₦airaland Forum

BENIN FOUNDED EKO LAGOS, NOTHING FROM THE BEGINNING SUGGESTED THAT AWORI WERE YORUBA BY IDENTITY.
By Dr. Paul Osa Igbi

Why Lagos does not belong to Yorubas – Oba Akiolu Published on May 3, 2017 By Seun Opejobii

The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has claimed that Lagos State is not part of Yoruba land.

Akiolu’s statement is coming barely a week after he publicly humiliated the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi at an event.

In a statement from Akiolu’s palace, the monarch traced the historical background of the state and why it should not be regarded as part of Yoruba land.

The statement reads: “Coming from the palace, with what I was told by my late paternal grandmother who is a descendant of Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi and also reading from factual Historical books, let me share this Knowledge with you all on Eko/Lagos.

“Modern day Lagos was founded by Prince Ado, the son of the Oba of Benin, Prince Ado was the first Oba of Lagos, the son of the Bini King, Prince Ado, named the town Eko until the Portuguese explorer Ruy de Segueira changed the Maritime town to Lagos, which at that time from 1942 was Portuguese expedition center down the African Coast.

“It was a major centre of the slave trade until 1851. 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 when the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria was established in 1914 Lagos was declared its capital due to the struggle of the Bini King.

“Lagos experienced growth prior to the British Colonial rule and even more rapid growth during the Colonial rule throughout the 1960s, 70s, continued through the 80s and 90s till date. Thanks to the Awori’s, Bini’s, Yoruba’s, migrants across the nation and world at large, as no particular group of people can take the glory alone.

“Lagos is made up of Lagoons and creeks. The Lagos lagoon, Lagos Harbour, five cowne creeks, Ebute-Metta creeks, Porto-Novo creeks, New canal, Badagry creeks, Kuramo waters and Light house creeks.

“The Awori’s and Bini’s are known to be the first settlers of the Eko land. The Awori’s are speakers of a distinct dialect (Olukumi) close to that of the generative Yoruba language with a rich Bini mixture. Traditionally, Awori’s were found in Ile-Ife, they were known to be the Bini’s who followed their self-exiled Prince, the first son of the Ogiso (now called Oba) of Benin Kingdom, whose step-mother was after his head.

“The exiled Benin Prince Izoduwa known to the Yorubas as Ooduwa (Oduduwa) was made ruler of the Ife people due to his powers and followers from the Great Benin-Kingdom.

“Izoduwa (Ooduwa) was made the first King of Ile-Ife in 1230 AD. His followers from his father’s Kingdom in Benin are the today’s Awori people who settled in Eko now called Lagos.

“In the 1300, the King of Benin-Empire heard from one of his traders who was a settler in Eko on how the Bini’s were treated by the Awori’s who lived in their area. Upon hearing this, the King of Benin commanded the assembling of a war expedition, led by his son, Prince Ado, which headed the settlement of the Awori’s and demanded explanation.

“On arriving Eko, Prince Ado and his Army were more than received. The Aworis asked the Bini Prince to stay and become their leader. Ado agreed on the condition that they surrender their sovereignty to the Oba of Benin, to which the people agreed. Hearing this, the King of Benin gave his permission for Prince Ado and the expedition to remain in Eko.

“The Oba of Benin sent some of his chiefs including the Eletu, Odibo, Obanikoro and others to assist his son, Oba Ado in the running of Eko.

“From the crowing of Prince Ado as the first Oba of Lagos (then called Eko), Lagos served as a major center for slave trade from which the Aworis, the Oba of Benin and his son the Oba of Lagos and all the children/descendants who took over as his successors for over four centuries supported the trade.

“The Oba of Benin was the head of the Benin Empire which are the present day Western, Southern and Eastern modern day Nigeria. The King never obliged anyone to speak the Bini language as he believed everyone was entitled to their own choice of language.

“The name Eko was given to it by the first king of Lagos, Oba Ado, the young and vibrant Prince from Benin. Eko was the land now known as Lagos Island, where the king palace was built.

“The palace is called Idugaran meaning “palace built on pepper farm” Oba Ado and the warriors from Benin together with the early Bini’s settlers in Eko and the Awori people settled in the southern part of Eko called “Isale Eko”. “Isale literally means bottom “. Must have been used to indicate downtown (as in down town Lagos)

“Until the coming in of the Benin’s 1300AD , Lagos geographical boundary was Lagos mainland, Lagos Island, the seat of the Oba of Lagos then consisted of a pepper farm and fishing post. No one was living there.

