….Says Investments in Lagos, necessary as the heartbeat of Nigeria
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has clarified his comment describing Lagos State as a “no-man’s land,”
Bwala, while speaking on the Daybreak programme on Arise Television on Wednesday, had argued that the concentration of federal projects in Lagos should not be seen as favouritism.
Clarifying his position, he defended the massive infrastructure in Lagos, saying that “it is aimed at sustaining the economic and social responsibilities Lagos shoulders and still shoulders on behalf of Nigeria
According to him, “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.
He, however, stressed that the “state remains the cultural and historical homeland of the Yoruba people”.
Don’t misinterpret what I said in my interview this morning.
Read also: Bwala on projects debate: Lagos is cosmopolitan, it deserves federal support
“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 emphasised was the special place Lagos occupies in Nigeria and indeed West Africa.
He declared that Lagos is “a city that, much like New York, Paris, or London, serves as the commercial nerve centre 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.
“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.”
