In a notable retort to recent assertions made by the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, regarding the origin of Lagos, the Olofin of Isheri and Adimula of Awori Kingdom, Oba Sulaimon Bamgbade, firmly stated on Thursday that the Aworis were the first settlers in Lagos.
This declaration comes amidst a growing historical debate sparked by Oba Ewuare II’s comment that the Binis founded Lagos during a visit to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“It is in the history books that the Binis founded Lagos. When some people will hear it now, they will go haywire; what is the Oba saying there again? But it is true. Go and check the records. Maybe not all over Lagos as we know it now but certain areas in Lagos, maybe the nucleus of Lagos, were founded by my ancestors. The Oba of Lagos will say so,” Oba Ewuare said.
Oba Sulaimon Bamgbade urged Oba Ewuare II to reconsider the historical roots of the Benin Kingdom, suggesting that the Benin Kingdom’s origin should be traced back to Ile Ife, aligning with the long-standing narrative embraced by the Aworis.
Contrary to Oba Ewuare II’s claim, RoyalTimes gathered that Oba Sulaimon Bamgbade asserted that Lagos was founded and established by Olofin Ogunfuminire, the progenitor of the Awori people.
According to Oba Bamgbade, Olofin Ogunfuminire left Ile-Ife to settle at Isheri before migrating to present-day Iddo in the heart of Lagos.
He said, “Olofin Ogunfuminire left Ile-Ife to settle at Isheri before migrating with his wife, Ajaiye, to present-day Iddo in the heart of Lagos. It was at Iddo that Ajaiye was blessed with the fruits of the womb. Her offspring are the Idejo who are the actual traditional landowners of Lagos.
“The spatial region of the land owned by the Idejo spans from Lagos Mainland (Iddo) to Lagos Island and up to Eti-Osa which he allocated absolutely to his children and other descendants.
“In this regard, he assigned Iru to the Oniru, Ikate to the Elegushi, Lagos Island to Aromire, Iganmu to Ojora, Otto, and mainland to the Oloto (up to Odo–Iya Alaro). Isheri was the dispersal point where other Olofin Ogunfunminire descendants left to found other Awori towns. For instance, Akeredun left Isheri to establish Igbesa, Odoyi left Isheri to find Agboyi, Osolo and Eleidi Atalabi left Isheri to find Ota.
“These facts are firmly established and supported by extant literature written by foreign authors and researchers such as Kristin Mann who in his book titled ‘Slavery and Birth of an African City: Lagos 1760- 1900,” wrote and I quote: ‘Migrant fishing people first settled in Lagos and from the beginning water and canoes had a prominent role in the lives of its inhabitants. Prior to the sixteenth century, Aworis, the southernmost of the Yoruba-speaking people, dispersed from Isheri, a village twelve miles up the Ogun River. A group of them settled at what is now Ebute Metta, on the mainland.
“Until the need for greater security drove the community to a smaller island in the lagoon opposite Lagos Island. There, they established two settlements, Otto and Iddo, and soon attracted fresh immigrants. In time, people from Iddo moved to the northwestern corner of the larger Island opposite, which eventually became known as Lagos, looking for land to farm.
“The settlers recognised the paramount ruler called the Olofin, based in the more populous community of Iddo but tracing mythical descent from Isheri and via the founder of that village to Ile-ife, the cradle of Yoruba civilisation.”
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