The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has urged the Lagos State Government to pursue urban renewal without displacing residents, while calling on Nigerians to return to God and embrace honesty and discipline.
Speaking at his Iga-Iduganran palace on Sunday during celebrations marking his 82nd birthday and 22 years on the throne, the traditional ruler identified greed, indiscipline, and sycophancy as the root causes of the nation’s problems.
“In Lagos and Nigeria, we have no problem except that we are too far from God. Sycophancy, indiscipline, and greed are the real issues. Greed is the cause of all evil,” he said. “Everything in Lagos, especially Iga Iduganran, has always been under the control of Almighty Allah and the Oba of Lagos.”
The monarch also expressed concern over the erosion of communal values and rising fear among Lagosians.
“We have lost our sense of communal living where relatives care for each other. This should not be so. If you move people from a place for development, when the area is renewed, let them return,” he added.
Mr Akiolu urged local government leaders to invest in security logistics, emphasising that better patrols and transparency would reduce crime.
“The political class should desist from acts that destroy public trust. Think well of everybody and don’t look down on anyone. Nigeria is a great country and will be greater by the grace of Almighty Allah,” he said.
Reflecting on his public service, the Oba recalled advising the late Interim Head of State Ernest Shonekan that his fragile government would not last, shortly before General Sani Abacha took over.
He also spoke on his integrity, noting that during his 32-year police career, he never accepted a bribe.
On national leadership, Mr Akiolu described President Bola Tinubu as chosen by God.
“God deliberately chose Bola Tinubu for Nigeria. There is nothing anyone can do without God’s sanction. He will complete his eight years, but everything that has a beginning must have an end,” he said.
Background
Oba Akiolu has reigned since 2003 after a 32-year career in the Nigeria Police Force, rising to Assistant Inspector-General. While largely ceremonial, the role carries significant cultural and social influence across Lagos.
Residents of Oworonshoki recently postponed a protest over demolitions near the Third Mainland Bridge following warnings from the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, that protesters could face arrest.
Abdullaziz Olamide, General Secretary of the Take It Back Movement, told PREMIUM TIMES in October that the protest was suspended to restrategise.
PREMIUM TIMES observed heavy police deployment around Iyana-Oworo and other convergence points, with officers stationed at multiple routes leading to the bridge.
Residents say government-backed demolitions have cleared buildings at Ajileru and other parts of Oworonshoki, despite objections from affected families.
The Commissioner of Police defended the actions, describing the demolished structures as “illegal buildings” and “criminal hideouts,” while warning activists against blocking major roads.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has accused the Lagos State Government of violating a court injunction that restrained further demolitions in Oworonshoki.
The police, however, denied using violence, stating officers were deployed only to maintain order and protect government officials.
Residents report that demolition operations have continued late at night, often without prior notice, and claim that compensation has been selective and inadequate.
Demolitions in Oworonshoki are part of Lagos’s wider urban renewal programme, which has included clearing illegal stalls and shanties under bridges across the city.
While authorities argue these actions reclaim public space and remove unsafe or criminal structures, many residents contend they are being driven into homelessness and hardship.
Mr Akiolu’s call for communal values, careful urban planning, and protection for displaced residents speaks to the tension between redevelopment ambitions and the rights of vulnerable communities in Lagos.
