“Lagos Is Playing With Fire”: Ex-Buhari Aide Sends Message to Tinubu Over Street Renaming
- Senator Babafemi Ojudu sent a crucial message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the renaming of streets in Lagos state
- The former special adviser to late president Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters warned that Lagos is playing with fire
- Ojudu linked the tension between the Yoruba and Igbo communities in Lagos state to the defeat of Tinubu by Peter Obi in the 2023 elections
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - Former special adviser to late president Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, said Lagos state is playing with fire with the ongoing renaming of some streets across the state.
Ojudu cautioned the Lagos State Government over the troubling trend of renaming streets, particularly those bearing Igbo names or named after prominent non-indigenes.
Source: Facebook
The former senator said the move “is a calculated political maneuver rooted in resentment, identity politics, and shortsighted leadership.”
He stated this in a post shared via his LinkedIn profile on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
The Ekiti-born veteran journalist called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to put out the troubling trend.
Ojudu linked the long-simmering tension between the Yoruba and Igbo communities to the defeat of Tinubu by Peter Obi in Lagos in the 2023 elections.
He said the upset sent shockwaves through the ruling APC, and what followed was an aggressive, divisive campaign that weaponized ethnicity in the governorship election.
“Lagos was built by many hands—Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Urhobo, Tapa, and more. Its strength lies in its diversity. To target any group, especially one so deeply embedded in the city’s economy and social fabric, is not just morally wrong; it is politically suicidal.
“Rather than stoking ethnic division, Lagos leaders should focus on the real threats to the city: youth unemployment, drug addiction, urban decay, traffic congestion, and collapsing infrastructure. These are the issues threatening Lagos’s future —not the names on its street signs.”
He warned that If Nigeria fractures, history will remember that the house collapsed under President Tinubu's watch.
The APC chieftain urged Tinubu to speak frankly to Yoruba communities, especially indigenes of Lagos.
"The task before him is urgent and non-transferable: call your boys to order, heal old wounds, unite the nation, and rise above petty politics."
Source: Facebook
Fashola reacts to street renaming controversy
Recall that former Lagos state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, reacted to the street renaming controversy.
Fashola said Lagos state's history must be preserved in the naming of streets, stating that its "archival heritage is a valuable testimony".
Legit.ng recalls that the discussion on street naming and renaming in Lagos state continued to generate controversy.
Falana fumes over renaming of streets in Lagos
Legit.ng reported that human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), criticised the renaming of streets in Lagos as illegal and suggestive of “ethnic chauvinism”.
Falana, who stated this on Sunday, July 27, called for public hearings before the naming of streets, adding that it should not be done arbitrarily.
He noted that the recent renaming done in Lagos was the usurpation of powers by certain individuals and local council development areas.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
