Who Founded Lagos, Bini Or Yoruba? Professor Ajetumobi Gives It To Bini

Could Professor Ajetumobi’s account be the answer to the question; who founded Lagos?

This is the million naira question, following news offering yesterday.

It was like stirring the hornet’s nest when the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, declared that the Binis founded Lagos State.

The royal father had made this submission to the question; who founded Lagos?, in the course of a media interaction. According to him:

“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, was founded by my ancestors. The Oba of Lagos will say so.”

A chain of reactions has since followed, most in sharp criticism of the the royal father’s assertions.

However, a narrative in a Facebook post on Bini history by Professor R.O. AJETUMOBI Ph.D, last Updated June 18, 2021, seems to affirm the position of the Ewuare on the matter.

Coincidentally authored by an intellectual of Yoruba extraction, it affirms in part that the possibility of satisfying physiological and biogenic needs, such as food, water, had made Lagos attractive to many immigrants from time.

“Though, the power of the Benin kingdom was impressive as early as the second half of the fifteenth century during the reign of Oba Ewuare, Benin occupation and subjugation of Lagos and its neighbourhood did not start until the sixteenth century when Benin troops and trades took effective control of the coastal region from the Niger Delta in the East to Porto Novo in the West.

READ ALSO: Edo Deputy Gov Philip Shaibu Declares Gubernatorial Bid [Full Text]

“Ewuare’s ascendancy to the throne of Benin in the early fifteenth century put the kingdom into a splendid period of successful and rapid expansion.

“With a formidable military arsenal, strong, well equipped and battle-ready army, Benin became a terror and lord of her neighbouring settlements. She successfully laid the tradition of imperial annexation of coastal Yorubaland.

“This interest was reinforced in the 1550 as a result of the relative peace at home and the growing European trade on the coast which Benin wanted to control. The need for areas of economic control, security, free flow of coastal trade, as a result of the need to secure the base for harnessing goods from the inland made the control of Lagos a necessity for Benin.

“By the opening of the sixteenth century a large section of eastern Yoruba land had come under Benin influence and the Ilaje territory on modern Ondo state served a passage to the far western coast in the area of modern Lagos.

“Thus, the areas between Lagos and Porto Novo became the focus of Benin military activities till the seventeenth century.

After Oba Ehengbuda (C. 1578-1606) who consolidated the imperial achievement of Orhogbua (C. 1550-1578), Benin entered a long period of internal crisis.

READ ALSO: Who Founded Lagos, Binis Or Yoruba? Oba Stirs Fresh Controversy?

The Oba stopped being forceful as they no longer led their subjects in battles; rather, they reinforced their mystical attribute, palace rituals and led a secluded life.

As a result, the noble men, chiefs and ambitious individual especially the soldiers seized the opportunity to increase their powers and founded their own kingdoms at the expense of the monarchy.

Although, the era of warrior kings was terminated in the 17th century with the reign of Oba Ehengbuda who died on his way to Lagos, after him, priests and aristocratic rulers began a prolonged civil war which encouraged the flight of many families and soldiers to different parts of Lagos state.

At the western extreme, the situation was such that the colonies were disbanded as a result of ineffective military and personal ambitions.

 The immediate effect of this was the widespread dispersal of Benin cultural traits. Added to this, the rise of Agaja Trudo of Dahomey (C. 1704-1740) and his coastal military in Porto Novo, coupled with internal disorder in Benin was decisive factors in the emergence of many Yoruba settlements founded by people of Benin origin in Lagos state.

READ ALSO: I’ve Not Forgotten How Professor Osunbor Helped Me At Senate Chambers –Oba Of Benin

Other settlement in the region were founded by warriors, brave hunters, fugitives, refugees and adventurous individuals from other parts of Nigeria but such groups were not shielded from the effects of Benin militarism and cultural imposition”.

The influence of Benin pervades every sphere of life of the Yoruba of the coast especially Lagos. The name of some of their towns, their folk tales, rituals, dialects, music, regal goods and dances in varying degrees portray evidence of close interaction with Edo”.

The discussion is ongoing and it would be great to get feedbacks on the above subject matters.