Lagos state

History

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).

Past Obas (Kings) of Lagos

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)
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.
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 the capital.

1. Agege Local Government Area

Although created in the year 1954, Agege is one of the lagos local governments areas. It is a local government in Lagos state, in Ikeja division.

Prominent places in Agege local government area include Lagos State University (LASU) campus, and NYSC permanent orientation camp, Iyana – ipaja road, Agege.

2. Ajeromi – Ifelodun

Ajeromi translated in English means ‘I find trading easy’ and ifelodun is translated to mean ‘love is the sweetest’. Ajeromi – ifelodun is one of the local governments in Lagos state.

3. Alimosho

Alimosho, one of the local governments in Lagos state, was created in the year 1945. The egbados are said to dominate this local government area.

Celebrations identified with this area include the Oro (curfew), Egungun (masquerade), and Igunnu festivals which are celebrated every year.

4. Amuwo – Odofin

This is also one of the local governments in Lagos state and is dominated by the aworis.

5. Apapa

Apapa, popularly known as the location of Lagos’s port, is one of the local governments in Lagos state. The kirikiri maximum security prison is also located in this area.

6. Badagry

Badagry is another one of the local governments in Lagos state. History of badagry tells of a European trader, locally known asYovo Huntokonu, who established a trading port around the year 1736; this pioneered the growth of badagri main town as a centre of trade.

7. Epe

Epe is one of the local governments in Lagos state contributing its quota to boosting the economy of the state. It is famous for the exportation of coconuts, fish, firewood, etc from the state to other states in the country.

8. Eti – Osa

Eti – osa has been referred to as the main business and financial centre of Lagos state. It is also known as one of the local governments in Lagos state.

Its sheltering of domestic and international businesses in its area has been reported to be attached to its reputation as the former location of the nation’s capital.

9. Ibeju / Lekki

This is also one of the local governments in Lagos state.

10. Ifako Ijaiye

Ifako – ijaiye is one of the local governments in Lagos state carved out of Agege. History dates its creation to 1st of October, 1996 by General Sani Abacha.

11. Ikeja

Constituency 1

  • Airport/Onipetesi/Inilekere
  • Ipodo/Seriki Aro
  • Ojodu / Agidingbi / Omole
  • Alausa / Oregun / Olusosun
  • Anifowoshe / Ikeja

Constituency 2

  • Onigbongbon
  • Oke Ira/Aguda
  • Adekunle / Adeniyi jones / Ogba
  • Wasimi / Opebi / Allen
  • GRA / Police barracks

12. Ikorodu

Constituency 1

  • Agbala
  • Odogunyan
  • Agura / iponmi
  • Aga / Ijomu
  • Olorunda / Igbala
  • Isele 1
  • Isele 2
  • Isele 3
  • Ipakodo
  • Erikorodo
  • Isiu

Constituency 2

  • Ijede 1
  • Ijede 2
  • Baiyeku / Oreta
  • Imota 1
  • Imota 2
  • Ibeshe
  • Igbogbo 1
  • Igbogbo 2

13. Kosofe

Constituency 1

  • Ojota / Ogudu
  • IIfako
  • Anthony / Mende
  • Oworonshoki

Constituency 2

  • Agboyi 1
  • Agboyi 2
  • Ketu / Alapere
  • Ajegunle
  • Isheri / Olowo – Ira
  • Ketu / Ikosi

14. Lagos Island

Constituency 1

  • Idumota
  • Iduntafa
  • Idumota
  • Olosun
  • Olosun
  • Idumagbo / Oko – Awo
  • Olowogbowo / Elegbata
  • Isale _ Agbede
  • Oluwole
  • Agarawu / Obadina
  • Agarawu / Obadina
  • Ilupesi
  • Oju – Oto / Isale Eko

Constituency 2

  • Epetedo
  • Eiyekole
  • Olushi / Kakawa
  • Olushi / Kakawa
  • Sandgrouse
  • Popo – Aguda
  • Ilubirin / Lafiaji
  • Anikantamo
  • Onikan / Okesuna
  • Oko – Faji

15. Lagos Mainland

Constituency 1

  • Maroko / Ebute – Meta
  • Oko – Baba
  • Otto / Iddo
  • Apapa
  • Glover / Ebutte – Metta
  • Olaleye
  • Oyingbo/Ebutte – Metta

Constituency 2

  • Iwaya
  • Oyadiran / Estate / Abule- Oja
  • Yaba / Igbobi – Sabi
  • Alagomeji

16. Mushin

Constituency 1

  • Babalosa
  • Ilupeju
  • Alakara
  • Kayode / Fadeyi
  • Idi – Oro / Odi – Olowo
  • Olateju
  • Ojuwoye

Constituency 2

  • Itire
  • Ilasamaja
  • Idi –Araba
  • Idi –Araba
  • Mushin / Atewolara
  • Ajao
  • Babalosa / Idi – Araba

17. Ojo

Constituency 1

  • Sabo / Alaba
  • Ajangbadi
  • Ojo
  • Iba
  • Okoko

Constituency 2

  • Irewe
  • Ijanikin
  • Etegbin
  • Idoluwo
  • Taffi
  • Otto / Ilogbo

18. Oshodi – Isolo

Constituency 1

  • Shogunle
  • Alasia / Shogunle
  • Orile – Oshodi
  • Oshodi –Bolade
  • Mafoluku

Constituency 2

  • Oke – Afa / Ejigbo
  • Ajao Estate
  • Ishagatedo
  • Isolo
  • Okota
  • Ilasamaja

19. Shomolu

Constituency 1

  • Folagoro / Bajulaiye / Igbari.
  • Palmgrove/Ijebu – Tedo
  • Igbobi / Fadeyi
  • Alade
  • Onipanu
  • Bajulaiye

Constituency 2

  • Bariga
  • Mafoluku/Pedro
  • Gbagada phase 1/ Obanikoro
  • Gbagada phase 2/ Apelehin
  • Abule Okuta/ Ilaje? Bariga
  • Ilaje / Akoka

20. Surulere

Constituency 1

  • Iponrin Housing estate/Eric Moore
  • Yaba / Ojuelegba
  • Adeniran Ogunsanya
  • Akinhanmi / Cole
  • Shitta / Ogunlana
  • Gbaja / Stadium

Constituency 2

  • Aguda
  • Ikate
  • Ijeshatedo
  • Coker
  • Orile
  • Orile

Acknowledgment

Legit.ng

en.wikipedia.org