Kunle Adelabu
Lagosians and others have been assured of another memorable event at the 2024 Eshinlokun Day which usually comes up every December 26, in commemoration of the late Oba Eshinlokun of Lagos whose two sons also became Obas after his reign.
Family members and other guests that will be visiting will have the opportunity of seeing the over 600 correspondences of Oba Morohunfolu Kosoko, the legendary Oba and Oloja of Lagos, at an exhibition planned to be staged at the Eshinlokun Day Celebration by the King Kosoko Royal Family. Late Oba Idewu and Kosoko were the two Princes of Oba Eshinlokun that were also crowned as Obas of Lagos.
Through this, members of the public will have the opportunity of seeing and knowing what transpired before, during and after the bombardment.
The exhibition is titled, “The Bombardment of Lagos”.
The Oloja – elect of Lagos, Prince Abiola Kosoko, made the revelation during the recently concluded “The Return 1862”, after the lightening of the arrival light which was part of the 2024 commemoration of the 162nd anniversary of the return of Oba Kosoko and his people to Lagos, after the British bombardment.
Prior to the lightening of the light which re -enacted how Oba Kosoko and his followers entered Lagos late night on September 1862, the Oloja – elect had led family members, guests, residents and tourists on procession round major roads and streets on Lagos Island.
Later in the night, Prince Kosoko, again, led family members and representatives of three of the descendants of Prince Olanrewaju, the Oba – elect of Oriba Kingdom, Mr Tayo Ope from Ope of Epetedo Descendant, Mr Mumuni Oloko from Iyanda Oloko family and Prince Adebayo from Eshinlokun Descendant, who are some of the families that came back with Kosoko to Lagos, to light the arrival light.
He assured family members that efforts will be intensified to make others be part of the celebration in subsequent years.
There was also another session where Princesses of King Kosoko royal family read some of the correspondences of King Kosoko with his Portuguese partners. The letters are almost 200 years old.
The Oloja – elect said that the letters, which were written in 1848 and 1845, proved that King Kosoko had been in relationship with Portuguese long before.
“These are some of the letters found in the palace when Lagos was burnt about 172 years ago. These are descendants of King Kosoko, who are going to read the letters.
“These letters described Kosoko’s business dealings with the Portuguese long before the British came to Lagos. Kosoko had been writing letters to the Portuguese.
“It wasn’t the British that taught people of Lagos about letter writing and business communication. Lagos had it before any part of Nigeria starts communicating with the outside world. Lagos had dealings with the outside world.
“Kosoko was actively involved and he had been doing that before 1818. His writings to his business partners are available with us.
“We have over 700 letters (of late king Kosoko), but we are going to be reading just three for the purpose of tonight’s event. You can pay a visit to the palace if you want to read other letters at the museum”.
While explaining one of the letters which a Portuguese wrote to King Kosoko, explaining that he was unable to send certain amount of money due to him after the sales of 12 ‘bails’, Prince Kosoko said that the correspondents referred to ‘bails’ as humans.
The Oloja – elect, on behalf of the royal family, however, pologized for the involvement of their ancestor in the trading in humans during the period of slave trade.
“This letter was from someone who was a business partner to Kosoko, and had helped him to make some sales which he referred to as ‘bails’. 12 bails mean 12 multiply by 12 and bails means human beings and which means that he sold 125 human beings.
“We (present generation) are not happy with the involvement of King Kosoko in slave trade. We are not the ones. It was the prevailing things in those days. We apologise on their behalf for that”, Prince Kosoko said.
While also speaking on another letter from Delhi in Brazil, Prince Kosoko said that, the Kosoko deity is still being celebrated in Brazil.
“Right now, in Brazil, two important things are happening, the first one is Esu Oloja which is the deity taken from the Kosoko’s enclave to that place. We still know that we have our properties there and that our people died and buried there”.
He emphasized that Lagos has been the commercial nerve centre of Africa long before now.
Prince Abiola Kosoko, speaking further, revealed that the royal family is planning to stage an exhibition at this year’s Eshinlokun Day on December 26, for members of the family and the public who want to see the letters.
“Well, while we encourage people to visit the King Kosoko Memorial Museum at Ereko, to see the letters, we are also going to stage an exhibition at the Eshinlokun Day on December 26, to showcase the over 600 letters.
“This is our way of making the history of Lagos and by extension available to not only Lagosians but also Nigerians and humanity in general.
“As usual, it will not be partying, eating and drinking at this year’s Eshinlokun Day, but a carnival, tourism attraction and educative atmosphere about the history of our family, Lagos and Nigeria”, he said.
As part of the 2024 edition of “The 1862 Return”, the second edition of the King Kosoko Memorial Lecture themed, “King Kosoko: His Life, His People and Settlements: The Hidden Facts”, was held on September 8, at the Glover Hall, Lagos.
