History Of Lagos State II Basic 2 Nigerian History Lesson Note

Learning Objectives

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

1. Explain the word ‘Lagos’
2. Give the original name of Lagos
3. Tell why the state was created

Lesson Content

The Word ‘Lagos’

What does ‘Lagos’ mean?

• The word “Lagos” comes from a Portuguese word that means “lakes”
• Portuguese people were explorers from Europe who came to this area long ago
• They called it “Lagos” because they saw many lagoons (big waters like lakes)
• The local people had different names for their areas before the Portuguese came

Original Names of Lagos

Before Portuguese Came:

• Eko – This was the Yoruba name for Lagos Island area
• Awani – Another name used by local people
• Oko – Used by some Awori people
• Different areas had different local names in local languages

How the Name Changed:

1. First: Local people called it “Eko” and other local names
2. Then: Portuguese explorers called it “Lagos” (meaning lakes)
3. Later: British people also used “Lagos”
4. Now: We use both “Lagos” (official name) and “Eko” (traditional name)

Why Lagos State Was Created

Before Lagos Became a State:

• Lagos was part of Western Region of Nigeria
• Later it became part of Western State
• It was growing very fast with many people
• It needed special attention because it was very important

Reasons for Creating Lagos State:

1. Too Many People

• Lagos had more people than other places
• It needed its own government to take care of all the people
• Managing so many people was too much for the old Western State

2. Economic Importance

• Lagos had the biggest port in Nigeria (where ships come)
• Many businesses and banks were located there
• It made a lot of money for Nigeria
• It needed special management

3. Capital City Status

• Lagos was the capital of Nigeria from 1960-1991
• Being the capital made it very important
• It needed its own state government to work well

4. Rapid Growth

• New towns and cities were growing very fast
• Infrastructure (roads, schools, hospitals) was needed urgently
• A state government could focus only on Lagos problems

When Lagos State Was Created:

• Lagos State was created on May 27, 1967
• General Yakubu Gowon was the military leader who created it
• It was created along with 11 other states
• This made Nigeria have 12 states instead of 4 regions

First Governor:

• The first military administrator was Colonel Mobolaji Johnson
• He helped set up the new state government
• He worked to develop Lagos State

Multiple Choice Exercise

1. What does the word “Lagos” mean? a) Mountains b) Lakes c) Forests d) Desert
2. What was the original Yoruba name for Lagos Island? a) Abuja b) Kano c) Eko d) Jos
3. When was Lagos State created? a) May 27, 1967 b) October 1, 1960 c) January 1, 1970 d) June 12, 1993
4. Who created Lagos State? a) General Obasanjo b) General Yakubu Gowon c) General Buhari d) General Babangida
5. Why was Lagos State created? a) Because it was too small b) Because it had too many people and was very important c) Because it had no water d) Because it was too cold

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