THE ORIGIN OF LAGOS
When Nigeria was governed by tribes, the Northern (Hausa), Western (Yoruba), and Eastern (lgbo) regions were claimed as part of the Yoruba Westem region by virtue of its location and Yoruba origin, with reference to its Benin (Edo) royalty as far back as the late 17th century
and the American and Caribbean origins of the descendants of the Ologbowo and the Popo Aguda (Brazilian) returnees of the 1840 course, original Lagosians of the time challenged the Lagos belongs to the West theory and successfully proved the independence of the old Lagos (gede be L’eko wa). This not only stopped the attempt to merge Lagos with West Nigeria but also got Lagos State as one of the first twelve states of Nigeria created in 1967.
Since 1967, cosmopolitan Lagos has moved from being the capital of Nigeria to being a mega city of excellence, which now sets the pace of political, social, and economic development more than it has ever done in the past. This is because the ongin of Lagos has been influenced by not only the (Idejo) chieftaincy, the Benin (Edo) Oba Ado royalty, the civilized and educated Saro (Olowogbowo) and Brazilian (Popo Aguda) returnees of the 1840s, the Tapa (Bida/Nupe), the Black Americans, and the Caribbean (artisans of the early 19th century Lagos). These lots constitute the force that built up Original Lagos (Eko Akoko) before the cessation of the colony of Lagos to the British crown in 1861, long before the creation of the British protectorate of Nigeria in 1914.
The original Lagosians established family compounds and business centres as far back as the early 17th century, e.g. Iga Aromire, Iga Iduganran, and the agboles (compounds) of the four original settlements: Isale Eko, Olowogbowo, Oko Faji, and Popo Aguda. These settlements of Lafiaji, lkoyi, and Ebute Meta, Yaba were added during the colonial days.
By virtue of the above stated, the original Lagos (Eko Akoko) produced Nigeria’s first modern day professionals, such as lawyer Sapara-Williams (1880), Doctor J. K. Randle, Engineer Herbert Macaulay, Journalist Kitoyi Ajasa, Chartered Accountant Akintola Williams, e.t.c., all of them from the early Olowogbowo settlements.
In my own opinion, those who fabricated the very recent theory that Oba Ashipa was a Yoruba from Lsheri instead of a Benin Prince from the Oba of Benin (Edo State) were mischievously and politically motivated to historically confirm the story of politicians of the 1940s who claimed that Lagos belongs to the West, specifically the Yoruba/West of regional Nigeria.
Then Lagos politicians of the Action Group Party controlled Western Nigeria went as far as to claim that some well-known families of Lagos originated from Oyo, Ekiti, Ijebu, Egba, ljesha, etc. in order to qualify them for membership of the Western Nigeria house of assembly or the Nigerian senate. Needless to say, some got their fingers burnt when they were challenged by indigenes of the cities claimed in the 1940s.
Gossip House
