- Fashola Warns Sanwo-Olu Administration Over Street Renaming
- He highlighted the importance of proper documentation in shaping historical awareness
- “It is timely that we are having discussions about street naming and renaming.”
Former Lagos State Governor and former Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, has advised the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu to tread carefully in matters that could alter the historical identity of Lagos.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Fashola gave the advice amidst growing debate over the renaming of streets across the state by the current government.
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Speaking on Tuesday during the public launch of Discover Lagos State: A History Puzzle Book (Volume 1) at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Fashola emphasized the need to preserve historical records and landmarks as a way of nurturing civic values and deepening knowledge of Lagos’s past.
Citing archival materials from the University of Glasgow, he highlighted the enduring importance of proper documentation in shaping historical awareness.
He referenced Dr Isaac Ladipo Oluwole, a Nigerian who studied at the University of Glasgow from 1913 to 1918, and later became the first African medical officer of health in the Lagos Colony.
“Dr Ladipo Oluwole pioneered school health services through school inspections and child vaccinations. In 1920, he also established Nigeria’s first school of hygiene in Yaba,” Fashola said.
He pointed out that a street in Ikeja bears Oluwole’s name, adding, “Now, those of us who pass through Ladipo Oluwole Street may better appreciate the legacy of such individuals and why they deserve to be immortalised.”
Commenting on the recent street renaming controversy, Fashola remarked, “It is timely that we are having discussions about street naming and renaming.
I restate my earlier views with even stronger conviction, the preservation of our history and documentation of our development must be taken seriously.”
He further called for stronger support for the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB), the agency behind the puzzle book project.
“LASRAB’s work goes beyond producing educational materials,” he said. “It aims to become a reliable and comprehensive archive of Lagos State’s memory. Mr Governor, LASRAB deserves proper funding.”
Representing Governor Sanwo Olu at the event, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat described the puzzle book as a unique blend of education, creativity, and cultural preservation.
“This project is an innovative tool designed to inspire young learners. It also builds curiosity, pride, and a deeper understanding of Lagos’s heritage,” Hamzat said.
He also credited Fashola for establishing LASRAB during his time in office.
“I remember clearly when he signed an executive order mandating that all documentation from public projects whether schools, bridges, or others be kept in five copies, including one with LASRAB and one with the Ministry of Science and Technology,” he stated.
According to Hamzat, this initiative was more than a bureaucratic move. It was a deliberate attempt to institutionalise Lagos’s story for future generations.
He concluded by urging Lagosians to embrace historical knowledge.
“We must understand not just who we are, but where we come from. This book is a creative way to build historical awareness, it educates and entertains, ensuring we neither distort nor lose our identity.”
