Lagos
Lagos (pronounced /ˈleɪɡɒs/, or /ˈlɑːɡoʊs/ overseas or Èkó in local Yoruba Language) is a port and most populous conurbation in Nigeria. Although the 2006 National Census credited the metropolitan area with a population figure of 7,937,932, the figure is highly unscientific as it contradicts existing realistic vital social data and incongruent with the population growth rate of Lagos. The figure has been widely rejected within and outside Nigeria and has been challenged in the Nigerian courts. The figure is completely at variance with scientifically sound projections by the UN and other reliable population agencies and groups worldwide. This is no surprise as many such census by the Nigerian government have been highly politicised and eventually cancelled. The more reliable population figure of Lagos State is given by the Lagos State Government as 17,553,924, based on well conducted enumeration for social planning. Since the inhabitants of the metropolitan area of Lagos constitute 88% of the population, the population of metropolitan Lagos is about 15.5 million. It is currently the most populous city in Africa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa (UN-HABITAT, 2008) and the 7th fastest in the world.
Formerly the capital of Nigeria, Lagos is a huge metropolis which originated on islands separated by creeks, such as Lagos Island, that fringe the southwest mouth of Lagos Lagoon, protected from the Atlantic Ocean by long sand spits such as Bar Beach which stretch up to 100 km east and west of the mouth. From the beginning, Lagos has spread on the mainland west of the lagoon and the conurbation, including Ikeja and Agege, now reaches more than 40 km north-west of Lagos Island. The city is the economic and financial capital of Nigeria.
History
Lagos was a Yoruba settlement of Awori people initially called Oko. Lagos derives its name from a Yoruba deity. The Yoruba still use the name Eko when they speak of 'Lagos', a name which never existed in Yoruba language. It is likely that the name 'Lagos' was given to the town by the first Portuguese settlers who navigated from a coastal town of the same name in Portugal. The present day Lagos state has a higher percent of Awori, who migrated to the area from Isheri along the Ogun river. Throughout history, it was home to a number of warring ethnic groups who had settled in the area. During its early settlement, it also saw periods of rule by the Kingdom of Benin.
Portuguese explorer Rui de Sequeira visited the area in 1472, naming the area around the city Lago de Curamo; indeed the present name is Portuguese for "lakes". Another explanation is that Lagos was named for Lagos, Portugal - a maritime town which at the time was the main centre of the Portuguese expeditions down the African coast and whose own name is derived from the Latin word Lacobriga.
From 1404-1889 it served as a major centre of the slave trade, ruled over by Yoruba kings called the Oba of Lagos. In 1841 Oba Akitoye ascended to the throne of Lagos and tried to ban slave trading. Lagos merchants, most notably Madam Tinubu, resisted the ban, deposed the king and installed her brother Oba Kosoko.
While exiled, Oba Akitoye met with the British, who had banned slave trading in 1807, and got their support to regain his throne. In 1851 he was reinstalled as the Oba of Lagos.
Lagos was formally annexed as a British colony in 1861. This had the dual effect of crushing the slave trade and establishing British control over palm and other trades.
The remainder of modern-day Nigeria was seized in 1887, and when the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria was established in 1914, Lagos was declared its capital. It continued to be the capital when Nigeria gained its independence from Britain in 1960.
Lagos experienced rapid growth throughout the 1960s and 1970s as a result of Nigeria's economic boom prior to the Nigerian Civil War otherwise called the Biafran War. Lagos was the capital of Nigeria from 1914 up to 1991; it was stripped of this title when the Federal Capital Territory was established at the purpose-built city of Abuja. However, most government functions (especially the head of state) stayed in Lagos for a time since Abuja was still under construction. On November 14, 1991, the Office of the Presidency and other federal government ministries were finally relocated to the new Capital city of Abuja
In 2002, an accidental detonation of military explosives caused the death of more than 1100 people.
The Lagos Mainland
Most of the population live on the mainland,so, most of the industries are located on the mainland. Lagos is known for its music and night life which used to be located in areas around Yaba and Surulere but in recent years more night clubs have sprung on the island making the island especially Victoria Island, the main nightlife attraction, Mainland districts include Ebute-Meta, Surulere, Yaba (location of the University of Lagos) and Ikeja, site of Murtala Muhammed International Airport and capital of Lagos State.
