Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana (SAN), has condemned the recent renaming of streets and bus stops in Lagos State without adherence to constitutional procedures and public input.
He described the actions as illegal, authoritarian, and a violation of the constitutional powers vested in local governments.
Falana disclosed this yesterday, citing recent cases including the renaming of “Charley Boy Bus Stop” to “Baddo Bus Stop” by the former chairman of the Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Mr. Kolade Alabi, as well as the naming of two streets after President Bola Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
He also referenced billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote’s reported naming of two streets after his late friend, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, and President Tinubu, allegedly without proper statutory approval.
Falana stressed that, under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the exclusive authority to name streets, roads, and number houses lies with local government councils, as clearly stated in the Fourth Schedule. He cited a relevant court judgment in Chief Obidi Ume v. Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, in which the High Court ruled that only the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) had the legal powers to name roads and streets within its jurisdiction.
“The usurpation of the exclusive functions of local governments on street naming by certain individuals and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State cannot be justified under the Nigerian Constitution,” Falana stated. Nigerian Airways plane models
He particularly criticised the renaming of the Charley Boy Bus Stop, a historically significant location named by the people of Bariga and Gbagada, without community consultation. Falana described the action as disrespectful to both local residents and cultural memory.
“Charley Boy Bus Stop acquired its name sociologically due to its functionality and the positive impact which Charley Boy has historically made in the area,” he noted. “Renaming it without consulting the Bariga and Gbagada people smacks of authoritarianism.”
Falana lamented that Lagos State has retained street names celebrating colonial figures linked to oppression and exploitation, yet finds time to replace names that honour Nigerians who contributed positively to society.
He called on local government legislative arms across Lagos to stop the arbitrary renaming of public spaces, and instead institutionalise public hearings and legal processes before any such decisions are made.
“Streets should not be renamed arbitrarily to please the whims and caprices of political leaders or to promote ethnic chauvinism, especially in a cosmopolitan capital city like Lagos.” Nigerian Airways plane models
He therefore called for due process and democratic engagement, warning that such unilateral renamings undermine community identity and violate constitutional principles.
