HISTORY OF LAGOS STATE: PRE-BENIN INVASION

HISTORY OF LAGOS STATE: PRE-BENIN INVASION

Culled and excerpted from The Evolution and  Development of Lagos State, A publication of Centre for Lagos studies, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education.

The history of Lagos state  a coastal Yorubaland of Nigeria before the Benin invasion contain information about certain areas of the state such as Isheri, Ọtọ, Ido, Egun-Ibeji, Iro, Apa and Awoli. The period could be dated before the fifteenth century which began from the earliest time to the era of Yoruba migration to the Coast either from the primitive Kingdom of Ile-Ife or from other secondary dispersal parts such as Oyo. The power of the Benin Kingdom was quite appealing in the second half of this period, during the reign of king “Ewuare”.

The consummation of various migrations, Integration of various groups and synthesis of cultures has led to the establishment of major Yoruba sub-groups and settlement in the region before 1900 (nineteenth century). It is beyond doubt that Lagos state was not empty before the coming of the progenitors of Awori, Ijebu, Egba, Oyo, Egun and Ilaje settlements which appear to have evolve in the state as an integration of the earliest Inhabitants and migrants. Existing facts shows that their presence in various parts of Lagos state could be ascribed to migration from the hinterlands and the ancient inhabitants of  Isheri, Oto, Ido, Egun-Ibeji, Iro, Apa , Awoli and Ota such as Olopon, Oluwen, Tomuse  and others were unconscious of themselves as strong socio-political unit.

Unlike most parts of the Yorubaland with elaborate traditions of earliest inhabitants before the arrival of Oduduwa, there are less records of indigenous groups in Lagos state yet there are folk traditions that suggest the migration associated with the Oduduwa dynasty and Ile-Ife which could not lucidly explain the origin of the Yoruba sub-group and strongly suggest that the migrants from the land next to the state met some inhabitants on the Coast.

Personal names such as Olopon, Oluwẹn, Omuse otherwise known as Tomuse, Olomu, Aina Elewurẹ, Ogunjase, Opẹluwa and Alaworo were recorded as names of earliest inhabitants. Opẹluwa and Alaworo were considered as the indigenous priest among the awori.

Following series of clashes with Oduduwa which was led by Ogunfunminire (Ọlọtọ, Ọlọfin) a group of migrant evidently of the same identity as those of ancient Ifẹ was said to have migrated into the coast of Yorubaland. The group settled in the region of Isheri then moved to Ido and then to Ọtọ.

A class of tradition open up that Ogunfunminire travelled down the Ogun River from Ile-Ife after a sacred mud pot, based on the instructions from the Ifa Oracle and was joined by multitudes on his transit. As they sailed after the floating plate, there came a weird storm between Iganmu and Iro (presently Ogun state) which force away their paddle and made them paddle with bare hands till they arrived Isheri where the plate sank. They were at Isheri thinking they had gotten to their final destination until the sunk plate resurfaced. Ogunfunminire and his entourage continued their journey sailing after the plate to Ido where it finally sank. This gave rise to the name Awori, meaning "Plate Sank".

Another variant of tradition revealed that Ogunfunminire the son of a Priest in Ife, on the instruction of Ifa Oracle as solution to the bareness of his wife Ajaye, migrated from Ife with her and other principal actor mostly referred to as the Sixteen Ibọ elders, leaving behind his second wife Akesan. They had with them Osu which is an indicator of where to settle. On his journey, he left behind parts of his entourage in places until he got to the region where the 'Osu' stood erect. The region was name Ido; derived from 'o do' meaning 'it stand erect'. At Ido (previously known as Ile Ọlọfin, Ajaye eventually had eight children who became land owning chiefs in Lagos. Ten out of the thirty two sons of Ogunfunminire,  such as Olumẹgbọn-the eldest, Onitanọ, Onitolo, Aromirẹ, Onisiwo, Eleguṣi, Oniru, Oluwa, Ọjọra, Onikoyi spread out of Ido to different parts of the Mainland creaks, Swamps and Lagos Island.

Aromirẹ was the first to possess a land, he used to fish at Ebute-ero where he also used as resting abode. Aromirẹ finally settled on the Island where he built a farm settlement for Vegetable farming such as Pepper, herbs and other materials. His success Inspired Onitọna and Onitolo who took over Idumọta and Tolo respectively. After the Benin invasion of Lagos, the members of the Aromire settlement gave land to Benin conquerors on Lagos Island, it was on this land the palace was built.

There seemed to be an agreement that Awori were still in the process of establishing their Identity at the time of Benin invasion which dated to the 16th century. It was generally accepted that Ogunfunminire was taken hostage to the Benin during the reign of Oba Orhogbua (C 1558 - 1578).