Sanwo-Olu’s Wife Champions End to Open Defecation in Lagos, Urges Collective Action

 

The Wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has called on community leaders, religious institutions, market associations, and other stakeholders to take ownership of the campaign against open defecation in Lagos.

 

Dr. Sanwo-Olu made the appeal at the flag-off ceremony of the Open Defecation-Free (ODF) and Hygiene Behaviour Change Campaign held on Thursday at the Music Village, Ikorodu.

 

The event was organized by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, in collaboration with Lagos Waste Forum and WaterAid Nigeria.

 

Themed “Lagos State Open Defecation-Free Campaign Enhances Dignity, Protects Public Health,” the campaign aims to drive behavioural change around sanitation and hygiene across the state.

 

Represented by Mrs. Victoria Olowu, wife of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Mineral Resources, Dr. Sanwo-Olu emphasized that:

 

“There is no dignity in open defecation. True dignity lies in having access to clean toilets and safe hygiene practices for everyone.”

 

She warned of the health risks linked to open defecation, including the spread of cholera, typhoid, diarrhea, and other infectious diseases, as well as its role in environmental degradation and pollution of water sources and shared spaces.

 

“Open defecation strips us of our dignity, endangers our health, and undermines our aspirations for a cleaner, smarter, and safer Lagos,” she said.

 

Dr. Sanwo-Olu called on Lagos residents to adopt and promote the use of clean, accessible public toilets in markets, motor parks, schools, and communities, and encouraged households to build private sanitation facilities.

 

She stressed that the use of decent toilets must become the new normal.

 

“Let us spread awareness, not diseases. Let us build toilets, not excuses. Together, we can move Lagos forward—one clean, safe, and dignified step at a time,” she declared.

 

Also speaking at the event, Mrs. Chizoba Opara, National Coordinator of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign, and Representative of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, reaffirmed government commitment to ending open defecation nationwide.

 

She noted that Executive Order 009, signed in 2019, has driven significant progress toward improved sanitation across the country.

 

Mr. John Olla, Director of Policy Advocacy and Campaigns at Save the Children International, praised the initiative, stating:

 

“At Save the Children, we believe that access to clean water, safe sanitation, and proper hygiene is every child’s right.”

 

As part of the ceremony, Dr. Sanwo-Olu was officially decorated as a Clean Lagos Ambassador.

 

Chairmen of local government and council development areas in Ikorodu signed a commitment accord to support the campaign at the grassroots level.