Following barrage of criticism, outrage after his Wednesday appearance on Arise Television describing of Lagos as a “no-man’s land,” the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has made u-turn on his controversial statement.
Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, on Wednesday made a u-turn on his controversial statement now claiming the state belongs to Yoruba.
Bwala, who addressed the backlash on his official X handle also on Wednesday, also admitted that Lagos State is historically and constitutionally the land of the Yoruba people.
Bwala, who also clarified that his words were misinterpreted, said Lagos’s identity has “never been in contention” and should not be distorted, even though the state remains Nigeria’s foremost commercial hub.
“Don’t misinterpret what I said in my interview this morning. Culturally, historically, and constitutionally, Lagos belongs to the Yoruba people, and that has never been in contention. The unique identity of Lagos as a Yoruba homeland is settled and beyond dispute.”
Explaining his position further, the legal practioner likened Lagos to global economic powerhouses such as New York, Paris, and London, noting that the city plays a dual role as Nigeria’s commercial heartbeat and a cosmopolitan hub that welcomes citizens from every part of the country.
“What I emphasised was the special place Lagos occupies in Nigeria and indeed West Africa, a city that, much like New York, Paris, or London, serves as the commercial nerve centre of our economy.
“Lagos provides every Nigerian, regardless of origin, a level playing field to thrive, and in this sense, it mirrors the diversity of our nation while remaining firmly rooted in Yoruba heritage.
“My argument was, therefore, and justifiably so, for massive investments in infrastructure to sustain the economic and social responsibilities Lagos has shouldered on behalf of Nigeria,” he stated.
According to Tinubu’s aide, his central argument on television was that any president who hopes to succeed must deliberately invest in Lagos because of the enormous social and economic responsibilities it shoulders on behalf of Nigeria.
“Such support is not because Lagos is ‘no man’s land,’ but because it is the heartbeat of the nation’s development,” he clarified.
Earlier during the controversial interview he granted to the Lagos based television station, Bwala emphasised that the concentration of federal projects in Lagos should not be viewed as favouritism but as strategic investment in the country’s commercial hub.
“Let me tell you why Lagos State is different. Lagos State is a no-man’s land. In the last election, the President who comes from the South-West did not win Lagos. That tells you the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos State.
“The richest man in Africa is a northerner. His business is not in Kano, it’s in Lagos. Almost every rich man that you know in Nigeria has a business undertaking in Lagos, and the Nigerian people are represented in Lagos.
