Former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, has called for the protection of Lagos’s historical legacy in the face of ongoing controversies over the renaming of streets across the state.
Speaking on Tuesday at the launch of Discover Lagos State: A History Puzzle Book (Volume 1) at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Fashola emphasized the importance of preserving historical memory and values through proper documentation.
Citing archives at the University of Glasgow, he highlighted how institutions around the world maintain rich historical records. He referenced Dr. Isaac Ladipo Oluwole, a Nigerian who studied at Glasgow between 1913 and 1918 and later became the first African medical officer of health in the Lagos colony. Dr. Oluwole pioneered school health services and established Nigeria’s first school of hygiene in Yaba in 1920.
“Many drive through Ladipo Oluwole Street in Ikeja without knowing the significance behind the name,” Fashola said. “Preserving such legacies through street names is a way to honour those who shaped our society.”
He added, “As debates around street naming continue, we must approach history with care. Our documentation and preservation efforts should be deliberate and robust.”
Fashola also stressed the importance of supporting the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB), the agency behind the puzzle book project.
“The goal is not just to publish educational material but to build a reliable central archive of Lagos’s history. LASRAB must be adequately funded,” he said.
Representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat praised the book as a creative educational tool that promotes cultural pride and historical understanding.
“This is more than a book; it’s a learning tool that encourages curiosity among young Lagosians,” Hamzat said. He also credited Fashola for establishing LASRAB, noting his administration’s executive order to preserve official documents for posterity.
“This foundation was not just bureaucratic—it was visionary. It ensured that Lagos’s development stories would not be lost to time,” Hamzat added.
He concluded by stressing the need to teach history creatively to avoid losing cultural identity: “When we don’t understand our history, we risk misunderstanding who we are.”
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