• Source: Agege

Agege is an ancient town and local government area in the Ikeja Division of Lagos State, Nigeria. Until 1927, Agege was the capital of Ikeja Division.




Etymology


Agege is an ancient Awori village of Otta dynasty founded by Aige. It was initially used for farming while he moved several miles into the uninhabited wild forest for hunting adventure before he finally settled alongside his children, wives and slaves on the area within 15th and 16th century. They were later joined by some family members and relatives from Otta, Oke Ata and other old Awori clans to form the old settlement. The name Agege was a corruption of an individual named “Aige” or “Aiyige” alias Agerige who was a hunter and warrior during his lifetime from Olorogun Dynasty in Osi Quarters, Iga Iloti currently Otta Ogun State.
Ancient Agege included foremost settlements like: Orile, Ogba, Ikola, Meiran, Ekoro, Aboru, Ayobo and Later Mosan, Alimosho and Ganganja and said to cover vast area land under the control of Baale Alaige.
Around early 19th, Agege has more heterogeneous population than any other town of its size in Nigeria with six thousand people and more than two thousand floating population. Agege Planters' Union did much good work during the food crisis in Lagos then. Acting not only as a medium of agricultural intelligence but also as provident society and more.
During the Old Colony Agege was hub for cocoa and Kola nut and housed the Colonial farm settlement with the Office of the Assistant District Officer.
Orile Agege is well known for Yoruba ancient deities and festivals. Festivals usually celebrated in includes Egungun festival, Gelede Festival, etc




Geography


The boundary of the ancient Agege stretched from Isheri in the Northern part of Lagos, Ejigbo/Ewu through Idimu covering Mosan/Ayobo and bordering Itele Otta District while covering Ikola, Meiran in the southern and eastern part respectively and parting Agbado and borderline Abeokuta district in the western part and as shown in Lagos district map of 1842.
While the boundary of current Agege stretches from Northern part of Lagos stretches from Dopemu road through Anu-oluwapo street to olukosi down Fagbola through Osobu street to Orile road down to Old Agege Motor Road opposite Nitel. From the Southern part of Lagos it stretches from Ashade retail market to Akilo street.
From the Eastern part of Lagos it stretches from Oba ogunji road up to the by-pass to Agege Motor road by Nitel office. From the Western part of Lagos, the boundary of Agege stretches from Abeokuta express road from boundary with Ikeja Local government to Dopemu junction.




History


Agege was a corruption of a name of an individual called Aige or Aiyige (just like Success "Aayege" in Yoruba language, means success or being successful in an ancient Awori aborigine dialect)) who founded and settled having consulted his oracle 'Ifa" before settling on the part of his farmland named idàà adun/Idò Adun, located within the current day ídéè bua and ipodo Orile Agege before moving to Isale odon.
"Orile" means "proper" (Agege proper) is often used to distinguish the old settlement from the recent settled town called Agege station which was settled by traders in the late 19th century thus booming kola nuts trade, accelerated by Railway shed which complemented the emerging Agege market activities in the town. As recorded in mid 20th century “About 70% of the kolas despatched to the Northern Province pass through the rail-head at Agege and it owes its size partly to the possession of Railway station and partly to its situation as the center of a large kola and cocoa producing area. And In the year 1933 more than 50% of the kolas consumed in Nigeria passed through the Agege Railway goods sheds.”
Contrary to Ilu Awon Ageigi, The old Agege was an offshoot of Otta covered about 75,000 hectares of land (75 km) include Villages like Ogba, Ikola, Ayobo, Meiran, Ekoro, Mosan, Akiogun and Anishere were all under the control of Baale of Alaige in Orile Agege and the Bale was subjected to Otta until 1840s when Otta was rumored to have been captured by Ègba during the Dahomean war. The war which lasted between 1840s to until 17th and 18th century 1850s saw the people of Agege move to Lagos for shelter and the then Bale Alaige settled at Iru (Victoria beach) where he married the daughter of Eleko Adele before he and his people returned circa 1850s.
After the cessation of Lagos in 1861 by King Dosunmu of Lagos, Agege was prominently recognized by Governor Glover of the Colony as one of the oldest villages in Lagos and the Bale Alaige (Baale of Orile Agege) was the first on the available list to be granted subsidies by Governor among other old villages during the old colony in the year 1888. While the remainder of the country was being opened up the hinterland of Lagos (including Agege ) added by cession to the territories originally ceded by the King of Lagos in 1861. In 1866 Lagos had been included in the West African Settlements, and in 1874 it was united with the Gold Coast Colony. It became the separate Colony and Protectorate of Lagos in 1886.
At a various of the second half of the 19th century, fairly large number of villages and hamlets were founded over the forested landscape of the standstone of the then Agege-Ikeja district covering about 75,500 hectares (i.e 755km2) the area with its well drained soil and empty forestland offered great attraction to various group of Awori from Otta, Egbado from Ilaro, Égba from Abeokuta, other Yorubas, Nupe, Ekitis migrants who founded many settlements. Also most of trader whom came to trade decided to stayed due rapid economic growth. from When the kolanut plantations in the Agege area started to flourish it attracted huge settlements.

Agege Station experienced rapid development and became a powerful center of the kolanut trade. These settlements attracted different people of different backgrounds and interests such as traders, laborers, and most of these were Hausa. Whenever the Yoruba's needed labourers for jobs such as cutting of trees, they would engage the services of the Hausa people. Because of this work the immediate area where the Hausas lived was named ‘Ilu Awon Ageigi’ which translates as ‘Town (Ilu) of the tree cutters’. The name Agege was thus formed out of the word Ageigi by Hausas settlers.

