It is with deep concern that I address the recent statement made by respected veteran entertainer, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, in which he described Lagos State as “no man’s land” and claimed that it belongs to all tribes and not the Yorubas. While I acknowledge his right to express his opinion, it is imperative to correct this misrepresentation of historical, cultural, and political facts regarding the ownership and identity of Lagos.

1. Lagos Belongs to the Yorubas

Lagos is not a no man’s land. Historically, Lagos is an integral part of Yorubaland, located in the Southwest geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Before the British colonial rule, Lagos was already under the authority and administration of Yoruba monarchs, especially the Oba of Lagos, who traces his lineage to Ile-Ife and the Benin royal ancestry through a Yoruba heritage. The Awori, the Ijebu, the Egba, the Remo, and Egun people all Yorubas or closely related ethnic groups are the indigenous communities of Lagos.

2. Migration Does Not Equal Ownership

While Lagos has been a magnet for migration due to its commercial and cosmopolitan nature. just like New York in the United States it is incorrect and disrespectful to conclude that the influx of other ethnic groups into Lagos nullifies the indigenous ownership of the land. Migrants are welcome guests, but they do not become indigenous owners by virtue of settlement.

Just as no one claims Abuja belongs to all tribes because it is the Federal Capital Territory, or that Onitsha belongs to all because of its commercial strength, it is flawed logic to use the multiethnic presence in Lagos to claim that it belongs to everyone and no one.

3. Abule Egba, Epe, Ikorodu, Badagry, and Others

It is important to note the historical migration routes and ethnic compositions of the indigenous Lagos communities:

Some Awori people in Lagos are from Ogun State, Isheri and Otta another part of Yorubaland.

Ikorodu indigenes trace their roots to Remo, particularly Sagamu and other towns in Ogun State.

Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, and parts of Eti-Osa are dominantly populated by Ijebu Yorubas.

Abule Egba, Mushin, parts of Agege, Alagbado, Yaba, and Oyigbo have strong historical links to the Egba people.

Badagry is home to the Egun people, who have cultural affiliations with Yoruba and are considered part of the indigenous identity of Lagos State.

All these communities are historically Yoruba or closely related and indigenous to the geographical and political boundaries of Lagos State.

4. Federal Capital Does Not Erase Ownership

Lagos being the former capital of Nigeria does not erase or transfer its indigenous ownership to the entire federation. It was simply a Federal Capital Territory hosted on Yoruba land. The creation of Abuja as the new FCT reflects the same model, but no one calls Abuja “no man’s land” despite it being built from scratch to accommodate national unity.

5. Respect for Indigenous Identity

While we must continue to promote unity and accommodate all Nigerians in the spirit of federalism and peaceful coexistence, this must not come at the expense of historical truth and cultural erasure. Statements such as “Lagos is no man’s land” are not only inaccurate, but they also insult the dignity of the original landowners, many of whom continue to watch their history and identity undermined in the name of modern urbanization.

6. Final Word

I call on my respected elder, Charly Boy, to retract that statement and acknowledge the Yoruba roots of Lagos State. Unity is not built on historical distortion, but on truth, mutual respect, and inclusivity. Lagos is Yoruba land, and while it is open and hospitable to all, it must never be stripped of its identity in the name of national integration.

Ẹ ṣéun. Àlàáfíà àtóyé sí gbogbo ọmọ Yorùbá ní gbogbo agbègbè.
(Thank you. May peace continue to reign among all Yoruba people everywhere.)

Additional Clarification: I Am a Proud Lagosian

As a proud Lagosian, I must emphasize that we Lagosians do not want ethnic or tribal conflicts. We welcome everyone peacefully, but that hospitality must not be taken for granted. If the Lagos State Government decides to rename a bus stop or street after a non-indigene, it does not give anyone the moral right to insult or attack the personalities or identity of our indigenous people.

Lagosians do not go to Port Harcourt or Kano to claim those places as their ancestral homes. Therefore, no one should come to Lagos to displace or deny our native heritage in the name of urbanization or nationalism.

Let us build unity on the foundation of respect and truth not revisionist narratives.

Prince Amb. (Dr.) Adedipe Dauda Ewenla
Akinjagunla Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland
Technician Surveyor | Realtor | Security Expert
NIS, PSU, DIL, B.Sc., B.Tech., M.Sc.