Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has condemned the renaming of streets and bus stops in Lagos State, describing the move as unconstitutional, authoritarian and a violation of the rights of local governments and residents.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr Falana criticised decisions by certain individuals and authorities in Lagos to rename public spaces without due process or community consultation.
He cited examples such as the renaming of “Charley Boy Bus Stop” in Bariga to “Baddo Bus Stop” by the former chairman of Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Kolade Alabi.
He also pointed to recent reports of streets being named after President Bola Tinubu and Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as well as two others reportedly named by billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote in honour of the late Herbert Wigwe and Tinubu.
“These actions amount to an illegal usurpation of constitutional functions,” Falana said, citing the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which vests the exclusive power to name streets, roads and assign house numbers in local government councils.
He referenced the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution and the court judgement in Obidi Ume Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, where it was affirmed that only the Abuja Municipal Area Council had the authority to name roads within its jurisdiction.
“The usurpation of the exclusive functions of local governments on street naming by certain individuals and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State cannot be justified under the Nigerian Constitution,” he stated.
Falana took particular issue with the renaming of Charley Boy Bus Stop, saying the name was historically rooted in the collective memory of Bariga and Gbagada residents.
“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 said.
“Renaming it without consulting the Bariga and Gbagada people smacks of authoritarianism.”
He also decried the contradiction in removing names of Nigerians who contributed to society while continuing to preserve street names that honour colonial-era figures linked to oppression and exploitation.
Falana urged local government legislative councils in Lagos to assert their constitutional authority and halt arbitrary renaming exercises, insisting on the need for public hearings and adherence to legal procedure.
“Streets should not be renamed arbitrarily to please the whims and caprices of political leaders or to promote ethnic chauvinism, especially in a cosmopolitan capital city like Lagos,” he said.
He warned that unilateral renaming undermines community identity, disrupts history and weakens democratic governance at the grassroots.
