Mujahid Asari Dokubo, a Niger Delta militant has added his voice to the controversial statement by the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II that Benin People founded Lagos.
Oba Ewuare II made the statement earlier this week when he visited Governor Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos state in his office.
“It is in the history books that the Benins founded Lagos,” the oba said.
The comment has elicited divergent views from not a few Nigerians, including historians and indigenes of the state.
Reacting Dokudo, a repentant Niger Delta militant stated on Friday that the traditional ruler is trying to twist history, stressing that Bini forces only invaded some parts of Lagos Island at a point in history, that, he said, does not amount to founding the state.
He also described Oba Ewuare’s II claim as a “parasitic history’ which cannot be substantiated.
According to Asari-Dokubo, “The Oba of Benin carried a parasitic history to Lagos. Most of these things did not even happen. People even said there was one said by Oba of Lagos, and they started chewing a narrative.
“The question I’m asking the Oba of Benin and the people is, did Benin now package the land of Lagos among the Yoruba people and Egun people? It doesn’t make sense!”
He wondered if those who believe that Lagos belongs to the Benin people, do not know the distance between Benin and Lagos.
He insisted that those who hold the belief that Lagos was founded by Benin people do not know history.
He added, “Dahomey attacked Lagos. Dahomey attacked Abeokuta. Dahomey people in the Benin Republic will now say they own Lagos.
“You don’t know history. A Benin Army attacked Ondo. Ijaw people ferried them. They went to attack Lagos Island. Not the whole of Lagos, just the Island.
“Lagos was made of five divisions. Four of these divisions were of the former western region. You don’t know history. Which Lagos belongs to Benin people?”
The ex-Niger Delta militant said while it sounds reasonable that the Benin Army attacked the people of Lagos, it is wrong to say that Lagos was founded by Benin people.
“And it is Lagos Island, that very tiny place that they are talking about. They are not talking of Ikeja, they are not talking of Ikorodu, they are not talking of Badagry, they are not talking of Mushin,” he added
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