The Earliest Settlers of the Major Towns in Lagos – Basic 2 Nigerian History Lesson Note (Second Term)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Define town and cities
2. Name the earliest settlers in each of the towns on the map of Lagos
3. Name the earliest settlers in Lagos state
4. Determine the reasons or factors that attracted settlers to these major towns in Lagos State

Lesson Content

Review: What are Towns and Cities?

• Town: A place where many people live together with houses, shops, and schools
• City: A very big town with lots of people, tall buildings, and many businesses

Earliest Settlers in Major Lagos Towns

Lagos Island:

• First Settlers: Awori people (led by Ogunfunminire)
• When: Many hundreds of years ago
• Why they came: The island was safe (surrounded by water), good for fishing, and good for trading

Badagry:

• First Settlers: Egun people
• When: Long time ago
• Why they came: Good place for fishing, close to sea, and good for trading with other countries

Ikorodu:

• First Settlers: Ijebu people
• When: Many years ago
• Why they came: Good soil for farming, close to lagoon for fishing, and good place for trading

Ikeja:

• First Settlers: Awori people
• When: Long ago as a small village
• Why they came: Good farmland, safe place to live, and later became important because it’s in the center

Epe:

• First Settlers: Mixed fishing communities (mostly Awori and some Ijebu)
• When: Long time ago
• Why they came: Excellent lagoon for fishing, good place for canoe making

Factors That Attracted Settlers

1. Water Bodies (Rivers, Lagoons, Sea)

• Good for fishing
• Easy to travel by canoe
• Safe drinking water

2. Good Soil

• Good for farming
• Could grow yam, cassava, plantain
• Could plant palm trees

3. Safety

• Islands were safe from enemies
• Rivers provided protection
• Good places to hide

4. Trading Opportunities

• Close to sea for big ships
• Good meeting points for traders
• Close to other communities

5. Natural Resources

• Salt from sea water
• Fish from water
• Clay for making pots

Multiple Choice Exercise

1. Who were the first settlers on Lagos Island? a) Egun people b) Ijebu people
   c) Awori people d) Hausa people
2. Why did settlers choose places near water? a) Only for swimming b) For fishing, drinking, and traveling c) To wash clothes only d) To play games
3. Which people first settled in Badagry? a) Awori b) Ijebu c) Egun d) Yoruba
4. What attracted settlers to areas with good soil? a) To build houses only b) To make pots only c) For farming d) To dig holes
5. Why were islands considered safe places? a) They had tall trees b) They were surrounded by water c) They had many animals d) They were very hot

Answers: 1(c), 2(b), 3(c), 4(c), 5(b)