Lagos Islanders, Epetedo residents celebrate 155 years of existence

Epetedo, an area with historic value since the colonial days, is located in Lagos Island, the center of Lagos State. It is an historical area in Lagos Island where some of the followers of the deposed and exiled Oba of Lagos, Kosoko, settled in the 1860s.

More recently, it came into global reckoning as the site where Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (M.K.O) Abiola declared himself president after the results of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections were annulled.

At the weekend, the community rolled out the drums to celebrate its 155 years of existence. According to Sola Giwa, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Lagos Island constituency II and chairman House Committee on Wealth Creation and Employment, Epetedo is a community comprised of diverse mix of people through which the pulse of average Lagosians can be felt.

Epetedo holds a telltale history, dating back to the time Oba Kosoko ruled Lagos and the war that transpired between him and Akintoye in 1853. The war led to the sojourn of Kosoko’s faction, led by Chief Oshodi Tapa, out of Lagos from its residential base in Ologbowo. After 10 years of being away during the war, peace returned but due to damage resulting from ravages of the war, the present dwelling place was carved out, birthing a new beginning on September 16, 1862.

The events marking the 155 anniversary ran for a week, starting on September 9, with activities that included environmental clean-up, free health mission, check up and drugs, thanksgiving of the various religions in the community, games and the climax, a lecture on ‘Epetedo, yesteryears, today and tomorrow.’

Chairman, Epetedo Indigenes Association, Alhaji Babatunde Oshodi, applauded the people for their efforts to the growth of the community.