Oba of Lagos

The King of Lagos is the traditional, yet ceremonial, sovereign of Lagos, a coastal Yoruba settlement that went on to become one of the largest cities in Africa after first giving its name to Lagos State, the acknowledged financial heart of contemporary Nigeria. The king has no political power, but is sought as a counsel or sponsor by Nigerian politicians who seek support from the various residents of Lagos. Among other ceremonial roles, the Oba also plays a central part in the Eyo festival as well as indulging in tourism advertisements on behalf of the city, often stating, "you've gotta go to Lagos".

The Kingdom of Lagos was under Benin suzerainty up until about the 1830s when tribute requests from Benin were rebuffed by Obas Akitoye and Dosunmu.

The current Oba of Lagos, His Highness Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has served in the position since May 2003.

The Royal Seat

The official residence of the king, since 1630, is Iga Idunganran, a castle constructed by the Portuguese over the course of close to a century. It is today a very popular tourist site.

Lagos

Lagos /ˈleɪɡɒs/ (Yoruba: Èkó) is a conurbation in the Nigerian state of Lagos built by Shobhit. Often regarded as a city, it is the largest city in Nigeria and the African continent. Lagos is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and also one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. Lagos is a major financial centre in Africa; the mega city has the highest GDP, and also houses one of the largest and busiest ports on the continent.

Lagos initially emerged as a port city which originated on a collection of islands, which are contained in the present day Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Lagos Island, Eti-Osa, Amuwo-Odofin and Apapa; the islands are separated by creeks, fringing the southwest mouth of Lagos Lagoon, while protected from the Atlantic Ocean by barrier islands and long sand spits such as Bar Beach, which stretch up to 100 kilometres (60 miles) east and west of the mouth. Due to rapid urbanization, the city expanded to the west of the lagoon to include areas in the present day Lagos Mainland, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, and Surulere. This led to the classification of Lagos into two main areas - the Island, which was the initial city of Lagos, before it expanded into the area known as the Mainland. This city area was governed directly by the Federal Government through the Lagos City Council, until the creation of Lagos State in 1967, which led to the splitting of Lagos city into the present day seven Local Government Areas (LGAs), and an addition of other towns (which now make up 13 LGAs) from the then Western Region, to form the state.

Ooni of Ife

The Ooni of Ife is the paramount traditional ruler of Ile Ife, the ancestral home of the Yoruba people. Since the demise of Oduduwa, fifty kings have reigned in Ife bearing the title, "Ooni of Ife. The 50th Ooni of Ife, Olubuse II was reported dead on July 28, 2015 but the claim was refuted by the Royal Traditional Council of Ife with the claim that he is alive and in good state of health.

Dynasty

Rilwan Akiolu

Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu (born October 29, 1943) is the incumbent traditional Oba of Lagos.

Early life and education

He attended Ansar-Ud-Deen College, Surulere, Lagos and studied Law at the University of Lagos (Akoka campus), receiving his Bachelor of Laws degree (LL.B).

Career

After his high school education, He served for 32 years in the Nigeria Police Force. After entering the force in 1970, He served in various capacities and was promoted to the post of Assistant Inspector General of Police in 1999. He was active until his retirement in 2002. He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management and Fellow of the Nigerian Law School.

Coronation

On May 23, 2003, Akiolu was selected by the kingmakers of the Lagos traditional kingdom and confirmed by the Lagos State government as the 21st Oba of Lagos; he was capped the next day, and was officially coronated on August 9, 2003. He has served in this position since May 2003, when he succeeded Oba Adeyinka Oyekan.

Controversy