Renowned Nigerian human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has publicly criticized the Lagos State Government for unilaterally renaming streets, landmarks, and public bus stops without prior consultation or engagement with residents of the affected areas. According to him, such actions are not only unconstitutional but also deeply undemocratic.
Falana’s comments came in response to recent developments in the Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), where the former chairman, Kolade Alabi, reportedly renamed two prominent roads in honour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, without any formal public input.
One of the most controversial changes was the renaming of the widely recognized “Charly Boy Bus Stop” along Gbagada–Bariga Road to “Baddo Bus Stop.” The move has drawn widespread attention and criticism from residents and activists alike.
In a related trend, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, recently announced the renaming of two streets after the late banking executive Herbert Wigwe and President Tinubu, further raising questions about due process and the role of local governments in such decisions.
According to Falana, the Nigerian Constitution — specifically the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) — clearly assigns the authority to name or rename streets solely to local government councils, not individuals or LCDA officials.
To support his stance, Falana cited the legal precedent in the case of Chief Obidi Ume v. Abuja Metropolitan Management Council & 2 Ors, where Justice Edward Okpe of the FCT High Court ruled that only the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) had the constitutional authority to assign street names within the capital territory.
“The same principle applies across Nigeria,” Falana emphasized. “The constitutional functions of local government councils cannot be hijacked by individuals or LCDA officials who act without any legal mandate or community involvement.”
Falana took particular issue with the renaming of Charly Boy Bus Stop, noting that it was not an official name imposed by government authorities, but a name organically adopted by residents of Bariga and Gbagada in recognition of the cultural and artistic impact of Nigerian entertainer Charly Boy.
He argued that community-generated names carry deep sociological and cultural meanings and should not be altered arbitrarily or without engaging the very people who created and use them daily.
“Changing that name without any form of public dialogue is not just an abuse of power, it’s a dismissal of the values and history that communities have built over the years,” Falana said, warning against a growing trend of top-down decision-making in matters that directly affect local residents.
He also pointed out the irony in the fact that while names of figures who have made significant contributions to Nigerian society are being removed or replaced, names of colonial rulers and imperial figures with oppressive legacies remain untouched on public structures and roads.
“It is ironic that streets bearing the names of colonial oppressors remain, while homegrown legends and activists are erased from public memory. That alone should cause serious concern,” he added.
Falana called on local governments across Nigeria, especially in Lagos, to uphold the constitutional principles of transparency, accountability, and democratic participation by ensuring that citizens are involved in major civic decisions such as street naming.
He strongly recommended the adoption of public hearings as a mandatory step before any road, street, or public location is renamed, stressing that inclusive governance should always be prioritized over political appeasement or unilateral gestures.
“Street names should not be changed at the whim of political actors or to satisfy short-term political interests. In a diverse city like Lagos, decisions like these must be handled with sensitivity, fairness, and broad-based consultation,” Falana concluded.