Greater Lagos includes: Mushin, Maryland, Somolu, Oshodi, Isolo, Ikotun, Agege,Iju Ishaga, Egbeda, Ketu, Bariga, Ipaja, and Ejigbo.
The city of Lagos lies in south-western Nigeria, on the Atlantic coast in the Gulf of Guinea, west of the Niger River delta, located on longitude 3° 24' E and latitude 6° 27' N. On this stretch of the high-rainfall West African coast, rivers flowing to the sea form swampy lagoons like Lagos Lagoon behind long coastal sand spits or sand bars. Some rivers, like Badagry Creek flow parallel to the coast for some distance before finding an exit through the sand bars to the sea. The two major urban islands of Lagos in Lagos Lagoon are Lagos Island and Victoria Island. These islands are separated from the mainland by the main channel draining the lagoon into the Atlantic ocean, which forms Lagos Harbour. The islands are separated from each other by creeks of varying sizes and are connected to Lagos Island by bridges. However the smaller sections of some creeks have been sand filled and built over.
The Lagos Islands
Lagos Island
Lagos Island contains the Lagos central business district,CBD,(with the popular Broad street), many of the largest wholesale marketplaces in Lagos (such as the Balogun Market), the National Museum, the central mosque, and the Oba palace. Though formerly in derelict condition, the Tinubu Square on the island is a site of historical importance; it was here that the Amalgamation ceremony that unified the North and South protectorate to form Nigeria took place in 1914.
Ikoyi Island
Ikoyi Island is situated on the eastern half of Lagos Island, housed the headquarters of the federal government and all other government buildings. It also has many hotels, and one of Africa's largest golf courses. Originally a middle class neighbourhood, in recent years, it has become a fashionable residential enclave for the upper middle class to the upper class.
Victoria Island
Victoria Island and Lekki Island are situated to the south of Lagos Island. They have some of the most expensive real estate properties in Africa, and for that reason, many new luxury condos and apartments are blooming up everywhere. Along with Ikoyi, Victoria Island occupies a major area in the suburbs of Lagos which boasts of several sizable shopping districts (including Nigeria's largest mall and movie theater) and several trendy beaches. Across the main channel of the lagoon from Lagos Island, a smaller island called Iddo Island is situated close to the mainland, and now is connected to the mainland like a peninsula. Three major bridges join Lagos Island to the mainland: Eko Bridge and Carter Bridge which start from Iddo Island, and the Third Mainland Bridge which passes through densely populated mainland suburbs through Lagos lagoon.
Climate
Lagos has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw) that is similar to that of the rest of southern Nigeria. There are two rainy seasons, with the heaviest rains falling from April to July and a weaker rainy season in October and November. There is a brief relatively dry spell in August and September and a longer dry season from December to March. Monthly rainfall between May and July averages over 300 mm (12 in), while in August and September it is down to 75 mm (3 inches) and in January as low as 35 mm (1.5 inches). The main dry season is accompanied by harmattan winds from the Sahara Desert, which between December and early February can be quite strong. The average temperature in January is 27°C (79°F) and for July it is 25°C (77°F). On average the hottest month is March; with a mean temperature of 29°C (84°F); while July is the coolest month.
Administration and demographics
In terms of administration, Lagos is not a municipality and has therefore no overall city administration. The Municipality of Lagos, which covered Lagos Island, Ikoyi and Victoria Island as well as some mainland territory, was managed by the Lagos City Council (LCC), but it was disbanded in 1976 and divided into several Local Government Areas (most notably Lagos Island LGA, Lagos Mainland LGA and Eti-Osa LGA). The mainland beyond the Municipality of Lagos, on the other hand, comprised several separate towns and settlements such as Mushin, Ikeja and Agege. In the wake of the 1970s Nigerian oil boom, Lagos experienced a population explosion, untamed economic growth, and unmitigated rural migration. This caused the outlying towns and settlements to develop rapidly, thus forming the Greater Lagos metropolis seen today. The history of Lagos is still evidenced in the layout of the LGAs which display the unique identities of the cultures that created them.
