The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has responded to recent viral comments by media personality Scott Iguma, who slammed the rising cost of real estate and poor living conditions in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
Iguma had in a video that has circulated widely across social media, questioned the justification behind plots of land in areas like Ikoyi and Ikate being sold for as much as ₦1 billion, describing the city as “smelly,” “mosquito-infested,” and plagued by “open drainages and gutters.”
“I do not see reasons why land in Ikoyi, Ikate are going for N1 billion. What is in the land? Are there mineral resources there?” Iguma asked. He went further to challenge the comparison of Lagos to New York, arguing that the two cities vastly differ in quality of life.
“It is wrong to use Lagos to compare New York. What about in terms of value? What about in terms of fresh air? Lagos is smelling. There are a lot of big mosquitoes in Lagos. We have open drainages, gutters. So what are you comparing it to New York?”
The controversial remarks sparked a mix of reactions online, with some supporting Iguma’s stance while others viewed his comments as an unfair portrayal of Lagos.
In a statement issued via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Commissioner Wahab condemned what he described as “deliberate efforts by a handful of individuals to tarnish the reputation of Lagos State.”
“It is regrettable that some who relocate from their home states in pursuit of better opportunities quickly, in less than a month or two, resort to disparaging the very state that has provided them the platform to thrive,” Wahab said.
He accused certain social media personalities of “leveraging their followings to propagate harmful narratives, often aligned with divisive agendas,” and emphasized that while constructive criticism is welcome, “malicious attempts to vilify a state that empowers countless lives daily are counterproductive.”
“Lagos remains a place of opportunity, innovation, and resilience, and it is imperative that we collectively uphold its integrity while fostering unity and progress,” he added.
Wahab also directly addressed Iguma, writing: “Dear @IgumaScott I do hope that you will put this same energy in ‘looking out’ for other states. I wish you all the best!”
