“This Is a War Against Our People” — Lagos Community Rejects Street Renaming

The Ilaje community in the Bariga area of Lagos has publicly rejected the renaming of Ilaje Street in honour of music legend King Sunny Ade, describing the move as an erasure of their cultural heritage and a continuation of systemic marginalisation.

The controversy began last Friday when the immediate past Chairman of the Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), David Kolade Alabi, announced that several streets in the council area would be renamed to celebrate individuals who have brought global recognition to the community. Ilaje Street was among those affected.

The decision sparked swift backlash, both on the ground and across social media platforms, with residents and descendants of the Ilaje community staging a protest on Wednesday. They demanded a reversal of the decision, calling it a disrespect to their ancestry and historical presence in Lagos.

Speaking to Punch Metro, Raphael Irowainu, President General of Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, condemned the street renaming as a “calculated attempt to decimate” the Ilaje identity in Lagos. He insisted that the Ilaje were among the earliest settlers in Lagos, alongside the Awori and Ijebu people.

“The Bariga community was founded in 1948 by our great-grandfathers,” he said. “They made the roads before the government took over. This renaming is part of a larger agenda to erase our contribution to the development of Lagos.”

Irowainu cited other incidents, including demolitions in Ilaje communities across Oworonshoki and Majidun, as evidence of what he described as ongoing marginalisation. He accused elements within the political class and other Yoruba subgroups of systematically sidelining the Ilaje people.

He further questioned the rationale behind renaming Ilaje Street in particular to honour King Sunny Ade, pointing out that other areas, such as Ondo Street in Ebute Meta, could have been chosen instead. “We are not saying King Sunny Ade does not deserve honour, but why should it be at the cost of our identity?” he said.

The community has filed a petition and is preparing for legal action, arguing that LCDAs do not have constitutional authority to rename streets. “The constitution only recognises 20 local governments—not LCDAs. Even at the LG level, such a decision requires consultation with the affected communities,” Irowainu argued.

Defending the renaming, the former LCDA Chairman, David Kolade Alabi, said the decision was made to honour individuals who have brought prestige to Bariga. He stated that his administration reflected deeply before choosing the names of those to be celebrated.

Efforts to get a response from the current LCDA Chairperson, Bukola Adedeji, were unsuccessful, as she did not return calls or respond to text messages.

The Ilaje community remains firm in its position, vowing to exhaust all legal and civil avenues to protect its historical legacy.