Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, former Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos, has challenged the popular belief that Lagos owes its progress only to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his political structure.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Rhodes-Vivour argued that Lagos had been a great city long before Tinubu’s time as governor. He said those who think otherwise do not fully understand the city’s long history.
According to him, there was a time when Lagosians enjoyed basic amenities without stress. He recalled when public schools gave quality education, water flowed freely from taps, and affordable housing was within reach for ordinary families. He compared this to today’s Lagos, where housing is extremely costly and essential services are under pressure.
Rhodes-Vivour also pointed to areas like Isale Eko, once a symbol of history and culture, now left in poor condition. “It has been completely destroyed, looking like a ghetto, even though it has history that goes as far back as 1910,” he said.
He further argued that much of today’s development is not government-driven but the result of private individuals and businesses succeeding despite government challenges. He also questioned Lagos’s rising debt, warning that such financial burdens may not be sustainable in the long run.
In his words, Lagos was already thriving before Tinubu became governor, and the city’s greatness should not be credited to one administration alone.
