Tension is mounting in the Bariga area of Lagos State as the Ilaje community has rejected the recent renaming of Ilaje Street after legendary musician, King Sunny Ade, calling the move an assault on their cultural identity and historical roots.
The controversy began last Friday when the immediate past Chairman of the Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), David Kolade Alabi, announced the renaming of several streets in honour of notable Nigerians. Among the renamed roads was Ilaje Street, sparking immediate outrage from residents and activists.
On Wednesday, protesters from the Ilaje community stormed the streets, demanding an immediate reversal of the name change. Many took to social media to express discontent, accusing the LCDA of ethnic bias and deliberate erasure of their heritage.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro on Thursday, the President General of Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, Raphael Irowainu, described the decision as a “calculated attempt to decimate” the Ilaje people in Lagos.
“It is a calculated attempt by the political elites and some Yoruba ethnic groups to erase the historical and cultural involvement of the Ilaje people in the creation of Lagos State,” Irowainu said. “Bariga was founded in 1948 by our great-grandfathers. It was the Ilaje who cleared the land and created the road before the state government stepped in.”
Irowainu also cited a pattern of marginalisation, alleging previous demolitions of Ilaje communities in other parts of Lagos including Oworonshoki and Majidun, calling them part of a broader agenda.
Highlighting their historical relevance, he said: “The Ilaje are among the three early settlers of Lagos State—alongside the Awori and Ijebu. We are not strangers. We are Yorubas like any other Yoruba group.”
He further questioned the logic of renaming a street in an Ilaje-dominated area to honour King Sunny Ade. “If you want to honour him, why not rename Ondo Street in Ebute Meta? Why must it be Ilaje Street? This feels like a war against us.”
According to Irowainu, the community has filed a formal petition and is prepared to pursue legal action. He also challenged the legal authority of the LCDA to rename streets, arguing that only the constitutionally recognised 20 local government areas have such powers, and only after due consultation with affected communities.
Meanwhile, former council chairman David Alabi defended the action, saying it was part of efforts to celebrate individuals who have put Bariga on the global map. “As an administration, we carefully selected people who have used their talents to elevate our community’s name,” he stated.
Efforts to reach the current LCDA Chairperson, Bukola Adedeji, for clarification on whether the council would revisit the decision proved unsuccessful, as calls and text messages were not returned.
