🇳🇬 Kingdom

Kingdom of Lagos

Evidence: Well documented

The Kingdom of Lagos, or Eko, is the traditional kingdom of Lagos Island, whose ruler is the Oba of Lagos, also called the Eleko of Eko.

Key facts
Type
Kingdom
Founded
about 1600, under Ashipa; Ado, the first king, from 1630 (Wikipedia)
Still exists
Yes
Overview

The Kingdom of Lagos, or Eko, is the traditional kingdom of Lagos Island, whose ruler is the Oba of Lagos, also called the Eleko of Eko. According to Wikipedia, every Oba traces his lineage to Ashipa, an Awori war captain of the Oba of Benin who governed Lagos on Benin's behalf from about 1600; Ado, who reigned from 1630, was the first king. Lagos stopped paying tribute to Benin around 1830, and after the British bombardment of 1851 Oba Akitoye was restored under British protection. Today the Oba is a ceremonial Yoruba sovereign without political power. His palace, Iga Idunganran on Lagos Island, was first built in 1670. Rilwan Akiolu was selected by the kingmakers in May 2003 and crowned that August as the 21st Oba; the Akinsemoyin royal family has challenged his coronation in court (Wikipedia). He was still the Oba in July 2026 (The Gazette).

Connections
  • Kingdom of Lagos is associated with:
    Yoruba (Yoruba kingdom; its Obas trace their lineage to Ashipa, an Awori) · Iga Idunganran (palace of the Oba of Lagos) · Eyo Festival (the festival escorts a departed king and ushers in a new one)
  • Kingdom of Lagos is located in:
    Lagos Island
Other names
  • Eko · endonym
    Yoruba name of Lagos Island and of the kingdom; the ruler is the Eleko of Eko (Wikipedia).
  • Oba of Lagos · alternative
    Title of the ruler; earlier titles Ologun and Eleko (Wikipedia).
Sources
  1. Oba of Lagos — Wikipedia · Reference source · link (accessed 2 Oct 2026)
    Supports: Kingdom of Lagos
  2. Rilwan Akiolu — Wikipedia · Reference source · link (accessed 2 Oct 2026)
    Supports: Kingdom of Lagos
  3. Iga Idunganran — Wikipedia · Reference source · link (accessed 2 Oct 2026)
    Supports: Kingdom of Lagos
  4. Tinubu will win 2027 election, says Oba of Lagos — The Gazette (Nigeria), 2026-07-04 · Reference source · link (accessed 2 Oct 2026)
    Supports: Kingdom of Lagos
How evidence is graded
  • Verified: Supported by an official source, or by two or more independent sources that agree.
  • Well documented: Supported by credible sources, but not yet independently confirmed.
  • Reported: Found in a credible source; further corroboration is welcome.
  • Needs corroboration: The evidence is thin or incomplete; more sources are being sought.
  • Disputed: Credible sources or community accounts disagree; the differing accounts are noted.
  • Uncertain: There is not yet enough information to classify this responsibly.

Sources are marked official, academic, reference, community or general web. Sources that copy each other count as one. Oral traditions are recorded as traditions, not as proven fact.

Archive ID: POL-KINGDOM-OF-LAGOS · Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted an error or have a source to add? Tell us.

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