SIR: ”I tried to build an igloo out of orange peel but it kept falling down and even when it stood up I didn’t have an eskimo to put in it, so I had to invent a story about ‘How Eskimo Got Eaten’, which made me even more miserable. It’s always the same with diversions, lies, propaganda and deception; you get involved” – Jeanette Winterson
In the course of human history, from pre-historic period down to this modern era,there is no portion of land that is terra-nullius (no man’s land) because there is always some dwellers in or within such territory(ies) and backed by modern legal systems. The concept of no-man’s land only exist in realm of the ignoramus because if territories like U.S.A, Iceland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Alaska and the extreme northern-most part of the world are inhabited by Aborigines, Red Indians, Eskimos or Inuit tribes with extreme harsh weather conditions are someone’s land,then it beat commonsense hollow to say that Lagos, with its fantastic tropical climate, agrarian, maritime economy and booming socio-economic life dating back 10th century, and to declare a territory that is sandwiched within certain tribal enclave as no man’s land is tantamount to making vogue and irrational claims that white Europeans are native Americans. This assertion has no basis and those behind this propaganda are nothing but beer parlour patrons who instead of engaging their minds intellectually are wasting it indulging in anti-social activities.What comes forth from such lazy minds should not at any time be subject of public discourse.
About the argument that Benin Empire conquered Lagos,I dare any well-grounded student of history to exhume any empirical historical evidence to buttress the claim that Lagos was indeed a conquered territory. The standard evidence was that Lagos is a trade centre in sub-Sahara Africa to the outside world because of its coastal waters and neighbouring tribes such as the Ibos, Benin’s, Hausas, Fulanis, Igbira, Eguns, e.t.c, have their representations or representatives in what we now refer to as embassies in modern time along coastal areas of Lagos as contact point to the outside world.
The word “Eko” has it origin from the Lexicon of the Aworis of Lagos dialect and, even if Eko is of Benin origin linguistically, language is dynamic because it evolved and developed over the years through human social-economic and political interactions. That nature of homo-sapiens and all it attributes are dynamic is a solemn verdict. This is not disputable!
That many European languages had some borrowed words from Greek and Roman languages doesn’t mean other Europeans were subject or conquered by the Greek or Romans. Hell no! Such an assertion does not meet the standard test of simple logic.
About the origin Oba of Benin’s stool, I challenge any well-grounded student of history to ask themselves the solemn question (s) of why all the Obas of Benin were always buried in Ile-Ife. These recorded practice continued till 1936 or thereabout and it probably ceased in order to forestall over bearing influences of outsiders in palace politics because in all traditions, in particular, in sub saharan Africa, a king should not be buried outside his domain. It is a taboo but because the Benin people of that time knew the origin of their Oba, they had no other option other than to bury their dead kings in Ile Ife.
Empirical historical analysis, evidence and its verdicts are not written and attained by copy and paste of computer keyboard or mouse nor through sheer gossips from beer parlour or social media. There is no terra nullius anywhere.
- Akinola Muiz,
Verona-Italy.