Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, has described the city’s persistent traffic congestion as part of the lifestyle that defines Lagos rather than a problem.
Hamzat made the remark on Saturday while speaking at Podfest Naija, an event that brought together storytellers and other creatives.
Reflecting on the relationship between Lagos and its creative community, the deputy governor said the city’s traffic, crowded roads and chaotic environment had influenced the way Lagos is portrayed through different forms of creative expression.
He also noted that long hours spent in traffic had created an audience for podcasters, as commuters listen to episodes while travelling through the city.
“Anyone who has crossed Third Mainland Bridge at 6pm knows that Lagos traffic is not the problem, it is just a lifestyle,” Hamzat said.
“In fact, I suspect that many of us in this room, we produce things that are consumed, episode by episode, between Ojota and Obalende.
“So in a way, traffic has been a patron of your industry. So you must celebrate traffic. That’s why we are Lagos.”
Hamzat said the distinctive character of Lagos had provided inspiration for artists, writers, filmmakers and other creative professionals.
According to him, the narrative of Lagos was once largely shaped by outsiders, but creatives within the city are now taking responsibility for telling its stories to a wider audience.
“Lagos is now telling its own story and the people telling it in a very serious way are in this room,” he said.
“The podcasters, the filmmakers, the musician, writer, designers, developers and entrepreneurs who have turned Lagos microphone into a global broadcast.”
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Hamzat also called on creatives to treat their work as businesses by developing sustainable models for generating revenue.
He said having a large audience does not automatically make a podcast commercially successful, stressing the need for creators to build structures that can sustain their work.
“So we’re funding ideas, not just applauding them. Lagos is supporting nothing less than 90 research and development projects,” he said.
“Gone are the years of great ideas and no funding.
“A podcast with a million listeners and no business model is just a hobby with good microphone.”
The deputy governor also linked the growth of creativity to security and freedom, saying people are more likely to create when they feel safe.
“Creativity flourishes best when people feel safe,” he said.
“For us in Lagos, safety and liberty guarantees remain a matter of right.
“Lagos is today the safest state in our country and it comes at ridiculous cost because if we’re not safe then we can’t even tell stories,” he said.
Hamzat, who is the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for Lagos State in the 2027 general election, also urged Nigerians to pay greater attention to their cultural heritage.
He argued that preserving cultural identity was essential to the country’s development and prosperity.
“One of the challenges for us as Africans, as black people, is that we have forgotten our culture,” he said.
“The truth is, we will not prosper — it’s not a curse — if we don’t deal with our culture.”