Lagos

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History

Lagos emerged as a home to the Awori people, a subgroup of the Yoruba of West Africa in the 15th century. They lived in the area which is centered on the present-day Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Lagos Island, Eti-Osa, Amuwo-Odofin, and Apapa. Before the 15th century, the Awori settled on a farmstead along the coastal line, in and around which they worked and lived. "Farmstead" or "hamlet" translates to Ereko in Yoruba, from which comes the indigenous name of Lagos; Eko. Due to rapid urbanisation, the city expanded to the west of the lagoon to include areas in the present-day Lagos Mainland, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, and Surulere. This led to the classification of Lagos into two main areas: the Island, which was the original city of Lagos, and the Mainland, which it has since expanded into. This city area was governed directly by the Federal Government through the Lagos City Council until the creation of Lagos State in 1967, which led to the splitting of Lagos city into the present-day seven Local Government Areas (LGAs), and the addition of other towns (which now make up 13 LGAs) from the then Western Region to form the state. Present-day Lagos consists of 16 LGAs, including Ikeja, the state capital of Lagos State. While this conurbation encompasses 37% of Lagos State's total land area, it accommodates approximately 85% of the state's total population. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until the government's December 1991 decision to relocate its capital to Abuja, in the centre of the country.

Geography

Lagos is loosely classified into two main geographical areas—the "Island" and the "Mainland". The city of Lagos has the tallest skyline in Nigeria. The architectural styles in Lagos are diverse, ranging from tropical and vernacular to colonial European and ultramodern buildings, or a mixture. Brazilian-style architecture brought by the creoles is evident in buildings such as Water House and Shitta Bey Mosque. Skyscrapers and most high-rise buildings are centered on the islands, while the mainland has some high-rise buildings. In recent years, the Lagos State government has renovated existing parks and green areas, with a long-term goal of expansion. Many good quality buildings are interspersed across the city. The Island is a loose geographical term that is used to define the area of Lagos that is separated from the "Mainland" by the main channel draining the lagoon into the Atlantic Ocean, which forms Lagos Harbour. The Island is mainly a collection of islands that are separated from each other by creeks and are connected by bridges. The smaller sections of some creeks have been dredged and built over. This part of Lagos is the area where most business activities and entertainment events take place, as well as where most of the upscale residential areas are concentrated. The Local Government Areas (LGAs) that are considered to be on the Island include Lagos Island and Eti-Osa. The major upscale Island neighbourhoods within these LGAs include Ikoyi and Victoria Island. Three major bridges join the Island to the Mainland. They are the Carter Bridge, which starts from Iddo; the Eko Bridge (formerly called the Second Mainland Bridge); and the Third Mainland Bridge, which passes through densely populated mainland suburbs to the Lagos Lagoon. The Ikoyi link bridge links…

Most-observed species

• Cattle Egret

  Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  148
• Pied Crow

  Corvus albus Statius Muller, 1776 · Aves
  143
• Laughing Dove

  Spilopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  134
• Red-eyed Dove

  Streptopelia semitorquata (Rüppell, 1837) · Aves
  129
• Western Plantain-eater

  Crinifer piscator (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  109
• Black Kite

  Milvus migrans (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  109
• Speckled Pigeon

  Columba guinea Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  104
• Common Bulbul

  Pycnonotus barbatus (Desfontaines, 1789) · Aves
  97