Preservation of Lagos history is crucial, says Fashola. He urges proper documentation and honors figures like Dr Ladipo Oluwole amid street-naming debates

Preservation of Lagos history is vital to protecting the city’s cultural identity and values, former Lagos State Governor and ex-Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, said on Tuesday.

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Speaking at the public presentation of “Discover Lagos State: A History Puzzle Book (Volume 1)” at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Fashola emphasized the dangers of losing historical context, especially as the debate around street naming and renaming continues to stir controversy.

Referencing the University of Glasgow archives, Fashola illustrated how well-kept historical records abroad shed light on influential Nigerians like Dr Isaac Ladipo Oluwole, who returned home to pioneer school health services and sanitation reforms in Lagos after graduating in 1918.

“Those of us who drive through Ladipo Oluwole Street in Ikeja now understand the honour of such naming,” he said, warning that “preservation of our history must not be taken lightly.”

Fashola praised the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB) an institution he established during his tenure—for spearheading the educational book and preserving state memory.

He urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to adequately fund the bureau, calling it central to Lagos’s historical legacy.

Representing the governor, Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat described the puzzle book as a “creative tool” that blends education and cultural preservation, especially for young Lagosians.

Hamzat applauded Fashola’s foresight in instituting record-keeping reforms and noted that LASRAB’s foundation was “not just administrative but a deliberate act to institutionalize Lagos’s story.”

He added, “Understanding our history helps us understand ourselves. When we forget, we risk distorting our collective identity.”

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The event highlighted growing awareness of the need to document, protect, and teach Lagos’s rich past, not only through monuments or street names, but also through innovative educational platforms that engage future generations.