Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, defended his description of traffic congestion in the state as a ‘lifestyle,’ saying the remark was taken out of context and misinterpreted on social media.
Hamzat made the clarification in a video shared on Sunday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Media, Wale Ajetunmobi, on X.
The deputy governor explained that he made the comment while speaking on storytelling and the creative industry at Podfest Naija 2026, using Lagos traffic to illustrate how commuters consume podcasts and other digital content during their journeys.
According to Hamzat, he described Lagos as ‘the city that tells its own story’ before discussing the role traffic plays in the daily lives of residents.
Reading from his speech, he said, ‘Anyone who has crossed Third Mainland Bridge at 6 pm going from VI to Mainland knows that Lagos traffic is not just a problem; it is becoming our lifestyle.’
Hamzat said the statement was intended to explain the relationship between traffic, commuters and content consumption, rather than comment on road design or suggest that the government was satisfied with the state of congestion.
He questioned the connection drawn between his remarks and criticisms of the state’s handling of traffic, particularly comments by tech entrepreneur Tayo Oviosu and former governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
He cited Oviosu as saying, ‘Lagos traffic is caused by poor road design, not economic activities,’ while Rhodes-Vivour said traffic ‘should not be tolerated as a lifestyle’ and described it as ‘a major drain on productivity.’
Reacting to the interpretation of his remarks, Hamzat said, ‘That’s what I said. Now, how people correlate that to say design is incredible. Really incredible.’
He added, ‘So it seems to me that when people go on social media, they don’t read what people say. And that’s the problem.’
Hamzat said he decided to clarify the remarks publicly to ensure that the context of his speech was properly understood.
Meanwhile, Olusesan Daini, Director of the New Media Directorate for the joint PBAT-KOH Lagos State Campaign Council, also defended the deputy governor.
In a statement posted on X on Sunday, Daini said Hamzat’s remarks had been deliberately taken out of context and were not intended to celebrate traffic congestion or suggest that the state government was comfortable with the difficulties residents faced.
He said the deputy governor was explaining that traffic had become part of Lagos residents’ daily routines and influenced how they consumed information and conducted business.
‘Recognising that traffic has become part of daily life is not the same as accepting it as the ideal. It is simply acknowledging the realities of a rapidly growing megacity while working continuously to improve mobility,’ Daini said.
Daini also highlighted the government’s transport initiatives, including rail and water transportation, road construction, junction improvements, intelligent traffic management systems and the deployment of LASTMA personnel.
‘Those seeking to portray the Deputy Governor’s comments as insensitive have relied on an isolated phrase instead of the substance of his remarks. Public discourse is best served when statements are presented in their full context rather than through selective excerpts,’ he said.
The comments have continued to generate reactions on social media, with some users criticising the description of traffic as a lifestyle while others questioned the state government’s approach to congestion.