The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has clarified his comment describing Lagos State as a “no-man’s land,” stressing that the state remains the cultural and historical homeland of the Yoruba people.
Bwala’s remarks, made on the Daybreak programme on Arise Television on Wednesday, stirred controversy and provoked outrage across social and political circles. Many Nigerians interpreted his statement as undermining the Yoruba identity of Lagos, a city often at the centre of ethnic debates due to its cosmopolitan nature.
Shortly after the interview, Bwala released a statement on his official Twitter handle, urging Nigerians not to misinterpret his words.
“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,” he stated.
He explained that his earlier comment was not meant to deny Lagos’ Yoruba heritage but to highlight its unique cosmopolitan character and strategic importance in Nigeria’s development.
“What I emphasized was the special place Lagos occupies in Nigeria and indeed West Africa — a city that, much like New York, Paris, or London, serves as the commercial nerve center of our economy,” Bwala said.
According to him, Lagos provides opportunities for all Nigerians to thrive regardless of their origin, reflecting the country’s diversity while remaining firmly anchored in Yoruba heritage.
He stressed that the city’s unique role makes it essential for successive administrations to prioritize investment in its infrastructure.
“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. 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,” he added.
Earlier, during the television interview, Bwala had said: “Lagos State is a no-man’s land. In the last election, the President who comes from the South-West did not win Lagos. That tells you the cosmopolitan nature of Lagos State.”