Lagos

Lagos State was created on May 27, 1967 by virtue of States [Creation and Transitional Provisions] Decree No. 14 of 1967 which restructured Nigeria’s Federation into 12 States. Prior to this, Lagos Municipality was administered as a Federal Territory by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Lagos Affairs as the regional authority, while the Lagos City Council governed the City of Lagos. Equally, the Metropolitan areas [Colony Province] of Ikeja, Agege, Mushin, Ojo, Ikorodu, Epe, and Badagry were then administered by the Western Region Government. The State took off as an administrative entity on April 11, 1968 with Lagos Island serving the dual role of being the State and Federal Capital respectively. However, with the creation of the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja in 1976, Lagos ceased to be the capital of the State, as this was moved to Ikeja. Similarly, with the formal relocation of the seat of the Federal Government to Abuja on 12^th December, 1991, Lagos ceased to be Nigeria’s political capital. Nevertheless, Lagos remains the nation’s economic and commercial capital.

Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.3 million as of 2015 within the city proper. It was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 before the government decided to move their capital to Abuja in the centre of the country. The Lagos metropolitan area has a total population of roughly 23.5 million as of 2018, making it the largest metropolitan area in Africa. Lagos is a major African financial centre and is the economic hub of Lagos State and Nigeria at large. The city has been described as the cultural, financial, and entertainment capital of Africa, and is a significant influence on commerce, entertainment, technology, education, politics, tourism, art, fashion. Lagos is also among the top ten of the world's fastest-growing cities and urban areas. The megacity has the fourth-highest GDP in Africa and houses one of the largest and busiest seaports on the continent. The Lagos metropolitan area is a major educational and cultural centre in Sub Saharan Africa.

The topography of Lagos is dominated by its system of islands, sandbars, and lagoons. The city itself sprawls over what used to be the four main islands: Lagos, Iddo (now attached to the mainland), Ikoyi (now attached to Lagos Island), and Victoria (now the tip of the Lekki Peninsula); because of land reclamation efforts over the years, some of the original main islands are no longer true islands. A system of bridges connect some of Lagos’s islands to each other and to the mainland. All the territory is low-lying, the highest point on Lagos Island being only 22 feet (7 metres) above sea level.

Lagos state is served by a main line of the Nigerian Railways (which has its central yards in Lagos city) and the trunk highway system; Ikorodu, Mushin, and Ikeja are thereby linked to Lagos city. Epe, the state’s other major town, is served by secondary highways and is also a seaport. Lagos is served by Murtala Muhammed International Airport, located in Ikeja. Area 1,292 square miles (3,345 square km). Pop. (2006) 9,013,534.

6 interesting facts about Lagos

1. It has the Tallest Building in West Africa.

Lagos state hosts the tallest building in West Africa, NECOM house towers and it is 160m above the city.

2. The Third Mainland Bridge which connects Lagos Island to the mainland was the longest bridge in Africa measuring 11.8 km until 1996. Built by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, the official name of the bridge is Ibrahim Babangida Bridge.

3. Lagos Handles 80% of the Country’s Imports

Lagos handles majority of Nigeria's imports. Located in the Southwest beach line of Nigeria, Lagos port is responsible for processing 80% of goods in Nigeria.

This port is also mentioned as one of the top 10 in Africa.

4. Lagos was called Eko before colonisation by locals. It served as a major centre for slave-trade, from which then Oba of Benin Ado and all of his successors for over four centuries supported - until 1841 when Oba Akitoye ascended to the throne of Lagos and attempted to ban slave-trading.

Local merchants strongly opposed the intended move, and deposed, exiled the king and installed Akitoye's brother Kosoko as Oba.

5. Lagos maintained its status as capital when Nigeria obtained its independence from Britain in 1960. Lagos was, therefore, the capital city of Nigeria from 1914 until 1991, when it was replaced with Abuja as the Federal Capital Territory.

6. Until the coming of the Benins, Lagos's geographic boundary was Lagos Mainland. Lagos Island, the seat of the Oba of Lagos, then consisted of a pepper farm and fishing posts. No one lived there. The name Eko was given to it by its first king, Oba Ado, during its early history. Lagos also saw periods of rule by the Kingdom of Benin.

Courtesy of Wikepedia, Encyclopædia Britannica and Pulse.ng.