Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy Communication, has backtracked on his earlier controversial description of Lagos as a “no-man’s land,” declaring instead that Lagos historically and constitutionally belongs to the Yoruba people.
In a post shared on his official X handle, Bwala emphasized that Lagos’s Yoruba identity is settled and beyond dispute. He explained that his initial remarks were not intended to deny the city’s cultural roots but to underscore Lagos’s position as Nigeria’s commercial heartbeat, comparing it to global economic centers like New York, London, and Paris.
He further justified the federal government’s ₦3.9 trillion investment in Lagos over the last two years, insisting it was not favoritism but a strategic necessity for national economic growth. According to him, “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.”
However, Bwala’s new position has been met with strong reactions, not only because of his previous “no-man’s land” remark but also due to his chequered history with President Tinubu himself. Critics point out that before joining the administration, Bwala had openly referred to Tinubu as a “drug dealer,” “brain dead,” and “incapable.” Yet, in a turn of political expediency, the same Bwala now serves as a spokesperson for the Yoruba President he once vilified.
Observers argue that Bwala’s recantation reflects less of an ideological conviction and more of a survival strategy. As one critic noted, “Now that food is ready, Bwala is claiming good boy.”
The development highlights once again the fluid nature of Nigeria’s political alliances, where yesterday’s fiercest critic can become today’s loyal defender once positions of influence and access to power are at stake.