File joor  ogbeni u  just be like mungo park  wey talk say na him discover river naija when ppl don they bath there b4 dem  born im papa.  
Listeen  lagos belongs to the awori as they were the original inhabitants and that is a fact,Awori ppl enter through ibeju lekki axis from ogun state. (end of discussion) whatever r smith wrote na fabu ask am shey im dey there.
Just because germany invaded france does not mean that germany owns france
just because the romans invaded isreal does not mean that italy owns isreal
just because britian invaded benin,lagos ghana etc does not been they own the place they meet people there
ah ah   if truly it is a benin town why is benin or edo not a major language in the state
Tommorrow now hausa or ibo go say na dem get lagos, all because the people are welcoming compared to other parts of the country. Lagos because it was aplace  where ocean meets lagoon  so it was a natural choice for a seaport and a convienient town for commerce that is why it was selected as FCT after calabar (original fct) as u are aware.

Arosa:

There will never be tension between us, we all egbe Oduduwa.

This is the point most people do not get. The Bini and Yorubas are from the same parent or origin. They have existed side by side for years without a single battle. Now, tell me any two empires in the WORLD that has existed side by side as the Yorubas and Binis have with a battle or war?
Anyway, I gbadun Yoruba and Edo culture die!!! Up EGBE Oduduwa!!!!

Even we Igbos have connection with the Benin Empire. Especially the Western Igbos. Benin's influence can be felt throughout Southern Nigeria.

Let Benin City be the capital of a Southern Nigeria federation.

EzeUche__:

Even we Igbos have connection with the Benin Empire. Especially the Western Igbos. Benin's influence can be felt throughout Southern Nigeria.

Let Benin City be the capital of a Southern Nigeria federation.

You talk with words but your heart is not in it. We SE wouldnt agree with that.

Yo this boy, I do not want a SNF. I want an Odua republic. My children must have that passport

The Origin of Eko (Lagos)

There is a lot of traditional history at both Benin and Lagos ends relating to the origin of what is now Lagos, its ruler and it's connection with Benin. But perhaps to avoid inadequacies and controversy which the academics claim surrounds traditional history, we may like to hear what some modern historians have to say on this subject. Robert S. Smith, in his book of some principal Yoruba owns, especially in and around Oyo, and the westward expansion in the 17th century of Benin Kingdom with it's number of subject towns on or near to the coast, which included Lagos, went on to say this about Lagos in particular:

"It's name reflect it's past to the Yoruba it's Eko, deriving probably from the farm (Oko) of the earliest settlers, though alternatively-or additionally-it may be the Benin word (Eko) for a war-camp, We say Eko is a Benin word that means camp"

After describing the activities of the armies of Benin under Oba Orhogbua, culminating in his arrival at what is now Lagos, Smith went on to add:

"Sometime later the Oba appointed a ruler for Lagos to represent the interest of Benin and to forward tribute there. The man chosen is named in both Lagos and Benin Tradition as Ashipa"

Smith says that by Lagos account this Ashipa was an Isheri Chief, while the Benin account says Ashipa was a grandson of the Oba of Benin. We shall come to this later. Smith was, however, satisfied that Benin had established it's ascendency in Lagos and had founded a dynasty there at some period before 1700.The dyansty's dependence on Benin, Smith found, was emphasized by the appointment of another Chief, the Eletu Odibo, who alone had the right to crown the Oba and who in early times probably maintained close connection with Benin,.(Eletu Odibo is a corruption of the Edo equivalent Olotu Odibo)

"G.T. Stride and C. Ifeka, in their book titled Peoples and empires pf West Africa have this to say on the same subject:

Oba Orhogbua was clearly a strong warrior for he enforced tribute payments from all parts of the empire and in the middle 1550s conquered all the coastal lands up to Lagos where he left a permanent garrison. Tradition in Lagos says that their first Oba, the Eleko of Eko, was a son of the Oba Orhogbua of Benin"

It will be seen, therefore, that even if we were to disregard traditional history there is enough material from modern historians to confirm the fact that what is now Lagos was founded by an Oba of Benin who also gave it it's first ruler. But we really cannot disregard traditional history. In Benin tradition, and we believe the same of Yoruba and other ethnic groups in this country, one way to establish that an event in traditional history did occur is by the type of anecdote or adage that evolves from that event . Thus, for instance, We Edo people say that "Orhogbua gb'Olague,ona y'ukpe abekpen z'umwen rie Edo, meaning that Oba Orhogbua defeated Olague and used sword to bring his salt to Benin, This is in allusion of to the exploits of Oba Orhogbua while in his camp (Eko) from where he over-ran the place known as Mahin with it's ruler whom the Benin People nicknamed Olague. There Orhogbua discovered the common rock salt and brought it to Benin who thereby tasted it for the first time.

