Lagos State

Lagos
Èkó  (Yoruba)
State
Flag of Lagos State
Flag		Seal of Lagos State
Seal

Location of Lagos State in Nigeria
Coordinates: 6°35′N 3°45′E / 6.583°N 3.750°E / 6.583; 3.750Coordinates: 6°35′N 3°45′E / 6.583°N 3.750°E / 6.583; 3.750
Country  Nigeria
Geopolitical Zone South West
Date created May 27, 1967
Capital Ikeja
Number of LGAs 20
Government
 • Governor[1] Akinwunmi Ambode (APC)
 • Deputy Governor Oluranti Adebule (APC)
 • Senators
 • Representatives List
 • Chief Judge Oluwafunmilayo Olajumoke Atilade
Area
 • Total 3,577 km2 (1,381 sq mi)
Population (2006 census)[2]
 • Total 9,013,534
 • Estimate (2012 by LASG) 17,552,940[3]
 • Rank 2nd of 36
 • Density 2,500/km2 (6,500/sq mi)
GDP
 • Year 2014
 • Total $91 billion[4]
 • Per capita $4,333
Time zone WAT (UTC+01)
ISO 3166 code NG-LA
Website lagosstate.gov.ng

Lagos, sometimes referred to as Lagos State to distinguish it from Lagos Metropolitan Area, is a state located in the southwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The smallest in area of Nigeria's 36 states,[5] Lagos State is arguably the most economically important state of the country,[6] containing Lagos, the nation's largest urban area. It is a major financial centre and would be the fifth largest economy in Africa, if it were a country.[7]

The actual population total is disputed between the official Nigerian Census of 2006, and a much higher figure claimed by the Lagos State Government. Lagos State is located in the south-western part of the Nigerian Federation. On the North and East it is bounded by Ogun State. In the West it shares boundaries with the Republic of Benin. Behind its southern borders lies the Atlantic Ocean. 22% of its 3,577 km2 are lagoons and creeks.

History

Early History

Before the Portuguese name of Lagos had been adopted, Lagos' initial name was Eko which referred mainly to the Island. The first to settle in Eko were the Aworis.[8] The Awori hunters and fishermen had originally come from Ile-Ife to the coast.[5] The name Eko comes either from the Yoruba "Oko" (cassava farm) or "Eko" (war camp). Over 650 years ago, the Oba of Bini sent warriors to Eko who were received in a welcoming manner by the residing Awori fishermen. The Bini Prince, Ado, who led the war party, was asked to become their leader. From that point on, Eko belong yoruba.[9]

Postcolonial Era

Lagos State was created on 27 May 1967 according to the State Creation and Transitional Provisions Decree No. 14 of 1967, which restructured Nigeria into a Federation of 12 states.[10] Before the issuance of this Decree, Lagos city, which was the country's capital had been administered directly by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Lagos Affairs.[10] However, Ikeja, Agege, Mushin, Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry were administered by the then Western Region Government.[10] Lagos, the city, along with these other towns were captured to create the state of Lagos, with the State becoming fully recognized as a semi-autonomous administrative division on 11 April 1968.[10] Lagos served the dual role of being the State and Federal Capital until 1976, when the capital of the State was moved to Ikeja.[10] After the full establishment of the Federal Capital Territory, the seat of the Federal Government was also formally relocated to Abuja on 12 December 1991. Nevertheless, Lagos still remains the financial centre of the country, and also grew to become the most populous city in the state and the country.[10]

Cities and towns

Lagos

Lagos is the most populous city in the state and in Nigeria as a whole. The conurbation is one of the most populous in the world.[11] As of 2015, the population of Lagos city was approximately 16 million.[12] Lagos is a port which originated on islands separated by creeks, such as Lagos Island, fringing the southwest mouth of Lagos Lagoon while protected from the Atlantic Ocean by barrier islands and long sand spits such as Bar Beach, which stretch up to 100 kilometres (62 miles) east and west of the mouth. The Metropolitan area of Lagos include: Ikeja (which is the capital of Lagos State) and Agege and Mushin.

Ikeja

Ikeja is the state capital of Lagos State. Prior to the emergence of military rule in the early 1980s, Ikeja was a well planned, clean and quiet residential and commercial town with shopping malls, pharmacies and government reservation areas. The Murtala Mohammed International Airport is located in Ikeja. Ikeja is also home to the Femi Kuti's Africa Shrine and Lagbaja's Motherlan', both live music venues. It now boasts a shopping mall, Ikeja City Mall, which is the largest mall in the Mainland of Lagos State and also has a cinema.

