Maroko, Lagos

Maroko was a community in Eti-Osa, Lagos State, Nigeria. It was adjacent to Ikoyi and east of Victoria Island. It was a low-income area that attracted a lot of migrants since it was in close proximity to economically robust areas. Flooding and sand-filling affected Maroko during its life.[1]

Demolition

In July 1990,[1] the Lagos State government, under Raji Rasaki, evicted the residents of Maroko and demolished the community. The government said that Maroko was below sea level and needed to be filled in with sand and that Maroko needed infrastructure improvements.[2] About 300,000 people lost their houses.[3] It was one of the largest forced evictions in Nigerian history.[1]

The former residents tried to get compensation in the Nigerian court system. In December 2008 the Social and Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC) and Debevoise & Plimpton, filed a communication with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, stating that the eviction violated the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.[2]

In media

Maroko is a setting in the book Graceland by Chris Abani. The Beatification of Area Boy, a play written by Wole Soyinka in 1995, has its plot woven around the infamous eviction of Maroko residents.

gollark: Why is there so little use of modern Markdown-y mobile-friendly forum stuff? It must exist.
gollark: I just said as much.
gollark: It pours forever in the ruins of the hub feedback thread and I get notifications every few minutes.
gollark: The salt pours.
gollark: https://dragcave.net/lineage/aGbaD

References
  1. "SERAC files Maroko Communication before the African Commission." Social and Economic Rights Action Centre. 19 December 2008. Retrieved on 1 September 2011.
  2. Megbolu, Chinazor. "Nigeria: Groups Seek Justice for Maroko Evictees." This Day. 23 September 2009. Retrieved on 1 September 2011.
  3. Agbola and Jinadu 272.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.