Prominent human rights advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has strongly criticized the recent wave of street and bus stop renamings in Lagos State, labeling the actions as unconstitutional, illegal, and indicative of authoritarian governance.
In a statement released on Saturday, Falana accused certain individuals and local council development area (LCDA) officials of overstepping their authority by taking on responsibilities that, under Nigerian law, fall solely within the purview of elected local government councils. He emphasized that the naming of streets, roads, and public landmarks is a function exclusively reserved for local governments, as clearly outlined in the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.
Falana singled out the controversial renaming of the iconic "Charley Boy Bus Stop" to "Baddo Bus Stop" by the former chairman of the Bariga LCDA, Kolade Alabi. He also pointed to other recent instances, such as the naming of streets after President Bola Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and late banker Herbert Wigwe — reportedly at the behest of billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote — actions he argued were not backed by any formal statutory procedure or public consent.
To bolster his stance, Falana referenced a legal precedent set in Chief Obidi Ume v. Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, where a court affirmed that only the municipal area council held the legal right to name roads and streets within its jurisdiction.
"The hijacking of this constitutional function by unelected individuals and LCDAs in Lagos is not only illegitimate but undermines the authority of local governments,” Falana warned.
He was particularly vocal in defending the preservation of the “Charley Boy Bus Stop” name, a landmark deeply embedded in the cultural and social identity of the Bariga and Gbagada communities. According to Falana, the name was not officially designated by government authorities but evolved organically through widespread community usage, inspired by the influence of the activist and entertainer, Charley Boy.
"Erasing such a community-rooted name without any consultation is not only undemocratic — it amounts to cultural erasure,” he stated. “Charley Boy Bus Stop earned its name due to the functional relevance and social contributions of Charley Boy to the area.”
Falana also criticized what he described as misplaced priorities. He noted that while authorities rush to rename landmarks that honour notable Nigerians, they leave intact colonial-era names that celebrate figures associated with historical oppression and injustice.
He called on local government legislative councils across Lagos to reassert their constitutional authority by rejecting these arbitrary renamings. Instead, he urged them to adopt transparent and lawful procedures — including public hearings and community input — before making any decisions affecting public spaces.
“This is not just about names,” Falana concluded, “but about history, identity, and democratic accountability.”
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