History of Lagos
Encyclopedia
Lagos
is the largest city in Nigeria
and the second largest in Africa
after Cairo
.
, which stems from either Oko (Yoruba: "cassava farm") or Eko ("war camp"), by its Bini
conquerors.
Around 650 years ago the Oba of Bini sent trade expeditions to Ghana where spices were traded and one of his traders complained about the way she was being treated by the Awori's. The Oba of Bini then sent a trade expedition by sea which declined to engage the people and returned to what is now called Benin City
where he reported to the Oba of Bini that they were attacked. This prompted the Oba of Bini to assemble a war expedition led by Ado, a Bini Prince. The expedition went to Lagos and demanded an explanation.
On getting there, they were well received. The people were so enamored with Ado they asked him to stay and lead them. He agreed on the condition that they surrendered their sovereignty to the Oba of Bini to which they agreed. The Oba of Bini was told this and he gave his permission for the expedition to remain. The Oba of Bini later sent some of his chiefs including the Eletu Odibo, Obanikoro and others to assist Ado in the running of Eko.
Till today, the Oba of Lagos is the head of all the Kings in Lagos State and his status is different from other Oba's most of whom were later given back their crowns and staff of office only within the last 40 years. Those who got their crowns back were the original land owners (Olofin's children). Modern day Lagosians have so intermingled that no single tribe or people can claim it even though the predominant language is Yoruba.
The present day Lagos state has a higher percent of this sub-group who allegedly migrated to the area from Isheri along the Ogun river
. History has it that the Awori were actually from Ife the cradle of Yorubaland. The Awori people are a peaceful people initially not taken to warfare. Due to war, those from the hinterlands, like the Ekiti ran towards Isheri which at that time had more than one Olofin (Alafin)who were heads of settlements about 1400AD.
With the fleeing people from the hinterlands most of them scattered again, some to Iro, to Otta, Ado, others to Ebute Metta i.e three landing places - Oyingbo, Iddo Island
and Lagos Island
(Eko). The Olofin that brought those who went to Ebute-Metta was Ogunfunminire later known as Agbodere. With the full commencement of the war about 2000 moved to the nearest island of Iddo, others to Otto Awori or Otto Ijanikin towards modern-day Badagry. Those from Ekiti Aramoko came to Ebute-Metta, Iddo and then Ijora.
After the demise of Agbodere, the name Olofin became the name used to remember him while a title of Oloto was given to his successor. With one of his sons becoming the Oloto his other children parted ways to what is known as visible settlements in the present day Lagos.
Until the coming of the Bini's, Lagos's geographic boundary was Lagos Mainland. Lagos Island, the seat of the Oba of Lagos then consisted of a pepper farm and fishing posts. No one lived there. The name Eko was given to it by its first King Oba Ado during its early history, it also saw periods of rule by the Kingdom of Benin.
Eko was the land area now known as Lagos Island where the king's palace was built. The Palace is called Iga Idunganran
which, translated means "palace built on the pepper farm". Oba Ado and the warriors from Benin as well as some of the indigenous people who sought safety settled down in the southern part of Eko called "Isale Eko", Isale literarily meaning bottom, but must have been used to indicate downtown (as in Downtown Lagos).
Oba Akitoye who ceded Lagos to the British was oba Kosoko's uncle. Oba Akitoye was the first Oba not to be buried in a Bini. Prior to this, all the Kings of lagos were buried in Bini. They passed on taxes to the Oba of Bini until the British came and explained that there was no need to send taxes to Bini anymore especially as the Bini's themselves were paying taxes to Britain. It was during his reign that the direct influence of the Bini's on Lagos ended.
Oba Kosoko believed in the slave trade and was at loggerheads with the British hence his dethronement and flight, first to Badagry and later to Epe where he founded kingdoms which still exist today.
in the sixteenth century. It was later called Eko. The Portuguese explorer Ruy de Sequeira who visited the area in 1472, named the area around the city Lago de Curamo; the present name is Portuguese
for "lakes". An alternate explanation is that Lagos was named for Lagos, Portugal
- a maritime town which at the time was the main center of the Portuguese expeditions down the African coast and whose own name is derived from the Celtic word
Lacobriga.
It was a major centre of the slave trade until 1851, when the United Kingdom
, which had abolished slavery in 1807, captured the city. It was annexed as a British colony in 1861. The remainder of modern-day Nigeria was seized in 1886.
Lagos was the capital of Nigeria from 1914 - 1976 when the capital was moved to Abuja
. Abuja
is a capital like Washington, DC in USA and Brasilia
in Brazil
in that it was built from scratch specifically to be a capital.
In 1991, Ibrahim Babangida, the Military President and other government functions moved to the newly built capital. This was as a result of intelligence reports on the safety of his life and what was later to be termed his hidden agenda, which was the plan to turn himself into a civilian president. He finished what was started by the Murtala/Obasanjo regime. The change resulted in Lagos losing some prestige and economic leverage. However, it has retained its importance as the country's largest city and as an economic centre.
In 2002, accidental explosions
killed more than 1,000 people.
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
is the largest city in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and the second largest in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
after Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
.