Now the name "Ashipa has featured quite prominently (and rightly too) in the history of Lagos. After the Oba Orhogbua returned to Benin from Eko, he appointed a commander or an administrator, who was called Aisikpa to look after the skeleton troop left in the camp(Eko) until he returned again from Benin. He could no longer return having seen the situation at home. The name "Aisikpahienvoborre" which means "people do not desert their home-land. "This is how Aisikpa, whom the Yoruba now call Ashipa, came into the Lagos (Eko) history. Eko is still there as the traditional Benin name for Lagos; Ashipa has been retained as a senior traditional chieftaincy title while his descendants now retain the modern name of Oba of Lagos. The interaction of Edo people with others in distant lands must have inevitably resulted in cultural exchanges.

Guys look at this Kings(Oba of Lagos Obi of Onitsha Oba of Benin) what do they all have in common.

D aworis were d 1st settlers in lasgidi,doe d bini pple influence hs 2 do wit lagos monarchy,dey jst lik oda aborigines (brazilians,portuguese,hausas,epe pple,d saros) settled in enu owa yrs afta d settlemnt of d aworis.mnwhile d settlemnt of d binis markd d beginnin of crowned monarchy in lagos.d affirmatn of dat is d dressin of d white cap chiefs (idejos).though lagos is nt a benin town bt hs some elements of benin culture jst lik we av som elements of brazilian culture.

n

d

I dunno how this discussion is still going on, lol

The people the Western world traded slaves/cloth/etc with in Lagos from 1500-1850 were not Bini, they were Awori

^^^^

Did you get the info from:


Trade and Politics behind the Slave Coast: The Lagoon Traffic and the Rise of Lagos, 1500-1800?

These three kings all have the same symbol of authority, go figure.

zstranger:

^^^^

Did you get the info from:


Trade and Politics behind the Slave Coast: The Lagoon Traffic and the Rise of Lagos, 1500-1800?

Yes. But I read similar sources over the weekend (when I was looking into some stuff about the Badagry kingdom)

I was gonna post excerpts from the article, I dont think its necessary anymore.

^-- Maybe you should. Looks like no one bothered reading the abstract I posted. . . so they'll keep blathering on about nonsense.

btw, what I usually do when I want to post excerpts but am too lazy to type it up is to just take a screenshot. Then upload the graphic onto tinypic.com, then paste the link. Much better than typing up large amounts of text.

Arosa:

Guys look at this Kings(Oba of Lagos Obi of Onitsha Oba of Benin) what do they all have in common.

This only proves that they all have Yoruba influences. Oba, and Obi are both Yoruba words. See you see wahala now? The bini Oba of recent has been desperately trying to change history. For all we know, Yoruba's have been wearing beads for centuries, so the beads are not exclusive to Bini. There might actually be more Yoruba influence on Bini culture. The fact that you see a staff doesnt mean there is any influence. Fashion of the times can cause many changes. A certain Yoruba king or bini king may have liked that staff. This influence may have come from either tribe. Oba of bini needs to stop his charade. It only works with Bini people. Yoruba's have something called "oriki", and it is memorized from generation to generation telling us of our history.It is an extremely accurate account of each family's history and sub sect history as well. One bini "Oba" cannot come and tell us hwo we are, in his desire to live in the past and hopes to expand his kingdom. He needs to focus on getting Bini city in a better place and promoting tourism for his people.

^^^

I have it in PD F(downloaded of course from JSTOR) and can copy and paste but the doofuses here wont read it. I just dont see the point.

zstranger:

^^^

I have it in PDF (downloaded of course from JSTOR) and can copy and paste but the doofuses here wont read it. I just dont see the point.

True, you are correct.

Hmmm, the elephant in the room remains this: if Lagos is a totaly Yoruba place, why was it left out of Oodua Group? And let nobody repeat that nonsense about Lag being the FCT. That is a plane fallacy, and we all know it.

2mch:

This only proves that they all have Yoruba influences. Oba, and Obi are both Yoruba words. See you see wahala now? The bini Oba of recent has been desperately trying to change history. For all we know, Yoruba's have been wearing beads for centuries, so the beads are not exclusive to Bini. There might actually be more Yoruba influence on Bini culture. The fact that you see a staff doesnt mean there is any influence. Fashion of the times can cause many changes. A certain Yoruba king or bini king may have liked that staff. This influence may have come from either tribe. Oba of bini needs to stop his charade. It only works with Bini people. Yoruba's have something called "oriki", and it is memorized from generation to generation telling us of our history.It is an extremely accurate account of each family's history and sub sect history as well. One bini "Oba" cannot come and tell us hwo we are, in his desire to live in the past and hopes to expand his kingdom. He needs to focus on getting Bini city in a better place and promoting tourism for his people.

