Senior lawyer and human rights advocate, Femi Falana (SAN), has fiercely condemned the recent renaming of several streets and bus stops across Lagos State — www.naijnaira.com reports.
In remarks, Falana claimed the process bypassed required legal channels and excluded the local communities from decision-making.
He described the changes as unconstitutional, asserting that only local government councils, under the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, hold such authority.
Falana cited multiple examples, including the shift from “Charley Boy Bus Stop” to “Baddo Bus Stop” by ex-Bariga LCDA chairman Kolade Alabi, which he argued lacked any legal basis.
He also mentioned reports alleging that billionaire Aliko Dangote renamed streets in honor of President Tinubu and the late Herbert Wigwe without proper approval.
Quoting Falana, “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 described the renaming as “authoritarian,” especially as it ignored the views of Bariga and Gbagada residents who originally coined the name.
Falana recalled a court judgment in Chief Obidi Ume v. Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, reaffirming that only local governments have renaming rights.
He criticized Lagos for keeping colonial-era street names while discarding those named after Nigerians who made real contributions to society.
He urged lawmakers at the local level to resist top-down renaming orders and adopt a legal, inclusive framework involving public consultation.
According to him, “Streets should not be renamed arbitrarily to please the whims and caprices of political leaders or to promote ethnic chauvinism.”
Falana warned that such unilateral acts erase cultural history, alienate communities, and undermine democratic governance.
Article updated 23 hours ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
