Danmole’s insightful lecture on Lagos at 50

One of the activities slated to mark the 50th anniversary of creation of Lagos State is the Lagos History Lecture delivered by eminent Professor Hakeem Danmole, Dean, Faculty of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin. The erudite scholar and Professor of History who spoke on the topic, “Lagos: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” touched incisively on various aspects of the History of Lagos State including the contentious “ no man’s land” claim.
Dignitaries at the event which held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, include the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, former governors and former deputy governors of  the state and others.
The able discussants were Senator H.A.B. Fasinro, First Town Clerk, Lagos City Council, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, SAN, former Minister of Works, Justice George Oguntade, JSC, former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Olusola Hunponu-Wusu, former Judge of the Lagos High Court, Asiwaju Olurefemi Basorun, former Secretary to the first civilian Government in Lagos State while Prof. Olarewaju Fagbohun, the Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University (LASU) was the moderator.
In his opening remarks at the event, Governor Ambode rightly observed that Lagos has risen to become a global phenomenon, and stressed that its major asset is being a melting point of diverse culture and tradition. He also said that every tribe is represented in the state and that makes it a microscopic representation of the country at large. At the same time, the governor recognized the fact that Lagos is equally international in outlook as almost every national of all countries reside in Lagos from Chinese to Indians, Britons, Americans, Australians and others. Professor Olarewaju Fagbohun’s view that Lagos is a land of opportunity, freedom and unity can hardly be contested.
Taking the audience on an engaging intellectual excursion on the history of Lagos State, Danmole highlighted developments in Lagos history from its early beginnings, and its unparalleled growth despite its changing status in the last few decades. His account of Lagos showed that it existed long before Nigeria and became a British Colony in 1861.
His account of the origin of Lagos Island (Eko) was so penetrating and informative that it is worth quoting in full. According to Danmole, “Lagos Island (Eko), which is the epi-centre of our present Lagos State, is one of the oldest kingdoms on the West African Coast. Incidentally, the kingdom of Lagos was also one of the earliest recipients of European traders and travelers in what is now modern Nigeria. Reportedly, Portuguese merchants, because of geographical location of Lagos on the lagoon, gave the Island its name Lagos. Lagos Island, to the indigenous population, is called Eko; a name whose origin is told in two well-known traditional but controversial accounts.”
One account of the origin of Eko, Danmole claimed, relates to the advent of Awori while the other is connected to Benin adventures in Lagos. However, he submitted that the Awori settlement in Lagos was earlier than that of Benin, which eventually subjugated the emergent settlement. Besides these two accounts of the origin of Eko, the lecturer observed that the early history of Lagos can be gleaned from various sources including accounts of European travelers, historians and traditional accounts.
He recalled that with time, Lagos continued to evolve as a veritable place of migration by many Yoruba groups; some of which included the Ilaje and other groups who were attracted to Lagos because of their fishing activities.
According to Danmole, Lagos also served as one of the centres of trans-Atlantic slave trade before the beginning of the 19th century. It also benefited from the abolition of the slave trade as some of the ex-slaves, who were Yorubas settled in Lagos Island and improved the quality of life with their various skills.
Some of the highlights of the lengthy but fascinating lecture included the revelation that Lagos is not the controversial ‘no man’s land’ as erroneously claimed in some quarters. Far from that, Lagos has indigenous population.
In his contribution, one of the discussants, Femi Okunnu, explained that the indigenous Lagosians include the Idejo Chiefs, the land owners, Aworis, the original inhabitants of Lagos Island (Eko), Eguns who reside in Badagry, Ibinis who invaded Lagos and settled in Iga Idungaran, Idun Itafa, Idumota and Idumagbo.
Others were the Nupes/Tapas who settled in Lagos Island, Returnees who settled at the Brazilian Qaurters, Ijebus who settled in Epe axis, Egbas who settled in Abule Egba, Agodo Egba and the Ekitis and Ijeshas who settled in a part of the Mainland. Reinforcing the argument that Lagos belongs to some indigenous people,  Chief H.A.B. Fasinro, stressed that the hospitable spirit of the indigenous people of Lagos must not be taken for granted. He added that they must not be made endangered species in their own state.
While commending the developmental trend in the state from inception till date, the lecturer stressed that much still need be done to reach its mega-city status. He also suggested that it should emulate respected global City-States across the world. Danmole’s dreamt of a Lagos that will become a smart city where vital services are provided without stress. He urged the state government to focus more on the provision of qualitative education because every renowned global city develops through education. To this end, he enjoined that efforts should be made by the government to improve education infrastructure.
Danmole also decried the current trend of huge shortfall in the number of students from the state that vie for admission into tertiary institutions and those that are actually admitted and asked government to encourage more private investment in tertiary education in the state. He recommended that online education should be used to bridge the shortfall in admission.
For Lagos to reach greater heights in future, Danmole maintained that there must be adherence to development plans. Development plans, he emphasized, assist governments to achieve their focus within a particular time line. His concluded that “for Lagos to continue to be a reference point for other states to follow, there is need to utilize to the fullest our God given geographical environment.”
Citing an example, he said that “the developed cities of the world have turned their natural environments not only to improve movement of people, but also to generate wealth. In this regard, Lagos State is blessed with rivers and lagoons that could be developed for transportation and tourism.”
Since local councils are nearest government to the people, Danmole suggested that they should be fully operational and adequately funded to be able to contribute their quota to the future development of the state. He was quite optimistic that the Lagos of the future will indeed be a place of delight. But such dream can only be realized if the prevailing culture of touting at the motor parks and okada operators’ menace are done away with.