Human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the growing trend of Nigerian presidents naming public monuments and infrastructures after themselves, describing it as a sign of “insecurity and imbecility.”
Speaking in an interview with Arise Television, Sowore sharply criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu and previous Nigerian leaders who have had roads, buildings, and landmarks named after them while still in office.
“I want to address very quickly the issue of naming places after the president,” he said.
“I think that in itself is a sign of insecurity, that the people handling the regime, or the regime itself, is so unsure of itself, it had to be naming monuments after itself when there is nothing happening in the country.”
Sowore, who has consistently voiced opposition to what he describes as ego-driven governance, said the practice is an insult to ordinary Nigerians grappling with hardship and poor leadership.
“There is no reason why anybody who has done well for the country wouldn’t wait for monuments to be named after them after they have left,” he added.
The activist further expressed his disdain by suggesting that if given the chance, he would rename many of such places after natural elements like trees and rivers, which, according to him, contribute more meaningfully to national wellbeing than some past leaders.
“If I were to become president of this country, most of the places named after these former Nigerian leaders would be named after trees, and probably rivers in Nigeria. We have plenty of them. Because those ones deserve those places to be named after them,” he said.
He continued, “At least they are consistent, and they contribute to our ecological balance. There are people who contribute nothing. Sometimes I get depressed when I’m driving on roads in Abuja, and I see Buhari Road, or Babangida Road, or Abacha Barracks. I just wonder what’s wrong with us. But here you have it. That’s the map of imbecility.”
His criticism comes on the heels of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent decision to rename the Abuja International Conference Centre (ICC) after himself.
According to reports, since 2022, Tinubu has named at least six national projects in his honour, sparking public backlash over what many see as excessive self-glorification.
Sowore, who previously said he would have rejected any national honour from Tinubu, also noted that such decisions reflect misplaced priorities in governance, where legacy building is pursued at the expense of meaningful progress.
