Wọn ò fẹ́ wa nibi (They Do Not Want Us Here)

But does Lagos truly welcome everyone? Today’s Lagos is marked by escalating disparities, often violently along economic and social lines, casting doubt on the city’s claim to inclusivity. This phenomenon can be attributed, in large part, to the forces of capitalist urbanization, particularly evident in the constant forced evictions of the urban poor. British academic, David Harvey, sheds light on the darker aspects of this phenomenon by asserting that urban restructuring often occurs through a process of ‘displacement and dispossession.’

Lagos aspires to metamorphose into Africa’s model mega-city by 2052, envisioning itself as a human-centric city committed to providing affordable social services, including housing, for its residents. According to Yu Hu, an urban scholar, the traditional concept of ‘human-centred cities’ prioritizes human needs in urban designs over economic, technological or political considerations. However, a paradox emerges: How can Lagos harbour aspirations of becoming a human-centric mega-city while simultaneously displacing its heart and soul? The urban poor of Lagos are akin to vibrant brushstrokes on the canvas of the city’s identity, infusing depth, colour, and texture into its unique character. From the witty antics of Danfo drivers to the sharp humour of assertive Agbero conductors, who infuse our daily routines with amusement, and to the street vendors who have been instrumental in Lagos’ informal economy for years, the vibrancy of the urban poor courses through the city’s veins. This paradox prompts fundamental questions about the city’s commitment to its proclaimed goal of welcoming everyone.

In August 2023, Lagos State authorities carried out massive evictions, displacing over 40,000 households in Oworonshoki, Kosofe local government area. Reports suggest that this area is earmarked for a new proposed jetty for boats spanning 70 hectares as part of the Kosofe Model City Plan (2020-2040). This unfortunate event adds to the troubling pattern of evictions that have plagued the city for decades, with historical examples dating back to the 1990s, such as the Maroko eviction in 1990, Ilubirin in 1997and Ogudu Ori-Oke in 2008. More recent instances, such as the Tarkwa-Bay eviction s in 2020, Otodo Gbame in 2016 and Badia East in 2013, all reflect a long-standing trend. These recurring forced evictions in Lagos are not merely isolated events; they reflect a historical trend deeply rooted in both colonial history and capitalist interests.

Nigerian Historian, Muritala Olalekan, highlights the need to delve into Lagos’ history, particularly the pivotal year of 1861. This was when Lagos was formally annexed and ceded to the British crown, marking the start of colonial urbanization. During this era, British authorities dismantled indigenous homes, laying claim to prime beachfront property, which gradually displaced indigenous Lagosians inland. Urbanist, Abdoumaliq Simone, astutely points out that the extended period of various colonial influences significantly shaped African cities, making them primarily serve the interests of the colonizers. This historical context, to some extent, sheds light on Lagos’ ongoing challenges with forced evictions. However, it is crucial to recognize that this is not solely a historical issue, but a complex problem inextricably connected with the city’s colonial past and today’s economic interests. Moreover, the legacy of forced evictions in post-colonial Lagos persists, now driven by the pursuit of capitalist interests. It is increasingly evident that the Lagos city government is not merely a passive inheritor of a colonial legacy but an active participant in the perpetuation of forced evictions. While the colonial era certainly set the stage for urbanization patterns that favoured colonial interests, the contemporary context tells a different story. In its quest for economic advancement and modernization, the Lagos city government has initiated a sequence of urban renewal initiatives that have had profoundly negative repercussions on marginalized communities.

In the current contemporary landscape, Lagos operates within a neoliberal economic framework. When we examine the economic consequences of forced evictions, we can directly link them to the city’s increasing dependence on private capital, driven by a market-oriented approach to urban development. The commodification of land has turned it into a highly desirable asset for private investments, often resulting in the initiation of large-scale infrastructure projects. Additionally, these projects are frequently undertaken to enhance the city’s aesthetic appeal.

Consider, for instance, the events of July 1990 when the then city military government razed Maroko, a community of 300,000, primarily composed of low-income residents, situated adjacent to the affluent Victoria Island. As Yomi Kazeem, a former reporter for Quartz, observes, ‘Three decades later, the area is now home to Lekki, one of Nigeria’s most exclusive upmarket neighbourhoods’.

In 2016, more than 30,000 residents of Otodo Gbame, an informal waterfront community, faced forced eviction to make way for the development of a modern luxury estate known as Periwinkle Estate. These cases represent just a glimpse into a broader pattern, where the forces of capitalist urbanization repeatedly displace the city’s marginalized populations, relegating them to dire circumstances in the relentless pursuit of profit and aesthetic appeal. It is crucial to reiterate that beneath these ambitious ‘urban fantasies’, as described by the late Professor Vanessa Watson, there exists a deliberate effort to exclude the poor from the city’s fabric. Suffice it to say that in the face of this ‘metropolitan makeover’, the poor face immense challenges in merely surviving.

Amidst the recurring instances of forced evictions in Lagos, one of the most visible tactics historically employed by civil society to address these issues has been public interest litigation. This method of advocacy essentially aims to secure justice for eviction victims by leveraging constitutionally enshrined fundamental rights through legal recourse.