One is popular and prosperous; the other revels in poverty and old glory. Seun Akioye reports the unusual tale of the two Oshodis that once played prominent roles in the development of Lagos, but are now fighting for control of resources.
At the strike of two o clock in the afternoon, the Imam’s voice calling the Muslim faithful to the afternoon prayers cut through the sleepy, quiet street. The voice continued to vibrate through a loud speaker, hung on an electricity pole at the centre of the street. It had a gripping effect on the residents of Oshodi Street on Lagos Island East, Local Council Development Area (LCDA). Men, who had slept on long benches under the shades of canopies startled as they made their way down a labyrinth into an unseen mosque.
On the street, commercial activities continued in a sluggish manner, shop owners sat in front of their stores. Hawkers continued their solitary walk, intermittently calling out their wares, in an inaudible voice.
Like most of the communities on Lagos Island, houses on Oshodi Street in the heart of Epetedo community are old, with many in the final stages of dilapidation. There are as many bungalows as there are three -storey buildings – built closely together, leaving little room for ventilation. On the balconies of the overcrowded houses, hung the clothes and underwear of its residents. Looking at the long line of clothing, it is possible to guess the number of men and women residents of each house.
At the centre of the street, stood an unusual monument, a cenotaph painted in green and white with its spiral rising high into the sky. It housed the grave of an equally important personality, Chief Balogun Oshodi, the Tapa of Lagos and founder of Oshodi town who died on July 2, 1868.
On the afternoon of August 7, 2013 when The Nation visited, a magnificent looking cow was tied to the cenotaph, the meat of the cow, it was learnt, would feed the residents of the street the next day in commemoration of the end of the Muslim fasting period, the Eid-el –Fitri celebration.
Soon after the prayers, the street became crowded, horns honking from impatient drivers who tried to outsmart one another on the narrow road. Somewhere on the street, a food seller began to cook in the open; pouring boiled meat into an open frying pan of hot oil. A whiff of white smoke rose up as a consequence of this action and she was temporarily blinded by the smoke. At the other side, young men sat at a corner, discussing animatedly; one of them had a glass of wine which he downed at once. He squeezed his face to register the effect of the alcohol, shook his head vigorously and slapped his thigh several times before busting into a hearty laughter.
The history of Epetedo, a vibrant community in the heart of Lagos Island, is tied to one man who lent his name to the popular Oshodi Street in the community. The man also lent his name to another popular area in Lagos, Oshodi town in Oshodi–Isolo Local Government Area, which is reputed to be the most popular name in Lagos and most popular local government in Nigeria.
It is an unbelievable tale, part of which many may dismiss as a myth, but which documents have proved its validity. It began towards the end of the 18th Century with a man named Ganagi. Ganagi was reputed as a fearless warrior who had unprecedented victories as a mercenary in Bida, in present day Niger State. He was said to have been gifted as a warrior, an administrator and leader, possessing terrifying magic which he used to terrorise his enemies and to keep his servants in humble obedience.
According to Nupe history, Ganagi came as part of a series of Nupe mass movement to the Lagos lagoon in the early 19th century. On arrival in Lagos, he became famous for his organisational and leadership skills and was named Landzungi because he came from the Landzun riverside area of Bida.
He was titled “Tshudi”-the father of Nupe nation- which the Yoruba tongue later twisted and pronounced as Oshudi and Oshodi, which eventually became Ganagi’s name. In Lagos, he became a confidant of Oba Esinlokun and was given a trips of land from present day Tinubu Square to Ehingbeti/Olowogbowo. He also became the chief warrior of Lagos and a friend of Prince Kosoko.
But the story of Oshodi really began with the principal role he played during the clash between two Lagos prince— Kosoko and Akintoye—after which he became a legend and went on to have descendants who still hold tightly to that legend.
One of such descendants is Surakat Alabi Oshodi, who is the current head of the Oshodi family. Sitting in the palace, which has been bequeathed by the progenitor, Alabi Oshodi cut a figure of a dignified and proud descendant of Ganagi. He told The Nation of the fantastic exploits of his ancestor, how he spared the life of Prince Akintoye when King Kosoko ordered his execution and how he fought the British almost to a standstill.
“He said: Oshodi was a gifted administrator, I don’t know the kind of powers God gave him but he was exceptional. He spoke four international languages, English, French, German and Portuguese and became a successful slave- trader and businessman.”
