The most frightening sound a tenant can hear during a heavy downpour is not thunder, but the sound of their ceiling cracking above their head. My neighbour, Jennifer, had lived in a rented apartment in Ibadan for almost three years. When she first moved in with her husband, Kelvin, and their two children, the building looked decent enough. However, as the rainy season approached, brown stains began appearing on their bedroom ceiling. Whenever it rained heavily, water dripped from the corners, and small pieces of plaster occasionally fell onto the floor. Kelvin complained to their landlord, Mr Benson, several times. Instead of arranging a proper inspection, the landlord sent a handyman who applied cement to the affected areas and painted over the stains. When Kelvin asked whether the building was structurally safe, Mr Benson became offended. He insisted that the building had stood for years without any serious problem. Unfortunately, the family trusted his assurances and continued paying their rent, unaware that the next heavy rainfall would change their lives forever.