The History of Lagos and its Kingship.

Lagos or Eko is one of Yoruba cities with a fascinating history, a city of multiple events, some that happened long time ago; a few, which occurred concurrently or simultaneously at a point, but providence, wove into a single account that birthed-LAGOS many centuries ago.

Lagos-a city with dual personality-similar to California in terms of entertainment and technology; and New York, a multi-national state, commerce, trade, finance, and diplomatic center of Nigeria, and Africa.

Indubitably, Lagos has come a long way. Lagos traversed through thick and thin for centuries, Lagos went through a long journey on rough road, curvy surface, narrow edge, cliff, on turbulent sea, dark sky cloud, hazy morning, violent afternoon and unpredictable evening.

Journey accompanied with joy, pain, disappointments, breakthrough, success, and setback; interestingly enough, these developments worked in its favor-as it defeated all odds-to become today’s Rome or Athens, may be, yesterday Constantinople, the gateway to Eastern Roman Empire.

Although, Lagos is the smallest by land size in Nigeria, but same Lagos is the richest-a city-state-sitting on $136 billion GDP, more than a third of Nigeria’s gross domestic product, bigger than Angola ($124 billion); Morocco ($109 billion); Ethiopia ($80 billion); Kenya ($79 billion). With the exception of South Africa, Egypt, and Algeria, Lagos by all standards, has potential to make it equal world-leading economies in the west or east.

History of Lagos:

Two different events that happened at different times surprisingly converged to create Lagos.

Centuries ago, Olofin Ogunfunminire-one of the children of Oduduwa, the progenitor of Yoruba race left Ile-Ife with a Symbolic Bowl or (Awo).

Instruction to the bearer or carrier of this bowl was, wherever-the bowl went under or sank-would be the new home or abode of Olofin Ogunfunminire, family, and followers. History or account-both written and unwritten, say the journey took almost two hundred day with multiple stops or disappearances and subsequent appearances.

At a particular spot, this bowl disappeared for days-Ogunfunminire and his followers thought, they had reached destination; suddenly, the bowl appeared again, distraught, fraught, and agitation ensued among the people.

The journey continued; however, some individuals among journey makers refused to move on, but decided to stay at this location-giving birth to “Isheri”; the contraction of “Ise ri,” that’s (where accompanied/supporting objects with Bowl sank). From oral and written history, Isheri was born, and for centuries Isheri continue to thrive.

History says-Ogunfunminire, family members, and a large follower continued with their journey, few days after, the symbolic bowl sank. The Proclamation “AWO TI RI,” (“The Symbolic Bowl had Sunk”) created excitement and ebullience among the crowd; the unexplainable disappearance of emblematic bowl gave birth to a subgroup now known as “AWORI.”

Awori people is a sub-group among Yoruba, who are the owners of Lagos, or better put, the aborigines of Lagos.

From Iddo on Lagos Island, life started, which would soon spread to other places under the rulership of Olofin Ogunfunminire and his children.

Life in the new settlement progressed considerably as Olofin Ogunfunminire became both the spiritual and political head of the new society.

Prosperity abounded, IDDO-became the traditional homeland of Awori, from where Olofin ruled and reigned.

Many communities or settlements within and around Iddo burgeoned; about thirty-two clans mushroomed, headed by Ogunfunminire’s children and some non-biological children. Over the years, the heads of these communities formed “The IDEJO FAMILY”; the owners of Lagos land, who are also Lagos White Cap Chiefs to this day.

The Idejo members as of today are:

• Olumegbon

• Aromire

• Oloto

• Oluwa

• Oniru

• Onisowo

• Elughushi

• Ojora

• Onikoyi

Over the centuries, Idejo family had changed in number and composition, metamorphosed, witnessed several developments from Benin’s occupation to Portuguese’ visit in 1470, to evolution and institution of Oba of Lagos, annexation of Lagos, Lagos Colony, Lagos dynamics in the evolution of Nigeria, colonial days, march to independence, eighty-year as political capital, and Lagos as of today.

Benin’s Occupation, Dynamics and Evolution of Lagos:

Benin people may and will continue to lay claim on Lagos, but Benin will never deny they did not meet aborigines; and if that was the case then, it means Lagos is someone else territory; a people either for a long time in history or a reasonable period had been on this land space before Benin relationship began.

However, by mid-16th century-the history of this land space changed forever; it adopted a new name “Eko,” which means “Our Farm” in Benin’s language or dialect.

Lagos’ political institution changed as it came under the suzerainty of Oba of Benin; its social system changed, as it became a culture center for peoples of different background that would soon make Eko their permanent home.

In The Beginning:

History says, Aworis treated certain Benin people on a trade mission to Ghana to seek spices badly on their way back home. This report troubled Oba of Benin, who decided to punish Aworis for their bad behavior. A prince from the royal court, Prince Ado led the military expedition, rather than repelling Benin’s attack, Awori people warmly received Benin. This singly act established many years of cultural and political relationship between Awori and Benin people.

