By Bilesanmi Abayomi
The recent demolition exercise in Oworonshoki, Lagos State, has continued to attract reactions, with victims and mental health experts warning that the psychological impact may linger long after the dust has settled.
Residents told reporters that beyond the loss of buildings, the exercise has left them grappling with trauma, despair and a sense of displacement. Families recounted how bulldozers pulled down homes they had built over decades, reducing years of labour and memories to rubble.
“I couldn’t sleep for days,” one resident said. “Each time I close my eyes, I see everything we worked for destroyed.”
Experts caution that without urgent interventions, affected residents may face long-term psychological challenges, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. Children, they noted, are among the worst hit, with reports of withdrawal, nightmares and declining focus in school.
The demolition has also forced many families into makeshift shelters or relatives’ homes, a situation some victims say has worsened feelings of shame and isolation. “It’s not just the house we lost, we lost our dignity,” a mother of four lamented.
Psychologists have urged the Lagos State Government and other stakeholders to consider psychosocial support as part of relief efforts, insisting that compensation and relocation alone will not address the invisible wounds. They recommend counselling, emotional care and community healing programmes to help residents rebuild resilience.
Observers warn that the true cost of the Oworonshoki demolition may ultimately be measured not just in the structures pulled down, but in the silent suffering of displaced residents struggling to recover their sense of stability.