ICYMI: Bini, not Yoruba, are original owners of Lagos – Ajayi-Bembe

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Chief Layi Ajayi-Bembe,

A former President of the Association of Lagos State Indigenes, Chief Layi Ajayi-Bembe, in this interview with BAYO AKINLOYE says the real owners of Lagos are the Bini, not the Yoruba

What is your lineage as a Lagosian?

My grandfather was Ajayi Bembe; the eighth Obanikoro of Lagos – my father was the last of his children. My mother was the first child of Gbajabiamila (of Olowogbowo fame) – of course, of Lagos. When it comes to the ownership of Lagos, it is sad when people talk about Lagos being no man’s land or Lagos being part of Yoruba land – I consider that position to be an abomination. Yes, because of the affinity or geographical location of Lagos, we’re nearer to the South-West (the Yoruba) than to other regions. It should be stated that Lagos has always been independent of the West. When I returned from England, (Chief Obafemi) Awolowo was in prison; before I came back to Nigeria, there had been agitations that Lagos wasn’t part of the West. No doubt that a lot of us speak Yoruba – in my family, we’re Bini. Oba of Lagos (Rilwan Akiolu) was completely right that the early settlers in Lagos were the Awori and the Bini. We’re talking about the Island of Lagos.
Extending it to the east of Lagos, you have Oshodi, the Tapa (from Niger State) were there. And, of course, we knew one another. I don’t understand why some of our brothers in the West think that we can be enslaved by them. In all my years, I have not seen what Afenifere has done for Lagos to inspire me because during the last constitutional conference, they were not talking about Lagos; they were talking about themselves. Don’t forget that the so-called Edo State was part of the West before. But to say Lagos is part of Yoruba land is not fair; it is not charitable. And when kabiyesi now said, Lagos is Bini, not only because we came from Benin, there are signs and relics of Benin all over Isale Eko. And obas (in Lagos) – we don’t call them ‘obas’, we call them ‘eleko’. My grandfather said in 1903 that when there was a dispute of which traditional rulers should wear crowns – my grandfather was at that meeting. Ooni of Ife had to come all the way from Ife to Lagos upon the invitation of Governor (John Hawley) Glover. And the question they asked him (Ooni) was, ‘Who are the obas that should wear crowns?’ He mentioned them – Lagos was not part of the list. We don’t wear crowns in Lagos. I remember, Pa Edegbele – that’s Prof. Edegbele’s father – when he said ‘oba’ is alien to Yoruba land that only the Bini use that title, there was a furore over that. But Edegbele was right. Note that politicians have done a lot of havoc in Yoruba land more than in other regions of the country. Nobody is going to doubt the hegemony of the Sultan of Sokoto in the North. But the Yoruba are fond of creating problems among themselves in Yoruba land. Permit me to digress: look at the recent installation of some kings in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. A governor created 21 kings, for what? Is that what the people need at a time when the masses are hungry, civil servants are owed salaries and basic amenities are not available? It now appears there are more rulers than the ruled.
Source
https://punchng.com/bini-not-yoruba-are-original-owners-of-lagos-ajayi-bembe/

Lagos belongs to me

Yes o.
Lagos is a colony and Fort of Benin Kingdom

E don start. Afonjeezies, time don reach. Break out from your leash and start foaming in the mouth..

When the Bini came, didn't they meet people there?

Old story. Over played, refuted many times. No need to waste time on dead end stories in Nairaland.

Lagos has always been part of bini land, just that we are not noise makers

Come and carry it na..mtchew,bini ko benue ni

MetaPhysical:
Old story. Over played, refuted many times. No need to waste time on dead end stories in Nairaland.

No logical argument was provided to refute this claim. Only some emotional statements from some Yoruba making other sets of claims. Precolonial maps of the region clearly show Lagos as a part of Benin empire. You guys can't refute the truth.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvaiC_djW8o

Aren't the Aworis, a subgroup of the Yorùbá the first settler, hence, the "owner" of Lagos?

Cuddlebugie:
Aren't the Aworis, a subgroup of the Yorùbá the first settler, hence, the "owner" of Lagos?

Do you care to prove that the awori were the first settlers ? Keep in mind that the first written records of Lagos date to the 1400's and the land is noted as being part of Benin empire.

prolog3111:
Do you care to prove that the awori were the first settlers ? Keep in mind that the first written records of Lagos date to the 1400's and the land is noted as being part of Benin empire.

