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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Culture / Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? (5368 Views)
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Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by fishbone11(m): 11:56pm On Apr 08, 2015 |
HISTORY OF LAGOS Lagos is the largest city and former capital of Nigeria and the largest city in sub-Saharan Africa. 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 Lagos 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. THE NAME LAGOS Lagos means "lakes" in Portuguese, the language of first European-settlers known to visit the settlement,then already inhabited by the Awori people, in 1472. [1] From the first contacts with the region until the early 20th century, another Portuguese name for the city that was interchangeably used was Onim, [2] finally abandonned in favor of Lagos. Prior to Lagos being adopted, the settlement was called Eko by its Kingdom of Benin conquerors, which stems from either Oko (Yoruba: "cassava farm" or Eko ("war camp". Founding of Lagos 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 benefitted - 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. Colonial Lagos as capital of Nigeria The British annexed Lagos as a colony in 1861. The remainder of the Benin Empire - i.e, modern-day Nigeria - were seized by the British in 1887, and when the British established the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria in 1914, Lagos was declared its capital. Lagos maintained its status as capital when Nigeria obtained its independence from Britain in 1960. Lagos was therefore the capital city of Nigeria from 1914 until 1991, when it was replaced as Federal Capital Territory by planned city of Abuja, built specifically for such purpose. Currently Until 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 present-day Lagos. Until the coming of the Benins, 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, meaning "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 literally 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.php 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 Binis themselves were paying taxes to Britain. It was during his reign that the direct influence of the Binis 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, Nigeria where he founded kingdoms that still exist today. Main article: Oba of Lagos 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 Akintoye (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 Main article: Lagos Colony Modern-day Lagos was founded by the Bini 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. Flag of Lagos Colony It was a major centre of the slave trade until 1851, when Great Britain , which had abolished slavery in 1807, bombarded and established a treaty which ushered in the British Consular Period.[4] 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[ citation needed ] POST COLONIAL Lagos street, ca. 1910 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 - 1991 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. In 2012, 163 people died when a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 crashed into a local furniture works and printing press building. SOURCE: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Lagos |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by richol(m): 12:08am On Apr 09, 2015 |
lagos is for good peace loving nigerians...for identity go to badagry nd ask. |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by CHM11: 12:11am On Apr 09, 2015 |
Nice..I didn't see where mallams came into this beautiful history...all I see is south south nigeria and south west and obviously the south east people have history relating to majority of the south south too.... I still don't understand why mallams keep leading us since 1940!!!..they have become masters of 'DIVIDE AND RULE' and we here in the south keep falling into their play like sheep every time.... Kaaaaai...abokis are smart oh 1 Like |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by Nokiae5: 12:34am On Apr 09, 2015 |
guy you read history for school.abi na C&p |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by kolomax(m): 12:40am On Apr 09, 2015 |
Are you fvcking kidding or adulting me OP did you just mention igbo as part of those whom own Lagos Is like saying igbo's are the owner of PH 2 Likes |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by Mcowubaba: 12:46am On Apr 09, 2015 |
Me nd my Family...mbok!!!! |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by Nobody: 12:53am On Apr 09, 2015 |
Those who read history. Should know the relationship between BENIN,lagos and ile ife... I don't know and have not read any igbo history apart of that of the biafra war |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by fishbone11(m): 11:19pm On Apr 10, 2015 |
You can see the binis have a very good contributions to the existence of Lagos as an entity. Even the first king of Lagos was from Benin. Although the first inhabitants of Lagos are the Aworis, but today so many different tribes has occupied Lagos to the extent that the Aworis are not fully recognized. |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by fishbone11(m): 11:23pm On Apr 10, 2015 |
CHM11:Obviously, other tribes especially the Igbos in terms of trade has contributed to the development of today's Lagos not mainly the Yorubas as people are meant to believe |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by fishbone11(m): 11:27pm On Apr 10, 2015 |
kolomax:Did u read the history before concluding? Did anyone said Igbos are the owners of Lagos? we are only trying to clarify the notion of the igbos playing a part to the existence of Lagos today. |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by absoluteSuccess: 5:45pm On Apr 11, 2015 |
fishbone11:No Yoruba person buy goods that 'Igbo and other tribes developping Lagos' have to sell in Lagos, hence Yoruba failed to participate in the development of Lagos. 1 Like |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by Nobody: 3:43pm On Apr 12, 2015 |
The struggle for the ownership of Lagos is real. Smh. |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by macof(m): 9:38pm On Apr 12, 2015 |
fishbone11: just note that Lagos here is the Lagos island not Lagos state Aworis are still important o, don't underestimate landowners..although it's not only Awori found in Lagos state |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by Ghost01(m): 8:03am On Apr 13, 2015 |
