According to Oladejo, Lagos is not just a city, but Nigeria in microcosm, an urban miracle built on vision, hard work, sacrifice, and inclusiveness.
He said that it was not correct to say the state enjoys disproportionate attention or unmerited privilege from the federal government.
Describing Lagos as the engine room of the federation, Oladejo said: “No other state in Nigeria bears more of the weight of national productivity than Lagos.
“It contributes over 20 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP, approximately 55 per cent of the nation’s VAT revenue, 65 per cent of corporate headquarters in the country, and 70 per cent of maritime imports and logistics activities
“These are not speculative figures, they are hard data, backed by facts and sustained by deliberate governance, not federal indulgence.”
Describing Lagos as a true national capital in spirit, the APC chieftain said long after Abuja took over as the official capital, Lagos had remained Nigeria’s de facto capital of commerce, culture, and continuity.
“Nowhere is this more evident than in Lagos’ unique ability to welcome all Nigerians as full participants in the Lagos story, regardless of state of origin, language, faith, or political affiliation.”he said.
He said that Lagos had also become the retirement home of the nation’s statesmen.
According to him, from retired heads of service to former governors, ministers, generals, diplomats, and captains of industry, Lagos has quietly become Nigeria’s retirement capital.
“These distinguished men and women, many of whom built their careers elsewhere, return to Lagos for one reason: it feels like home,” he said.
Oladejo, however, said that this open-arm embrace of Lagos comes with tremendous pressure.
The APC spokesman said: “As a megacity with a population of over 22 million, Lagos bears the weight of: infrastructure overload.
“Road networks, bridges, drainage, and transportation are under constant strain, requiring continuous reinvestment — often funded internally.
“Public hospitals serve not just Lagos residents, but hundreds of thousands of health seekers from other states, stretching resources and staff.
“Public schools absorb the children of internal migrants daily, necessitating constant expansion, teacher recruitment, and infrastructural upgrades.
“Lagos battles coastal erosion, waste management, and urban pollution— made worse by unregulated population growth and migration.
“As a magnet for opportunity, Lagos must also confront crime, urban conflict, and overstretched policing — often with state-funded security innovations, like the Lagos Security Trust Fund.”
On housing deficit, Oladejo said that Lagos had continued to build and incentivise housing, “but population growth continues to outpace supply, driving up costs and informal settlements”.
On social welfare, he said that the state had been delivering extensive support to the unemployed, the elderly, widows, artisans, and the underserved, “many of whom are not originally from Lagos”.
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According to him, despite these enormous pressures, Lagos remains a functional, progressive, peaceful, and growing city.
Noting that Lagos had earned its place and never inherited it, Oladejo said: “It is laughable, if not unfortunate, to suggest that Lagos is over-pampered by the federal government.
“In 2024, Lagos received just ₦531.1 billion in federal allocation — about 3.48 per cent of the total shared from the federation account, even though it generates over 55 per cent of VAT and more than a third of the country’s non-oil revenue.
“What Lagos has earned is not privilege — but respect. Let Lagos be applauded, not attacked.
“Lagos is not a regional city; It is a national asset, a federating hub, and a home to all Nigerians, whether as traders in Alaba, executives in Ikoyi, artists in Yaba, or retirees in Lekki.
“Lagos is not over-pampered. Lagos is overburdened, over-performing, and under-credited.”
He said that the call for a Special Status for Lagos State remained a matter of national survival.
According to him, Lagos is not asking for pity but for recognition and responsibility.
“The call for a Special Status for Lagos is neither new nor partisan. It is grounded in logic, data, and the national interest.
“From the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and successive National Assemblies, the need for Lagos to be formally supported as Nigeria’s economic and demographic hub has been widely acknowledged — but not yet acted upon.
“Lagos has given much to Nigeria’s economy, to its unity, to its people. It has carried burdens, absorbed shocks, and provided platforms of opportunity for millions.
“We urge the National Assembly to rise above regional politics and partisan considerations, and do what is right, what is fair, and what is overdue.”
He said that the NASS must accord Lagos the Special Status it had earned and long deserved.
Oladejo said, “Let this generation of lawmakers be remembered as the one that acted with foresight.
“Let posterity write of a National Assembly that understood not only the needs of now, but the imperatives of the future. Nigeria cannot succeed if Lagos is ignored.”