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By Chukwuma Umeorah
Concerned with the need to preserve Lagos’ rich history and heritage developmental narrative, Oniru of Iru Land, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, has urged public officials and stakeholders to document their experiences in service to ensure factual representation of the state’s progress.
He made this call during the public presentation of his new 485-page book titled: “From City to Megacity: A Memoir of Lagos Urbanisation (1999-2023)” in Lagos on Thursday. The event drew several stakeholders from across the country including governors and other traditional leaders within the state.
According to him, the book draws on four years of extensive research and reflection and serves as a civic intervention aimed at preventing distortion of Lagos’ development story and ensuring continuity in governance.
“I realised how easy it is for narratives to be distorted when we fail to document our stories. That moment became the catalyst for this book.”
Oba Lawal added that the publication, which targeted policymakers, academics, students and urban planners, outlined Lagos’ evolution across five critical sectors. security, agriculture, housing, transportation, and the environment. The monarch explained that his goal was not to defend any administration but to offer an evidence-based account of the city’s transformation.
“This book is not just another academic project. It is a culmination of compelling efforts to amplify the story of Lagos through the lens of governance, resilience, and progress,” he said. “Otherwise, the story will be distorted, and the truth is constant.”
Oba Lawal also stressed the importance of maintaining consistency in policy direction. “Continuity of policies, continuity of programs, continuity of projects is the way to go,” he said, noting that sustained investments in infrastructure, human capital, and urban services had been pivotal to Lagos’ growth.
The event also marked his 55th birthday celebration. Lawal expressed gratitude to his family, staff, and collaborators for their support throughout the writing process. He explained that the book was written during quiet periods between administrative duties and personal reflection. He called on other public servants to commit to the same level of documentation. “This book is a call to action. I urge everyone, especially those who have served our cities, to document their stories. Institutional memory matters, urban history matters, and most of all, truth matters,” he declared.
Representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the event, Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Hamzat, praised the book as “a true legacy that showcases our best teams from every department.” He described the work as timely, given the increasing pressure on urban governance systems and the need to reflect deeply on Lagos’ trajectory.
“It is a story of deliberate governance, critical decisions, and a working partnership by all of us, a shared journey.”
Hamzat warned, however, that the Lagos story faced three major threats; excessive rain, rising water level, and extreme heat issues that require urgent and sustained planning.
The book reviewer, Taibat Lawanson, Professor of Planning and Heritage, University of Liverpool, noted that the publication offered a grounded and realistic assessment of the city’s environmental and infrastructural challenges.
“Lagos’ environmental vulnerabilities, exacerbated by topographic activities, must be addressed in order to secure the city’s future. With Lagos projected to become Africa’s third largest city by the end of the century, the battle for a sustainable renewable future is far from over.”
She emphasised the importance of balancing expansion with environmental responsibility. “In applying what environmental responsibility looks like, we must consider sustainable waste management, leveraging the circular economy on the one hand, while curtailing our ambitious propensity for unrestrained urban expansion.”
Lawanson also noted that while the book extensively covered infrastructure and policy reforms, it could further explore the role of cultural heritage in shaping urban identity. She suggested the integration of cultural planning into development strategy as Lagos navigates the tension between modernization and preservation.
