Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has sharply criticised the growing trend of naming public infrastructure after sitting Nigerian presidents, describing it as a reflection of political insecurity rather than a genuine national honour.
In a candid interview on ARISE News on Sunday, Sowore took specific aim at recent projects named after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling the practice “an insult” to Nigerians struggling with the realities of governance failures.
“There is no reason why anybody who has truly served this country well wouldn’t wait for monuments to be named after them post-tenure,” Sowore said. “This habit of self-congratulation, especially amid national hardship, only shows the regime’s deep insecurity.”
Sowore didn’t mince words, referring to the trend as exhibiting “a level of imbecility.” He argued that many monuments in Nigeria are named after individuals whose leadership records are marked more by controversy than by progress.
“It reflects a lack of respect for history, the people, and the dignity of our collective existence,” he stated. “Monuments are being named after those who have contributed the least to national development.”
The activist added a unique proposal: naming infrastructure after natural features such as trees or rivers, citing their consistent contributions to ecological and public well-being.
“If I become president, I’d rename many of these roads after Nigerian trees or rivers. They’ve done more for the country’s balance than some former leaders ever did,” he said.
Sowore also challenged the Tinubu administration’s performance claims, using the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as an example. He pointed out that only 30 kilometres of the proposed 700-kilometre highway has been completed after two years, calling it emblematic of a wider trend of underperformance.
“Use that percentage to assess other sectors,” Sowore concluded. “It’s all form, no substance.”
