By Fidelis David
For several months, residents of Akure, the Ondo State capital, have been battling an unusual experience. From Arakale, Ijoka, Leo to Oba-Ile Extension, Shagari Village, Oke Aro, Ijomu, Arakale, FUTA, Oda Road amongst others, a persistent sulphur-like odour has become an unwelcome companion, particularly during the evenings and early hours of the day between 2am and 5am.
At the early stage, people thought it was small from soakaway, but what began as an isolated complaint has now developed into a city-wide concern demanding urgent answers.
Ordinarily, an offensive smell may appear to be little more than a nuisance. But when it lingers for months without a clear explanation, it transcends discomfort and enters the realm of public health and environmental safety. Residents are no longer asking whether the odour exists; they are asking what they have been inhaling for months and whether it is silently endangering their lives.
The frustration of many residents is understandable. "We have been noticing this smell since April 2026. It comes at different times, and sometimes it is very strong. We do not know where it is coming from, and that is why we want the government to investigate it", Mrs Aina Ayodele lamented.
Another resident of Oluwatuyi quarters, Akure posited that"This issue should not be ignored. We deserve to know what we are breathing."
Meanwhile, Medical experts have long warned that prolonged exposure to unidentified air pollutants can trigger headaches, dizziness, eye irritation and respiratory complications, while vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, the elderly and people living with asthma face even greater risks. Until scientific tests establish exactly what is in the air, neither government nor residents can safely conclude that there is no danger.
What has particularly angered many residents is the pace of the official response. Despite widespread complaints stretching back months, it was only after sustained public outcry through the media that the Ondo State Ministry of Environment, led by Dr. Hon Tob Loko acknowledged the problem and attributed the odour, based on preliminary findings, to the illegal discharge of untreated effluent and hazardous waste into a stream running from Ijapo Estate through Edo Lodge and Fiwasaye to the area behind El-Shaddai Estate.
The Ministry deserves credit for eventually acknowledging the problem and constituting an investigative committee. However, governance is measured not merely by announcements but by results. Nearly three weeks after the government's public notice and promise of decisive action, many residents insist the offensive odour remains as strong as ever. Understandably, confidence in the authorities is beginning to erode.
If preliminary investigations had already identified illegal effluent discharge as the likely source, residents expected immediate containment measures, aggressive enforcement and regular public updates. Instead, silence has largely replaced reassurance. In environmental emergencies, delay is rarely neutral; it often allows pollution to continue while public anxiety deepens.
History offers valuable lessons. In Flint, Michigan, United States, early complaints by residents over contaminated water were initially downplayed before investigations confirmed a major public health crisis. The delayed response exposed thousands of residents to health risks and significantly eroded public trust in government institutions.
Likewise, the Love Canal neighbourhood in New York became one of America's worst environmental disasters after toxic waste contamination was ignored for years before authorities acted.
Closer to home, the Niger Delta has repeatedly demonstrated the consequences of delayed environmental intervention. Communities exposed to pollution from oil spills and gas-related emissions have suffered degraded ecosystems, damaged livelihoods and persistent health concerns. Many of these crises worsened because authorities and operators failed to respond swiftly when early warning signs emerged.
Across the world, governments that have successfully managed environmental pollution have relied on transparency rather than speculation. They conducted continuous air-quality monitoring, publicly released scientific findings, identified polluters quickly and communicated openly with residents. That is precisely the approach Akure requires today.
The Ondo State Government must therefore move beyond committees and issue-based press statements. What residents need now are comprehensive air-quality assessments, independent laboratory analyses, public disclosure of findings, prosecution of anyone responsible for environmental violations and the installation of permanent air-monitoring systems across the metropolis. Environmental regulators, including NESREA and relevant public health agencies, should also support the investigation.
Residents themselves have a role to play by promptly reporting areas where the odour is strongest and any suspicious waste disposal activities. Environmental protection is a shared responsibility, but leadership must come from government.
Governor Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa's administration still has an opportunity to restore public confidence by treating the lingering odour not as a routine environmental complaint but as a potential public health emergency requiring urgency, transparency and accountability. Every additional day without a definitive resolution fuels anxiety among residents who simply want to breathe safely.
Ultimately, the mystery surrounding Akure's offensive odour is no longer just about an unpleasant smell. It is about the fundamental responsibility of government to protect lives and the environment. The question therefore remains: How much longer must Akure residents continue breathing air they neither understand nor trust? Until that question is answered with credible scientific evidence and decisive action, the city will continue to live under the shadow of uncertainty.
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Opinion