The Pure History of Lagos,
not Yoruba
Land
Yorubas are immigrants in Lagos
WHY LAGOS
The Oba of Lagos ,
Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has claimed that Lagos
State
Akiolu’s statement is coming
barely a week after he publicly humiliated the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye
Ogunwusi at an event.
In a statement from Akiolu’s
palace, the monarch traced the historical background of the state and why it
should not be regarded as part of Yoruba land.
The statement reads: “Coming from
the palace, with what I was told by my late paternal grandmother who is a
descendant of Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi and also reading from factual Historical
books, let me share this Knowledge with you all on Eko/Lagos.
“Modern day Lagos was founded by
Prince Ado, the son of the Oba of Benin, Prince Ado was the first Oba of Lagos,
the son of the Bini King, Prince Ado, named the town Eko until the Portuguese
explorer Ruy de Segueira changed the Maritime town to Lagos, which at that time
from 1942 was Portuguese expedition center down the African Coast.
“It was a major centre of the
slave trade until 1851. Lagos was annexed by Britain via the Lagos treaty of
cession in 1861, ending the consular period and starting the British Colonial
Period. The remainder of modern day Nigeria
was seized in 1886 when the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria was established in 1914 Lagos
“Lagos experienced growth prior to
the British Colonial rule and even more rapid growth during the Colonial rule
throughout the 1960s, 70s, continued through the 80s and 90s till date. Thanks
to the Awori’s, Bini’s, Yoruba’s, migrants across the nation and world at
large, as no particular group of people can take the glory alone.
“Lagos
“The Awori’s and Bini’s are known
to be the first settlers of the Eko land. The Awori’s are speakers of a
distinct dialect close to that of the Yoruba language with a rich Bini mixture.
Traditionally, Awori’s were found in Ile-Ife, they were known to be the Bini’s
who followed their self-exiled Prince, the first son of the Ogiso (now called
Oba) of Benin Kingdom, whose step-mother was after his head.
“The exiled Benin Prince Izoduwa
known to the Yorubas as Ooduwa (Oduduwa) was made ruler of the Ife
“Izoduwa (Ooduwa) was made the
first King of Ile-Ife in 1230 AD. His followers from his father’s Kingdom in Benin are the today’s Awori people who settled
in Eko now called Lagos
“In the 1300, the King of Benin-Empire
heard from one of his traders who was a settler in Eko on how the Bini’s were
treated by the Awori’s who lived in their area. Upon hearing this, the King of Benin
“On arriving Eko, Prince Ado and
his Army were more than received. The Aworis asked the Bini Prince to stay and
become their leader. Ado agreed on the condition that they surrender their
sovereignty to the Oba of Benin, to which the people agreed. Hearing this, the
King of Benin
“The Oba of Benin
“From the crowing of
Prince Ado as the first Oba of Lagos (then called Eko), Lagos served as a major
center for slave trade from which the Aworis, the Oba of Benin and his son the
Oba of Lagos and all the children/descendants who took over as his successors
for over four centuries supported the trade.
“The Oba of Benin was the head of the Benin Empire which are the present day Western,
Southern and Eastern modern day Nigeria
“The name Eko was given to it by
the first king of Lagos , Oba Ado, the young and
vibrant Prince from Benin
“The palace is called Idugaran
meaning “palace built on pepper farm” Oba Ado and the warriors from Benin
together with the early Bini’s settlers in Eko and the Awori people settled in
the southern part of Eko called “Isale Eko”. “Isale literally means bottom “.
Must have been used to indicate downtown (as in down town Lagos
“Until the coming in of the
Benin’s 1300AD , Lagos geographical boundary was Lagos mainland, Lagos Island,
the seat of the Oba of Lagos then consisted of a pepper farm and fishing post.
No one was living there.
“About 1450 AD some Yorubas who
hailed from Isheri in Ogun-state and Ekiti were allowed by the King to settle
in Eko during a war, they came in a very large numbers thereby surpassing the
numbers of the Awori’s and Bini’s. (Hence Yorubas claim to own Eko due to their
numbers).
“Oba Ado fell in love with a
beautiful woman whose father was Awori and mother a daughter to one of the
chief; they had two sons and also a daughter Erelu Kuti, who begot Ologun
Kutere who later became King.”
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