Google Maps updates renamed Lagos streets amid controversy
Google Maps has effected the changes, showing the newly assigned street names.
Google Maps has updated its database to reflect the renaming of 24 streets by the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos State.
A memo authorising the renaming was originally issued in 2024, although the exact date remains unknown. The memo signed by unnamed “council manager” resurfaced on social media in July 2025 and quickly went viral.
“This is to notify the general public that the old names of the aforementioned streets have been revoked… the names have been replaced with new ones,” the document stated.
An X user who posted the memo also shared Google Maps screenshots reflecting the new names of the affected streets in the area.
On Thursday, a check confirmed that Google Maps has already effected the changes, showing the newly assigned street names.
With the changes, Imo Eze Street is now Layiwola Oluwa Street, George Street has become Daddy Showkey Street—in honour of the famous Ajegunle-born musician— and Queens Street is now Kola Balogun Street. Other renamed roads include Kirikiri Road, now Moruf Oyekunle Road, and Uzoh Street, now Kalejaiye Adeboye Street.
The full list, which sparked ethnic exclusion controversy and concerns about due process, saw many Igbo names replaced with Yoruba names.
Some residents have expressed dismay over the disproportionate number of streets previously with Igbo names affected by the name change.
“We were not informed or consulted about the renaming,” said Mr Agu, a resident of the former Uzoh Street who has lived in the area for over 40 years. “Adjusting to these new names will not be easy. This feels like an erasure of our presence.”
The lack of public engagement, residents argue, has left many confused and alienated.
Call for street renaming in Lagos
The development comes amid growing calls in Lagos to review colonial-era place names. In 2020, the Lagos State House of Assembly passed a motion, urging the renaming of streets and monuments named after colonial figures.
Lawmakers asked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct relevant ministries to remove “all vestiges of colonialism and slave trade” from public infrastructure.
Lawyers and social commentators are divided on the matter.
Olukoya Ogungbeje, a Lagos-based lawyer, supported the move, saying it reflects national pride and preserves cultural heritage.
“It’s a patriotic effort to celebrate our own heroes,” he said.
But Ebun Adegboruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), opposed it, describing the effort as “emotional” and lacking constitutional basis.
“Street naming falls under local government authority. The House of Assembly has no legal power to interfere,” he said.
Mr Adegboruwa also warned against erasing Nigeria’s colonial history, arguing that streets named after figures like Bernard Bourdillon and Macpherson reflect significant contributions to Nigeria’s path to independence.
Other civic voices questioned the priority of such renaming exercises.
Olanrewaju Suraju, Chair of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, described the efforts as “self-serving.”
He said the state should focus on issues such as public healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
Achike Chude, Vice Chairman of the Joint Action Front, said while renaming is important for preserving indigenous identity, it must be done transparently and in a way that safeguards historical memory.
“We cannot delete colonial history,” Mr Chude said. “Renaming should protect the past while uplifting local figures who contributed meaningfully to society.”
Local government defends action
The authorities have justified the renaming.
At the Ajeromi-Ifelodun LGA Secretariat, the council secretary, Jumor Lukman, defended the renaming exercise, describing it as an administrative necessity.
“There are procedures for naming and retaining street names,” Mr Lukman explained. “If a street is named after an individual, that name must be documented and validated periodically. Many streets have failed to meet these requirements for over 40 years.”
He denied any ethnic bias, noting that some of the new names—such as Daddy Showkey Street—honour non-Yoruba individuals. “The process was not targeted at any group,” he said.
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