Video: Lagos urges cultural shift to end open defecation
Lagos State Government LASG
Abdullateef Fowewe
Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has called for a mindset change among residents to achieve a cleaner city, beyond just enforcement.
In a social media post, he shared a video of a man urinating beside a sign banning public urination and defecation, which warns of fines or jail.
Wahab wrote, “While we continue to arrest and prosecute defaulters in accordance with the law, it is important to emphasise that lasting change goes beyond enforcement. Doing the right thing should not depend on the presence of enforcement officers.”
He added, “Environmental responsibility must become a personal and collective culture. A cleaner Lagos is not built only through enforcement, but through everyday decisions made by residents who understand that public hygiene protects everyone.”
Meanwhile, public replies show frustration, with many demanding harsher penalties like jail or community service alongside education to tackle ongoing hygiene issues.