Lekki

Lekki is a city, which is located to the south east of the state. Lekki is a naturally formed peninsula, which is still largely under construction; As of 2015, only phase 1 of the project has been completed, with phase 2 nearing completion. The peninsula is approximately 70 to 80 km long, with an average width of 10 km. Lekki currently houses several Estates, gated residential developments, agricultural farmlands, areas allocated for a Free Trade Zone, with an airport, and a sea port under construction. The proposed land use master plan for the Lekki envisages the Peninsula as a "Blue-Green Environment City",[13] expected to accommodate well over 3.4 million residential population and an additional non-residential population of at least 1.9 million.[14]

Ikorodu

Ikorodu is a city located north east of the state along the Lagos Lagoon, it shares a boundary with Ogun State. As of the 2006 Census Ikorodu had an enumerated population of 535,619.[15]

Eko Atlantic

Eko Atlantic is a planned city being constructed on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean.[16] It is located on former Lagos’ Bar Beach. Upon completion, the new island which is still under development is anticipating at least 250,000 residents and a daily flow of at least 150,000 commuters. The development will also have a positive environmental impact; its purpose is to stop the erosion of the Lagos coastline.[17] The Eko Atlantic City project received global recognition in 2009, as the Lagos State government and its private sector partners on the Project, South Energyx, received the Clinton Global Initiative Commitment Certificate.[18][19][20]

Badagry

Badagry is a coastal town in the state. It is situated between Metropolitan Lagos, and the border with Benin at Seme. As of the preliminary 2006 census results, the municipality had a population of 241,093.[21]

Epe

Epe is a town located on the north side of the Lekki Lagoon. Epe is popular for the fishing activities attributed to the city, the 2006 Census the population of Epe was 181,409.[22]

Ojo

Ojo is a town with a population of 507,693[23] Lagos State University is located in this town.

Economy

Lagos State is a major economic centre of Nigeria. It would be the fifth largest economy in Africa if it were a country.[24]

Government

Since its creation in 1967, the state has been administered either by a governor and a House of Assembly in civilian or quasi-civilian (under Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida's administration) federal administrations, or by Sole-Administrators or Military Administrators in military dispensations . Since December 2007, Yoruba has been the second official language of debate and discussion for the House of Assembly after English.

Administrative Divisions and Local Government Areas

Lagos State is divided into five Administrative Divisions, which are further divided into twenty (20) Local Government Areas, or LGAs. They are:[25]

LGA Name Area (km2) Census 2006
population		 Administrative capital Postal
Code
Agege 11 459,939 Agege 100
Alimosho 185 1,277,714 Ikotun 100
Ifako-Ijaye 27 427,878 Ifako 100
Ikeja 46 313,196 Ikeja 100
Kosofe 81 665,393 Kosofe 100
Mushin 17 633,009 Mushin 100
Oshodi-Isolo 45 621,509 Oshodi/Isolo 100
Shomolu 12 402,673 Shomolu 101
Ikeja Division 424 4,801,311
Apapa 27 217,362 Apapa 101
Eti-Osa 192 287,785 Ikoyi 101
Lagos Island 9 209,437 Lagos Island 101
Lagos Mainland 19 317,720 Lagos Mainland 101
Surulere 23 503,975 Surulere 101
Lagos Division 270 1,542,279
Ajeromi-Ifelodun 12 684,105 Ajeromi/Ifelodun 102
Amuwo-Odofin 135 318,166 Festac Town 102
Ojo 158 598,071 Ojo 102
Badagry 441 241,093 Badagry 103
Badagry Division 746 1,841,435
Ikorodu 394 535,619 Ikorodu 104
Ikorodu Division 394 535,619
Ibeju-Lekki 455 117,481 Akodo 105
Epe 1,185 181,409 Epe 106
Epe Division 1,640 298,890
Total 3,474 9,019,534 Ikeja

The first 16 of the above LGAs comprise the statistical area of Metropolitan Lagos. The remaining four LGAs (Badagry, Ikorodu, Ibeju-Lekki and Epe) are within Lagos State but are not part of Metropolitan Lagos.