Today, the word Lagos most often refers to the urban area, called "Metropolitan Lagos" in Nigeria, which includes both the islands of the former Municipality of Lagos and the mainland suburbs. All of these are part of Lagos State, which now comprises 20 Local Government Areas. Lagos State is responsible for utilities including roads and transportation, power, water, health, and education. Metropolitan Lagos (a statistical division, and not an administrative unit) extends over 16 of the 20 LGAs of Lagos State, and contains 88% of the population of Lagos State, and includes semi-rural areas. Lagos City has a considerable amount of high rise buildings which makes up its skyline. Most of the tall buildings are located in around the downtown Central Business District.
Lagos was the former capital city of Nigeria but it has since been replaced by Abuja. Abuja officially gained its status as the capital of Nigeria on 12 December 1991, although the decision to move the federal capital had been made in now Act no. 6 of 1976. Lagos is also home to the High Court of the Lagos State Judiciary, housed in an old colonial building on Lagos Island.
Census data for Lagos
According to the preliminary results of the 2006 census, there are 7,937,932 inhabitants in Metropolitan Lagos. This figure is lower than what had been anticipated and has created a controversy in Nigeria. Lagos Island, the central Local Government Area and historic centre of Metropolitan Lagos, had a population of 209,437 as of the 2006 Census.
Authorities of Lagos State have attacked the results of the 2006 census, accusing the National Population Commission of having undercounted the population of the state. This accusation is strongly denied by the National Population Commission.
Lagos is, by most estimates, one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Lagos is currently experiencing a population increase of about 275,000 persons per annum. In 1999 the United Nations predicted that the city's metropolitan area, which had only about 290,000 inhabitants in 1950, would exceed 20 million by 2010 and thus become one of the ten most populated cities in the world. This projection, however, must now be revised downward due to the results of the 2006 census.
Like most cities, there is a huge spectrum of wealth distribution among the people that reside in Lagos. It ranges from the very wealthy to the very poor. Lagos has attracted many young entrepreneurs and families seeking a better life from throughout Nigeria and beyond.
Economy
Lagos is Nigeria's most prosperous city, and much of the nation's wealth and economic activity are concentrated there. Most commercial, financial and business centers of Lagos and of Nigeria remains at the central business district in Lagos Island which is also typified with the presence of high rise buildings. This is also where most of the country's largest banks and financial institutions and headquarters of big corporations are located. Lagos has one of the highest standards of living as compared to other cities in Nigeria as well as in Africa at large.
Lagos is also home to many of Nigeria's financial institutions, Banks and insurance Companies.
The Port of Lagos is Nigeria's leading port and one of the largest and busiest in Africa. It is administered by the Nigerian Ports Authority and it is split into three main sections: Lagos port, in the main channel next to Lagos Island, no longer used much, Apapa Port (site of the container terminal) and Tin Can Port, both located in Badagry Creek which flows into the Lagos Harbour from the west. The port features a railhead.
The port has seen growing amounts of crude oil exported, with export figures rising between 1997 and 2000. Oil and petroleum products provide 20% of GDP and 95% of foreign exchange earnings in Nigeria as a whole.
Transport
Highways
Lagos has one of the largest and most extensive road networks in West Africa.
Lagos has suburban terrains and has some ferry services. Highways are usually congested in peak hours, due in part to the geography of the city, as well as to its explosive population growth. Lagos is also linked by many highways and bridges.
Local roads in Lagos vary in quality from well-maintained to pothole-ridden. Most freeways are in good shape. The Lagos–Ibadan expressway and the Lagos–Abeokuta expressway are the major arterial routes in the north of the city and serve as inter-state highways to Oyo State and Ogun State respectively. To the west the congested Lagos–Badagry Expressway serves outlying towns such as Festival Town, which was the location for the 1977 Festival of Black Arts and Culture 77. Due to a culture of poor maintenance among people and government, the suburb is now like any other (see below).
The city teems with transit buses known to locals as Danfos and Molues, as well as taxi motorcycles known as Okadas. Both means of transport are a vital part of Lagos's transport network.
BRT (Lagbus)
The Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) agency was recently created in order to solve the transport issues in the state. The Bus Rapid Transit scheme was launched on 4 June 2006.
Lagos State recently implemented a BRT (bus rapid transit) system; the first phase was completed in February 2008. It is expected to operate along eight routes using specially designated BRT Lanes running through the city, with the aim of expanding to other routes in the future. The first phase of the Lagos BRT runs 12 miles through Ikorodu Road and Funsho Williams Avenue up to CMS. After weeks of test runs, operations started on March 17, 2008, six months earlier than planned.
