italo:
History of Lagos State


Prior to the Portuguese name of Lagos being adopted, Lagos was originally called Eko, which stems from either Oko (Yoruba: "cassava farm" or Eko ("war camp", by its Bini conquerors. History has it that the Oba of Bini sent various trade expeditions to Ghana where spices were traded and one of his traders complained about the way she was being treated by the Awori's. The Oba of Bini then sent a trade expedition by sea. Ironically, the leader of the expedition arrived in the evening at a time when the people who were predominantly fishermen were either wading into the water or getting into their boats to gather their catch. He declined to engage them further and returned to what is now called Benin City where he reported to the Oba of Bini that they were attacked. This prompted the Oba of Bini to constitute a war expedition led by Ado, a Bini Prince to go to Lagos and demand an explanation. This was over 650 years ago. However, on getting there, they were well received. The people were so enamored with Ado they asked him to stay and lead them. He agreed on the condition that they surrendered their sovereignty to the Oba of Bini to which they agreed. The Oba of Bini was told this and he gave his permission for the expedition to remain. The Oba of Bini later sent some of his chiefs including the Eletu Odibo, Obanikoro and others to assist Ado in the running of Eko. Till 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 and have various classifications. Suffice it to state that those who got their crowns back were the original land owners. These were Olofin's children. Moreover, 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 probably respective settlements about 1400AD. With the fleeing people from the hinterlands most of them scattered again to different places, some to Iro, to Otta, Ado, others to Ebute Metta i.e three landing places - Oyingbo, Iddo 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. The Olofin was said to have 32 children. His own known children are Olumegbon, Aromire, Oloto, Oluwa, Oniru, Onisiwo, Onitoolo, and Elegushi. Ojora, Onikoyi and Mogiso were not his biological children. After the demise of Agbodere, the name Olofin became the name used to remember him while a title of Oloto was given to his seccessor. With one of his sons becoming the Oloto his other children parted ways to what is known as visible settlements in the present day Lagos. Aromire whose name means defeated the river or became the river's friend is likely to be the first to cross being said to have swam across the river. It is possible that his real name is not Aromire but due to the feat he became known as such.

Until the coming of the Bini's, Lagos's geographic boundary was what is known now as Lagos Mainland. Lagos Island, the seat of the Oba of Lagos then consisted of a pepper farm and fishing posts. No one lived there though. 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.[1] Eko was the land area now known as Lagos Island where the king's palace was built. The Palace is called Iga Idunganran which, translated means 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 literarily meaning bottom, but must have been used to indicate downtown (as in Downtown Lagos).

http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/pagelinks.php?p=8

Whoever wrote this history has a problem on correlation and facts, antiquity and hierarchy of events. I will always disagree

[quote]

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.

[b]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.


Lie lie. . I am an archeologist and historian. Traditional facts and excavations shows that the awori were the first settlers in Lagos. The Bini story was an after event. The Bini didn't invade Lagos instead they sought refugee during the war between dahomey and Bini during the reign of Obama ohargbohua. Note that the title oba is used in Benin because it was a tributary to the Old oyo empire. And in the Yoruba custom., no Yoruba Kingdom invades another. Lagos was not a tributary to any Kingdom. The founder of Lagos Ogunfunminire was an oyo prince and Hunter. His coming to settle in Lagos was in search of Bush meat.


I rest my pen.... Proudly Historian