“About 1450 AD some Yorubas who hailed from Isheri in Ogun-state and Ekiti were allowed by the King to settle in Eko during a war, they came in a very large numbers thereby surpassing the numbers of the Awori’s and Bini’s. (Hence Yorubas claim to own Eko due to their numbers).

“Oba Ado fell in love with a beautiful woman whose father was Awori and mother a daughter to one of the chief; they had two sons and also a daughter Erelu Kuti, who begot Ologun Kutere who later became King.”

Awori were never known as Yoruba at their time of meeting with the Benin in Eko Lagos. The Benin were referred to as the Eko tribe.

When the first census was taken in Lagos nothing ever suggested that anything Yoruba to be everybody in Lagos.

Nowadays, faked Yoruba historians are not different from the stooges of the Colonial Masters implementing the British template of subjugation over Benin.

Fabricated history is the trade of modern Yoruba historians. The Benins are not surprised because Yoruba would never give credit to the Benin, because they are serving the interest of the British and nothing more by their superiority complex of their intelligent dishonesty.

The ethnic Eko tribe were the Benin. They were greater in number than the Awori and others who were later later called Yoruba. Yet Oyo and others were not Yoruba in 1891.

According to both oral Edo and Awori history, the territory known today as Lagos (Eko) was founded by the Great Benin Kingdom during the reign of Oba Orhogbua in the 16th century. The name Eko, meaning “war camp” in the Edo language, was given to the island by Oba Orhogbua himself, who established it as a military base during his westward naval expeditions that stretched to Dahomey (present-day Port Novo).

Prior to the colonial creation of the term “Yoruba” in the 19th century, the Awori were a distinct group with strong Benin royal connections. Oral history holds that the Awori migrated from Ile-Ife, but their roots can be traced even further back to Ubini (Benin). They were among the followers of Prince Ekaladerhan (later deified as Oduduwa), the exiled son of Ogiso Owodo, the last ruler of the Ogiso dynasty of Benin.

When the Awori migrated from Ife after internal conflicts, they moved under the leadership of Olofin Olufunminire and settled first at Isheri. There, a mystical incident involving a floating or disappearing bowl earned them the name “Awori” meaning “the ones who floated/sank.” From there, they journeyed southward and eventually reached the Lagos Island.

Upon arrival, the Awori found signs of prior occupation food wrapping leaves floating on the lagoon. Upon investigating, they discovered that the Benin army under Oba Orhogbua had already established a base on the island. This reinforced the claim that Eko (Lagos) was a Benin outpost and not an unclaimed land.

Historically, the Awori acknowledged Benin sovereignty over the territory and paid Isakole (royalty or tribute) to the Oba of Benin, which is documented up until the colonial period. This act confirms the authority of the Benin monarchy over Lagos prior to British interference and subsequent political restructuring.

Before the 1800s, there was no unified Yoruba identity as it is known today. The Awori spoke a mixture of Benin (Edo) and Olukumi, not the standardized Yoruba language we know today. The term “Yoruba” was coined and popularized in the 19th century by Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther to create a common language for missionary and colonial purposes. This language eventually absorbed various dialects Awori, Ijebu, Oyo, Egba, and others forming the modern Yoruba linguistic identity.

It is important to note that the Egba were among the last groups to accept the “Yoruba” identity, and this was mostly for political convenience, not historical or ethnic lineage. Early colonial censuses even listed the Awori separately from the Yoruba until recent homogenization efforts.

The name “Benin” is a Portuguese adaptation of the Edo name “Ubini”, which was institutionalized by Oba Ewedo, the fifth Oba of the Benin dynasty. He renamed the kingdom from its older names (like Igodomigodo and Ile Idu) to Ubini, following his victory over Chief Ogiamien and relocation of the royal palace from Usama to Ogbe, near the ancient gateway of Utantan. Over time, Ubini became colloquially pronounced as Bini, and eventually recorded by Europeans as Benin.

By the 2006 Palace Memo, the use of “Bini” has been officially phased out in favor of the historically and internationally recognized “Benin”, reaffirming its imperial identity.