It has been estimated that the system will transport about 10,000 passengers in each direction per hour during peak travel times. The LAMATA BRT corridor covers a distance of about 22 kilometers in length. The system is run by two operators, NURTW Cooperative (Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers) and LAGBUS, a Lagos State Government owned Asset Management Company which contributes about 180 high capacity buses for the implementation of the first phase Mile 12 to CMS BRT Lite system.
International Highways
Lagos's importance as a commercial centre and port and its strategic location have led to it being the end-point of three Trans-African Highway routes using Nigeria's national roads: The Trans-West African Coastal Highway leaves the city as the Badagry Expressway to Benin and beyond as far as Dakar and Nouakchott.
The Trans-Sahara Highway to Algiers, which is close to completion, leaves the city as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Lagos-Mombasa Highway also leaves the city as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, but the route is far from completion between East Africa and West Africa and is practical only for travel to neighbouring Cameroon.
Rail (Lagos Light Rail)
A planned railway line running through the Lagos metropolis is being constructed with plans of completion as early as 2012.
Ferries
Lagos State Ferry Services Corporation runs a few regular routes, for example between Lagos Island and the mainland, modern ferries and wharves. Private boats run irregular passenger services on the lagoon and on some creeks. Many routes are expected to get on-board in 1Q
Airports
Lagos is served by Murtala Mohammed International Airport, one of the largest airports in Africa and a top international air passenger gateway to Nigeria. The airport is located in the northern suburb of Ikeja and has Domestic and International Terminals. With 5.1 million passengers in 2008, the airport accounts for almost fifty percent of all air traffic in Nigeria. Outbound international travel from Murtala Mohammed Airport accounts for the majority of all air passengers traveling to and from Nigeria. The airport has recently undergone upgrades along with the addition of a new terminal.
Culture
Music & film industry
Lagos is famous throughout West Africa for its music scene. Lagos has given birth to a variety of styles such as the Nigerian-styled hiphop (naija hiphop), highlife, juju, fuji, and Afrobeat.
Lagos is the center of the Nigerian movie industry, often referred to as 'Nollywood.' Idumota market on Lagos Island is the primary distribution center. Many films are shot in the Festac area of Lagos.
The cinemas are gradually losing their supporters to the movie industry. Yoruba-spoken films happen to be the most watched in the cinemas, followed by Indian films. Films are not premiered for a long period of time in the western sense, especially with Yoruba-spoken films. The English-spoken films controlled mainly by the Igbos are the most popular and move directly from the studios to the market.
Iganmu is home to the National Arts Theater — the primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria.
Sport
As in other major cities of the world, football is Lagos' most popular sport. Prominent Lagos soccer clubs include Julius Berger FC, First Bank and Stationery Stores.
The Nigeria national football team, also known as the Super Eagles, used to play almost all of their home games in Lagos at the National Stadium in Surulere; however, games are now mostly played at the larger and newer National Stadium in Abuja, which is the default home of the Super Eagles.
Tourism
Lagos, subsequently to the re-modernization project achieved by the current administration of Governor Raji Babatunde Fashola, is gradually becoming a major tourist destination, being one of the largest cities in Africa and in the world. Lagos is currently taking steps to become a global city. The 2009 Eyo carnival which took place on the April 25th, was a step toward world city status. Currently, Lagos is primarily known as a business-oriented and a fast paced community. Lagos has a number of sandy beaches by the Atlantic Ocean. Two of the popular beaches include Bar Beach and Lekki Beach. However in January 2009, a privately owned zoo was commissioned in the epe area of Lagos as it serves as a home for many animals that originate from Africa.It is a fully endorsed project by the Lagos State Government. Lagos has a variety of hotels ranging from three star to five star hotels. Some of the popular hotels include Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Federal Palace Hotel, Ikoyi Hotel, Sofitel Lagos Moorhouse Ikoyi, Eko Hotels And Suites and The Palmview Manor. Visitors are mostly attracted to Nigeria's rich culture, entertainment scenes and vitality which Lagos city offers. Tourist attractions include Oba's Palace, the National Museum, Shrine of Fela and the beach resorts.
Education
The Lagos State Government operates state schools. The education system is the 6-3-3-4 system, which is practised throughout the country (as well as by many other ECOWAS states). The levels are Primary, Junior Secondary School (JSS), Senior Secondary School (SSS), and university. All children are offered basic education, with special focus now on the first nine years.
