Popular Nigerian reality TV star and influencer, Tacha Akide, has criticised Nigerians who regularly attack Lagos State, arguing that the state’s challenges are a result of failures across other parts of the country.
In a video shared on social media, Tacha said Lagos is overwhelmed because millions of Nigerians abandon their home states in search of better opportunities in the South-West.
Reacting to frequent criticisms that describe Lagos as dirty, overcrowded and unsafe, Tacha questioned what critics’ respective states have done to retain their residents.
“Before you criticise Lagos, ask yourself, what is your own state doing?” she said, adding that Lagos should not be blamed for problems created by nationwide governance failures.
According to her, Lagos is carrying a disproportionate share of Nigeria’s population, with over 20 million residents, stressing that managing such a population comes with inevitable challenges.
“Lagos is not the problem, Lagos is the symptom,” Tacha stated, noting that people migrate to the state because many governors fail to create jobs, infrastructure, functional economies or viable social life in their states.
She accused several state governments of underperformance, claiming that many governors complete their terms without meaningful development yet face little public scrutiny.
Tacha argued that if at least 10 to 15 states were doing “half of what Lagos is doing,” the pressure on the state would reduce significantly.
“If other states were working, people wouldn’t be forced to run to Lagos for greener pastures,” she said, describing many states as inactive and economically stagnant.
Her comments have since sparked mixed reactions online, with supporters applauding her perspective while critics accused her of oversimplifying complex governance issues.
Watch a video of her speaking below.