₦airaland Forum

OLAADEGBU:
This renaming exercise is just the latest in a long-standing tradition of using symbolic gestures to mask deeper systemic neglect. Streets and bus stops may carry cultural weight, but they do not determine the presence or power of a people. Ownership does. And in today’s Lagos, indigenous ownership is fading fast.

When Symbolism Becomes a Substitute for Substance

Here lies the core contradiction. In its quest to reassert Yoruba identity, the government seems to be prioritising optics by renaming bus stops, repainting signboards, sponsoring festivals. These actions are not inherently wrong, but they are insufficient.

What do we gain by changing “Ozumba Mbadiwe” to “MKO Abiola Avenue” if the people whose heritage is being honoured can no longer afford to live there?

What message do we send when we proudly emblazon Yoruba names on signs, while the original landowners have been displaced to Mowe, Ifo, or Akute?

Cultural presence must be material, not merely symbolic. If housing, inheritance, and education are not protected, Yoruba identity in Lagos will survive only in archives and museums, and not in living, breathing communities.

mastermaestro:
In summary the writer is saying that renaming of streets, while all your priced lands in prime locations have been sold off to 'outsiders', is in fact a worthless exercise.

MufasaLion:
Lagos is not a no man's land. It belongs to the Yorùbá people and they can do at will as they want. Anyone grumbling should go back to their father's hometown and develop it.

iwaeda:
Irony of this is that 95 percent of people stoking this ethnic fire are not from Lagos. Gawat family is from Igbaja, Kwara. Same as Ajetunmobi, because they were born in Lagos Island they lay claim to non existence origin. Most of them claiming Lagos Island dont HAVE a building to the fathers name. They should go and read what caused first World War.

MufasaLion:
Lagos is not a no man's land. It belongs to the Yorùbá people and they can do at will as they want. Anyone grumbling should go back to their father's hometown and develop it.

MufasaLion:
Lagos is not a no man's land. It belongs to the Yorùbá people and they can do at will as they want. Anyone grumbling should go back to their father's hometown and develop it.

Mrexcell:
Hope my igbo brothers can smell the coffee and see what they are preparing for them in future only fools will continue to invest heavily in a land where he is despised. Why can't they learn from the hausas who only stay in makeshift houses in cities and later repatriate their money back to their states?

OLAADEGBU:
This renaming exercise is just the latest in a long-standing tradition of using symbolic gestures to mask deeper systemic neglect. Streets and bus stops may carry cultural weight, but they do not determine the presence or power of a people. Ownership does. And in today’s Lagos, indigenous ownership is fading fast.

iwaeda:
Irony of this is that 95 percent of people stoking this ethnic fire are not from Lagos. Gawat family is from Igbaja, Kwara. Same as Ajetunmobi, because they were born in Lagos Island they lay claim to non existence origin. Most of them claiming Lagos Island dont HAVE a building to the fathers name. They should go and read what caused first World War.

iwaeda:
Irony of this is that 95 percent of people stoking this ethnic fire are not from Lagos. Gawat family is from Igbaja, Kwara. Same as Ajetunmobi, because they were born in Lagos Island they lay claim to non existence origin. Most of them claiming Lagos Island dont HAVE a building to the fathers name. They should go and read what caused first World War.[/b]

givedemwotowoto:
This government took divide and rule to the most dangerous level, using tribe to divide Nigerians.

Rwanda experienced genocide influenced by foreign actions, but now we have Nigerian politicians fueling potential genocide on their own country. Tueh!

Voting Tinubu out of office has to be #1 priority for 2027.

Elusive001:
Do the people who support ethnic bias in Lagos State truly DO NOT want the indigenes of Lagos State have a say in their land? They sideline the natives of Lagos, support those outside Lagos to rule it and yet frown at other other people who are also from outside Lagos.

Can they support someone who is not from Oyo state to rule Oyo State?

givedemwotowoto:
This government took divide and rule to the most dangerous level, using tribe to divide Nigerians.

Rwanda experienced genocide influenced by foreign actions, but now we have Nigerian politicians fueling potential genocide on their own country. Tueh!

Voting Tinubu out of office has to be #1 priority for 2027.

Savenigeria2023:
For anyone that cares, this is just typical Tinubu political tool at tribal manipulation for election purposes

Very soon, they will start … they said “Lagos is no Man’s land” mantra. Very predictable people but the empty headed Nigerians fall for it every time.

The street renaming is just aimed at widening the ethnic fault lines in readiness for 2027.

Tinubu is the champion of tribal/ ethnic politics in the history of Nigeria. He promotes and actively funds it.

Savenigeria2023:
For anyone that cares, this is just typical Tinubu political tool at tribal manipulation for election purposes

Very soon, they will start … they said “Lagos is no Man’s land” mantra. Very predictable people but the empty headed Nigerians fall for it every time.

The street renaming is just aimed at widening the ethnic fault lines in readiness for 2027.

Tinubu is the champion of tribal/ ethnic politics in the history of Nigeria. He promotes and actively funds it.

givedemwotowoto:
This government took divide and rule to the most dangerous level, using tribe to divide Nigerians.

Rwanda experienced genocide influenced by foreign actions, but now we have Nigerian politicians fueling potential genocide on their own country. Tueh!

Voting Tinubu out of office has to be #1 priority for 2027.

WesleyPepper:
Nice piece by the writer .
Lagos must do more that just renaming streets . Structural reform is the most important thing like the writer opined . What is the political authority in Lagos doing about protecting indigenous rights ?

I’ll end by rephrasing the writer ‘ Inclusion does not include erasure of indigenous rights’

Let those who have ears hear

OLAADEGBU:
This renaming exercise is just the latest in a long-standing tradition of using symbolic gestures to mask deeper systemic neglect. Streets and bus stops may carry cultural weight, but they do not determine the presence or power of a people. Ownership does. And in today’s Lagos, indigenous ownership is fading fast.