Following his earlier assertion that Lagos belongs to no man, which generated public backlash, Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy Communication, has clarified his statement.
Speaking in a statement issued on Wednesday through his X handle, Bwala argued that his statement was misinterpreted.
According to the legal practitioner, the identity of Lagos has “Never been in contention” and should not be distorted.
He said, “Don’t misinterpret what I said in my interview this morning. 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.”
Speaking on Lagos commercial, he related the state’s economy to global cities like New York, Paris, and London, explaining that anybody is welcome.
“What I emphasised was the special place Lagos occupies in Nigeria and indeed West Africa, a city that, much like New York, Paris, or London, serves as the commercial nerve centre of our economy
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“Lagos provides every Nigerian, regardless of origin, a level playing field to thrive, and in this sense, it mirrors the diversity of our nation while remaining firmly rooted in Yoruba heritage.
“My argument was, therefore and justifiably so, for massive investments in infrastructure to sustain the economic and social responsibilities Lagos has shouldered on behalf of Nigeria”, he said.
He clarified that his major argument during his interview on Arise Television was that the success of any President relies on his investment in Lagos because of the economic and social responsibilities it shoulders for Nigeria
“Such support is not because Lagos is ‘no man’s land,’ but because it is the heartbeat of the nation’s development,” he said.
New Telegraph reports that during an Arise Television program on Wednesday, Bwala branded Lagos “No man’s land” and “the pride of Nigeria’s economy”
He said, “Let me tell you why Lagos State is different. Lagos State is a no-man’s land. In the last election, the President who comes from the South-West did not win Lagos. That tells you the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos State.
“The richest man in Africa is a northerner. His business is not in Kano, it’s in Lagos. Almost every rich man that you know in Nigeria has a business undertaking in Lagos, and the Nigerian people are represented in Lagos.
“If not, because probably the majority of the people are Yoruba speaking, you will wonder whether Lagos indeed is from the South-West.”
The President’s Special Adviser argued that the N3.9trillion invested in federal projects in Lagos was justified, as the state remains the hub of commerce
He said, “So the idea that you put more in Lagos than in other states or the federation should be put into a proper context. Lagos is a no-man’s land. Lagos is the hub of Nigeria. Lagos is the pride of the country.”
