Former Lagos State Governor and one-time Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, has underscored the significance of safeguarding the history of Lagos to prevent distortion and preserve societal values, especially as debates around the naming and renaming of streets in the state persist.
Fashola made this known on Tuesday during the public unveiling of “Discover Lagos State: A History Puzzle Book (Volume 1)” at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Speaking at the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, also emphasized the importance of chronicling Lagos’s past and praised the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau for producing the book at a critical time.
Fashola referenced digital archival works from the University of Glasgow, highlighting how the historical records of the institution’s students and staff influenced development in various countries, including Nigeria.
“The archival heritage is a valuable testimony to the sociopolitical and economic development of humanity.
“For instance, the Glasgow University archives service gives fascinating insights into the influence that the university, its staff and students have had in the history and development of many countries, including Nigeria,” he said.
He revealed that Nigerian pioneer Dr. Issac Ladipo Oluwole studied at the University of Glasgow between 1913 and 1918, adding that archives from the institution document his journey and legacy.
Referencing the archive, Fashola said, “Dr Ladipo Oluwole returned to Nigeria to become the first African medical officer of health in the Lagos colony.
“He pioneered school health services, with school inspection and vaccination of children in their schools, and started the first Nigerian school of hygiene at Yaba in Lagos in 1920. So that’s the Ladipo Oluwole. But the records were kept well in Glasgow, Scotland.
“So those of us who drive through streets such as Ladipo Oluwole Street in Ikeja will probably now understand and contextualise the contributions of such a man and why it was considered such a high honour to immortalise him by naming a street in his memory.
“But it is perhaps instructive that we are discussing street naming and street unnaming and I keep my gunpowder dry,” he added.
Fashola further emphasized the need for serious commitment to historical preservation, saying, “Today I reiterate those words about street naming and Dr Oluwole and with a greater conviction to reinforce my message that the preservation of our history and the documentation of our progress should be taken seriously.”
He also highlighted that LASRAB’s role extends beyond publishing educational materials, noting its long-term goal of becoming a trusted and thorough archive for Lagos State’s historical records.
“To make this a reality, LASRAB must be adequately resourced. Mr Governor, LASRAB must be well-funded.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Hamzat expressed enthusiasm about the launch of the puzzle book, describing it as an imaginative blend of learning, culture, and history.
He said, “This project is an innovative learning tool designed to stimulate young minds, especially.
“It will also promote curiosity, deepen our pride as Lagosians and our collective understanding of the history and heritage of our dear state.”
He praised Fashola for initiating LASRAB, recalling a directive from his administration that mandated the preservation of official documentation across government ministries and agencies.
“I recall very clearly that he wrote an executive order directing that all documentation, when we build schools, when we build bridges and anything, we just have five copies, one in the Ministry of Science and Technology and one in LASRAB, and all over.
“This foundational act was not merely administrative. It was an intentional effort to institutionalise, preserve, document, and disseminate Lagos’s narrative for posterity.”
Hamzat added, “It is important that we don’t only understand ourselves, but we must understand our history so we don’t lose ourselves.
“This book is a creative method of crafting historical consciousness that informs while it also entertains. That way, we don’t distort our history and we don’t misunderstand our being.”
