Words and Photos by Lola Akinmade

Lining the Lekki Peninsula off
Lagos Mainland are hundreds of waterfront communities facing either
the Atlantic Ocean or the Òsà (Lagoon). Awóyaya, which means turbulent
seas in Yoruba, is one of these communities with about 10,000 inhabitants.
For decades it was a small fishing and farming community, but today its daily sustenance comes through small scale enterprises like blue-collar
trade and retail.  

On a rainy Thursday morning, I went to visit Awóyaya with Rẹmi, the Executive Director of a
Nigerian-based non-governmental organization (NGO) with the moniker
C.H.I.E.F. 

Founded in 1998, C.H.I.E.F stands
for Community Health Information Education Forum. Its main goal is to
reduce morbidity and mortality in any community setting by promoting
grassroots health development, communication, and care. As part of its
objectives, C.H.I.E.F conducts baseline studies to identify health and
socio-economic needs targeted to each community. It reduces infant morbidity
through the establishments of outreach clinics, and it raises awareness
on STDs, HIV, and AIDS. 

Through an in-depth
understanding of local customs and traditions, one of C.H.I.E.F's focus
areas is empowering communities at the grassroots level by training
peer educators from each community who in turn, train others. Since
most Nigerian ethnic traditions are community-based, this has proven
to be an effective method for C.H.I.E.F when trying to reach and educate
the people. Awóyaya is one of 10 communities where C.H.I.E.F. is currently
promoting grassroots health initiatives.  

We were going to facilitate a community
square forum to discuss immunization and exclusive breast-feeding. C.H.I.E.F
approached the Baalẹ with the idea of a square meeting. A Baalẹ
is akin to a mayor of a small town. But unlike the autonomy that a mayor
enjoys, a small community like Awóyaya can have 2 or more Baalẹs.
Awóyaya had lost one of its Baalẹs due to natural causes. The current
Baalẹ, in turn, mobilized the Community Development Association (CDA)
of Awóyaya, which ensured that key stakeholders - religious leaders,
women groups, community leaders, nursing and expectant mothers, and
health workers - would be attending and participating in the forum. 

"We are expecting about 40
people, mostly mothers", Rẹmi beamed as we rode
in her car through the muddy, semi-paved streets of Awóyaya.
The forum was to be held at the community's primary health care clinic.
We arrived at the clinic to find only three mothers with babies in Read More...