Just as there's a difference between Ondo town and Ondo State, there's a difference between Lagos Island (Eko) and Lagos State. And at different times in their history, Akure, Ado-Ekiti, Owo, Ilaje, etc too were under the Benin Empire. 1 Like |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by absoluteSuccess: 2:14pm On Apr 13, 2015 |
Op, thanks for your refurbishment of Awori history of the Island. Now you wont get this on wikipedia: Since Lagos Island was so important to Benin for conquest, tell me a parallel version of this your story that the Awori people keep. Or is it their version that pop up on wikipedia? This should correspond with the Benin version. If you can't, then you are holding to a straw you take for a history. I am a descendant of Oba Ado, I can tell you Ado in Lagos history is a prince of Sango, not a prince of benin. Who was Ado's father in Benin, who was his mother? You people are 'intellectual thieves'. This was the tradition that John Losi, an historian from Lagos recorded, which involves 'Aina Elewure', but now you have it transformed. Why do you love to steal Yoruba story only to use it to enslave Yorubas? What exactly is the grudge with Yoruba that you guys must always be on her heels? There wont have been issues if the Yoruba is not significant to you people. Tell me this is another Ekaledheran/Oduduwa saga, bunch of intellectual robbers. Efrebor, you go wound o |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by macof(m): 1:31am On Sep 04, 2015 |
absoluteSuccess you often speak of being a descendant of Ado. ..are you sure it's the same man of the island? how was he influential in Ota side where you come from? |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by absoluteSuccess: 1:28pm On Sep 04, 2015 |
macof: Ado is the name of the leader of the search party that discovered what is today Aworiland. You can find that in Odu Osa Meji. Osa welewele omi orun... ...adia fun Oba Ado, ejigbara Ileke, Tin lo ree bawon mule ibudo, Won ni ko kaki mole o jare, ebo ni ko se. Ogbo riru ebo o ruu, o gberu atukesu otuu, Ogbo tiharara, ebo ha fun. Olanu koto,orin awo lo bo sii lenu, Ese ti o na, ijo faa. Owa bere sini yin awon awo re, oni, Awa donile, Aoku mo, awa dopitan ile, Awa donile bi Ado, adigba oke, Ale gboingboin. Ado in my place of birth is known as "Onitako" he is the first Olofin Ado, or leader of the settlers from Iseri. He was companion of Oduduwa, known and revered as Alamuwa in Ado scheme of things. Ado is also known at one point in time as Ileh Ife, Ado-Ife, Ado-Amuwa and Ado-Odo. When I say I am a descendant of Ado, I am alluding to the scepter of leadership of Ado among Awori. Also I am from Iga Isolo, Ado, the house is adjoining the palace of Olofin at Ado Odo. That's my birthplace. The Isolo are the keeper of the royal court so to say. Osolo and Bajomu are kin. I once tell a friend I am from Ado, he said 'where in Ado?', I said 'Iga Isolo', he said, 'nope you are not from Ado, you are from Ota', I said 'why, how?', he said 'the Osolo family were from Ota'. I was confused. I know we have primordial link with Ota, but that we are from ota beats me. One day I was studying Ota history, so I found out that the first Olota was Osolo, meanwhile at Ado, it is Osolo that crowns Olofin. He also act as the mouthpiece for Olofin. the friend who told me we are from Ota was connecting this dot for me, his mum was from Isolo (Ado) too. finally, Ado is the one and the same hero, founder of Awori. It is possible to have duplicate upon duplicate names of the same hero, and thus fill the pages of history with variant names of the same man and stretch his existence in sequence across thousands of years, whatever is easy is good, but it is not the best. Now remember what Ifa says of Oba Ado Ejigbara Ileke: this is the praise-phrase in Awori's cognomen, Omo Iwaju Oloko tii sowo, eyin Oloko tii s'ejigbara ileke. Ejigbara ileke is twofold bead across the body, as the Egun people used to wear it, from inception, we have sense of regal, and I can't assume this to be mistake. Awa donile: The Awori regards themselves as 'omo abule sowo', 'omo onile'. Forget about 'land-thugs', this is as old as our hisory. If you look at a line in our Oriki, you find out that the Olokos were on the sea to make money from discovering lovely habour, a commerce inclined oriki. Oba Ado, the mouthpiece of the Oloko was responsible for this line of Oriki. He was the one that claimed that he and his compatriots has become landowners. We took after this lot to become omo onile. Aoku mo: In my town, wori woku is like saying "apc=change" so the saying is "wori woku=orisha Ado" that is the spiritual slogan of "Owun elekule" Elekule simply means "only the weak are scare of death" Elekule are the traditional religious institution of Ado. Wori woku comes from Oba Ado, it is a phrase he coined (and it means wori= focus on discovery, woku=focus on death). Oba Ado may have meant to say he and his team were on the journey that may cause their death or lead to discovery. So he change the notion to "Aokumo" when they now discover the coastland. Oba Ado discovered the Yoruba coast, he was the son of Olukoso. There is one Oba Ado, and the one whose history I am tracking is my ancestor. Lagos did not always have skyscrapers from inception, hence it is not the overall or different from other Awori enclave. |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by macof(m): 6:14pm On Sep 04, 2015 |
I would have suggested that Ese Ifa was talking about Oba of Benin. ..but considering the oriki I have to agree with you You however confused me on this : Ado was companion of Oduduwa. Son of Olukoso. .. he cannot be both And I think the Olota is a son of Osolo rather than being Osolo himself Bottom line is that Ado is a founding father of the Awori..am just trying to connect the dots with the Ado we hear of in the island Btw I've come across claims that Ashipa was from Iseri and not Bini |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by absoluteSuccess: 7:53pm On Sep 04, 2015 |
macof:All you stated are the way it is, my idea of sticking with Yoruba rather than hobnobing with Edo helped me find out more about Ado. You know some sentiments in 19th century makes the Awori believe they came from bini, but the truth is, there was once one big empire that stretch across west africa, the empire went down into splinter city states. Most ideas that was current at the lost empire are what we have in common as a people today. Thats my ulterior believe. |
Re: Who Are The True Lagosians? The Yorubas, Igbos Or The Benins? by Rivertemz: 10:44pm On Sep 04, 2015 |
Yorubas are the reason why lagos exists for everyone PERIOD 4 Likes |
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