Lagos land claim backlash deepens as activist Banke Oniru responds to Illbliss’s apology with a warning and symbolic Aroko message
Yoruba activist and former Peoples Democratic Party senatorial aspirant, Banke Oniru, has issued a strongly worded warning to rapper Illbliss following the musician’s controversial comments on land ownership in Lagos and his subsequent public apology.
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In a post shared on X on June 15, Oniru claimed to be speaking on behalf of Lagos chiefs, Baales, kings, princes, princesses and indigenes, stating that traditional leaders had received Illbliss’s apology and “message of peace” but would now initiate what she described as a “dangerous change.”
The remarks came days after Illbliss became the subject of intense criticism over a social media post in which he claimed that Igbos had bought land across Lagos and were renting it back to residents.
The statement sparked widespread outrage and accusations of ethnic provocation.
Facing mounting backlash, Illbliss issued a public apology on Monday, acknowledging that he had reacted angrily to derogatory comments directed at Igbos and admitted that his response had been overly harsh.
The rapper said Lagos had accommodated people from different backgrounds and played a major role in supporting business, culture and artistic growth for many residents, including himself.
However, Oniru’s response suggested that the apology had not fully settled the controversy.
In her statement, she argued that Igbos did not own a significant percentage of Lagos land and maintained that many property interests in the state were based on lease arrangements rather than outright ownership.
She further stated that traditional leaders were sending an “Aroko” to the rapper and requested his address for its delivery.
The Lagos Land Claim Backlash gained further attention because of the reference to Aroko, a traditional Yoruba symbolic communication system historically used to convey important messages through objects or symbols rather than direct speech.
In contemporary discussions, references to Aroko are often interpreted as culturally significant warnings or expressions of serious concern.
The exchange has generated extensive reactions across social media, with some users defending indigenous land rights while others expressed concern over the growing ethnic undertones of the debate.
Several commentators called for restraint, noting that Lagos has developed into Nigeria’s commercial capital through the contributions of people from diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds.
The controversy has also revived discussions about land ownership and residency rights in Lagos.
Legal experts have frequently pointed out that under the Land Use Act 1978, land is vested in state governors to hold in trust for the public, while individual interests are generally recognised through certificates of occupancy, leases and customary ownership arrangements.
As of press time, neither the Oba of Lagos nor the Lagos State Council of Traditional Rulers had issued any public statement confirming that Oniru was speaking on their behalf.
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Observers have warned that continued escalation of rhetoric surrounding ethnicity, land ownership and identity could deepen divisions in a city widely regarded as one of Africa’s most diverse urban centres.
