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Street Renaming In Lagos: Tribalism Concerns Rise As SAN Warns Of ‘Dangerous Descent’
Dr. M.O. Ubani, SAN, a prominent legal and policy analyst, has expressed serious concerns regarding recent street renaming practices in Lagos, particularly within Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
In a strongly worded statement, Ubani accused officials of engaging in a “dangerous descent into tribal politics and hatred,” alleging a systematic effort to erase historical street names that reflect the cultural identity of non-Yoruba residents.
The controversy stems from the recent renaming of Charly Boy Bus Stop in Bariga LCDA to Baddo Bus Stop, ostensibly in honor of Nigerian artist Olamide.
While acknowledging the potential merit of recognising local artists, Dr. Ubani argued that this seemingly innocuous act masks a more insidious trend.
“Beneath the surface lies a disturbing pattern… the systematic and silent erasure of certain historical street names in Lagos, especially those reflecting the cultural identity and heritage of non-Yoruba residents,” he stated.
Ubani emphasised that this practice is not an isolated incident but part of a gradual shift away from Lagos’s historical status as a cosmopolitan city embracing all cultures.
He condemned the practice as “archaic, divisive, and dangerously tribalistic,” arguing that it undermines national unity and risks pushing Nigeria back “to the Stone Age.”
The SAN questioned the rationale behind these renaming actions, highlighting the lack of transparency and community consultation.
“No cogent or official explanation has been offered for this disturbing trend… Were these names removed with the consent of residents? Was there any public hearing or community input solicited?”
He specifically cited concerns about the potential marginalisation of the Igbo community, whose contributions to Lagos’s growth are “historical, ongoing, and appreciable.”
Ubani argued that these actions risk rewriting the cultural history of Lagos in a way that excludes certain ethnic groups.
Drawing on his personal experience of living and working in Lagos since the 1980s, Ubani portrayed a city that has traditionally offered equal opportunities to all Nigerians, regardless of their origin.
He expressed disappointment that some Local Government Chairmen appear to be promoting ethnocentric policies that contradict the progressive values historically associated with the Yoruba people.
“This rising trend of street renaming based on ethnic calculations betrays the progressive and sophisticated image of the Yoruba people, a people known for education, enterprise, and political sagacity,” Ubani lamented.
He warned that these actions send a negative message to the international community, investors, and other Nigerians, portraying Lagos as increasingly intolerant and lacking cohesion.
He raised the specter of state-backed discrimination and questioned the long-term impact on national integration.
Dr. Ubani called on the Lagos State Government and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to provide a clear explanation for the recent renaming actions.
He demanded greater transparency and robust community involvement in future decisions that impact the cultural heritage of Lagos.
“Lagos must not become a theatre of ethnic cleansing through street names. We must reverse this tide before it becomes the new normal,” he urged.
He emphasised that the strength of Lagos and Nigeria lies in its diversity and called for an end to policies that promote division and hatred.
The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has announced that members can now decide whether to accept or donate the four main components of blood based on their personal conscience.
The organisation made this known in a statement issued by its World Headquarters in Warwick, New York and made available on its website on Friday.
According to the statement, “the decision to accept red cells, white cells, plasma or platelets from another person’s blood is a matter of personal conscience.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses announce adjustment to blood transfusion policy
It added that “each Witness must decide whether or not to donate blood for the clearly expressed purpose of providing components or fractions for use by another person.”
However, the organisation said its position on whole-blood transfusion had not changed.
“The long-standing refusal of whole-blood transfusions on religious grounds, a core teaching based on the command to ‘abstain from blood’ (Acts 15:20), is unchanged,” the statement said.
International spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses at the organisation’s World Headquarters, Paul Gillies, said, “Blood remains sacred to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who continue to regard life and blood as precious gifts from God.
“We recognise that medical decisions involving blood components are a matter of conscience between each Witness and their God, Jehovah.”
The organisation said the adjustment “follows earlier updates regarding blood fractions and the use of one’s own blood during medical procedures.”
It added, “Since the Bible does not comment on such decisions, they are a matter of individual conscience. That same reasoning has now been extended to the four main components of blood.”
On medical care, the statement said, “Jehovah’s Witnesses love life and want the best available medical care. They do not practise faith healing, and they seek out doctors who can provide effective treatment in accord with their wishes, values and beliefs.”
Gillies said local congregations would not interfere in members’ personal decisions.
“Congregations do not involve themselves in personal decisions that rest with the individual conscience. We will continue to respect and support the personal decisions of our fellow believers.
“We are grateful, too, for the many skilled and compassionate physicians who provide quality medical care that respects our personal wishes regarding blood,” he said.
The organisation said Jehovah’s Witnesses number “over nine million worldwide, in congregations across more than 200 lands.”
Recall that the religious group had clarified its position on the use of a member’s own blood during surgery and other medical procedures.
The clarification allowed individual Witnesses to decide whether their blood could be removed, stored and returned to them during medical treatment, while the organisation maintained its position against receiving blood from another person.
Punch
The Nigerian Army has dismissed as fake and unverified a purported intelligence alert warning of planned Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks on schools, churches, mosques, NYSC orientation camps and other public institutions across the country.
Anele said the Army was aware of the circulation and had heightened vigilance across its formations and commands to prevent attacks on vulnerable facilities.
She described the purported intelligence as speculation and urged the public not to treat the document as an official Army security alert.
The response followed the circulation of a document purportedly signed by one A.M. Sodiq, which claimed that Boko Haram and ISWAP were planning coordinated attacks across several parts of the country.
The document listed churches, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations as possible targets and alleged that suspected ISWAP operatives had begun surveillance of selected locations.
It further claimed that the alleged attacks could coincide with the resumption of the 2026/2027 academic session.
However, the Army disowned the document, maintaining that it did not originate from the institution.
The Army assured Nigerians that security formations remained on heightened alert and were taking necessary measures to protect schools, places of worship and other vulnerable public facilities.
MINNA, Niger State — An engine oil seller in Minna, the Niger State capital, has reportedly sustained serious injuries after allegedly being shot during a police operation to disperse protesters.
The victim, identified as Ibrahim Mohammed Dada, was reportedly standing outside his shop at Tunga Market when he was struck by a bullet.
Ibrahim’s brother, Yakubu Dada Mohammed, said the victim was not part of the protest and was attending to customers at his engine oil stall when the incident occurred.
According to him, Ibrahim was simply trying to earn a living and support his family when a police officer allegedly fired a shot that hit him in the head and severely injured his face.
«“He was not among those protesting. He was standing in front of his shop selling engine oil when one of the police officers fired a bullet that struck his head and badly injured his face,” Yakubu said.»
Ibrahim is currently receiving treatment at Minna General Hospital, where his condition was reportedly described as critical.
The incident occurred amid protests in Minna over the reported deaths of 37 miners who were allegedly in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Reports indicate that 65 miners were arrested on September 15 and 16, with 37 subsequently reported dead while in security custody.
The protests, which began on Thursday, continued into Friday as security personnel moved to disperse demonstrators. Security forces were reportedly accused of using tear gas and live ammunition during the operation.
However, the circumstances surrounding Ibrahim’s shooting have not been independently established.
The Niger State Police Command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, appealed for calm and said the incident would be investigated.
The case has since heightened concerns over the conduct of security personnel during the ongoing protests.
Jehovah’s Witnesses announce fresh adjustment to blood transfusion policy
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