Lagos is home to several secondary schools, universities and other vocational institutions that are either operated by the government or private entities. Some examples are listed below.
Polytechnics
Yaba College of Technology : founded in 1934, the college is Nigeria's first higher educational institution and third in Africa. The college is a center of culture and heritage. Currently it has student enrollment of over 16,000.
Lagos State Polytechnic is a polytechnic comprising of more than this 6 schools including private polytechnic and was founded 25 years ago. Its main campus resides at Ikorodu, along Ijebuode road.
Lagos City Polytechnic
Grace Polytechnic
Wolex Polytechnic
Universities
[http://www.pau.edu.ng/ The Pan-African University] is primarily a business school, offering two MBA programmes. Founded in 1996 and awarded University status in 2002, it consists of the Lagos Business School and of Enterprise Development Services. The University also places some emphasis on the study of art.
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is a large institution dating from 1962, with over 35,000 students. It comprises 13 faculties, run by over 4,000 staff.
Lagos State University (LASU) is a multi-campus university established in 1984 and owned by the Lagos State government. The main campus is located at Ojoo, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
[http://www.nou.edu.ng National Open University]National Open University is the first open university in Nigeria, it is located on Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos
Lagos State College of Health Technology(LASCOHET)Yaba- A mini instituition that run health courses such as Health information Management, Pharmacist Technician, Medical Laboratary Technician,Community health extension worker and Environmental Health Technology, it is located in Yaba
Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba-Mushin, Lagos.
New Districts
Eko Atlantic City
Eko Atlantic City is a planned 21st century city to be constructed, intended to be built on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean. Already, most of the land had been reclaimed. The proposed development is targeting 400,000 residents and 250,000 commuters flowing daily to the island. The project is planned to return the coast to its position in the 1950s and 1960s, reversing damage done by erosion.
Personalities
Main article: People from Lagos
Bisi Silva
Ndidi Dike
Tony Allen
Keziah Jones
Bola Abimbola
(Henry Ogochukwu)
Sister Cities
Atlanta, United States
Brussels, Belgium
Bucharest, Romania
Cairo, Egypt
Cotonou, Benin
Daegu, South Korea
Fukuoka, Japan
Istanbul, Turkey
Jaipur,India
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Newcastle, United Kingdom
Nuremberg (Nürnberg), Germany
Ancient Olympia, Greece
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Ra'anana, Israel
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Salcedo, Dominican Republic
Salzburg, Austria
Taipei, Taiwan
Tbilisi, Georgia
Toulouse, France
Translation
The word "Lagos" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Afrikaans, Aragonese, Franco-Provençal/Arpitan, Bosnian, Breton, Catalan, Czech, Welsh, Danish, German, Estonian, Spanish, Basque, Fiji Hindi, Irish, Galician, Croatian, Ido, Igbo, Indonesian, Icelandic, Cornish, Swahili, Lombard, Hungarian, Malay, Norwegian (Bokmål), Norwegian (Nynorsk), Occitan, Piedmontese, Romanian, Sicilian, Simple English, Slovak, Slovenian, Serbo-Croatian, Finnish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Waray-Waray.
Translation(s) in other languages: Arabic: لاغوس, Azeri: Laqos, Bengali: লেগোস, Bulgarian: Лагос, Esperanto: Lagoso, Persian: لاگوس, French: Lagos (Nigeria), Korean: 라고스, Armenian: Լագոս, Hindi: लागोस, Italian: Lagos (città), Hebrew: לאגוס, Kannada: ಲಾಗೊಸ್, Georgian: ლაგოსი, Latin: Lacupolis, Latvian: Lagosa, Lithuanian: Lagosas, Macedonian: Лагос, Malayalam: ലാഗോസ്, Marathi: लागोस, Egyptian Arabic: لاجوس, Dutch: Lagos (Nigeria), Japanese: ラゴス, Polish: Lagos (Nigeria), Portuguese: Lagos (Nigéria), Russian: Лагос, Sakha: Лагос, Serbian: Лагос, Tamil: லேகோஸ், Thai: ลากอส, Tajik: Лагос, Ukrainian: Лагос (місто), Yiddish: לאגאס, Yoruba: Èkó, Cantonese: 拉哥斯, Chinese: 拉哥斯.
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