Lagos deputy governor says traffic remark was taken out of context

Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat has clarified remarks in which he described traffic congestion in the state as becoming a “lifestyle”, saying the comment was taken out of context. Hamzat made the clarification in a video shared on Sunday by Wale Ajetunmobi, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on media. The remarks had drawn criticism after he spoke at Podfest Naija 2026 about storytelling and the creative industry.

Reading from his speech, Hamzat said he used traffic as an example of how commuters consumed podcasts and other digital content while travelling. He said he had described Lagos as “the city that tells its own story” before referring to traffic as part of many residents’ daily experience. Hamzat questioned why the comment had been connected to criticism of the state’s road design and transport policies.

He read comments by tech entrepreneur Tayo Oviosu and former governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who argued that congestion was caused by poor road design and should not be accepted as a lifestyle. “That’s what I said. Now, how people correlate that to say design is incredible,” Hamzat said, accusing social-media users of failing to read statements in context.

Olusesan Daini, director of the New Media Directorate for the joint PBAT-KOH Lagos State Campaign Council, also defended the deputy governor. He said acknowledging traffic’s effect on daily routines did not mean celebrating congestion. Daini cited government efforts involving rail and water transport, road construction, junction improvements, intelligent traffic systems and LASTMA personnel.