After defeat in the hands of the British and the forced relocation to Epe, the new King Akintoye recalled Oshodi to Lagos as a mark of gratitude but Oshodi was said to have insisted that deposed Kosoko must also be allowed to return, a plea which was accepted by Akintoye. The two parties met and reconciled on a small island called Agbekin and Oshodi later moved to another site in Lagos which he named Epetedo.
But war as a profession was no longer desirable due to the presence of the British who had established a colony in Lagos, promoting trade in palm oil over the slave trade which was banned after Akintoye came to power. The overlords who had slaves were mandated to set them free and forbidden from owning slaves. Oshodi, being one of the major slave dealers set his slaves free and made them his Arota (bonded servants) while he became the point man and interpreter for Lagos.
Oshodi also visited England and Brazil, making him the most outstanding and knowledgeable Lagosian of his time. Available records show that against the norms of illiterate African chiefs doing the thumb print to documents signed with the British, Oshodi usually signed his own name.
Tale of two Oshodi
To an average Lagos resident, the reference to Oshodi is simply the commercial town in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government. Not many have heard of Oshodi Street in Epetedo, even fewer would have heard of Ganagi and his exploits or that Oshodi town owes its existence to his industry.
A wry smile played on the lips of Alabi -Oshodi as he delved into the history of Oshodi town which the indigenes refer to as Oshodi oko and the uneasy relationship it has with members of its founding family in Oshodi ile.
According to Alabi-Oshodi, in the 1850s, a warrior tribe from the Dahomean country (in present day Benin Republic) fought against the king of Igbesa in present Ado Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State. The Onigbesa, as the king was known escaped towards Lagos until he got to a thick forest where he settled and he heard of the exploits and powers of Oshodi in Epetedo whom he asked for help against the Dahomeans.
According to historical accounts, Oshodi waged a successful campaign against the invaders and restored the Onigbesa to his throne. In appreciation, the Onigbesa was said to have given him the expanse of thick forest where he once resided as exile which is known today as Oshodi.
“In appreciation of the help of Oshodi, the king gave him the land stretching from the railway line to Onigbongbo to the East, Ogunoloko land by the canal to the West, Sogunle is boundary to the North and Ojuwoye is boundary by the South. In all, it is 1,186.69 acres of land,” Alabi-Oshodi said.
But Oshodi could not leave Epetedo to settle in the new area so he sent his Arota and other associates to populate it while he continued to develop Epetedo, creating 21 compounds and establishing his control over Lagos political and economic environment.
Old Oshodi against
new Oshodi
The two towns founded by Ganagi have played prominent roles in the cultural and economic development of Lagos. While Oshodi (Epetedo) continues to attract immigrants to itself, it also serves as the cultural headquarters for the Igunnuko masquerade in Lagos; (new) Oshodi town has established itself as the commercial nerve center of Lagos.
“Oshodi is what defines Lagos, it is where the poor can survive, there is something for everyone to do in Oshodi, we cater for all and without this Oshodi, Lagos may not be like it is today,” Adebayo Ogunlade, a long time resident of Oshodi town, said.
Ogunlade contended that though Ganagi may have founded Oshodi and given it his name, the development of Oshodi town was due to the activities of its many immigrants and its central location in Lagos.
“This is the centre of Lagos, in Oshodi; you can get a bus to anywhere. That is why commercial activities thrive in this place as many people find it convenient to do business here rather than cross the lagoon to the island. You must also know that Oshodi is a successful town it is now because people came from all over the country and found a place to trade in it. The Oshodis may have founded it, but we make it what it is today,” he said.
But the Oshodi that Ogunlade was proud to identify with has not always generated the intense excitement of today. Before January 4th, 2009, it was a picture of chaos in motion. For many years, the area had been home to millions of traders, hoodlums, Area Boys and armed robbers. The jobless also found a space in its sprawling slums, traders took over its highways while transporters disregarding every known traffic code, turned the streets into one massive traffic jam. Oshodi was a synonym for evil.
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fasola decided to retake the town and on January 4, 2009, bulldozers rolled into town and took down the shanties, dislodged the area boys and reclaimed the streets from the criminals. The transformation was instant; free flow of traffic which has not happened in many years commenced, the robbers den was removed, traders clogging the streets disappeared and rapists hiding under the shadows of mountains of refuse were suddenly exposed and disgraced.
The lights came to Oshodi too and the darkness under which evil thrived was diminished and as the transformation took roots, order returned. Lagosians, unaccustomed to orderliness while boarding commercial buses in Oshodi began to learn a new culture with the introduction of the Bus Rapid Transportation (BRT). Today, it is not unusual for a first time visitor to describe Oshodi as “beautiful” a feat which would have been impossible four years ago.
