Following the debate generated by the claim by the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, that Benin founded and owns Lagos, a prominent indigene of the state, former military administrator and erstwhile deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, is unsparing in this interview by Tribune’s duo of BOLA BADMUS and SUBAIR MOHAMMED, saying the issue is divisive and should not be made the centerpiece of discourse at a time many Nigerians are languishing in abject poverty.
The Oba of Benin made a statement claiming that his forefathers discovered and owns Lagos State. According to him, Lagos belongs to Benin. As a prominent son of Lagos, is there any truth to this claim?
I must confess that that statement was disappointing. I was very disappointed not only with the statement he made but also that there is no iota of truth in it. We are Lagosians. We live in Lagos. You need to take a walk round the state, should the matter of who founded Lagos be the issue now?
Many people are hungry and very angry. There is no job for the youth. The educated among them roam the streets without any job to do. They have no livelihoods. The economic and security situation, which should be the centerpiece and the major concern for anybody in government, is neglected.
Who founded Lagos? Should this be an issue? Are we in history or WAEC class? Lagos has always been there and it has grown. The population of Lagos makes it the largest state in the country. It is the economic base not only for Nigeria but for the whole of Africa. I have listened to lots of stories from every angle but the truth is, what value has it added to our existence? As Christians, we are taught to love our neighbours as ourselves. What you don’t want anybody to do unto you, you must not do unto others. Is the debate on the founder of Lagos uniting or tearing us apart?
Are we connecting ourselves as human beings? For crying out loud, the ship of state is drifting. So many things are happening. The death portfolio we have on our neck, especially in the North, is increasing. Is it the founder or who came last to Lagos that should be an issue?
But is there any truth in the narration of the traditional ruler?
The truth of the matter is that the Benin did not found Lagos. Lagos has been in existence before the Benin came to Lagos. The Aworis were the original land owners in Lagos. If the Benin came to Lagos and met an empty land, then we can say their claim is right but they met people in Lagos.
People were living here. At that time, the Benin met people in Lagos. In fact, at that time, according to history, when the British were trying to extend their territory to Warri, the Benin were very powerful. They faced the British at war but they were conquered. It is true that the Benin came to Lagos, but they met people in Lagos. It was not an empty piece of land when they came.
What is the ancestral lineage of the Oba of Lagos? Has he any link with Benin?
All I want for our people is liberation from poverty. When I see the abject poverty written on their faces, it is worrisome. Many of these people are not Lagosians, but they are human beings. They live here. You see the beauty of Lagos is our warmness towards visitors and our culture that does not discriminate, because Lagos is a centre of commerce. This has been our culture since I was young.
Ehingbeti, the end of Marina, was the trading centre and that is the real issue for Lagosians. That is why it attracted people from not only Nigeria but from all over Africa. This is what makes Lagos a wealthy and healthy place.
But now, the system of government is not helping anybody. Is it the history of the past that is supposed to be on the table now? Any discussion on who founded or discovered Lagos will further divide us and a stop must be put to it.
What is the place of the returnee Portuguese and others in Lagos?
They settled in Lagos. My great-grandmother was Miss Conseco, who returned from Brazil. After the slave trade, they asked the people whether they would like to go back to Brazil and my great-grandfather divided his family and allowed some to return to Brazil while others stayed in Lagos.
My grandmother was the youngest. They settled around Bamgbose and Igbosere at the Brazilian quarters. Many of them like the Cardosos, the Augustos and the Salvadors settled back in Lagos.
The Brazilian and the Portuguese lived together. The first wife of Oba Oyekan was my aunt because the second daughter of my great grandmother had this lady who married Oba Oyekan as the first wife. You see all these connections? Would we now throw them back? Both Oba Oyekan and my aunt have passed away but their children are still alive.
This is December, there is going to be the Fancy Carnival, the traditional Brazilian carnival. They are going to re-enact it. So re-enacting it here in Lagos, many of them are not even connected to the Brazilians but this is what they grew up with. The Brazilian traditional culture is still there as a reminder.
Let’s lay it bare, who actually established Lagos?
The original people that have existed in Lagos were the Aworis. We speak Yoruba in Lagos. Yes, the Benin came to Lagos on a mission to conquer those that were already living here. They didn’t stay long. They were kicked out of Lagos by the British.
The Benin came and went back but they left trails of their culture. Because they were here, does that mean that they would now claim the ownership of Lagos? It is not possible.
Look at the old Oyo Empire, when the Fulani came to fight them, when they got to Ilorin, they were held. The Oyo people stopped them, but till date, when you go to Ilorin, the footprints are there. The Oba of Ilorin is referred to as the Emir of Ilorin. We don’t have that here in Lagos. Lagos was a colony directly under the control of the British.
Why is the territory of Oba of Lagos not extending beyond Lagos Island?
When I was governor of Ondo State, I came for a meeting at Dodan Barracks under General Ibrahim Babangida as the president of Nigeria. I told you my aunt was the first wife of Oba Oyekan. When the Kabiesi heard about the meeting, he came. He wanted to see me. He raised concern about his empire, not wanting it to be demarcated.
I told President Babangida what the Kabiyesi requested and he asked, why should his kingdom be divided? His empire at that time extended beyond the Island, but the moment they created more states and brought Badagry, Ikorodu, Epe and other areas that are called Lagos by decree, we now have various obas overseeing the affairs of the newly created areas. Many of the white cap chiefs then became obas.
Recently, president of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, claimed that Lagos was a swamp that was developed by the Igbos. How would you react to this?
You see, that is the kind of statement I don’t expect people to make. Rather than make comments that would enhance the unity of this country and the sustainability of governance, they make that kind of divisive statement.
Why can’t the Igbos develop their state instead of developing Lagos? What stops Iwunanyawu from developing his state? We are going through a phase in this country. If the people don’t talk about tribal division, they will talk about religious intolerance. That is not civil. We must be able to make comment that would unite the people of this country and not statements that divide us.
What value has that statement added to the state? So, what he is telling us is that the people of Lagos were laid-back before the coming of the Igbos? Words are like arrows, once fired, they cannot be taken back. We have to be careful of what we say.
I want to plead with all sides. This is not the time for any divisive statement. The tension is so high. There is no job for the youth. The educated among our youths should be gainfully employed and those that are not educated should be trained in skills that would make them self-reliant. The year 2023 is rounding off, we must live with love and peace and do unto others what we want them to do unto us.
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