Ilaje Women Threaten Nude Protest Over Destruction of Ancestral Homes in Lagos: Urge Government Action
Story: Written By Okafor Joseph 20,2025
Women from the Ilaje community in Lagos State have vowed to hold a nude protest in response to the ongoing demolition of their ancestral homes. The demonstrations, under the banner of Egbe Omo Ilaje, aim to bring attention to what they call the destruction of their traditional settlements.
On Tuesday, despite heavy rainfall, hundreds of Ilaje women gathered in Alausa, Ikeja, marching to the Lagos State House of Assembly. They urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Speaker Mudashiru Obasa to take immediate action to halt the demolition. Protesters accused some traditional rulers in Lagos of engaging in illegal land-grabbing activities, contributing to the destruction of Ilaje communities.
Ifagbemi, an elderly protester, voiced the community’s frustration. “We are the original settlers of Lagos,” she said. “If the government does not act, we will strip ourselves and march to the palaces of these monarchs. We demand peace and justice.”
Rafael Irowainu, President-General of Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, further criticized the role of certain monarchs in the demolitions, accusing them of falsely using President Bola Tinubu’s name to justify the actions. “These monarchs, who are not even originally from Lagos, have turned themselves into land grabbers,” Irowainu declared.
He pointed out that many of the monarchs involved in the demolitions were from Osun and Ekiti states, stressing that they had no historical claim to the land. “None of these monarchs built Lagos. Yet, they oppress us for political gain.”
Irowainu emphasized that the demolitions were causing severe hardship for families, leaving them homeless and vulnerable. He called for urgent intervention and compensation for those affected.
Prince Oluwajimusu, the Lagos State Chairman of Egbe Omo Ilaje, condemned the ongoing attempts to erase Ilaje heritage. “You cannot talk about the history of Lagos without acknowledging the Ilaje community as one of its first settlers,” he said. “What is happening is an injustice to our people. We will no longer live as slaves in our own land.”
The protesters warned that if their demands are not met by 2027, they will decide their political future.