Prince Ado, became Oba of Benin’s representative in Eko, and for years-he held the forth for royal court in Benin.

In time, Benin established a strong foothold in Eko, sent more people, created traditional titles-modelled after Benin system; among the titles were Ashipa, Bajulaye, (Bazuaye in Benin) and Olutu-Edibo (now Eletu-Edibo).

Even though, Awori people were the aboriginal people, having many settlements around Lagoon front at Iddo, Oto, Ijora, Badiyya, Ikoyi and the Sea front-miles away; Benin gave Eko later known as Lagos its first Oba, as Ashipa became the first Oba of Lagos.

Ashipa ruled between 1682 and 1716, he gave birth to Ado, who ruled from 1716 to 1755.

Ado had three children-two boys and one girl:

1. Gabbaro or Gabaro

2. Akinsemoyin

3. Erelu Kuti.

Gabbaro ruled from 1755-1760, had one son-

• Eletu-Kekere or Eletu-Omo

Akinsemoyin ruled from 1760-1775, had six or more children:

1. Amore/Olulokun

2. Abisako

3. Jolasun

4. Gbosebi

5. Aina Egbe

6. Sadeko

Erelu-Kuti-the only female married Alagbigba or Alagba, Ijesha high priest to Oba Akinsemoyin, their union produced a son: Ologun Kutere.

• Ologun Kutere would soon rule over Eko or Lagos from 1780-1803. Moreover, his descendants have continued to rule in Lagos for over two hundred years.

Ologun Kutere became father to:

1. Adele Ajosun

2. Eshilokun or Osinlokun

3. Akitoye

4. Olukoya

5. Akiolu

6. Olusi

Oba of Lagos:

Successions and Lineages.

The children of Ologun Kutere-since 1803-after his death directly or indirectly through their progenies or descendants have continued to produce Oba of Lagos, who sit on the throne at Iga Iduganran.

From Adele Ajosun lineage:

• Oba Adele Ajosun from 1811-1821; second coming 1835-1837: The son of Ologun Kutere.

• Oba Oluwole 1837-1841, the son of Adele Ajosun

• Oba Musendiku Buraimoh Adeniji-Adele 1949-1964; the grandson of Adele-Ajosun, and great-grandson of Ologun Kutere.

From Eshinlokun Lineage:

1. Oba Eshinlokun Ajan 1821-1829; direct Son of Ologun Kutere

2. Oba Idewu-Ojulari 1829-1832; Son of Eshinlokun; grandson of Ologun Kutere.

3. Oba Kosoko 1845-1851; Son of Eshinlokun; grandson of Ologun Kutere.

From the House of Akitoye/Akintoye:

1. Oba Akitoye 1841-1845; second coming 1851-1853. Direct son of Ologun Kutere.

2. Oba Dosunmu/Docemo (as called by British) 1853-1885; Son of Akitoye; grandson of Ologun Kutere.

3. Oba Oyekan 1, 1885-1900; Son of Dosunmu, grandson of Akitoye; great grandson of Ologun Kutere.

4. Oba Eshugbayi Eleko 1901-1925; Son of Dosunmu; grandson of Akitoye; great-grandson of Ologun Kutere; later banished to Oyo-Alaafin from 1925-1931. Second coming, 1931-1932.

5. Oba Ibikunle Alfred Akitoye 1925-1928; first educated Lagos Oba.

6. Oba Falolu Dosunmu 1932-1949; the grandson of Dosunmu; great grandson of Akitoye; great-great grandson of Ologun Kutere.

7. Oba Adeyinka Oyekan 11, 1965-2003; grandson of Oba Oyekan 1; the son of Dosunmu, son of Akitoye, son of Ologun Kutere.

From the Family of Olusi:

• Oba Sanusi Olusi 1928-1931; grandson of Olusi, direct son of Ologun Kutere.

From Akiolu House:

• Oba Rilwan Akiolu from 2003 to date; great grandson of Ologun Kutere.

The Royal House of Alagbigba/Erelu Kuti and

Descendants on Lagos

Throne:

Adele-Ajosun; Oluwole, Adeniji-Adele from Ologun Kutere.

Lagos traditional institution like other institutions in Yoruba land has undergone tremendous changes-from colonial times to modern period. It has not been insulated from political intrigues; it has not been shielded from interference by government of the day; not shielded from modernity that keep redefining man and his environment; and more important, not encased from social dynamics.

Social dynamics is defined as behavior of “groups that results from the interactions of individual group members as well to the study of the relationship between individual interaction and group level behavior.”

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Adomair O. Ogunbiyi, Clare Onasanya and 6 others

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