Dozens of Lagos residents have defied the cold weather to protest against the planned renaming of Ilaje Road in Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) after Juju music legend, Sunday Adeniyi, popularly called King Sunny Ade Road.
The protesters, who vowed to challenge any move to rename the road, expressed their displeasure with the change, describing it as a total disregard for their heritage.
On Wednesday, during the demonstration, the protesters armed themselves with different signs to explain their disapproval and reaffirm the demand for the restoration of the former name.
As gathered, the immediate past chairman of the LCDA, Kolade Alabi, was said to have announced the name change before leaving office, even after the residents warned that any move to perfect the change would be resisted.
In the protest letter, the protesters stated that the former chairman acted unconstitutionally and without the approval of the local councillors.
According to the demonstrators, Ilaje Road is a symbol of their heritage and should remain unchanged.
During the protest, the President General of Egbe Omo Ilaje, Raphael Irowanu, 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.
The president 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.
Addressing the demonstrators, the Baale of the Ilaje/Bariga community, Kayode Ayetiwa, who addressed the protesters, said the new LCDA chairperson, Bukola Adedeji, had called to plead with him not to welcome her with a protest.
While disclosing that the new council boss promised to reverse the decision, 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.
