Presidential media aide, Daniel Bwala, has reiterated that Lagos State’s Yoruba identity remains unquestionable, following public debate over remarks he made during a recent television appearance.
In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, Bwala insisted his earlier comments had been misrepresented, emphasizing that Lagos’s cultural and historical status as part of the Yoruba homeland “has never been in contention.”
“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,” he wrote.
He described Lagos as Nigeria’s commercial hub and a city of continental importance, comparing its role to that of global financial centres like New York, Paris, and London. While highlighting its cosmopolitan character, he noted that the city continues to provide opportunities for Nigerians of all backgrounds while remaining deeply rooted in Yoruba heritage.
Bwala explained that his comments were primarily an appeal for significant federal investment in Lagos’s infrastructure, arguing that the city’s economic weight makes such support essential. “Any President who truly seeks to succeed must critically support Lagos, not because it is ‘no man’s land,’ but because it is the heartbeat of the nation’s development,” he said.
Speaking earlier on Arise Television’s Daybreak programme, Bwala defended the Federal Government’s decision to allocate about ₦3.9 trillion to Lagos-based projects over the past two years. He argued that Lagos’s importance transcends ethnicity, citing President Bola Tinubu’s loss in the state during the 2023 election as evidence of its political and cultural diversity.
“Lagos is a no man’s land. If it truly belonged to one group, then President Tinubu, who is a Yoruba man, would never have lost the state in the election. The truth is, Lagos reflects the diversity of Nigeria,” he said.
According to Bwala, Nigeria’s wealthiest individuals, including billionaire Aliko Dangote, have chosen Lagos as their base rather than their native states, underscoring the city’s magnetic economic appeal. He maintained that federal investments in Lagos are dictated by economic logic rather than sentiment.
“When you are running an economy, you don’t take money to where there is no return on investment. Lagos is the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria. If you want to drive economic growth, you must invest where it counts most,” he argued.
The expression “no man’s land” has long been contentious in Nigeria’s political discourse. Although historically invoked to highlight Lagos’s inclusive and pan-Nigerian character, notably by Jaja Wachukwu in 1947 and later by Governor Lateef Jakande in 1979, it has drawn criticism from groups identifying as indigenous to the city.
