Beware Of The Rainy Season

I love the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET). It is not your most popular government agency. For most Nigerians, NiMET roles are perhaps archaic and unknown. But when there is a tragedy, that is when we take note of NiMET.

Sometime in April 2025, Air Peace management won my heart when they cancelled all local flights due to safety issues based on the downing of tools by workers of the agency whose role should rank among the most critical in the country. Other airlines, as usual, dared mother nature and continued their business.

Equally, in April, at the height of the heat across the country, I did a piece titled, “Guide For Driving In The Heat”. It was my first as I have always focused on driving in the rain, which is my focus today. In that piece, I drew our attention to the situation in major cities such as Abuja, Enugu, Jos, and others in Nigeria that were experiencing hot weather conditions.

These conditions, I noted, were attributable to the heatwave currently experienced in Nigeria, which is characterised by extremely high temperatures. I recalled that NiMET had warned of this, predicting temperatures as high as 41°C over the North and 39°C over the South.

The average high temperature, NiMET noted in March, was around 92°F (33°C), while in Enugu, it was around 87°F (31°C). These temperatures, combined with the humidity, made the weather feel even hotter. Another factor is the dry season, characterised by hot and dry weather with minimal rainfall.

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Climate change it equally noted, also increases temperature as we experience frequent and severe heat waves due to rising global temperatures. Lastly, another factor is the urban island heat effect, which occurs when built-up areas absorb and retain heat. These unbearable weather conditions remind me of my childhood dream of going to school and living in Jos, the capital of Plateau State, which has always been a great attraction for me as a teenager.

This is because of the unique weather conditions due to its location on the Jos-Plateau. The city’s elevation, approximately 1,238 metres (4,062 feet) above sea level, contributes to its relatively cooler temperatures than other parts of Nigeria.

NiMET is out again, sounding another alarm that has already come with devastation. I am talking about the Mokwa death toll, which was estimated at over 100 lives due to flood disaster.

I surfed the net for the agency’s prediction when I set out to do this piece. There was more than enough, which I hope to share with you this week, hoping that we will be guided. My first inquiry was to know when to expect rain in 2025. NiMET predicted that rain is expected to begin between March and April in Southern States like Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti and Enugu.

Between April and May, it is expected in central states such as Niger, Kogi, FCT, and Taraba. For Northern States, rain onset is predicted for between early June and July. It equally predicted that annual rainfall peak, which is the period of highest rainfall after which it decreases persistently for many days within a year to be between June and July, while the second peak is in September.

I queried other predictions, but I will leave the rest for next week. Note that significant rainfall will occur from April to October, with minimal rainfall occurring between November and March.

Again, I stumbled on the agency’s prediction on June 8, 2025, of three days of rain and thunderstorms across the country from Sunday to Tuesday, June 10, 2025. The prediction covered the North Central, including Abuja, the southern region as well as other parts of the North.

Characteristically, NiMET urged us to take adequate precautions as strong winds might precede the rain in areas where thunderstorms are likely to occur. One of the most critical warnings was for motorists to avoid driving under heavy rain.

This is because a handful of drivers are risk freaks and I dare say, ignorant and carefree. No matter the weather or warnings by lead agencies such as NiMET or even the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), most are ‘recalcitrant road users’. In a layman’s description, a handful are perpetual lawbreakers with a disdain for road safety rules.

One of such is Greg Jacob (not real name). He was a speed freak, a risk taker, indulging in dangerous manoeuvring behaviour while on the wheels. Greg has no regard for safety rules and brags about his driving proficiency and expertise. When it comes to driving under influence, he was a master. He could drive all day for hours with his mobile phone clutched to his hand, browsing the net, and doing all sorts of things as a mark of showoff.

He reminded me of the crazy Ibadan father who failed to stop when a traffic officer and policemen stopped him, resulting in the death of his beloved son. Greg was freaky about disregarding enforcement operatives when stopped, even at night

All that, however, changed on the day mercy saved him. He was driving, according to the report, during heavy rain and threw decency to the wind despite warnings to defer his drive until the weather was clear. He ignored safety counsel, set out on his dangerous mission and crashed onto a parked vehicle that luckily had no occupants. The car was written off while he sustained numerous injuries and multiple fractures. Today, Greg is glued to a wheelchair for life.