I'd love for you to share your history books with me.
I don't know if this is a deliberate falsification of facts of history to suit a particular narrative or something.
What I do know is that though the history of Lagos is not formed without an account of the interface with the Bini, it is not correct to say that Lagos belongs to the Bini.
From historical account, the original settlers of Lagos were the Awori, the descendants of Olofin. The contact with the Bini occurred in the 18th Century with the conquest of the Iddo – the first settlement of the Olofin, by the Bini warriors and the appointment of a regent known as the Eleko by the then Oba of Benin as the ruler of the island. The first and successive Elekos became the Oba of Lagos, acknowledging the suzerainty and sovereignty of the Oba of Benin and paying tribute to him until sometime in 1850 when payment of tribute was stopped and the Oba of Lagos asserted his independence.
You can check Chief Musliu Anibaba's work ‘The Lagosian of the 20th Century’. It's an historical account of the Awori's interface with the Bini.

Cuddlebugie:


I'd love for you to share your history books with me.
I don't know if this is a deliberate falsification of facts of history to suit a particular narrative or something.
What I do know is that though the history of Lagos is not formed without an account of the interface with the Bini, it is not correct to say that Lagos belongs to the Bini.
From historical account, the original settlers of Lagos were the Awori, the descendants of Olofin. The contact with the Bini occurred in the 18th Century with the conquest of the Iddo – the first settlement of the Olofin, by the Bini warriors and the appointment of a regent known as the Eleko by the then Oba of Benin as the ruler of the island. The first and successive Elekos became the Oba of Lagos, acknowledging the suzerainty and sovereignty of the Oba of Benin and paying tribute to him until sometime in 1850 when payment of tribute was stopped and the Oba of Lagos asserted his independence.
You can check Chief Musliu Anibaba's work ‘The Lagosian of the 20th Century’. It's an historical account of the Awori's interface with the Bini.

The problem with you guys is your lack of intellect. You do not understand the meaning of the term "history". What you keep saying about the awori is a mere story made up by some unknown Yoruba. If you had half a brain tgen you would notice it doesn't even make sense.

You asking me for a history book really shows you are a kid. Although the rest of your speech also exposes you as an ignoramus. I am telling you about documents written by the first litterate people to visit the region. They wrote what they saw and they saw the Oba of Benin reigning over a large empire of which Lagos was a part. These are facts, not stories. Deal with facts, not fairy tales.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvaiC_djW8o

Cuddlebugie:


I'd love for you to share your history books with me.
I don't know if this is a deliberate falsification of facts of history to suit a particular narrative or something.
What I do know is that though the history of Lagos is not formed without an account of the interface with the Bini, it is not correct to say that Lagos belongs to the Bini.
From historical account, the original settlers of Lagos were the Awori, the descendants of Olofin. The contact with the Bini occurred in the 18th Century with the conquest of the Iddo – the first settlement of the Olofin, by the Bini warriors and the appointment of a regent known as the Eleko by the then Oba of Benin as the ruler of the island. The first and successive Elekos became the Oba of Lagos, acknowledging the suzerainty and sovereignty of the Oba of Benin and paying tribute to him until sometime in 1850 when payment of tribute was stopped and the Oba of Lagos asserted his independence.
You can check Chief Musliu Anibaba's work ‘The Lagosian of the 20th Century’. It's an historical account of the Awori's interface with the Bini.

Just ask them what part of Lagos they own. Simple! That will settle it.

We have records of Dosunmu ceeding Lagos in 1861 treaty. The Idejo Chiefs told Beecroft Dosunmu can only ceede his crown and throne, not land.

Hence the crown was forbidden from ever again paying tribute to Benin. It started paying tribute to Queen Victoria and her descendants. Thanks Oba Dosunmu.

On issue of land Britain left it for the owners. Chief Amodu Oluwa even sued the Governor General of the Colony and got a victory in the Privy Council in England when the colonials claimed Apapa belonged to them. By extension the victory covered all lands held by children of Olofin as rightful owners. Its on record that the throne of Lagos does not own a single land beside that on which the palace sits. So what does Benin own in Lagos and where? It doesnt even have right of ownership on the throne any longer, not since 1861.

These histories are in record....not some frivolous cooked up stories that lacked fact and authenticity.

MetaPhysical:


Just ask them what part of Lagos they own. Simple! That will settle it.

