According to the oral history of Lagos, at some point around 1300-1400 CE, the Oba (King) of the Benin Empire - who used to send trade expeditions to Ghana, where spices were traded - heard from one of his traders complaints about the way she was being treated by the Awori who lived in the area of current day Lagos. The Oba of Benin then sent a trade expedition by sea to engage with the Awori people, who nonetheless declined to engage and attacked the mission sent by Benin.

Upon hearing this as the mission returned to Benin City, the Oba of Benin commanded the assembling of a war expedition, led by Ado, a Benin Prince, which headed to the settlement of the Awori (current-day Lagos; then called Eko by the Benin people) and demanded an explanation.

On getting there, Ado and his army were more than well received - the Awori from Lagos asked Benin Prince Ado to stay there and become their leader. Ado agreed, on the condition that they surrendered their sovereignty to the Oba of Benin, to which the Awori people of Lagos agreed.

Upon hearing this, the Oba of Benin gave his permission for Prince Ado and the expedition to remain in Eko with the Awori. The Oba of Benin later sent some of his chiefs, including the Eletu Odibo, Obanikoro and others, to assist Ado in the running of Eko.


Lagos as a tributary to the Benin Empire

From the crowning of Ado as its first Oba, Lagos (then called Eko) served as a major center for slave-trade, from which then Oba of Benin Ado and all of his successors for over four centuries benefited - until 1841, when Oba Akitoye ascended to the throne of Lagos and tried to ban slave-trading.

Local merchants strongly opposed the intended move, and deposed and exiled the king, and installed Akitoye's brother Kosoko as Oba.[3]

At exile in Europe, Akitoye met with British authorities, who had banned slave-trading in 1807, and who therefore decided to support the deposed Oba to regain his throne. With the success of the British intervention, in 1851 Akitoye was reinstalled as Oba of Lagos. In practical terms, however, British influence over the kingdom had become absolute, and ten years later, in 1861, Lagos was formally annexed as a British colony.

Kinfunfun22:
All this your mumu rantings doesn't change the fact that FFK a Yoruba bastard sucked, rocked nd bangggedd the wife of the moses of your Biafra.... Jus picture FFK on bianca with bianca moaning oooooo aaaaahhh uuusshhhhh eeeeeeeh urrrrrgh FFK loves dogggggy style

kay1one:
Obviously the benin empire ruled lagos at some point in time. Words like "osa" like in "osariemen" a benin word are from bini language. E.g eti-osa.

Kinfunfun22:
All this your mumu rantings doesn't change the fact that FFK a Yoruba bastard sucked, rocked nd bangggedd the wife of the moses of your Biafra.... Jus picture FFK on bianca with bianca moaning oooooo aaaaahhh uuusshhhhh eeeeeeeh urrrrrgh FFK loves dogggggy style

raumdeuter:


Nothing new there.

Yorubas have been fuckkingg Ibos since 1920

PhillyBrav0:
All dis online e-brat preparing to destroy d world with propaganda and lies! Cha! Where ar we going ? How do we get here

ozoigbondu:
So benin rules lagos....kai l don die

CecyAdrian:
Benin originally own lagos and are still consulted till today in some traditional rites concerning lagos,so I won't be surprised if the Oba is not originally a yoruba man

Don't ask me how I know please.

crownprince102:
@Ikengawo ......; Yes, He is an Ijaw man from Otuoke and his mother is from Okrika. Mumu of our time.

Lagos is truly tributary to Benin Kingdom but Benin is also tributary to the Oyo Empire.

The whole of Yoruba land belongs to Oyo including Benin Kingdom and Dahomey in Benin Republic. That's why Benin kings are termed as "OBA"


Dahomey and Benin are tributary to Oyo kingdom and that doesn't make their kings a Yoruba man. Can you say because Nigeria was formerly under britain, all our leader including GEJ you almost died are Brits?

dunkem21:
I won't delve into the origin and determination of Obas because of the heated argument and tensed environment.

All I can say for now, is that there is a huge connection between the Oba of Benin and Oba of Lagos.

Maple:


Nah. I think your knowledge of history is flawed. There's no empire that was more powerful in the south (as far as history is concerned) as that of the Empire of Benin, "land of the Obas". Many yoruba lands were tributaries to the Benin Empire. Oyo empire, though not as powerful as Benin, had influence in some of the yoruba lands. Benin Empire did held sway in alot of yoruba lands.

As a matter of fact, the Title "Oba" meaning Ruler in Bini, is bestowed on the rulers of Bini lands. And the Obas of Benin, bestowed it on rulers of "conquered" lands, similar to the way the title "emir" / "sarki" is bestowed by the hausas/fulanis on "conquered" lands, Kwara is an example. Some yoruba kings claimed the title of "Oba" to show allegiance to the powerful Benin empire. The title of "oba' which till this day is being used by many Yoruba rulers is still a living testament to the strong influence and tentacles of Benin Empire in that region, Secondly the country of Benin Republic itself is another one.

Maple:


Thats an undisputable fact!

raumdeuter:


Nothing new there.

Yorubas have been fuckkingg Ibos since 1920

crownprince102:
@Ikengawo ......; Yes, He is an Ijaw man from Otuoke and his mother is from Okrika. Mumu of our time.



Lagos is truly tributary to Benin Kingdom but Benin is also tributary to the Oyo Empire.



The whole of Yoruba land belongs to Oyo including Benin Kingdom and Dahomey in Benin Republic. That's why Benin kings are termed as "OBA"



Ilorin kings are termed as Emir because Kakanfo Afonja (Field marshal Afonja) who is the army commander betrayed the Oyo kingdom and colluded with Usman Dan Fodio to fight for the freedom of Ilorin and they were successful.



Ikengawo, if Benin kingdom is tributary to Oyo, does that make Oba of Benin an Oyo man? Please get cogent history and add common sense before posting historical thread like this next time.



Dahomey and Benin are tributary to Oyo kingdom and that doesn't make their kings a Yoruba man. Can you say because Nigeria was formerly under britain, all our leader including GEJ you almost died are Brits?




Rilwan is an islamic name while Akinolu is a pure Yoruba name, can you bring a benin man with the name Akinolu?



Though Lagos was tributary to Benin, the culture of Benin Kingdom have no influence in Lagos or have you ever seen Eyo festival celebrated in Benin?



Please note that only Isale Eko the place known as Lagos island today was tributary to Benin, the like of Abadagiri (which was rechristened by the whites to Badagry) was an not under Benin but was under Oyo kingdom ruled by Alaafin.

Maple:


Nah. I think your knowledge of history is flawed. There's no empire that was more powerful in the south (as far as history is concerned) as that of the Empire of Benin, "land of the Obas". Many yoruba lands were tributaries to the Benin Empire. Oyo empire, though not as powerful as Benin, had influence in some of the yoruba lands. Benin Empire did held sway in alot of yoruba lands.

As a matter of fact, the Title "Oba" meaning Ruler in Bini, is bestowed on the rulers of Bini lands. And the Obas of Benin, bestowed it on rulers of "conquered" lands, similar to the way the title "emir" / "sarki" is bestowed by the hausas/fulanis on ruler "conquered" lands, Kwara is an example. Some yoruba kings claimed the title of "Oba" to show allegiance to the powerful Benin empire. The title of "oba' which till this day is being used by many Yoruba rulers is still a living testament to the strong influence and tentacles of Benin Empire in that region, Secondly the country of Benin Republic itself is another one.