Bwala Retracts ‘No-Man’s Land’ Comment, Affirms Lagos as Yoruba Homeland
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has clarified his controversial remark describing Lagos as a “no-man’s land,” stressing that the state is historically and constitutionally the land of the Yoruba people.
Bwala had made the initial comment during a Wednesday appearance on Arise Television’s Daybreak programme, where he argued that Lagos is Nigeria’s economic hub and therefore deserved concentrated federal investments.
His description of the state as “a no-man’s land” drew sharp criticism and widespread outrage.
Addressing the backlash on his official X handle, Bwala explained that his words were misinterpreted, insisting that the identity of Lagos has “never been in contention.”
“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,” he stated.
Bwala, a legal practitioner, said his argument was not about ownership but about the special status Lagos holds as Nigeria’s commercial heartbeat. He likened the city to global financial powerhouses such as New York, Paris, and London, describing it as both a Yoruba homeland and a cosmopolitan hub that welcomes all Nigerians.
“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,” Bwala noted.
He added that his central point on Arise Television was the necessity of deliberate federal investment in Lagos to sustain its role in driving national growth.
“Such support is not because Lagos is ‘no man’s land,’ but because it is the heartbeat of the nation’s development,” he clarified.
During his earlier television appearance, Bwala had highlighted that Lagos hosts Nigeria’s wealthiest individuals and businesses from across the federation, citing this as evidence of the state’s cosmopolitan nature.
“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,” he said on the programme.
He further argued that the N3.9 trillion worth of federal projects reportedly allocated to Lagos in the past two years was justified, given the city’s pivotal role in the country’s economy.
“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 the hub of Nigeria. Lagos is the pride of the country,” he added.
Despite walking back his choice of words, Bwala maintained that his position remains focused on securing greater investment in Lagos to support its unique dual role as a Yoruba homeland and Nigeria’s commercial hub.