The foundation of Agege as a populated and commercial settlement began when a railway station was located close to Orile -Agege, an Awori settlement; the new railway linked Lagos with Abeokuta and was subsequently extended to Ibadan and to the Northern region. Prior to the construction of the station, Awori and Egba farmers cultivated food and cash crops such as Cocoa and Kola nut within the settlement. It is worthy to note that large scale cocoa plantations in Yorubaland started at Agege, before extending to many South Western Nigerian towns. Commercial activities sprang up around the station as collection, sorting and grading of Cocoa for transportation and export took place at Agege. The kolanut trade between Agege and the Northern region also expanded as a railway service was extended to the Northern regions. Small scale market activities also rose as market women set up shops close to the railway station.
In the year 1912, after the completion of Railway terminal, Agege (Station) township had grown during the last fifteen years into town with settled population of four to five thousand and floating population of two or three thousand more. The population was approximately 60% Hausa from Northern District and 40% from all part of southern Nigeria. While the land on which its stands was originally owned by Awori people of Orile Agege and Ogba respectively.
The Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government area of Lagos State is Alhaji Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi.




Economy


When Dasab Airlines existed, its Lagos office was in Agege.
Agege Local Government Area sustains a dynamic economy through vibrant markets like the Abattoir meat market and Alade market. These markets offer diverse commodities, contributing significantly to the local economy.




People


The inhabitants of Agege Local Government are multi-ethnic although the Awori are the indigenous inhabitants. Some major communities making up the Agege Local Government are Ogba, Asade, Dopemu, Orile, Ido-Gòun, Magbon, Oko-Oba, Atobaje, Gbogunleri, Isale Oja, Isale Odan, Oke-Koto, Ipodo, Panada, Tabon-Tabon, Ajegunle, Oyewole, Lemomu Edara, Papa Ashafa & Ewedairo, Sango, Oyewole, Mulero, Keke, Papa uku/Olusanya, Oniwaya, Moricas, Iloro, Mangoro, Darocha, Onipetesi, Alfa Nla and Agbotikuyo. The inhabitants of Agege Local Government are essentially Yorubas with the presence of sparse population of non-Yoruba speaking people.
Agege Bread
The Agege bread is an unsliced bread which became popular in Agege town a long time ago. The soft texture and long shelf life of this bread were loved and cherished by people. It had no name nor label until people began to refer to it as 'Agege Bread' as its popularity grew. Agege bread is now one of Lagosians' favourite foods, being sold and enjoyed everywhere from breakfast tables to garages in almost all the streets of Lagos.[4]




Community


Wards under Agege Local Government Area

Agbotikuyo
Dopemu
Darocha
Iloro
Onipetesi
Isale Odo
Isale
Idimangoro
Keke
Okekoto
Oniwaya
Papa-uku
Ori
Orile Agege/oko Oba
Oyewole/papa Ashafa
Tabon Tabon/oko Oba
Ancient Settlements in Agege (that are still part of the town)

Orile Agege:
Ido Aadun
Isale Odan
Ido Gaun
Ipodo
Aaromi (Araromi)
Ido Aagbosu
Magbon
Mulero
Onilekere
Masaku
Ganganja
Ogba:
Ashade
Alausa
Agbede
Adekunle
Operekete
Akinode
George: Omole, Aguda and Suberu




Traditional rulers


In Agege / Orile Agege, the Chieftaincy Community has three recognized Obas and Six traditional members.
List of Obas
1. HRM Alayige of Orile Agege
2. HRM Olu of Agege Kingdom
3. HRM Ologba of Ogba




Events


On 3 June 2012, Dana Air Flight 992 crashed into residential buildings in Agege while attempting to land at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, killing all 153 people on board and 10 other people on the ground.




Education


It includes a campus of Lagos State University.
National Youth Service Corps Permanent Orientation Camp is located at Iyana-Ipaja Road, Agege.




Gallery
































































Railway stations in Nigeria




References



12. History of the people of Lagos state: Ade Adeduye, Babatunde Agiri & Jide Osuntokun. 1987
13. National Archive: Intelligence Report on the Ikeja District. Mr. R.L.V. Wilkes, Assistant District Officer. 1934-35 vol. II file no. 29939
14. National Archive: Historical Report on the Administrative Organization of the Colony. Pre 1900
15. National Archives: Minutes of Reorganization Meeting with Mr. E. J. Gibbons, Assistant District Officer, on Special Duty at Ikeja.
16. Intelligence Report Map I: Lagos District Map. 1842
17. National Archive: Intelligence Report on the Ikeja District of the Colony. Mr. R.L.V. Wilkes, Assistant District Officer. 1934-35
18. High Court of Justice, Western Region, Ikeja Judicial Division Judgement: Delivered on : March 18th, 1957, by Justice W.T. Charles,

Page 5(5), page 6 & 8 with suit no: AB/39/57 between Oke Apena & Ors vs Kafaru Laleye & Ors

19. Old colony Supreme Court verdict between (Aiyige descendants) Orile Agege and Ogba people circa 1899-1911
20. Court verdict: Fagbayi Ruling family vs Omotoye/Oyedeko Family. 1982
21. Annual Colonial Report: 1920
22. HRH Oba Salami Agbedeyi: 1959 (DW 1) was the then Baale Alaige of Orile Agege

and upgraded to become the First king (Oba) Alaige of Orile Agege 1965.


23 Primary source:

* Oral Interview of descendants of Ayige:
* Head of Olabua family, Orile Agege). 2013.
* Heads of Ewedairo Chieftancy family, Orile Agege). 2011 & 2014
* Members, of Aalamidun Chieftancy family, Orile Agege. 2012 & 2024
* Head of Alaaboru/Ero Chieftancy Family, Aboru. 2007




External links



Agege Local Government
New School, NYC. Sustainable Cities Club blog post about Agege, Lagos

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