We have records of Dosunmu ceeding Lagos in 1861 treaty. The Idejo Chiefs told Beecroft Dosunmu can only ceede his crown and throne, not land.

Hence the crown was forbidden from ever again paying tribute to Benin. It started paying tribute to Queen Victoria and her descendants. Thanks Oba Dosunmu.

On issue of land Britain left it for the owners. Chief Amodu Oluwa even sued the Governor General of the Colony and got a victory in the Privy Council in England when the colonials claimed Apapa belonged to them. By extension the victory covered all lands held by children of Olofin as rightful owners. Its on record that the throne of Lagos does not own a single land beside that on which the palace sits. So what does Benin own in Lagos and where? It doesnt even have right of ownership on the throne any longer, not since 1861.

These histories are in record....not some frivolous cooked up stories that lacked fact and authenticity.

You guys are delusional.

Sometimes I wonder if Bini mouths, especially the non-Yoruba among them trying to drive out their Oba back to Ife; do not bleed.

For now, they will look for support anywhere to lay a false claims to a land they never had beyond Iga. It is surrounded by Awori compounds right there in Isaleko.

The same Ajayi Bembe told them about Awori but included Bini that they never knew in Lagos until they became the conquered of Yoruba Oba.

Apart from the victory of Oluwa Tijani that reclaimed every inch of land for Africans from the British, not only in Lagos. Ikoyi was recently reclaimed from the Federal Government.

Where were Yoruba slaves we named Bini in these land-s reclaimed in Lagos from the British and Federal Government?

It's a good thing, Bembe reminded them that the whole of Edo itself was part of Yoruba land (the WEST).

MetaPhysical:


Just ask them what part of Lagos they own. Simple! That will settle it.

We have records of Dosunmu ceeding Lagos in 1861 treaty. The Idejo Chiefs told Beecroft Dosunmu can only ceede his crown and throne, not land.

Hence the crown was forbidden from ever again paying tribute to Benin. It started paying tribute to Queen Victoria and her descendants. Thanks Oba Dosunmu.

On issue of land Britain left it for the owners. Chief Amodu Oluwa even sued the Governor General of the Colony and got a victory in the Privy Council in England when the colonials claimed Apapa belonged to them. By extension the victory covered all lands held by children of Olofin as rightful owners. Its on record that the throne of Lagos does not own a single land beside that on which the palace sits. So what does Benin own in Lagos and where? It doesnt even have right of ownership on the throne any longer, not since 1861.

These histories are in record....not some frivolous cooked up stories that lacked fact and authenticity.

googi:
Sometimes I wonder if Bini mouths, especially the non-Yoruba among them trying to drive out their Oba back to Ife; do not bleed.

For now, they will look for support anywhere to lay a false claims to a land they never had beyond Iga. It is surrounded by Awori compounds right there in Isaleko.

The same Ajayi Bembe told them about Awori but included Bini that they never knew in Lagos until they became the conquered of Yoruba Oba.

Apart from the victory of Oluwa Tijani that reclaimed every inch of land for Africans from the British, not only in Lagos. Ikoyi was recently reclaimed from the Federal Government.

Where were Yoruba slaves we named Bini in these land-s reclaimed in Lagos from the British and Federal Government?

It's a good thing, Bembe reminded them that the whole of Edo itself was part of Yoruba land (the WEST).

too much delusion has made you guys completely crazy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvaiC_djW8o

prolog3111:
too much delusion has made you guys completely crazy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvaiC_djW8o

Igodomigodo people self are sky people (witches that own no land), the less than 7 LGAs land Binis are occupying now is own by Oru, Yorubas, etc. even the land deities are Yorubas'.

They would just come online and shout 'Bini owns Lagos'. where exactly do you own in Lagos? Not even few plots of Iga palace not to talk about island LGA or the entire State that has Awori, Ijebu, Egun, etc rulers!

lx3as:



Igodomigodo people self are sky people (witches that own no land), the less than 7 LGAs land Binis are occupying now is own by Oru, Yorubas, etc. even the land deities are Yorubas'.

They would just come online and shout 'Bini owns Lagos'. where exactly do you own in Lagos? Not even few plots of Iga palace not to talk about island LGA or the entire State that has Awori, Ijebu, Egun, etc rulers!

Saying rubbish is all you Yoruba do. Truth is your worst enemy and you always try to kill it. But truth must always come out.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvaiC_djW8o

Lagos belongs to the family of the Baratheon and it has been inherited by his offspring Jamie Baratheon of the clan.

