A peculiar controversy has been brewing in the Lagos art scene.
A solo art exhibition planned by the painter Uzo Njoku has ignited a firestorm on social media. There have been calls for cancellation of the exhibition, escalating into what appears to be an unauthorized invocation of royal authority.
At the center of the controversy: a petition bearing the ornate letterhead of Oba Riliwanu Akiolu, the revered traditional ruler of Lagos, demanding that officials block the show over claims of “cultural misrepresentation.”
But in a call out to the 81-year-old monarch by The Foundation of Investigative Journalism (FIJ), he expressed bewilderment about the document, suggesting he had no knowledge of it — and casting doubt on its authenticity.
The “Lagospidia” Account
The exhibition, titled “An Owambe Exhibition,” was announced by Ms. Njoku, a Lagos-based artist known for her explorations of pattern-making and cultural motifs. “Owambe” — a Yoruba term evoking lavish parties and unbridled festivity — promised a playful yet provocative take on Nigerian social life.
Yet since the announcement, the event has drawn sharp rebukes online, with critics accusing it of mocking Yoruba traditions and fueling demands for its shutdown.
Leading the charge has been the X account @Lagospidia, a handle notorious for amplifying ethnic divisions in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
The account, which rocketed to infamy during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024, has a history of stoking anti-Igbo sentiment.
Back then, under its previous incarnation as @Lagospedia, it falsely portrayed the demonstrations — a broad coalition against economic hardship — as an “Igbo-led attack” on Lagos, a megacity where ethnic Yoruba residents form the majority but Igbo migrants play a vital economic role.
With no evidence to support the claim, the account urged Yoruba southwesterners to rise against their Igbo neighbors, a call that echoed dangerously amid rising nativist tensions.
The backlash prompted an investigation by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), which exposed the account’s ties to inflammatory rhetoric.
Shortly after, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos publicly disavowed it, calling it unaffiliated with his administration.
The handle vanished, only to resurface as @Lagospidia, doubling down on its divisive posts — including recent ones from an aide to Mr. Sanwo-Olu that FIJ linked to anti-Igbo agitation.
Attack On Exhibition
On Tuesday, @Lagospidia escalated its campaign by posting what it presented as the petition from Oba Akiolu.
Addressed to Toke Benson-Awoyinka, the Lagos commissioner for tourism, arts and culture, and the governor’s special assistant on the same portfolio, the letter invoked the king’s title — “Alaiyeluwa” — to decry the exhibition as a threat to cultural integrity.
“The event raises serious concerns over cultural misrepresentation,” the document stated, urging immediate cancellation.
It went further, calling for a review of “existing policies, rules, and regulations governing public exhibitions and cultural showcases” to ensure “proper approval and oversight” by the ministry for this and future events.
The petition’s emergence on X, a platform where misinformation can spread like wildfire, quickly amplified the outrage. Screenshots circulated widely, blending genuine cultural debates with the account’s signature ethnic barbs.
FIJ, which first reported on the document, sought clarification directly from the palace. In a brief phone conversation, Oba Akiolu — whose influence as a custodian of indigenous Lagos customs is profound — appeared caught off guard.
“Everything that has to do with tradition or indigenous Lagos, they have to obtain clearance from me before using my name,” he said. But as the details were relayed, his responses grew disjointed.
“That’s why I wrote that letter. Two, the man parading himself as Oloja, is it not that one? There is somebody parading himself as Abiola Oloja, is it not that one or is it the one they want to stage at somewhere?”
When informed that the letter had been obtained from an X post, the Oba’s tone shifted. “I did not know anything about it,” he said flatly.
FIJ followed up by sending a copy of the document via WhatsApp, but there had been no reply from the palace.
For now, the “An Owambe Exhibition” event is scheduled to take place in December.
As the Oba told FIJ, he plans a forthcoming media address: “Very soon, The Guardian has written that they want to come and interview me. When I’m ready, I’m going to come with the other newspapers and listen to all of them to answer questions.”
This article was edited with AI and reviewed by human editors
