Former Minister of Education and founder of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, has strongly criticised the Lagos State Government over the demolition of homes in Makoko, describing the exercise as unconstitutional, unjust, and a form of “class cleansing.”
In an open memorandum addressed to President Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, dated January 19, Ezekwesili condemned the demolitions as state-backed oppression of the poor and a violation of citizens’ fundamental rights.
She questioned the assumption that poverty strips citizens of their constitutional protections, insisting that Makoko residents are full Nigerians deserving of dignity and justice.
“Makoko residents are not squatters on Nigerian soil. They are citizens of Nigeria. They work, raise families, and participate in elections. Their children, whose education has now been disrupted, are among the most brilliant Nigerians I have encountered,” she stated.
Ezekwesili accused the Lagos State Government of reneging on earlier agreements reached with community leaders, noting that residents were initially informed that demolitions would be restricted to structures located within 30 to 50 metres of high-tension power lines.
She alleged that the exercise later extended far beyond the agreed limits, with reports indicating demolitions ranging between 277 and 522 metres from the power lines, deep into residential areas.
According to her, the development represents a fundamental breach of trust and legality, likening the situation to land grabbing rather than an urban safety intervention.
“What has happened in Makoko is not about safety or urban development. What is happening is a vicious class cleansing carried out by those entrusted with state power,” she said.
Ezekwesili also referenced reports that at least four people were killed during the demolitions, warning that the exercise has triggered a humanitarian crisis, leaving thousands homeless.
She said displaced families are now sleeping in the open, exposed to harsh weather, disease, hunger, and violence, while many children have been forced out of school and livelihoods destroyed overnight.
The former minister called for an immediate halt to further demolitions and demanded transparency on the legal standards governing power-line setbacks.
She also urged the provision of emergency shelter, healthcare, and compensation for affected residents, as well as accountability for the use of force during the exercise.
Ezekwesili argued that the demolitions violate constitutional guarantees of human dignity, fair hearing, and social justice, insisting that government actions must not result in homelessness without lawful process and humane alternatives.
She urged federal and state authorities to adopt inclusive urban development strategies rather than forced evictions, stressing that sustainable megacities are built through in-situ upgrading, secure tenure, improved sanitation, education, and livelihoods.
Issuing a final warning to political leaders, Ezekwesili said a society that criminalises poverty while celebrating wealth has lost its moral compass, urging authorities to act urgently in the interest of Makoko’s displaced families, especially affected children.
