Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the recent renaming of public landmarks in Lagos, including the popular Charly Boy Bus Stop, calling it irrelevant in light of Nigeria’s deepening economic crisis.
The Bariga Local Council Development Area had announced the renaming of several locations, with Charly Boy Bus Stop now changed to Olamide Baddo Bus Stop in honour of Nigerian music star, Olamide Gbenga Adedeji.
The decision sparked public outrage, with many Nigerians demanding a reversal.
Reacting during a recent conversation with veteran entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, Obi dismissed the move as a misplaced priority, given the current level of poverty and hardship in the country.
“To me, it is totally irrelevant when you have millions of people who don’t know where their next meal will come from,” he said.
Reflecting on his time as governor of Anambra State, Obi noted that he deliberately avoided any form of self-glorification while in office. He shared that despite numerous suggestions, he refused to name public facilities after himself or allow others to do so.
“I built a facility in a hospital, and the owner said it should be named after me or my mother. I declined. I never commissioned any project or named anything after myself because they were done with public money. That’s why some people say I didn’t do much publicity as governor.”
Looking ahead, Obi maintained that if he were to become president, he would stick to the same principle—prioritising function over personal credit.
“Even when I become President, my name is not going to be in any of the facilities. All I want is for the facility to function,” he declared.
