or a prettier city; it is about making sure the rain has a safe place to go, so it does not come knocking on our door s a t midnight.
We cannot ignore the link between poor waste management and climate resilience. In some cities around the world, flood control is not only about big dams or expensive engineering projects, it is about community discipline. In the Netherlands, for example, entire neighborhoods participate in keeping flood routes clear. In Japan, regular “disaster drills” prepare citizens to respond to floods before they happen. We may not yet have their infrastructure, but we can adopt their mindset: prevention
over reaction. If the rains are a teacher, then the lesson for this year is simple; the water will always find a way. The only question is whether that way will be through our streets or past them.
In our cities, blocked drainages have become silent traps. The rains do not fall with evil intent, but the plastic bottles, food wrappers, sachet water bags, and other debris we casually throw away choke the water’s path, forcing it to find new courses through homes, markets, and roads. A few months ago, on June 5th, the world marked the United Nations World Environment Day with the theme: “Beat Plastic Pollution.” On that day, I wrote about the urgency of tackling the plastic crisis, a problem that has found its way into every corner of our environment. What many did not realize is that the message was not only about saving fish or cleaning beaches; it was also about saving ourselves from the floods that these plastics help to create.
Every year, approximately 300 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide, with a significant portion ending up in the environment. Oceans alone are estimated to contain over 5 trillion pieces of plastic, impacting marine life and habitats. Marine creatures such as turtles, seabirds, fish, and whales often confuse plastic debris for food. For example, sea turtles may mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish. Once ingested, plastic can cause blockages in their digestive systems, internal injuries, malnutrition, and sometimes death (NOAA, 2021). Animals also suffer from entanglement in larger plastic items like fishing nets and six-pack rings, leading to restricted movement, drowning, or fatal injuries.
This disruption extends beyond individual animals. Plastic pollution threatens the balance of entire marine ecosystems. Coral reefs, which support a vast diversity of ocean life, can be smothered by plastic debris, while toxic chemicals from plastics contaminate the water and sediments (UN Environment Programme, 2018). Over time, larger plastic debris breaks down into tiny particles known as microplastics; smaller than 5 millimeters. These microplastics are found everywhere: from surface waters to the deep ocean floor, and even in Arctic ice (GESAMP, 2015). Due to their size, they are easily ingested by plankton and small fish, which are the base of the marine food chain.
Beyond its environmental and health impacts, plastic pollution plays a direct and dangerous role in urban flooding; a growing problem for many cities, especially during the rainy season.
“Plastic waste is literally choking our cities. It’s not just a sanitation issue anymore; it’s a threat to public safety.”- Dr. Newton Jibunoh, Environmentalist and Founder of FADE Africa. In Nigeria, plastic waste has become a key factor in the worsening of seasonal floods that damage infrastructure, displace communities, and disrupt daily life. One of the primary ways plastic contributes to flooding is by clogging drainage systems. Discarded plastic bags, bottles, food wrappers, and other debris often end up in gutters, roadside drains, and canals. These items do not degrade and can easily form large blockages that prevent rainwater from flowing freely. When storm water has nowhere to go, it overflows onto roads, into homes, and across neighborhoods causing flash floods that can be devastating within minutes.
To be continued.
