Former Minister of Education and founder of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG), Obiageli Ezekwesili, has issued an open memorandum to President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, condemning the demolition of homes in Makoko and describing the exercise as unconstitutional and unjust.
In the memorandum dated 19 January, Ezekwesili argued that the demolitions amounted to “state-sanctioned oppression of the poor” and an assault on the rights of Nigerian citizens. She questioned whether poverty nullifies citizenship, stating, “Makoko residents are not squatters on the Nigerian soil. They are citizens of Nigeria. They are preyed on by your same political class to vote for your parties during elections. They work. They raise families. Their children, whose education is now disrupted, are some of the most brilliant Nigerians I have met.”
She criticised the Lagos State Government for breaching agreements with community leaders, noting that officials had initially informed residents that demolitions would be limited to structures within 30–50 metres of high-tension power lines.
“Despite the acceptable distance stipulated by law falling within the 30–50 metre range, the demolition has continued far beyond those limits, reportedly surpassing the agreed metre mark and extending deep into the residential core of Makoko,” she wrote. Human rights monitors cited demolitions extending between 277 and 522 metres from the power lines.
Ezekwesili described the exercise as a “fundamental breach of trust and legality” and likened it to a land grab. She referenced reports that at least four people were killed during the demolitions, comparing the situation to the biblical story of Naboth and King Ahab.
“What has happened in Makoko is not about safety nor urban development. What is happening in Makoko is that individuals in authority of the Nigerian State are engaged in a vicious Class Cleansing,” she stated.
She warned that the demolitions had created a humanitarian emergency, with thousands of families rendered homeless. “Many are sleeping in the open, exposed to rain, heat, disease, violence, and hunger. Children have been pulled out of school. Livelihoods have been destroyed overnight,” she said.
Ezekwesili demanded an immediate halt to demolitions, disclosure of the legal standards governing power-line setbacks, provision of emergency shelter and healthcare for displaced families, compensation, and a transparent process for long-term solutions developed with the community. She also called for accountability for the use of force against civilians.
She argued that the demolitions violated constitutional guarantees of dignity, fair hearing, and social justice. “A government cannot create homelessness and then plead administrative delay. A state that leaves citizens homeless after state action has violated everything that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees,” she wrote.
Ezekwesili urged both federal and state authorities to adopt inclusive urban development practices rather than forced evictions. “What will make Lagos a respected mega-city is to strategically build up to the status of an inclusive city. Inclusive cities invest in in-situ upgrading, secure tenure, sanitation, schools, and livelihoods,” she said.
Sending a warning to political leaders, the ex-minister said, “A nation that fails to govern well and turns around to criminalise poverty while celebrating wealth has lost completely its moral compass. Start immediately with the grieving children of Makoko and their families. It is fiercely urgent.”
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