Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu
The Lagos State Government has strengthened its environmental sustainability drive with the introduction of the ‘Library on the Lagoon,’ an innovative initiative, designed to deepen public engagement within the state’s waterways.
The initiative was launched on Monday in Lagos by the General Manager, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr. Tunde Ajayi, who represented the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, at the event.
The Project Director of Library on the Lagoon, Mrs. Maryam Kazeem, described the initiative as a social research platform that reimagines the concept of a library beyond a fixed structure into an interactive, water-based learning experience.
“The research for this project started about a year ago. We are thinking about the lagoon as a social research space, where a library is not just a stationary place but something created through interaction and shared experience,” Kazeem said.
She explained that participants engage directly on the lagoon through guided prompts and activities that encourage reflection on the water body’s history, present condition, and future.
She noted that the initiative also confronts the challenge of pollution affecting the lagoon, adding that creative tools such as a prototype trash collection system powered by a typewriter have been introduced to stimulate dialogue and action.
“At the centre of the exercise is a trash wheel powered by a typewriter, which is still in its prototype stage.
“The idea is to invite people to sit with the water, observe it, and think critically about their relationship with it,” she added.
Kazeem further emphasised that the initiative seeks to foster collective responsibility in addressing environmental degradation.
“It is more than what one person or even government can handle alone. We need to think about it collectively,” she said.
Ajayi said the agency partnered with the initiative to strengthen environmental advocacy through creative engagement.
He explained that the agency saw the project as an opportunity to connect environmental monitoring with artistic expression and public awareness.
“We thought it was important to engage the creative arts. This initiative provides a platform to reach creative minds who care about environmental protection,” he said.
Ajayi noted that LASEPA continuously monitors pollution levels across Lagos waterways, particularly focusing on pollution density and water quality indicators.
“Bringing people into this awareness and encouraging discussions about cleaning the lagoon and ocean is a simple but powerful form of advocacy,” he added.
Ajayi expressed optimism that the initiative would contribute to reducing plastic pollution in the lagoon.
“This is one of the ways to mop up plastic waste that has found its way into the lagoon, and it is a very good one,” he said.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Blue Economy, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, described the initiative as a strong example of collaborative governance involving government, private sector, and civil society.
He added that the state government supports efforts to scale the initiative beyond its current location, stressing the need for wider coverage across Lagos waterways.
“This is just one location, but we will continue to support its expansion. We want it to reach every part of Lagos because our lagoons are very extensive,” he said.
The initiative is expected to strengthen environmental awareness, promote sustainable interaction with water bodies, and support Lagos State’s broader blue economy and climate action agenda.
Additionally, the project is a collaboration between the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Iranti Press and A Whitespace Creative Arts Foundation.
The one-week project will run from April 26 to May 2, 2026, from 12.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. daily at the Five Cowries Creek Terminal, Falomo, Ikoyi.
