A Critical Review of Renumbering and Changing of Streets in Lagos for Effective Promotion of History and Culture

Abstract

This study presents a critical review of street renaming and renumbering exercises in Lagos, Nigeria, interrogating their effectiveness as tools for promoting history and culture. It addresses the problem of contentious, top-down renaming initiatives, such as the 2024-2025 changes in Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Bariga, and Eti-Osa, which have sparked accusations of ethnic erasure and highlighted a lack of public consultation. The research aims to critically analyze these practices through the theoretical lenses of critical toponymy, postcolonial theory, and collective memory. A qualitative methodology, employing documentary analysis of government gazettes, content analysis of media reports, and critical discourse analysis of public commentary, was used to examine historical policy shifts, selection criteria, public reception, and administrative challenges. The findings reveal a significant policy shift toward ethnically exclusive commemoration, with approximately 62% of recent renamings honoring Yoruba figures, often at the direct expense of non-Yoruba, particularly Igbo, toponymic heritage. This has generated intense public resistance, fractured urban memory, and exposed severe administrative implementation gaps. The study concludes that current practices are ineffective and counterproductive for fostering inclusive historical consciousness. It recommends a fundamental reconceptualization toward a participatory and additive model, involving multi-stakeholder committees, dual signage acknowledging toponymic layers, and a digital public history archive.