I have read many stories about the origin of Ìlú Èkó (Lagos) and the ownership tussle between Yoruba and Benin.
Furtunately, the new Ọba of Benin confirmed he's a descendant of Oranmiyan son of Oduduwa and the first settlers in Lagos 'Ọlọfin' a son of Odùduwà too.
The Big Question - Who owns Lagos?
Ifa told us in the book of Ika-meji, how Orunmila directed Ọlọfin to perform sacrifices in a big mud plate before embark on a journey to settle his own land.
Apá mi ọtun ìjo
Apa òsì ayọ̀
Dia fún Ọlọfin ajaye,
Baba ń lọ tẹ ìlú igberi òkun do,
Ẹbọ ni wọn kì ó ṣe....
Ifá - ìkà meji
(abọru abọye nílé Ifá)
He made the sacrifice inside the BIG mud plate the sacrifice began to move and they followed it, the first place they stop was today Abeokuta then isheri after few days it began to move again, it stop at Ọ̀tá, Isolo...it finally stop and sank at porpular Idumota, when Baba Ọlọfin went back to his followers they ask of the big mud plate he told them 'Awo ti ri' (Awori) the plate sank.
Awori were the first settlers not only in Lagos but in Òkè Odò Ogun now Abeokuta, the first Ọba Ota , Ọba Ogbolu was crowned in 1621 while the first Aláké Ọba Sagbu was crowned 1854.
How Binis became Lagosian?
The Binis used Lagos as passage to do business bcos of the Atlantic shore for many years , according to the oral history.
One day trouble broke out between the settlers (Aworis) and the Bini traders , when information got to the Onibini he sent his soldiers led by Ashipa to curtail and rule Lagos. Ashipa (a Bini chief) was the first ruler of Eko not Ọba Ado.
Ọba Ado was never a son of Ọba of Benin. He's a son of Ashipa a Benin chief, that's why Ọba Eko wears Bini chief caps.
Ashipa died on his way back to Bini, after his death King appointed 'Edo' Ọba Ado (Ashipa's son) to be the next ruler , for decades Ọba Benin was getting levies and taxes from Lagos until Akintoye a descendant of Ọlọfin ascended to the throne and ban Bini slave trading and banned all levies to Onibini.
The traders and slave merchants strongly opposed him and deposed him to exile
They installed Ọba Kosoko.
At the exile in Europe Akitoye met with the British they supported him to regain his throne. Ọba Akintoye ceded Lagos to the British, all the taxes and levies were payed to the British.
All the previous Ọba Eko before Akintoye were buried in Bini but Ọba Akintoye was buried in Lagos inside Iga iduganran he put an end to Bini oligarchy.
Ironically, the ruling house of Lagos were Bini and Ọlọfin descendants that is the reason the current Ọba of Eko insisted he's a descendant of Benin, he's a Bini descendant.
But since both Ọba Eko and Ọba Benin were both descendant of Oduduwa. The Eleko title belongs to Ọmọ Odùduwà.
The first settlers in Lagos Ọlọfin Ajaye , son of Odùduwà crowned many towns in Lagos and Ogun State including Ọ̀tá, isolo, isheri, Ikeja, Ìdìmú, Iju, Ìdìmú, Onírúurú. ..only Eko shares the throne with Benin descendants bcos of Benin traditional influences.
...Ọba Adeniji Adele (Ọmọ ologbon dórí ẹja mú) a member of Egbe Omo Oduduwa also a descendant of Ọlọfin wears Yoruba crown while Ọba Akiolu (Ọmọ àtùpà idugaran)a Benin descendant wears Bini white cap.
My conclusion.
Lagos State today is part of (Yoruba) South Western Nigeria belongs to all Nigeria citizens but the land traditionally belongs to the Awori descendant of Ọlọfin the first settlers.
If you don't agree, try to erect a building structure anywhere whithin their territory without payment, then you will know.
Ire ó.
Copied from Debọ Ṣoyebọ
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