Bwala makes U-turn on ‘no-man’s land’ comment, says Lagos belongs to Yoruba

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has backtracked on his statement describing Lagos as a “no-man’s land”.

Bwala had, in an interview with Arise TV on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, described Lagos as a “no-man’s land” and “the pride of Nigeria’s economy.”

Bwala, a former spokesperson for ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, added that the concentration of federal projects in Lagos should not be seen as favouritism but as investment in Nigeria’s commercial hub.

The lawyer, who stressed that Lagos remained Nigeria’s hub of commerce and a beacon of economic growth, said: “Let me tell you why Lagos State is different. Lagos State is a no-man’s land. In the last election, President Bola Tinubu, who comes from the South-West, did not win Lagos. That tells you the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos State.

“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.”

However, in a statement shared on his X account on Wednesday, Bwala said Lagos belongs to the Yoruba people.

Bwala, who noted that his words were misinterpreted, described Lagos as the heartbeat of Nigeria’s development.

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He wrote: “Don’t misinterpret what I said in my interview of this morning.

“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.

“What I emphasized 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 center of our economy. Lagos provides every Nigerian, regardless of origin, a level playing field to thrive, and in this sense, it mirrors the diversity of our nation while remaining firmly rooted in Yoruba heritage.

“My argument was, therefore, and justifiably so, for massive investments in infrastructure to sustain the economic and social responsibilities Lagos has shouldered on behalf of Nigeria.

“Any President who truly seeks to succeed must critically support Lagos, not because it is ‘no man’s land,’ but because it is the heartbeat of the nation’s development.”

The Star