A public exchange on X (formerly Twitter) has erupted between Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, and Nigerian comedian Acapella, over comments regarding living conditions in Lagos.

In a post dated May 17, Wahab condemned what he described as “deliberate efforts by a handful of individuals to tarnish the reputation of Lagos State.”

 The commissioner expressed concern that some people who migrate to Lagos from other states in search of better opportunities are quick to criticise the city, accusing them of leveraging social media to “propagate harmful narratives” and undermine the state’s progress and inclusivity.

“It is regrettable that some who relocate from their home states… quickly, in less than a month or two, resort to disparaging the very state that has provided them the platform to thrive,” Wahab wrote. He warned against “malicious attempts to vilify a state that empowers countless lives daily,” stating that such actions are counterproductive. Wahab directed his message at @IgumaScott, the social media user who had compared Lagos to New York and criticised its environment.

In a sharp rebuttal, Acapella, posting via his verified handle @iamacapella, accused the commissioner of applying double standards based on ethnicity and origin.

“Would the truth be valid if it was said by a Lagosian? Or it’s an automatic lie cos it’s said by someone from another region living in Lagos. This divide and rule tactics needs to stop,” the comedian wrote.

He went on to defend the right of non-indigenes to express dissatisfaction with conditions in Lagos, pointing to the large Yoruba diaspora in the United Kingdom.

“Interviewer compared Lagos to New York. He countered it with Lagos’s reality. You dey here dey yarn dust.. Yoruba people no full UK? Don’t they complain about unfavourable policies over there?” he asked rhetorically.