‘PURE SYCOPHANCY’: Anosike blasts Umahi over renaming of Lagos-calabar Highway after President Tinubu

Public affairs analyst, philosopher and author, Dr. Peter Anosike, has criticised the decision by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to rename the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway after President Bola Tinubu, describing the move as “pure sycophancy” and arguing that national infrastructure should not be named after serving public officials.

Speaking on Voice of the People TV’s Political Lens on Friday, Mr Anosike maintained that the project remains under construction and should not be turned into what he described as a personal monument while the President is still in office.

According to him, the highway belongs to Nigerians and is funded with public resources rather than personal contributions.

“For me, it is not the Federal Government; it is the Minister of Works. This is just pure sycophancy. The project hasn’t even gone halfway and you are naming it. This is not Tinubu’s money,” Anosike said.

The comments come in the wake of the Federal Government’s decision, announced by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to name a section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway after President Bola Tinubu. The decision has sparked public debate over whether major national projects should be named after serving political leaders.

The analyst argued that honours of such magnitude should traditionally be reserved for leaders after they have completed public service or posthumously, insisting that enduring national recognition is earned through history rather than official declarations.

He also questioned whether the naming would gain public acceptance, pointing to previous examples where official names failed to replace the names commonly used by Nigerians.

Citing the Second Niger Bridge, officially named after former President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Anosike argued that many Nigerians still identify it by its original description rather than its official title.

“It will not work. It will still go by the name Coastal Highway. They said Second Niger Bridge is Muhammadu Buhari Bridge. Who calls it that? People still call it the Second Niger Bridge,” he stated.

Drawing historical comparisons, Mr Anosike referenced Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, whom he said declined attempts to name the University of Nigeria after himself while alive. He also cited American founding father Benjamin Franklin, whose image appeared on the 100-dollar bill long after his lifetime.

“Projects are named when people are no more, in remembrance, and not when they are alive. If Tinubu really is a statesman, he would have said, ‘I don’t want this.’ You don’t award trophies in the middle of a game,” he added.

Judiciary, 2027 elections

Commenting on developments ahead of the 2027 general election, Mr Anosike also expressed concern over conflicting Court of Appeal decisions relating to electoral matters, saying the situation risks creating uncertainty within Nigeria’s political and judicial systems.

He argued that prolonged court disputes could affect opposition parties’ preparations for the elections by creating uncertainty over candidates and discouraging financial support.

According to him, electoral contests should ultimately be decided by voters rather than prolonged litigation.

“You cannot be campaigning when you don’t even know whether you will make it. Some people who want to support candidates financially will hold back because of the uncertainty,” he said.

Mr Anosike further lamented what he described as the growing influence of the courts in determining electoral outcomes, calling for greater confidence in democratic processes.

“Since 2019, it is courts that have been deciding who becomes our leaders. Based on technicalities, people who actually won elections have been knocked out,” he stated.

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