The misconception between “Ibinu” (said to be coined by Oranmiyan in an Olukumi dialect) and “Ubini” stems from linguistic confusion or misrepresentation. According to Edo historian Jacob Egharevba (1968, p. 10), it was Oba Ewedo who formalized the name Ubini, not Oranmiyan. In fact, Oranmiyan never ruled Benin as a crowned Oba, and he eventually left, leaving behind his son Eweka I, the founder of the current Oba dynasty.

The long-standing myth that Obas of Benin are descendants of Oduduwa is a historical inversion. Edo oral tradition and documented history affirm that Oduduwa (Ekaladerhan) was a Benin prince, not the ancestor of Benin royalty. His departure from Ubini and rise in Ile-Ife happened after the Ogiso dynasty, not before. Therefore, the connection is Benin to Ife, not Ife to Benin.

This is Oral traditional accounts passed down from generations to generations Not manipulated Nigeria-Colonial history for their political interest

Eko (Lagos Island) was founded by Benin’s Oba Orhogbua as a military base.
The Awori were part of a Benin-Ife migratory group, who later settled in Lagos and paid tribute to the Benin monarchy.

The modern term “Yoruba” is a 19th-century colonial invention, not a precolonial ethnic or political identity.

The name “Benin” originates from Ubini, formalized by Oba Ewedo, not from Oranmiyan’s dialect.

Oduduwa was a Benin prince, not an ancestor of Benin kings.

So much controversies about the origin and Yorubanization or otherwise of Lagos.

All this people go just dey Yan nonsense. So what do we gain from your saying Yoruba are not the originators, okay na Benin people as you said. Mr Akinolu why you dey hear Yoruba name like some of your people in Benin. Even Edo is not Benin and Benin is not Edo. Even the Eko you are claiming is just a fraction of Lagos. Abeg go and sit down for one side

Lagos is Yorubaland 100%

Lagos is a state, not a single local Government. This your submission is so deficience. The Oba of Lagos knows that the Land belongs to the eleven idejo's white cap chiefs and the first person that got to isale Eko is Aromire who swim from Ido in Ebute metta to the present isale Eko.

At least 8 yoruba clans have Ancient Ancestral Territories in lagos State
Complete with their own Traditional Rulers
Awori with the most population,Ijebu , Ilaje,Egba,Egbado,oyo,Owu,ketu,, and in Badagry the Egun.

Every one of them arrived long before Gbadebo Rhodes ex-Enslaved returnee Ancestors

If we tell them a little of the History of yoruba lagos if they have Conscience they will Shut up and beg for Forgiveness

There were Yorubas in lagos long before Oduduwa was born

When 1st ijesha king was sent to moba, lagos to fetch Oduduwa sea Water in 10th Century
,he met 5th ijebu king on Throne!! Yes
1,2,3,4,5th ijebu king in the 10th Century O !!!

Lekki in lagos is Ijebuland!!!!
And Moba is right next to Lekki !!

The ijebu king gave him the guides to take him to moba
after he had previously lost his way to moba at Okun Ajah all in today’s lagos !!
Moba itself had had more than 10 kings already ( In the 10 th Century 0!!)

The Igbore clan of the Egba also has moba Ancestors who were still living on
lagos Lagoon until the early 18th Century when power drunk Af0nja at Ilorin created big big problems
For entire Yorubaland that sent everyone fleeing to the Mountains and to the Rocks for Refuge
That was how they ended up in Abeokuta

The deity that Traditional Worshippers call Olokun was a pre 10th Century King of Moba called Seniade

The first ijesha king spent 2 months at moba near ikoyi lagos
The Otun Ekiti are descended from the moba people of lagos
and Oore Otun Ekiti is directly descended from the moba kings

That is why the ijesha Kings till today have the Title “Owa Obokun” ( He came back after fetching Sea Water)

That Sea Water was fetched at Moba on the Lekki Peninsula and was carried
to Oduduwa at Ile Ife
Yes!!!

Don’t drag people’s God given Ancient Ancestral Heritage it is offensive
Even God Almighty will fight you back

The only point I picked was Slave Trade.

Truly, the Europeans did us dirty and they are still here today with no consequences for their actions.