Stop spreading lies here. Obi is not a Yoruba word. Obi is an Igbo word for a first male member of a lineage. It could also mean Okpara, Opara or Diokpara depending on part of Igboland you are coming from.

Excerpts
"Yes, I can shed some light on the connection with Lagos, which was a colony of Benin for many years, ruled by Edo viceroys. The modern name Lagos was derived from one used by Portuguese explorers - "Lago di Kuramo".

But the original Edo name for Lagos is "Eko". Oba Orhogbua, who had earlier been educated and baptised at a Portuguese school in Benin, founded it as a prisoner-of-war camp in the 16th century. [Orhogbua was the son of Esigie]

Because of a falsely rumored coup back home he returned to Benin from where he dispatched his grandson Esikpa to return to become the first Eleko of Eko. Esikpa was himself succeeded by his sons Edo and Guobaro respectively.

Beginning with Esikpa, most Elekos had their remains returned to Benin for interment. [Chiefs of Badagry were also buried in Benin.] Shortly after the amalgamation of North and South in 1914 there was a brief Eleko crisis in Lagos when indigenes demanded a reestablishment of their traditional monarchy. In 1915, responding to requests by Lagos indigenes, Iyase Obaseki and Obazuaye were dispatched by Oba Eweka II to testify about the Edo antecedents of the Lagos Monarchy.

To this day, many genuine traditional titles in Lagos are Edo titles. There is a direct blood link between the royal families of Lagos and
Benin. And if you pay very close attention, Edos are very prominent and successful in Lagos life. A fair number of "Lagosians" have Edo heritage even though a large number have acculturated their names with the Yoruba majority.

You can verify this information from the Palace of Oba Oyekan."

komando77:

Hmmm, the elephant in the room remains this: if Lagos is a totaly Yoruba place, why was it left out of Oodua Group? And let nobody repeat that nonsense about Lag being the FCT. That is a plane fallacy, and we all know it.

Come, komando77, gini gbasa kwara gi na okwu Lagos na ndi Yoruba?

komando77:

Hmmm, the elephant in the room remains this: if Lagos is a totaly Yoruba place, why was it left out of Oodua Group? And let nobody repeat that nonsense about Lag being the FCT. That is a plane fallacy, and we all know it.

I thought someone has explained that to you or do you lack the ability to read and understand?

This again


Lagos is Yoruba.

@ komando77, what's the point of this thread? Would you stand to benefit in anyway, even if what you claimed was true?

PhysicsMHD:

This again


Lagos is Yoruba.

@ komando77, what's the point of this thread? Would you stand to benefit in anyway, even if what you claimed was true?

My EDO friend, you of all people should know why some people form these type threads.

To me, AFAM's comment shows incredible foresight!!! Kudos to you Afam! Please, let's not give the devil a chance!!! Thank you.

EzeUche__:

Even we Igbos have connection with the Benin Empire. Especially the Western Igbos. Benin's influence can be felt throughout Southern Nigeria. Let Benin City be the capital of a Southern Nigeria federation.

Bia Ezeuche, I'll advise you to desist from posting this kind of misinformation, especially @ the bolded. Ndigbo have nothing in common with any empire in benin. We might not have had any king, but we have our own rich culture. I don't even know the fascination with all these "empire" that africans keep referring to. Most of these so called 'empires' were nothing but mere 'village gatherings' that were conquered by "dane-gun wielding" white men

white is might.

@ OP

Please stay out of the affairs of Lagos, it doesn't matter what you think. The bottom line is the yorubas have lagos and there is nothing anybody can do about it.

I dunno, those purported village empires did pretty well for themselves. Better to conquer than be conquered, at any rate.

I'm not at all sad that my kin spent their time expanding the borders of their territory:
www.nairaland.com/attachments/429473_ts_jpg59107dfbb680c48e34ae6a452ad6a2b2

I'm not at all sad that my kin spent their time expanding the borders of their territory

not really.

the yorubas were steadily forced southwards during the times of the internecine civil wars and slave trade.

i doubt there's any history of yoruba military expansionism in the past couple of centuries.

cultural ones, maybe, but not widescale military conquests. Yorubas generally give back territories they have conquered, to the original owners.

in cases where wars were fought against outsiders, they were mainly defensive ones, held to keep their [yorubas] territory.

that's the general background- will read up more on these later.

if you know of any yoruba war fought as an expansionist one [not including the slave trade] , let me know because none comes to mind right now.

i'd like to be corrected if wrong.