Residents of Ilaje Road in the Bariga area of Lagos State have protested the decision by the Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) to rename the road as King Sunny Ade Road.
The protest took place on Wednesday, with community members expressing their strong disagreement with the change, calling it unacceptable and a disregard for their heritage.
The former chairman of the LCDA, David Kolade Alabi, had announced the name change shortly before leaving office, despite earlier opposition from residents.
High Chief Kayode Ayetiwa, the Baale of the Ilaje/Bariga community, addressed the protesters
and said the new LCDA chairperson, Bukola Adedeji, had called to plead with him not to welcome her with a protest.
According to him, she promised to reverse the decision, but the protest still went ahead, and a formal letter of complaint was submitted to the council.
The traditional ruler emphasized that the name Ilaje Road has been in use since 1948 and is an important part of the community’s identity.
He said the residents would not allow their cultural history to be erased by replacing the name with that of any individual, regardless of their fame.
In the protest letter, the community stated that the former chairman acted unconstitutionally and without the approval of the local councillors.
They insisted that Ilaje Road is a symbol of their heritage and should remain unchanged.
During the protest, Raphael Irowanu, President General of Egbe Omo Ilaje, expressed concern that there was a broader plan to marginalize the Ilaje people in Lagos.
He stated that the Ilaje community, with a population of about four million in Lagos State, has deep roots in Yoruba history and should not be treated as outsiders.
According to him, the renaming of the road, as well as the ongoing demolition of their homes, are signs of targeted erasure.
He warned that the political consequences of ignoring the community’s concerns could affect the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
He also noted that naming the road after King Sunny Ade, a musician from Ondo State like the Ilaje people, could lead to conflict rather than unity.
Protesters held signs expressing their disapproval and reaffirming their demand for the original name to be restored.
Their message was clear: the name Ilaje Road is part of their history and identity, and they want it to remain unchanged.