Location
Modern day Lagos is now a state in South-Western Nigeria. It is bounded on the west by the Republic of Benin, to the north and east by Ogun State with the Atlantic Ocean providing a coastline on the south.Area
It has a total of 3,577 square kilometers; 787 square kilometers is made up of lagoons and creeks including: Lagos Lagoon, Lagos Harbour, Five Cowrie Creek, Ebute-Metta Creek, Porto Novo Creek, New Canal, Badagry Creek, Kuramo Waters and Lighthouse Creek.Pre-colonial history
Prior to the Portuguese name of Lagos being adopted, Lagos was called EkoEko
Eko or EKO may refer to:* Mr. Eko, a character from the TV series Lost* EKOenergy, an ecolabel for energy* Eko guitars, an Italian guitar company, a German military term* Elko Regional Airport, an airport which has IATA airport code EKO...
, which stems from either Oko (Yoruba: "cassava farm") or Eko ("war camp"), by its Bini
Bini
Bini may refer to:* Bini people, a cultural group in Nigeria* A slang term for the BMW MINI car* Bini, Burkina Faso, a village in Burkina Faso-People:*Aldo Bini , an Italian road bicycle racer...
conquerors.
Around 650 years ago the Oba of Bini sent trade expeditions to Ghana where spices were traded and one of his traders complained about the way she was being treated by the Awori's. The Oba of Bini then sent a trade expedition by sea which declined to engage the people and returned to what is now called Benin City
Benin City
Benin City, is a city and the capital of Edo State in southern Nigeria. It is a city approximately twenty-five miles north of the Benin River. It is situated 200 miles by road east of Lagos...
where he reported to the Oba of Bini that they were attacked. This prompted the Oba of Bini to assemble a war expedition led by Ado, a Bini Prince. The expedition went to Lagos and demanded an explanation.
On getting there, they were well received. The people were so enamored with Ado they asked him to stay and lead them. He agreed on the condition that they surrendered their sovereignty to the Oba of Bini to which they agreed. The Oba of Bini was told this and he gave his permission for the expedition to remain. The Oba of Bini later sent some of his chiefs including the Eletu Odibo, Obanikoro and others to assist Ado in the running of Eko.
Till today, the Oba of Lagos is the head of all the Kings in Lagos State and his status is different from other Oba's most of whom were later given back their crowns and staff of office only within the last 40 years. Those who got their crowns back were the original land owners (Olofin's children). Modern day Lagosians have so intermingled that no single tribe or people can claim it even though the predominant language is Yoruba.
The present day Lagos state has a higher percent of this sub-group who allegedly migrated to the area from Isheri along the Ogun river
Ogun River
The Ogun River is a waterway in Nigeria that discharges into the Lagos Lagoon.-Course and usage:The river rises in Oyo State near Shaki at coordinates and flow through Ogun State into Lagos State....
. History has it that the Awori were actually from Ife the cradle of Yorubaland. The Awori people are a peaceful people initially not taken to warfare. Due to war, those from the hinterlands, like the Ekiti ran towards Isheri which at that time had more than one Olofin (Alafin)who were heads of settlements about 1400AD.
With the fleeing people from the hinterlands most of them scattered again, some to Iro, to Otta, Ado, others to Ebute Metta i.e three landing places - Oyingbo, Iddo Island
Iddo Island
Iddo Island was an island opposite Lagos Island in Nigeria, but due to infill is now part of the mainland. Iddo Island is connected to Lagos Island by the Eko Bridge and the Carter Bridge....
and Lagos Island
Lagos Island
Lagos Island is the principal and central local government area of the Metropolitan Lagos in Nigeria. It is part of the Lagos Division. As of the preliminary 2006 Nigerian census, the LGA had a population of 209,437 in an area of 8.7 km²...
(Eko). The Olofin that brought those who went to Ebute-Metta was Ogunfunminire later known as Agbodere. With the full commencement of the war about 2000 moved to the nearest island of Iddo, others to Otto Awori or Otto Ijanikin towards modern-day Badagry. Those from Ekiti Aramoko came to Ebute-Metta, Iddo and then Ijora.
After the demise of Agbodere, the name Olofin became the name used to remember him while a title of Oloto was given to his successor. With one of his sons becoming the Oloto his other children parted ways to what is known as visible settlements in the present day Lagos.
Until the coming of the Bini's, Lagos's geographic boundary was Lagos Mainland. Lagos Island, the seat of the Oba of Lagos then consisted of a pepper farm and fishing posts. No one lived there. The name Eko was given to it by its first King Oba Ado during its early history, it also saw periods of rule by the Kingdom of Benin.
Eko was the land area now known as Lagos Island where the king's palace was built. The Palace is called Iga Idunganran
Iga Idunganran
Iga Idunganran is the Official Residence of the Oba of Lagos, situated on Lagos Island. It is also a tourist attraction.-History:The Lagos Island was originally owned by Aromire, an Ile-Ife nobleman, who used it as a fishing post. The ancient palace was initially built around 1630 and the modern...
which, translated means "palace built on the pepper farm". Oba Ado and the warriors from Benin as well as some of the indigenous people who sought safety settled down in the southern part of Eko called "Isale Eko", Isale literarily meaning bottom, but must have been used to indicate downtown (as in Downtown Lagos).