“Where we are standing (under the bridge at Oshodi by the motor park) before the transformation was a dangerous area, there is no way and I mean every word of it, you can stand here and carry on this conversation. This whole place was swimming of Area Boys who will harass you and disposes you of all your belongings,” an excited Ifeoluwa Akande said.
Akande was not the only Oshodi resident who felt the pride of the area had been restored following the transformation by the Lagos State government. A lifelong resident of the area, Dele Omoyeni, said a stigma has been removed. “Before in this place, we could not sleep with our two eyes closed because of the activities of hoodlums and armed robbers, it was a trauma for us. We struggled everyday to go about our duties, but the painful part for those of us resident here in Oshodi was the stigma on this place. Now with the removal of all illegal activities here, we are proud of Oshodi and we can proudly claim that this place is ours.”
While Oshodi was going through its transformation, Epetedo has struggled to create an identity for itself while retaining its cultural and architectural activities. Bordered by civilisation and modern buildings, Epetedo has remained mainly residential where the inhabitants continue to cling to their history, a sentiment they are unwilling to relinquish.
Oshodi is the most popular street in Epetedo settlement because it was named after the founder of the community. Its dominant religion is Islam, but there is a strong presence of traditional worship and belief in the area. To many of the residents, the two religions can be practiced side by side. There are many immigrants in Oshodi, most from Kwara, Oyo and Osun. There are many also from Benin Republic who works as caterers in the street and neighbouring Adeniji estates.
But the challenge between the two Oshodi transcends sibling’s rivalry. Many decades after the Arota moved to Oshodi, Epetedo continues to superintendent over its affairs until 1950 when the Arota, buoyed by the Awori, went to court to challenge Epetedo over the sovereignty of the town.
“There have been court cases which lasted 35 years. In 2000, a Supreme Court judgment affirmed the Oshodi as the owner of Oshodi town, but we are still in court and we will win, there is nothing the Arota can do about it. We gave them the land and they don’t want to recognise us anymore, that cannot be, we must fight for what belongs to us,” Alabi-Oshodi said.
In the past, Oshodi town had always acted under the orders of Epetedo, whenever a Baale was to be selected; the candidate had to receive the blessing of Epetedo rulers. But that stopped since the court cases started and the Arota and Awori began to dream of instituting their own kingship independent of Epetedo.
This move prompted a negative reaction from Epetedo and a battle for supremacy began. The major contention seems to be the sharing formula for the resources of Oshodi town. According to Alabi-Oshodi, the Arota wanted the larger share of the resources. They rejected that.
“We called the Oshodi people and told them we are one, that we should share the resources. While they accepted we owned it together, they want the larger share from the resources,” he said.
After several court cases and millions spent in litigation costs, the two communities are yet to come to a reasonable agreement over how to share the enormous resources available in Oshodi.
When The Nation visited Oshodi town, none of the people available agreed to speak. Only the head of the family could speak, they said.
But some sources who pleaded anonymity said since the cases are in court, it is left for the law to decide. “We have been here since this place was founded, so we have equal rights to this Oshodi. We are the ones who built this place and made it like this, so it’s our sweat but we are even saying we can share with the other people, but they (Epetedo) just want to be our master which is not possible again,” an elder volunteered.
The two communities continue their separate existence. On August 28, this year, activities were gearing up in Oshodi Street, Epetedo. On one side, a child naming ceremony was underway, while a few metres away an Egungun masquerade, followed by two youths made its way from the cenotaph into Tapa Street brandishing a long cane. The children did not run at its approach and very few stopped to pay it any attention.
Under the shade of the stores, young and middle age men continued to drink and argue, while intermittently exchanging banters with passersby. On number 1, Oshodi Street, some men and women stood in front of a rather weird looking bungalow. It is the headquarters of the Igunnuko masquerade in Lagos. They talked in boring enthusiasm and abandoned themselves to their whims.
But Oshodi town was different on the evening of the same day; commercial activities took the centre stage with the hustle and bustle of millions of people who have passed through the community that day. It was a great contrast one capable of eliciting intense jealousy.
But Alabi-Oshodi said Epetedo is not jealous. ”We are not jealous of the prosperity of Oshodi. We are the same, it belongs to us and that is why we want to be king there and we will be,” he said his face displaying a satisfied hope.
