Former Labour Party governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has said it is a big insult to say that Lagos is a non man's land.

During an interview with Hot Takes Podcast, Rhodes-Vivour pointed out that the state has a vibrant history that keeps it away from the no man's land connotation.

He, however, emphasised the welcoming nature of the city which is Nigeria's economic capital.

Rhodes-Vivour said, "It's a very big insult to say Lagos is a no man's land. Let me tell you why. There were people in Lagos who created this environment for Lagos to exist, in the sense that there was a thinking that created the type of people who were here that allowed people to feel comfortable coming here and settling down and doing their business.

"If you look at the top 500 richest people in Nigeria, they have something going on in Lagos. Why is that so? The typical Lagosian does not have problem with any tribe.

"Lagosians have been dealing with the outside world since the 1700s. So, Lagos is not a no man's land. There is a very rich and vibrant history here and at the same time, Lagos is very peculiar in its welcoming nature of people.

"The thing that makes Lagos special is everybody coming together and respecting themselves and living in harmony and transacting. Lagos is about business, that's why money has always flowed in Lagos.

"But we have to constantly avoid... we have to be sensitive. Historically, no Igbo man comes out to say Lagos is no man's land. All these things started with politics. The politics are trying to just divide and rule. Unfortunately, because we don't see that way as a strategy, we keep falling for that trap.

"The typical Lagosian, they are inter-married. A typical Lagosian, part of his family is Christian, part of the family is Muslim, because they are welcoming and interacting with so many different people. So, all that is a distraction from the misrule and misgovernance."

He said the government doesn't want citizens to focus on their misrule and misgovernance, so they come up with distractions and divide-and-rule tactics to shield themselves from criticism.

"The more we are squablling among ourselves, the more they can get away with all they are getting away with. After the election, the suffering belongs to all of us," he said..

ASA