The many residents of Ilaje Road in Bariga, Lagos, have staged a protest against the Bariga Local Council Development Area’s (LCDA) recent decision to rename the road in honour of music icon King Sunny Ade.
The protest, which took place on Wednesday, drew community members who described the renaming as a disregard for their heritage and an attempt to erase their cultural identity.
The controversial name change was reportedly approved by the immediate past LCDA chairman, David Kolade Alabi, just before the end of his tenure, despite earlier opposition from residents.
Addressing the protesters, the Baale of Ilaje/Bariga, High Chief Kayode Ayetiwa, disclosed that the newly sworn-in LCDA chairperson, Bukola Adedeji, had called him ahead of the protest, appealing for patience and promising to reverse the decision. However, the community proceeded with the protest and also submitted a formal petition to the council.
Ayetiwa stressed that the name Ilaje Road has been in existence since 1948 and represents an important part of the community’s history and identity.
“We will not allow the legacy and name of Ilaje Road to be erased, no matter how prominent the individual chosen for the renaming may be,” the Baale said.
The community’s protest letter described the former chairman’s action as unconstitutional and carried out without the consent of local councillors.
Raphael Irowanu, President General of Egbe Omo Ilaje, voiced concerns about what he called a larger pattern of marginalisation, noting that the Ilaje population in Lagos State numbers around four million people with strong ancestral ties to Yoruba history.
According to him, the road renaming, coupled with ongoing demolitions affecting the community, points to an attempt to displace and undermine the Ilaje people.
He warned that continued disregard for their concerns could have political repercussions for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2027 elections.
While acknowledging that King Sunny Ade, like the Ilaje people, hails from Ondo State, Irowanu maintained that naming the road after the musician would only create division rather than foster unity.
Protesters displayed placards calling for the restoration of the road’s original name and insisting that Ilaje Road remains a symbol of their history and must not be changed.
