Ethnic Tension: Ndigbo Lagos urge members to resist provocation

The coordinating body representing all Igbo organisations within Lagos State and its environs, Ndigbo Lagos, has urged its members resident in Lagos state to resist succumbing to provocation in the growing ethnic tension in parts of Lagos state.

Ethnic unease and divisive rhetoric rose in the state following recent renaming of streets and bus stops named after Igbo names in different parts of Lagos state.

Ndigbo Lagos stated that the Igbo are guests in Lagos but are also stakeholders who must sometimes walk with caution, and urged it members to let their character be their shield, and legacy their compass.

In a statement the group made a available, on Wednesday, and endorsed by Maj. Gen Obi Umahi (Rtd) and Chuma Igwe the group further urged Ndigbo to speak not in defiance, but in dignity; to remind Lagos, Nigeria, and the world of who they are, where they come from, and what they have always stood for. 

The group noted that Ndigbo have never claimed ownership of Lagos but that they stand tall in the legacy of their forebears—builders, traders, thinkers, and peacemakers. 

"Let your response to provocation be measured, not reactive. Grace, industry, and quiet strength have always been our hallmarks. Do not be drawn into the traps of malicious baiting or inflammatory rhetoric. Those who seek to provoke you often do so from a place of fear engendered by ignorance is who you are, not strength.

"Tone down the rhetoric. Resist the urge to match fire with fire. Our power lies not in noise, but in quiet excellence—in the markets we build, the homes we nurture, the children we raise, and the peace we uphold. Let your presence in Lagos continue to be a testament to resilience and contribution, not conflict," the group urged.

It urged the Lagos state government to rise above the fray and reaffirm its commitment to every Lagosian— regardless of origin. 

"Let the state be a model of unity in diversity, where every citizen feels seen, heard, and valued. That is the Lagos the world admires. That is the Lagos history will remember."