Lagos is a no man's land.
Lagos was founded & built by the European slave traders which later became the capital of Nigeria & was developed with Nigerian resources long ago when one man whom they claim built Lagos was still selling CoCo in the streets of Ch!c@g⁰ as a teenager.

Period!!

Interesting! So why is it that the Aworis own most of the land and the Oba is limited to the Island?

Other parts of the State are mostly originally owned by Eguns and Ijebus. Badagry, Ikorodu, Epe etc

Even the name Ikoyi is core Yoruba. Ikoyi towns still exist in Oyo/Osun. The Ikoyi people were the calvary warriors known as esho that worked with the Alaafin.

By the way, Olukumi is an original name for Yorubas. They're known as Lucumi in South America where some ended up as slaves. Some reside in Delta State today having migrated during the wars.
Olukumi means my friend.

This historical fiction should be discarded because even the old palace of Lagos was situated around present day Ido... Kingship has been widely in existence before the invasion... Lagos is purely Yorubaland

kingbee90:
Lagos is a no man's land.
Lagos was founded & built by the European slave traders which later became the capital of Nigeria & was developed with Nigerian resources long ago when one man whom they claim built Lagos was still selling CoCo in the streets of Ch!c@g⁰ as a teenager.

Period!!

Illiterate..

So, when the European arrived, it was an empty land right? They didn’t meet the natives living there already ?

Anyways, when it’s time to go home, everybody go remember hin papa house..

Islander23:
This historical fiction should be discarded because even the old palace of Lagos was situated around present day Ido... Kingship has been widely in existence before the invasion... Lagos is purely Yorubaland

There was no invasion. Lagos island started as a venture to export palm oil. The land was granted by the Awori and the investors were the Ijesa and the Benin. They were to produce two foremen each but the Ijesa gave their slot to the Portuguese. The Benin produced the supervisor that became the King. The priest that sanctified and established the town was Ijesa. When the first King died, they made the son of the Ijesa priest the king. That was Ologunkutere. However the Benin that came to Lagos were Yoruba speaking Benin unlike now that the Benin no longer speak Yoruba.

lawani:
There was no invasion. Lagos island started as a venture to export palm oil. The land was granted by the Awori and the investors were the Ijesa and the Benin. They were to produce two foremen each but the Ijesa gave their slot to the Portuguese. The Benin produced the supervisor that became the King. The priest that sanctified and established the town was Ijesa. When the first King died, they made the son of the Ijesa priest the king. That was Ologunkutere. However the Benin that came to Lagos were Yoruba speaking Benin unlike now that the Benin no longer speak Yoruba.

Why was the palace moved to the present location from Ido

PulaPower:
Illiterate..

So, when the European arrived, it was an empty land right? They didn’t meet the natives living there already ?

Anyways, when it’s time to go home, everybody go remember hin papa house..

And you sef will go back to Okitipupa, Oshogbo, Iwo or wherever the hell you come from.

Story time.

Christistruth03:



At least 8 yoruba clans have Ancient Ancestral Territories in lagos State
Complete with their own Traditional Rulers
Awori with the most population,Ijebu , Ilaje,Egba,Egbado,oyo,Owu,ketu,, and in Badagry the Egun.

Every one of them arrived long before Gbadebo Rhodes ex-Enslaved returnee Ancestors

If we tell them a little of the History of yoruba lagos if they have Conscience they will Shut up and beg for Forgiveness

There were Yorubas in lagos long before Oduduwa was born

When 1st ijesha king was sent to moba, lagos to fetch Oduduwa sea Water in 10th Century
,he met 5th ijebu king on Throne!! Yes
1,2,3,4,5th ijebu king in the 10th Century O !!!

Lekki in lagos is Ijebuland!!!!
And Moba is right next to Lekki !!

The ijebu king gave him the guides to take him to moba
after he had previously lost his way to moba at Okun Ajah all in today’s lagos !!
Moba itself had had more than 10 kings already ( In the 10 th Century 0!!)

The Igbore clan of the Egba also has moba Ancestors who were still living on
lagos Lagoon until the early 18th Century when power drunk Af0nja at Ilorin created big big problems
For entire Yorubaland that sent everyone fleeing to the Mountains and to the Rocks for Refuge
That was how they ended up in Abeokuta

The deity that Traditional Worshippers call Olokun was a pre 10th Century King of Moba called Seniade

The first ijesha king spent 2 months at moba near ikoyi lagos
The Otun Ekiti are descended from the moba people of lagos
and Oore Otun Ekiti is directly descended from the moba kings

That is why the ijesha Kings till today have the Title “Owa Obokun” ( He came back after fetching Sea Water)

That Sea Water was fetched at Moba on the Lekki Peninsula and was carried
to Oduduwa at Ile Ife
Yes!!!