Even a glorified village like bini is laying claim to Lagos

Emilokoiyawon:
Lagos belongs to the family of the Baratheon and it has been inherited by his offspring Jamie Baratheon of the clan.

Even a glorified village like bini is laying claim to Lagos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvaiC_djW8o

Emilokoiyawon:
Lagos belongs to the family of the Baratheon and it has been inherited by his offspring Jamie Baratheon of the clan.

Even a glorified village like bini is laying claim to Lagos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvaiC_djW8o

precolonial maps of Benin Kingdom:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b77595185.r=Benin?rk=21459;2

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b7759521n.r=Benin?rk=21459;2

An other map of Benin made in the 17th century once again:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b530530714.r=Benin?rk=214593;2

An other map of Benin from the 17th century:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8595583b.r=Benin?rk=193134;0

This one date to the 19th century:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b8469390z/f1.item



The only thing which is laughable is your lack of intellect and knowledge.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp8flCwvoAU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh2Tac1gNPU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ph2D--ZeHQ


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IlUMUGUorw

The problem with many Yoruba imbeciles is that you guys are ethnocentric and you confuse your ethnocentric feelings of superiority with actual facts. You were raised with stories fabricated by your elders, these stories placed your people at the centre, but in reality, you are nothing but a vassal people who's origins lay between Benin Kingdom, Oyo kingdom, Dahomey and Brazil. The story about ife is just one of those fabricated Yoruba tales. Long before colonisation, literate people had already been visiting the region. And they recorded what they saw. Their notes are available for all to see. That is why your lies will never work.

You are just like a broken record repeating your fantasies.

Why depend so much on the story of Oba of Lagos whose generational father was Alagba from Ilesha that married the last survival daughter of Ashipa, the first king of Lagos that married a daughter of Oba of Bini, a Yoruba from Ife?

Ashipa an Awori married the daughter of Oba Bini from Ife as a compromise crown king of Lagos after returning a fallen invader to Bini.

So, no matter what, Bini ruling class remains Yoruba any day. The story Oba of Lagos was telling you referred to the generational mother, daughter of Oba Bini a Yoruba from Ife that married the daughter of Edo.

Stop masturbating by repeating your fantasies.

prolog3111:
The problem with many Yoruba imbeciles is that you guys are ethnocentric and you confuse your ethnocentric feelings of superiority with actual facts. You were raised with stories fabricated by your elders, these stories placed your people at the centre, but in reality, you are nothing but a vassal people who's origins lay between Benin Kingdom, Oyo kingdom, Dahomey and Brazil. The story about ife is just one of those fabricated Yoruba tales. Long before colonisation, literate people had already been visiting the region. And they recorded what they saw. Their notes are available for all to see. That is why your lies will never work.

googi:
You are just like a broken record repeating your fantasies.

Why depend so much on the story of Oba of Lagos whose generational father was Alagba from Ilesha that married the last survival daughter of Ashipa, the first king of Lagos that married a daughter of Oba of Bini, a Yoruba from Ife?

Ashipa an Awori married the daughter of Oba Bini from Ife as a compromise crown king of Lagos after returning a fallen invader to Bini.

So, no matter what, Bini ruling class remains Yoruba any day. The story Oba of Lagos was telling you referred to the generational mother, daughter of Oba Bini a Yoruba from Ife that married the daughter of Edo.

Stop masturbating by repeating your fantasies.

Do lagos have a king before benin came if no that means benin originated lagos. fact a fully develop town, always have a ruler, the first time your place start having a ruler is the first time it start being a community, a village a trib a city a nation a country an empire. so what am saying is that lagos was just a street until benin came, benin originate that state you called lagos today and it fact.

goalernestman:


Do lagos have a king before benin came if no that means benin originated lagos. fact a fully develop town, always have a ruler, the first time your place start having a ruler is the first time it start being a community, a village a trib a city a nation a country an empire. so what am saying is that lagos was just a street until benin came, benin originate that state you called lagos today and it fact.

There are many Kings in Lagos with many towns and villages.

baby124:

There are many Kings in Lagos with many towns and villages.

Baby,

Sometimes one has to wonder who we are discussing this with. Imagine that they think Lagos only has one Oba, that Iga is a city or Oba Bini was Ogiso.

I am waiting for the day, the Ogiso will be bold enough to chose an Oba without Yoruba blood and name.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDzU7Ega2R8