Founder and leader of the TAKE-IT-NOW Movement, Omoyele Sowore, has slammed the Lagos State Government over the renaming of some streets in the megacity.
In a statement, Sowore condemned the action, describing it as “part of a xenophobic and divisive agenda, orchestrated to target specific ethnic groups and punish political opponents of the ruling APC regime in Lagos.”
The gadfly also described the renaming as “a blatant attempt to erase legacies, provoke communities, and lay the groundwork for a dangerous socio-political crisis in a state that prides itself on diversity and cosmopolitan identity.”
In particular, Sowore criticized the renaming of CHARLY BOY BUS STOP in Gbagada as OLAMIDE BADO BUS STOP, saying it was “not just petty; it is a spiteful rewriting of history meant to silence dissent and discredit voices that have long challenged authoritarianism.”
Below is the full statement:
STATEMENT ON THE POLITICALLY AND ETHNICALLY MOTIVATED RENAMING OF LAGOS STREETS
I have watched the video footage showing Lagos LGA officials arrogantly and garrulously renaming streets across the state. The manner in which these actions are being carried out—vindictive, haphazard, and laced with ethnic undertones—leaves no doubt that this is not merely a matter of urban planning, but a calculated political vendetta.
These street renamings appear to be part of a xenophobic and divisive agenda, orchestrated to target specific ethnic groups and punish political opponents of the ruling APC regime in Lagos. It is a blatant attempt to erase legacies, provoke communities, and lay the groundwork for a dangerous socio-political crisis in a state that prides itself on diversity and cosmopolitan identity.
In particular, I strongly condemn the cynical renaming of the Charly Boy Bus Stop—an iconic landmark tied to decades of creative resistance and people-powered culture in Nigeria. This act is not just petty; it is a spiteful rewriting of history meant to silence dissent and discredit voices that have long challenged authoritarianism.
Lagos does not belong to a single party.
Lagos does not belong to a single tribe.
Lagos does not belong to any godfather.
These actions must be reversed.
The public must resist this creeping authoritarianism masked as civic order.
We will not watch in silence as Lagos is weaponized for tribal, political, or ideological cleansing.
-OMOYELE SOWORE
