Eko founders’ controversy: Academics, Olota, Lagos chief tackle Oba of Benin

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has sparked controversy among Nigerians especially on social media when the king said the Binis founded Lagos.

During a visit to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday, the monarch who was aware of the potential mixed reactions that would trail his comments, went ahead to grab the bull by the horn.

Oba Ewuare said, “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.”

Over time, there had always been controversy on the real owners of Lagos, with some even positing that “Lagos is a no man’s land.”

Information on Wikipedia accessed on Tuesday says, “All Obas of Lagos trace their lineage to Ashipa, a war captain of the Oba of Benin. Ashipa was rewarded with the title of the Oloriogun (War leader) and he received the Oba of Benin’s sanction to govern Lagos on his behalf. Some Benin accounts of history have the Ashipa as son or grandson of the Oba of Benin.”

A 2017 report by The Guardian Nigeria also disclosed that the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, traced his origin to Benin.

The media outlet quoted a statement from Iga Idugaran, Palace of the Lagos King, Oba Akiolu as partly saying, “I was told by my late paternal grandmother, who was a descendant of Oba Ovonranwen Nogbaisi, and with facts from historical books, let me share this knowledge with you all on Eko or Lagos, as it is popularly called.

“Modern-day Lagos was founded by Prince Ado, the son of the Oba of Benin. Prince Ado was the first Oba of Lagos, and it was he that named the town Eko, until the Portuguese explorer, Ruy de Segueira, changed the maritime town to Lagos, which at that time from 1942 was the Portuguese expedition centre down the African Coast.”

But the Oba of Benin’s comments on Sunday  continue to stir controversy in some quarters.

The Balogun of Eko, Abisoye Oshodi, in a viral video, faulted the claim by the Oba Ewuare II that the Binis founded Lagos.

In a video shared online on Tuesday, the Lagos chief said, “With all due respect to the Oba of Benin, Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II; Sir, may you live long.

“Point of correction Sir, Lagos was never founded by the Binis. I am glad that you said some parts of Lagos, not the entire Lagos. You are right, your ancestors settled on a small Island that was called Eko then, before the creation of Lagos. On this very Island, they never created it.

“The Island had been there before the arrival of your ancestors. Your ancestors only came and forcefully imposed a taxation system on transit with the traders on the land called Idu Ighoran whatever that means in Benin I do not know, but there have been other tribes on the Island before the creation of Lagos, even before the creation of Eko.