Popular comedian Gilmore has drawn sharp criticism after posting a video that mocked residents of Lekki as heavy rains continue to flood parts of Lagos. In the clip, which shows fast-moving rainwater racing through Victoria Island streets, Gilmore joked that people in Lekki now live where "you and fish go be neighbors." The downpours, which started last Sunday, have submerged roads, homes, and businesses across Lekki, Victoria Island, and areas like Oshodi.
Lagos residents woke up to another round of chaos this week as floodwaters turned major streets into rivers. Many premium estates in Lekki, where property prices run into hundreds of millions of naira, found themselves underwater despite the high rents residents pay for supposed world-class infrastructure. Officials from the Lagos State Ministry of Environment pointed to clogged drains filled with plastic waste and refuse as the main culprit.
The comedian's video quickly spread on social media, splitting opinions among Nigerians. Some users laughed at the jab, sharing memes and saying it highlighted the reality many face every rainy season. Others, however, called it insensitive and accused Gilmore of classist bullying at a time when families are bailing water from their sitting rooms and counting losses.
Flooding in Lagos is nothing new, but it hits harder each year as the city’s population swells and drainage systems fail to keep up. Every rainy season, the same story repeats: blocked canals, overwhelmed pumps, and finger-pointing between residents, waste collectors, and government agencies. For people paying premium prices in estates, the annual disaster feels like double betrayal – they escape traffic and noise only to battle water inside their compounds.
A resident who gave her name as Mrs. Adeola Okonkwo told a local radio station, “We pay for security and good roads, yet every rain turns this place into a swimming pool. It is painful when people now turn our suffering into comedy.”
The floods have disrupted businesses, damaged vehicles, and forced some schools to close temporarily. Motorists in affected areas spent hours in gridlock as water covered engine bays and stalled cars. In Oshodi and surrounding markets, traders struggled to salvage goods after water invaded their shops.
Gilmore has not responded to the growing backlash as of Tuesday evening. His supporters argue that comedians only reflect what is happening, while critics insist there is a time for jokes and a time for empathy, especially when ordinary people are counting their losses in naira and tears.
This latest episode puts the spotlight once again on Lagos authorities to finally fix the drainage problem before the next heavy rain arrives.