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 close to that
of the 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
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