In 2003, many of the existing 20 LGAs were split for administrative purposes into Local Council Development Areas. These lower-tier administrative units now number 56: Agbado/Oke-Odo, Agboyi/Ketu, Agege, Ajeromi, Alimosho , Apapa, Apapa-Iganmu, Ayobo/Ipaja, Badagry West, Badagry, Bariga, Coker Aguda, Egbe Idimu, Ejigbo, Epe, Eredo, Eti Osa East, Eti Osa West, Iba, Isolo, Imota, Ikoyi, Ibeju, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ifelodun, Igando/Ikotun, Igbogbo/Bayeku, Ijede, Ikeja, Ikorodu North, Ikorodu West, Ikosi Ejinrin, Ikorodu, Ikorodu West, Iru/Victoria Island, Itire Ikate, Kosofe, Lagos Island West, Lagos Island East, Lagos Mainland, Lekki, Mosan/Okunola, Mushin, Odi Olowo/Ojuwoye, Ojo, Ojodu, Ojokoro, Olorunda, Onigbongbo, Oriade, Orile Agege, Oshodi, Oto-Awori, Shomolu, Surulere and Yaba.[26]

List of current Local Government Area Chairmen.[27]

Tertiary Institutions in Lagos State

People

While the State is essentially a Yoruba-speaking environment, it is a socio-cultural melting pot attracting both Nigerians and foreigners alike.

Indigenous inhabitants include the Aworis and Eguns in Ikeja and Badagry Divisions respectively, with the Eguns being found mainly in Badagry.

There is also an admixture of other pioneer settlers collectively known as the Ekos.

The indigenes of Ikorodu and Epe Divisions are mainly the Ijebus with pockets of Eko-Awori settlers along the coastland and riverine areas.

Notable people

Transportation

Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Ikeja is one of Nigeria's 5 major international airports.

See also

References

  1. ↑ See List of Governors of Lagos State for a list of prior governors
  2. ↑ "FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA : 2006 Population Census" (PDF). Web.archive.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  3. ↑ "Population-Lagos State". Lagos State Government. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  4. ↑ Akinkuotu, Eniola (21 January 2015). "We can double Lagos GDP, says Ambode". The Punch NG. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Lagos State, Nigeria". Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  6. ↑ Nigerian Congress - Administrative Division Description
  7. ↑ John M. O. Ekundayo (2013). Out of Africa: Fashola: Reinventing Servant Leadership to Engender Nigeria's Transformation. AuthorHouse. p. 135. ISBN 9781481790406.
  8. ↑ Jeremy Seymour Eades (1980). The Yoruba Today. Cambridge University Press (Changing Culture Series). p. 15. ISBN 9780521226561.
  9. ↑ "History of Lagos State". Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Lagos State Information". National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  11. ↑ World's fastest growing cities and urban areas from 2006 to 2020, by CityMayors.com
  12. ↑ "Population". Lagos State Government. 2011. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  13. ↑ "Lekki Master Plan". Lagos State Government. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  14. ↑ "Nigeria: Development Plan Dismisses Threats to Lekki/Victoria Island's Real Estate Prospects". allafrica.com. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  15. ↑ "NigeriaCongress.org". Retrieved 2007-04-08.
  16. ↑ Elumoye, Deji (2007-09-26). "'Eko Atlantic city Underway'". Thisday (via allAfrica.com). AllAfrica Global Media. Retrieved 2008-02-04.
  17. ↑ Dada, Akinpelu (2009-05-18). "'Construction work on Eko Atlantic city to commence soon'". The Punch. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
  18. ↑ "Fashola Receives Clinton Award For Eko Atlantic City". AllAfrica.com. ThisDay. 29 September 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  19. ↑ Akinola, Femi (19 December 2010). "A Fairy Tale, Dream Home for the Super-Rich". Sunday Trust. Abuja, Nigeria. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  20. ↑ Ayeyemi, Dayo (24 January 2012). "Projects that will shape real estate sector in 2012". National Mirror. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  21. ↑ The area is led by a traditional chief, Akran De Wheno Aholu Menu - Toyi 1, who is also the permanent vice-chairman of obas and chiefs in Lagos State. Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette Archived 2007-07-04 at the Wayback Machine., published 15 May 2007, accessed 8 July 2007
  22. ↑ "NigeriaCongress.org". Retrieved 2007-04-08.
  23. ↑ "NigeriaCongress.org". Retrieved 2007-04-08.
  24. ↑ John M. O. Ekundayo (2013). Out of Africa: Fashola: Reinventing Servant Leadership to Engender Nigeria's Transformation. AuthorHouse. p. 135. ISBN 9781481790406.
  25. ↑ "Lagos State - Population".
  26. ↑ "Local Government Areas". Retrieved 2010-03-20.
  27. ↑ http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/pagemenus.php?p=60&k=32
  28. ↑ National Open University Of Nigeria, Lagos Study Centres

Further reading

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