…We must stop expecting one man to clean up a mess that decades of cynical politics—by politicians and commentators alike—have made. The fire Ojudu warns about is not in Lagos. It is in his pen. And it’s time to put that out
By Oluwaseyi Oduyela
Too many people are busy twisting the facts and pushing one-sided narratives. Babafemi Ojudu’s recent write-up is one of them. Here’s my honest response to his alarmist take on Lagos and the so-called ethnic “fire.”
Lagos Is Not Burning—But Ojudu Is Fanning the Flames
A Rebuttal to Babafemi Ojudu’s “Lagos Is Playing with Fire — And Tinubu Must Put It Out”
By choosing to reduce a complex issue to yet another round of moral panic, Babafemi Ojudu does little more than stoke the very ethnic tensions he claims to decry. His article, dripping with performative concern, ends up projecting a dangerously skewed version of events in Lagos State, where nuance is abandoned for a convenient narrative: that Yoruba assertiveness is synonymous with intolerance, and that President Tinubu alone must save Nigeria from itself.
Let’s start with the core accusation: that local government chairmen are embarking on a spree of renaming streets bearing Igbo names in Lagos. If this is true, we should ask for facts, not fear mongering. How many streets? When were they renamed? Under what authority? What names were removed, and which ones replaced them? Without this evidence, the allegation amounts to hearsay—weaponized to reinforce a tired “Yoruba versus Igbo” trope that’s become far too easy for commentators to exploit.
Ojudu rightly acknowledges that Lagos is a cosmopolitan city, built by many hands. But he fails to recognize that cosmopolitanism must be reciprocal. Respect for cultural integration cannot be a one-way street. When groups install traditional titles and symbols of authority—like “Eze Ndi Igbo” palaces—in another people’s ancestral land, it raises legitimate questions about intent, boundary, and protocol. Are such moves mere cultural expressions, or are they calculated power plays? Ojudu glosses over this entirely, choosing instead to label any discomfort as xenophobic.
Even more troubling is his subtle framing of the Igbo political surge in Lagos as “progressive,” while Yoruba political consolidation is branded as “ethnic posturing.” Why is it that when Igbos vote en bloc in Lagos, it is seen as democratic expression, but when Yorubas push back, it becomes ethnic bigotry? Why is identity politics admirable on one side, but dangerous on the other?
Ojudu’s double standard becomes more obvious when he condemns online insults directed at Wole Soyinka—yet remains conspicuously silent about the flood of bile, abuse, and mockery routinely hurled at Yoruba icons by supporters of Peter Obi during the 2023 elections. It’s not enough to call for mutual respect; it must actually be mutual.
His selective alarmism continues with references to Nigeria’s broader ethnic divisions. Kwankwaso’s complaints, Niger Delta tensions, and Northern dissatisfaction are all lined up as ominous clouds—yet Ojudu expects Tinubu alone to hold the umbrella. But where was this righteous urgency when Peter Obi remained silent as his supporters smeared others online, undermined national symbols, and even threatened secession if he didn’t win? Leadership demands consistency, not convenience.
Yes, Lagos has problems: unemployment, infrastructure decay, urban strain. But Ojudu’s prescription to fix these is vague at best—“reconcile,” “rise above politics,” “speak frankly.” These are noble-sounding platitudes, but they dodge the hard truth: integration without assimilation is a ticking time bomb. You cannot build unity by dismissing legitimate cultural concerns or shaming the host community into silence.
Let it be clear: Yoruba people, like any other group, have the right to protect their heritage, question creeping cultural encroachments, and expect mutual respect. That does not make them bigots. It makes them human.
Ojudu warns that Nigeria may fracture under Tinubu’s watch. But what he misses is this: Nigeria’s real fracture is not from local street renaming. It is from the dishonest framing of inter – ethnic dynamics—where some are always the villains and others are always victims.
If we are to build a truly united country, then we must stop picking and choosing whose identity deserves protection and whose concerns deserve scorn. We must stop pretending that only the center must hold, while the peripheries do whatever they please. And above all, we must stop expecting one man to clean up a mess that decades of cynical politics—by politicians and commentators alike—have made.
The fire Ojudu warns about is not in Lagos. It is in his pen. And it’s time to put that out.
Just minding my business ….
•Opinions, positions or thoughts expressed here are personal and strictly of the writer/author and do not represent the views of The Daily Crucible.
