Residents of Ilaje Road in Bariga, Lagos, protested on Wednesday against the renaming of their street to “King Sunny Ade Road.” They say the original name reflects their history and identity and must not be changed.
The name change was made last week by the former chairman of Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), David Kolade Alabi, shortly before leaving office. The decision sparked immediate backlash from the community.
The Baale of Ilaje/Bariga, High Chief Kayode Ayetiwa, addressed protesters before the march. He said the road had been known as Ilaje Road since 1948 and that the name is part of the community’s heritage.
“We will not allow the legacy and name of Ilaje Road to be erased, no matter how prominent the person it’s renamed after,” Ayetiwa said.
He added that the new LCDA Chairperson, Bukola Adedeji, had called him on Tuesday, asking for calm and promising to reverse the decision. But the community went ahead with the protest and submitted a letter demanding that the original name be restored.
The protest letter, signed by Ayetiwa and other leaders, described the renaming as unconstitutional and done without the approval of the council’s legislators.
Raphael Irowanu, President General of Egbe Omo Ilaje, said the Ilaje people are being sidelined in Lagos. He warned that if the issue is not addressed, it could affect the All Progressives Congress (APC) politically in the 2027 elections.
He also said the Ilaje people, who are of Yoruba origin and trace their roots to Ile-Ife, number around four million in Lagos State.
“The renaming of Ilaje Road is part of a bigger plan to erase us,” Irowanu said. “It’s not about King Sunny Ade, who we respect, but about preserving our name and identity.”
Protesters carried placards with messages like “Ilaje Road, our history, our identity” and “We say NO to renaming.”
The community says it will not back down until Ilaje Road is restored to its original name.
