BY AISHA YUSUF SABO, OCTOBER 18, 2025 | 06:06 AM

Now I want to ask, why have we, as a society quietly accepted public urination? While, most of those involved in the act are highly unlikely to read this, I hold on to the belief that those in the right positions to set laws and enforce public sanitation standards probably will.

I read somewhere that "A habit becomes a ritual, and a ritual becomes a lifestyle" and I couldn't agree more. What was once considered an indecent behavior has gradually been normalized. We see it by the roadsides, marketplace, along stagnant gutters, even around schools and at dumpsides. The sight no longer shocks us at best, it earns a shake of the head and at worst, ignored completely, as if it were simply part of our everyday environment. How did we get here?

One of the obvious reasons lies in the absence of accessible and clean public restrooms making the street corner the most immediate option for people on the move (drivers, traders, pedestrians). The few ones available are often poorly maintained, unsafe, or require a small fee that discourages regular use.

And, instead of doing and demanding better, we have adjusted our expectations downward, learning to live with the inconvenience. Public urination has thus shifted from a taboo to a tolerated response. Even the sign posts saying "DO NOT URINATE HERE" are not mounted any more.

Over time, what should have been addressed as a public health and dignity issue is now woven into our daily lives. Sadly, children growing up seeing adults urinating in public will come to view it as normal. And if care is not taken, what one generation tolerates may become the inherited culture of the next.

This quiet acceptance of public urination also yields health risk. Urine on streets and walls contributes to foul odors, attracts pests, and can serve as a breeding ground for bacteria. During the rainy season, contaminated runoff finds its way into drainage systems and water sources, worsening already fragile sanitation conditions.

This incessant act of public urination has to end. Aside being uncouth, it exposes the environment to health hazards that may result from the act. The first line of measure is the provision of restrooms. People need convenience spaces and they will only stop using the public spaces to relief themselves if an alternative is provided.

The message is simple: measures must go beyond lip service or mere announcements. People need to be educated to stop the act, and the government is encouraged to provide public facilities in strategic locations to help reduce the rampant issue of public urination." With these in place, laws can be implemented, and punishments imposed on offenders if caught.