Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has characterized Lagos as a “Yoruba United States,” a dynamic and unified entity that serves as a model of progress for the rest of Nigeria.

The governor made the statement on Wednesday while addressing the South-West Citizen-Government Engagement Summit in Akure, Ondo State, an event that gathered regional governors, traditional rulers, and business leaders.

“I stand here not only as a humble leader among the South-West governors, but as the governor of the largest population in our country, the economic and commercial nerve centre of Nigeria,” Sanwo-Olu stated. “Yet, above all, Lagos stands as a Yoruba United States, a state that continues to reinvent itself and set the pace for the nation.”

In a subsequent statement on his social media handles, the governor called for a unified South-West front to spearhead Nigeria’s renewal, emphasizing collaboration, shared vision, and regional integration.

Governor Sanwo-Olu hailed the establishment of the South-West Development Commission as a pivotal opportunity for coordinated regional progress. He described the commission, initiated by President Bola Tinubu and supported by the National Assembly, as a modern platform to achieve the kind of transformative development championed in the old Western Region by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

“With the South-West Development Commission, we now have a platform to plan and deliver the kind of regional progress that once defined our region under Chief Awolowo,” he said.

The governor also expressed strong support for President Tinubu’s national economic reforms, asserting that they are restoring stability and investor confidence.

“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria is regaining stability and optimism. His reforms are working, the economy is growing, investment is returning, and the future looks brighter,” Sanwo-Olu stated.

He pointed to major Lagos infrastructure projects, such as the Fourth Mainland Bridge, the Green Line Rail Project, and the Lekki International Airport, as key initiatives poised to benefit from this renewed economic momentum.

Concluding his address, Governor Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed the South-West’s capacity to lead the nation, stating, “The South-West can, and must, lead Nigeria’s renewal. The spirit of innovation and courage that shaped our past still lives within us today, and together, we will rise to this moment.”