Lagos Academy Launches Walk to Combat Open Defecation

The Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA) is set to conduct a 10-kilometre awareness walk on Saturday, July 25, 2026, to address the issue of open defecation in Lagos State. The walk will start from Allen Junction and conclude at LAMATA Motor Park in Ojota.

This initiative is part of the fellows' flagship capstone project titled “Pee-Poo to Power Lagos,” which aims to improve sanitation and promote behavioral change by converting human waste into clean energy using biodigester technology. Team Leader Bayode Oke-Thomas stated that the project emerged from extensive research and community consultations that identified poor sanitation as a significant public health challenge.

The project proposes a pilot sanitation hub at a busy transport terminal, featuring upgraded public toilets that will generate renewable energy from human waste. Co-leader Shalom Ernest emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the dangers of open defecation and the need for personal responsibility in maintaining environmental hygiene.