Don’t drag people’s God given Ancient Ancestral Heritage it is offensive
Even God Almighty will fight you back

The word “Yoruba” originated from the Fulani word Yoruba in the 16th century. Yoruba was used to refer to the people of Oyo by the Fulanis.

Oduduwa myth was before 16th century and Oduduwa was father to the very first Alaafin who lords over Oyo town.

Lagos State comprises 5 divisions
Lagos

Badagry


Ikeja


Ikorodu

The domain of the Oba of Lagos is WITHIN the LAGOS division

Epe
Ikorodu are Ijebu domains
Badagry is mainly Egun


Oba of Lagos is not Oba of Lagos State

You mean the falling President ?

kingbee90:
Lagos is a no man's land.
Lagos was founded & built by the European slave traders which later became the capital of Nigeria & was developed with Nigerian resources long ago when one man whom they claim built Lagos was still selling CoCo in the streets of Ch!c@g⁰ as a teenager.

Period!!

Lagos belongs to the CALABARS, that’s why they are doing the coastal highway

What a pile of Garbage

By the way OP has a very long record of posting the most ridiculous nonsense on Nairaland... y'all just check out his post/topic history

lawani:
There was no invasion. Lagos island started as a venture to export palm oil. The land was granted by the Awori and the investors were the Ijesa and the Benin. They were to produce two foremen each but the Ijesa gave their slot to the Portuguese. The Benin produced the supervisor that became the King. The priest that sanctified and established the town was Ijesa. When the first King died, they made the son of the Ijesa priest the king. That was Ologunkutere. However the Benin that came to Lagos were Yoruba speaking Benin unlike now that the Benin no longer speak Yoruba.

Dude, palm oil did not become an item of trans-Atlantic trade until the late nineteenth century

Sheuns:
The word “Yoruba” originated from the Fulani word Yoruba in the 16th century. Yoruba was used to refer to the people of Oyo by the Fulanis.

Oduduwa myth was before 16th century and Oduduwa was father to the very first Alaafin who lords over Oyo town.

Those called Yoruba Today were called Ife diaspora ( Otu Ife) before.
It is the same people
They are still called Ifes in Togo
Oduduwa was not a Myth, his grave is in Ile Ife
Oduduwa is the Father of most of the Yoruba Kings including Alaafin and Ooni

Jamie248:
Dude, palm oil did not become an item of trans-Atlantic trade until the late nineteenth century

Palm oil was known in Europe from the 15th century. It became highly sought after for industries from around 1807

https://dialogue.earth/en/food/red-gold-a-history-of-palm-oil-in-west-africa/0

Islander23:
Why was the palace moved to the present location from Ido

I have no idea

Sheuns:
The word “Yoruba” originated from the Fulani word Yoruba in the 16th century. Yoruba was used to refer to the people of Oyo by the Fulanis.

Oduduwa myth was before 16th century and Oduduwa was father to the very first Alaafin who lords over Oyo town.

There were literally no settled Fulani in the sixteenth century at least in the Nigerian area. Yoruba as a word came from the Songhai empire who learnt the word from Muslims and the word was originally Europa before it was corrupted to Yoruba. It used to mean people who were civilized without submitting to Islam. Europe was Christian yet civilized. The word originally meant west in the original Phoenician to refer to Europe. The Muslims got the word from Phoenicia originally. In west Africa, it meant people to the South who wouldn't submit to islam

lawani:
I have no idea

it was simply because of Benin empire invasion albeit did you know the present day "Eyin Igbeti"?

Islander23:
it was simply because of Benin empire invasion albeit did you know the present day "Eyin Igbeti"?

What is the name of the war? During the reign of which King? Remember also that invading Lagos island from Benin would not have been a small undertaking. They will need to come through the sea. If there was war, the locals would have had it in their history. Any confrontation with the local Aworis would have seen Lagos island swept into the sea

Some people just want to Kpai over Lagos.
Lagos is Yorubaland