Q. Why are Nigerians debating the removal of colonial statues after the Lagos Heritage Act was passed in July 2026?

Nigerians are debating the fate of colonial statues because the Lagos Heritage Act—signed into law in July 2026—creates a formal process for deciding which monuments stay, are moved, or are removed. **What the Act does** * Establishes a Heritage Council to assess every public monument on criteria such as historic significance, artistic value, and community sentiment. * Requires a 90‑day public consultation before any alteration, and mandates that any removal be accompanied by contextual signage or a museum exhibit. **Why the debate erupted** 1. **Decolonisation vs. preservation** – Activists argue that statues of British governors and soldiers glorify oppression and should come down, while some historians and tourism officials claim the pieces are part of Lagos’s urban fabric and can teach future generations. 2. **Legal gray area** – The Act’s “heritage” definition is broad, and critics say it gives the government a loophole to keep controversial monuments under the guise of “cultural preservation.” 3. **Public participation** – The mandatory consultation has sparked a flood of petitions, town‑hall meetings, and social‑media campaigns, revealing a split between older residents who recall the statues as landmarks and younger Nigerians demanding a clean break from colonial