Consul Freeman to Earl Russell.—(Received April 12.)(Extract.) 

Lagos, March 8, 1862.

I HAVE the honour to report to your Lordship that, after several lengthened discussions with Docemo and his Chiefs, I have terminated to their satisfaction all the questions arising out of the Treaty of Cession signed on the 6th of August last.I should have settled everything immediately on my arrival but I encountered a strong opposition from Docemo and his Chiefs, who even went so" far as to declare that they were forced into signing the Treaty of Cession without understanding its contents. Knowing this to be false, as at the formal signing of the Treaty there were present many people perfectly conversant with both the English and Yoruba languages, I endeavoured to ascertain the source of these new difficulties, and I soon discovered that they were caused by the White-capped Chiefs.

[size=16pt]These Chiefs are the rightful possessors of the land upon which they depend for their subsistence. Whenever war breaks out, and the King is attacked, they retire into the bush, to return again when peace is re-established, and are then acknowledged by the victors as the legal owners of the soil. Thus the King and war-men hold no lands unless by grant from the White-capped chiefs.[/size]

These Chiefs had been persuaded by certain parties, whether maliciously or through ignorance it is difficult to ascertain, that the cession of Lagos to the British Crown involved the abrogation of all private rights of property, and they, therefore, protested that the King could not give away their lands, and that they did not understand such to be the meaning of the Treaty when it was signed. Hence the origin of their holding back from a final settlement.

On the 11th ultimo I received the King and his Chiefs at my house, and detailed to them the reasons which induced Her Majesty's Government to obtain the cession of this island; pointed out the changes which will result therefrom, and explained to them that far from depriving them of their private property, the cession will render it more valuable to them .They declared they had never viewed the question in that light before, and they left my house quite satisfied..

Two days after the King came again in the evening, and signed an additional paragraph to the Treaty, by which he agrees to receive in compensation for the revenue he gives up, an annual pension of 1,200 bags of cowries, equal, at the present rate of exchange, to 1,030/. sterling.

Dosumu (Docemo) and the white-capped chiefs owned Lagos!

Musiwa!!!

Before nko? We know the real owners of Lagos na!Dont mind my fellow brothers.Na shakara we just dey do na.God punish devil!

hombre: Before nko? We know the real owners of Lagos na!Dont mind my fellow brothers.Na shakara we just dey do na.God punish devil!

I do not care who owns what. I own my plots of land in Lagos for at least 99 years as the C of O states. Any ldiot that tries to trespass, shall be dealt with accordingly.

Sunny_bobo: I do not care who owns what. I own my plots of land in Lagos for at least 99 years as the C of O states. Any ldiot that tries to trespass, shall be dealt with accordingly.

Lol, compared to Orji Kalu you are nobody. Kalu's property in Ikoyi was sealed and then on intervention reopened with 14day ultimatum, which he then responded to by contacting Fani Kayode to "plead" for mercy on his behalf.

You have 99yrs c of o (lease), "not" ownership.

icon8: Dosumu (Docemo) and the white-capped chiefs owned Lagos!

Dosumu does not own land.

Mayor_of_Lagos:

Lol, compared to Orji Kalu you are nobody. Kalu's property in Ikoyi was sealed and then on intervention reopened with 14day ultimatum, which he then responded to by contacting Fani Kayode to "plead" for mercy on his behalf.

You have 99yrs c of o (lease), "not" ownership.

Dude, countless Yoruba people have had their properties sealed for the same reason Oji's property was sealed ie non payment of property related taxes. I pay all taxes as and when due so that doesn't apply to me.

Mayor_of_Lagos:

Lol, compared to Orji Kalu you are nobody. Kalu's property in Ikoyi was sealed and then on intervention reopened with 14day ultimatum, which he then responded to by contacting Fani Kayode to "plead" for mercy on his behalf.

You have 99yrs c of o (lease), "not" ownership.

How many years have I got to live on earth? I don't intend to take the land to heaven. Dosunmu didn't take the land to his grave.

Sunny_bobo: How many years have I got to live on earth? I don't intend to take the land to heaven. Dosunmu didn't take the land to his grave.

Thats because Dosumu, like you, didnt own the land. All those who owned land were buried with their land in their posession.

Sunny_bobo: Dude, countless Yoruba people have had their properties sealed for the same reason Oji's property was sealed ie non payment of property related taxes. I pay all taxes as and when due so that doesn't apply to me.

I know Kalu, i have no clue about these Yorubas you talk about. Stay to facts of what is known, not some speculations .

Its refreshing to hear from a iboman that pays his tax. You are a good man, keep it up my brother!

All these threads about who owns Lagos bla bla bla bullshit is beginning to annoy me! Is there any non lagosian who is attempting to claim Lagos as his state of origin? Why all the noise and opening silly threads? Nonsense!!

berem: All these threads about who owns Lagos bla bla bla bullshit is beginning to annoy me! Is there any non lagosian who is attempting to claim Lagos as his state of origin? Why all the noise and opening silly threads? Nonsense!!

Berem, read that letter well well. It is more than Lagos. Its about Bini, about Nigeria, about commerce, about Yoruba language. Its a package!

Example: people uneducated about Yoruba history say the term "Yoruba" was coined by Hausa, which is false; others say Yoruba did not have broad application untill the end of Kiriji war in 1886, that is also false.

This letter debunks the idea that Yoruba did not call themselves "Yoruba" untill a truce negotiated by colonial government helped to reunite the land under one commowealth. Kiriji war was fought 1877 - 1886, this letter was written in 1862.

there are books written in the 1850s calling yorubas, yoruba.

however, yoruba have gone by various names in the past, eg aku, nago, etc.


i just looked up a reference from 1840 where yorubas were referred to as Yoruba.

in addition, most yorubas identified themselves by the names of their hometowns, not the tribe.

This is needless. If you are the owner of a place, and you are sure of yourself, you don't need to explain yourself over and over. All you need to do is be ready to defend the place with you action. Whoever feels he is entitled to the place should be prepared to fight.

Daz all

Mayor_of_Lagos:

Berem, read that letter well well. It is more than Lagos. Its about Bini, about Nigeria, about commerce, about Yoruba language. Its a package!

Good! Then I'll advise you to change the title of your thread because it's misleading! The topic does not tally with the thread.

Awon oloye fila funfun lo l'Eko.