gos is an essential part of Lagos State which lies between longitude 20 420 and 30220 E and latitude 60220N and 60420N respectively. The land area extends into the interior of the state with district ecological zones. The geographical environment has been conducive to human habitation for as far back oral traditions can remember. The possibility of satisfying the physiological and biogenic needs, such as food, water, made Lagos to be attractive to may immigrants. The Yoruba sub-groups such as the Awori .and coastal Ijebu constitute the bulk of the indigenous inhabitant. these groups could be distinguished from other ethnic groups in the area on the basis of their language with variations of dialects, traditions of migrations whether directly or indirectly from Ife; traditions amongst most of their rulers of descent from Oduduwa (the eponymous hero of Yoruba), affinal relation with Benin, and existence of Yoruba cultural feature such as regal paraphernalia, facial makings, as well as physical outlook. The various practices and socio-political organization. The wide0spread nature of these features is in-part a product of diffusion, and ancestral connection, but largely the result of common imperial experience f groups of Edo invader from Benin. Though, the power of the Benin kingdom was impressive as early as the second half of the fifteenth century during the reign of Oba Ewuare, Benin occupation and subjugation of Lagos and its neighbourhood did not start until the sixteenth century when Benin troops and trades took effective control of the coastal region from the Niger Delta in the East to Porto Novo in the West.

Ewuare ascendancy to the throne of Benin in the early fifteenth century put the kingdom into a splendid period of successful and rapid expansion. With a formidable military arsenal, strong, well equipped and battle-ready army, Benin became a terror and lord ;of her neighbouring settlements. She successfully laid the tradition of imperial annexation of coastal Yorubaland. This interest was reinforced in the 1550 as a result of the relative peace at home and the growing European trade on the coast which Benin wanted to control. The need for areas of economic control, security, free flow of coastal trade, as a result of the need to secure the base for harnessing goods from the inland made the control of Lagos a necessity for Benin. By the opening of the sixteenth century a large section of eastern Yoruba land had come under Benin influence and the Ilaje territory on modern Ondo state served a passage to the far western coast in the area of modern Lagos. Thus, the areas beteen Lagos and Porto Novo became the focus of Benin military activities till the seventeenth century. In this century, Mahin, an Ilaje communities founded by immigrants from the neighbourhood of Itsekiri and were sdestroyed, while Isheri Olofin, Lagos, Ido, Ebute Metta, Oto-Olofin and other coastal Yoruba communities in the area fell to superior Benin invading army.

After Oba Ehengbuda (C. 1578-1606) who consolidated the imperial achievement of Orhogbua (C. 1550-1578), Benin entered a long period of internal crisis. The Oba stopped being forceful as they no longer led their subjects in battles; rather, they reinforced their mystical attribute, palace rituals and led a secluded life. As a result, the noble men, chiefs and ambitious individual especially the soldiers seized the opportunity to increase their powers and founded their own kingdoms at the expense of the monarchy. Although, the era of warrior kings was terminated in the 17th century with the reign of Oba Ehengbuda who died on his way to Lagos, after him, priests and aristocratic rulers began a prolonged civil war which encouraged the flight of many families and soldiers to different parts f Lagos state. At the western extreme, the situation was such that the colonies were disbanded as a result of ineffective military and personal ambitions. The immediate effect of this was the widespread dispersal of Benin cultural traits. Added to this, the rise of Agaja Trudo of Dahomey (C. 1704-1740) and his coastal military in Porto Novo, coupled with internal disorder in Benin was decisive factors in the emergence of many Yoruba settlements founded by people of Benin origin in Lagos state. Other settlement in the region were founded by warriors, brave hunters, fugitives, refugees and adventurous individuals from other parts of Nigeria but such groups were not shielded from the effects of Benin militarism and cultural imposition.

The influence of Benin pervades every sphere of life of the Yoruba of the coast especially Lagos. The name of some of their towns, their folk tales, rituals, dialects, music, regal goods and dances in varying degrees portray evidence of close interaction with Edo. This is a manifestation of the nature of Benin relations with coastal Yoruba land from about 1500 onwards. Benin invasions of the region of Lagos were profound in shaping the socio-political, economic and culture history of the Yoruba settlement in the area that the erroneous impression that Benin kingdom actually founded all the pre-nineteenth century coastal Yoruba settlements was created. Oral traditions and archival source materials show that not all the Yoruba settlement in the area were actually founded by people of Benin origin. Written by R.O. AJETUMOBI Ph.D THE BENIN FACTOR IN THE HISTORY OF LAGOS