Notable events
The first King of Lagos, Oba Ado apart from having two sons also had a daughter Erelu Kuti who begat Ologun Kutere, who later became king. Shokun his brother, who was more aggressive and whom the Erelu suspected could plan a palace coup, was given a Chieftaincy Title, "Onile-gbale" and a palace just behind the king's palace. This was the first time that a Chief would be appointed and installed at the same time as a King's coronation. See also http://www.eraffoundation.org/erelukuti.phpOba Akitoye who ceded Lagos to the British was oba Kosoko's uncle. Oba Akitoye was the first Oba not to be buried in a Bini. Prior to this, all the Kings of lagos were buried in Bini. They passed on taxes to the Oba of Bini until the British came and explained that there was no need to send taxes to Bini anymore especially as the Bini's themselves were paying taxes to Britain. It was during his reign that the direct influence of the Bini's on Lagos ended.
Oba Kosoko believed in the slave trade and was at loggerheads with the British hence his dethronement and flight, first to Badagry and later to Epe where he founded kingdoms which still exist today.
Past Obas (Kings)
- Ashipa (1600–1630) died on the way back to Benin
- King Ado (1630–1669) first King of Lagos
- King Gabaro (1669–1704)
- King Akinsemoyin (1704–1749)
- Eletu Kekere (1749)
- King Ologun Kutere (1749–1775)
- Adele Ajosun (1775-1780 & 1832-1834)
- Eshilokun (1780–1819)
- Oba Idewu Ojulari (1819–1832)
- King Oluwole (1836–1841)
- King AkintoyeAkintoyeAkintoye was the 11th Oba of Lagos. He was a grandson of former Oba Ologun Kutere. He ruled from 1841 to 1845, when he was deposed by his nephew Kosoko, and was reinstated with the help of British troops to rule from 1851 to his death in 1853.- Biography :...
(1841-1845 & 1851-1853) - Oba Kosoko (1845–1851)
- King Dosunmu [Docemo] (1853–1885)
- Oba Oyekan (1885–1900)
- Oba Esugbayi Eleko (1901-1925 & 1932)
- Oba Ibikunle Akitoye (1925–1928)
- Oba Sanusi Olusi (1928–1931)
- Oba Falolu (1932–1949)
- Oba Adeniji Adele (1949–1964)
- Oba Adeyinka Oyekan II (1965–2003)
- Oba Rilwan Akiolu (2003–present)
Colonial-era
Modern-day Lagos was founded by the BiniBini
Bini may refer to:* Bini people, a cultural group in Nigeria* A slang term for the BMW MINI car* Bini, Burkina Faso, a village in Burkina Faso-People:*Aldo Bini , an Italian road bicycle racer...
in the sixteenth century. It was later called Eko. The Portuguese explorer Ruy de Sequeira who visited the area in 1472, named the area around the city Lago de Curamo; the present name is Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
for "lakes". An alternate explanation is that Lagos was named for Lagos, Portugal
Lagos, Portugal
Lagos is a municipality at the mouth of Bensafrim River and along the Atlantic Ocean, in the Barlavento region of the Algarve, in southern Portugal....
- a maritime town which at the time was the main center of the Portuguese expeditions down the African coast and whose own name is derived from the Celtic word
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
Lacobriga.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, which had abolished slavery in 1807, captured the city. It was annexed as a British colony in 1861. The remainder of modern-day Nigeria was seized in 1886.
Post colonial
When the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria was established in 1914 Lagos was declared its capital. Lagos experienced rapid growth throughout the 1960s and 1970s as a result of Nigeria's economic boom prior to the Biafran War. This continued through the 1980s and 1990s up to the present date.Lagos was the capital of Nigeria from 1914 - 1976 when the capital was moved to Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
. Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
is a capital like Washington, DC in USA and Brasilia
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in that it was built from scratch specifically to be a capital.
In 1991, Ibrahim Babangida, the Military President and other government functions moved to the newly built capital. This was as a result of intelligence reports on the safety of his life and what was later to be termed his hidden agenda, which was the plan to turn himself into a civilian president. He finished what was started by the Murtala/Obasanjo regime. The change resulted in Lagos losing some prestige and economic leverage. However, it has retained its importance as the country's largest city and as an economic centre.
In 2002, accidental explosions
Lagos armoury explosion
The Lagos armoury explosion was the accidental detonation of a large stock of military high explosives at a storage facility in the city of Lagos, Nigeria on 27 January 2002. The fires created by the debris from this explosion burnt down a large section of Northern Lagos, and created a panic that...
killed more than 1,000 people.
External links
- Edo people´s renaissance - By J.O.S Ayomike
- http://www.eraffoundation.org/erelukuti.php http://www.eraffoundation.org/erelukuti.php History of Erelu Kuti
- http://lagosmegacityproject.com/history_of_lagos http://lagosmegacityproject.com/history_of_lagos
- http://www.nigeriantourism.org/tourist_files/nigeria/states/lagos/index.html