LJLA fellows to stage sanitation walk, unveil 'Pee-Poo to Power Lagos' initiative

 

Sanitation 

 Fellows of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA) will on Saturday stage a 10-kilometre Walk Against Open Defecation and unveil the "Pee-Poo to Power Lagos" initiative aimed at promoting improved sanitation.

The awareness walk, scheduled from Allen Junction to LAMATA Motor Park, Ojota, forms part of the fellows' capstone project designed to combat open defecation and indiscriminate urination through a circular economy model that transforms human waste into renewable energy.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, the Team Lead of the project, Mr Bayode Oke-Thomas, said the initiative emerged after extensive research, stakeholder engagements and community consultations to identify practical solutions to persistent sanitation challenges in the state.

Oke-Thomas said the team consulted residents, transport workers, community leaders and commuters, identifying open defecation and indiscriminate urination as major public health and environmental concerns requiring innovative interventions.

He explained that the project combines modern sanitation infrastructure with biodigester technology capable of converting human waste into biogas while encouraging behavioural change through sustained public education.

"Our goal is to demonstrate that human waste is not merely a sanitation challenge but a resource that can be harnessed to generate clean energy.

"And also improve public health and environmental sustainability," Oke-Thomas said.

He disclosed that the team had proposed a pilot sanitation hub at a major transport terminal in Lagos to showcase how public toilets could be transformed into cleaner, safer and environmentally sustainable facilities powered by renewable energy.

Also speaking, Co-Lead of the 10km Walk Against Open Defecation, Mr Shalom Ernest, said the exercise was designed to raise awareness of the dangers of open defecation, encourage personal responsibility and inspire residents to embrace proper sanitation practices.

"The 10-kilometre walk symbolises the distance many people travel to access decent public toilets and underscores the urgent need to improve sanitation infrastructure across Lagos," Ernest said.

He said participants would converge at Allen Junction before proceeding to Ojota, where activities would include the screening of a documentary showcasing the project's development, sustainability model and future expansion plans.

Ernest added that medical personnel, security agencies and emergency responders would be deployed along the route to ensure the safety of participants throughout the event.

Speaking on partnerships, Ms Oluwatosin Alabi described the initiative as more than a sanitation campaign, saying it represented a movement to reshape public perception of waste as a valuable resource.

"Pee-Poo to Power Lagos demonstrates that environmental challenges can be transformed into opportunities through innovation, collaboration and collective commitment," Alabi said.

She acknowledged the support of government officials, development partners, engineering experts, media organisations and community stakeholders, noting that constructive feedback from institutions that initially declined participation helped strengthen the initiative.

Alabi called for sustained partnerships and financial support from both the public and private sectors to enable the project to expand across Lagos and deliver lasting environmental and public health benefits.

The fellows said the initiative aligns with the Lagos State Government's vision of building cleaner, smarter and more sustainable communities through innovative environmental solutions.

They expressed confidence that the project would improve public health, promote environmental sustainability and encourage responsible sanitation practices across the state.