Liya’u Sa’adu has lived under a bridge in Lagos, Nigeria, for 30 years, spending half of his life there. He now considers himself a “guardian” for other homeless people who join him, especially young people arriving from faraway towns.
More than 60 men live under the busy Obalende Bridge, forming a tight-knit community, as even renting a small shack in Lagos is too expensive for them.
According to the BBC, Sa’adu helps guide newcomers on how to stay safe in Lagos, where it’s easy to fall into crime and drugs. He says it’s his responsibility to look after them since there’s no family to watch over them.
Sa’adu moved to Lagos from Zamfara in northern Nigeria in 1994. He has seen many people come and go, and most of his old friends have either died or returned to their hometowns.
One of the younger men living under the bridge, Tukur Garba, says Sa’adu’s advice is invaluable, and he is respected as an elder brother.
Many of these men are from northern Nigeria, where conflicts and economic struggles have driven them to Lagos in search of better opportunities, the BBC reports.
Sa’adu has made his life as comfortable as possible under the bridge, with a mattress, some bedding, and a wooden cabinet.
He works as a scrap-metal seller, earning about 5,000 naira a day ($3), which barely covers his needs and allows him to send some money to his family back in Zamfara.
However, as reported by the BBC, homelessness is increasing in Lagos, and living conditions under the bridge are tough.
The Lagos state environmental task force sometimes raids the area, arresting those living there and imposing fines that are a week’s income for many.
Despite these challenges, Sa’adu has no plans to return to Zamfara, where the situation remains dire due to kidnappings and banditry.
Housing remains out of reach for people like him in Lagos, where even renting a shack is too costly, with no government support for the homeless.
Sa’adu, along with others under the bridge, has accepted that this is where they will continue living. He says he’s used to the noise of cars above him and can sleep soundly after a long, tiring day.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2elw7n31do