She had heard that the convoy of vehicles that would convey the king to Oyo was already in the precincts of the palace. She was walking briskly in the direction of Iga Idunganran. Whenever Pelewura gave herself time to dwell on these interesting recollections, it brought her out in a smile of admiration for her friend, Macaulay. They would win the case and shame the government.Įnraged, the government of Nigeria demanded that Eleko should denounce Macaulay for his ‘rude’ utterances in London, and for flaunting the king’s royal staff of office all over London. The Idejo Chief was accompanied by Herbert Macaulay, ostensibly to serve as his interpreter. There was singing and drumming, and the air of a Lagos carnival. He had a thick embroidered cloth draped over his shoulder in the manner the wealthiest noblemen in the land favoured. Many ordinary Lagosians, dressed in their best attires, gathered in Apapa to see him off. Herbert Macaulay was the man at the center of it all, and to the government, he was public enemy number one.Īnd so the plaintiff, Amodu Tijani on a day in 1920 that Lagosians would always remember, embarked on the long sea journey to the United Kingdom. It was a shock, and a matter of considerable irritation, when Tijani had the audacity to take his case to the Privy Council in London, and government discovered that some notable Lagos indigenes, including herself, Pelewura and her market women, had collected substantial funds to hire a Queen’s Counsel to argue Tijani’s case. The Governor initially thought the land matter was settled when Tijani’s lawsuit against the government was thrown out by the High Court in Lagos. Then there was the matter of the interview he was alleged to have granted to a London newspaper – The Daily Telegraph, criticizing the Nigerian government.īut what really aroused their ire against Eleko Esugbayi was that Amodu Tijani, an illiterate Idejo chief, obviously with the backing of the king, had challenged the authority of the British Empire to dispossess indigenous Chiefs of their ancestral land for public purposes. The government was miffed at reports that Macaulay was seen in several places in London, including a garden party at which he was presented to King George V, carrying the opaase of the Eleko. She was familiar with how the story went. (An excerpt from the forthcoming book PELEWURA) The insults came in the form of utterances of high and low officials, and written communication from Henry Carr, who was, ironically, the first indigenous head of the Civil Service of Nigeria.Īmodu Tijani, an illiterate Idejo chief, obviously with the backing of the king, had challenged the authority of the British Empire to dispossess indigenous Chiefs of their ancestral land for public purposes – “Settlement on the island started from here and it is the traditional home of Lagosians.Īccording to the Isale Eko Descendants’ Union, an apolitical socio-cultural organization, founded for the promotion of education, heritage and oneness, the greatness of Isale Eko, its history, culture and diversity is worthy of annual celebration and this informs the annual event.Pelewura quickened her step, walking in a daze, barely seeing the people she passed on the streets.įor several years now, the king had been under a relentless barrage of criticism and offensive actions from the government. It is the very heartland of the Island as it is home to its traditional institutions and the most inhabited area of the island till date. “Isale Eko, which translates, literally, to “Downtown Lagos” or metaphorically, to the origin of Lagos’ or ‘Heart of Lagos’, is the core of Lagos Island. The statement added that the walk-about of the heritage places “will be followed with a celebration at the Lagos City Hall, along the Catholic Mission Street, Lagos, at 4-10 p.m. The statement said the festival would include a Walk-about of Isale Eko, particularly selected heritage sites including palaces, religious places and different quarters 2-3 hours from 8 a.m. Wale Irokosu, the union said the cultural day “is an event aimed at promoting the unity of indigenes, friends and well wishers of Isale Eko. In a statement by Chairman of its Planning Committee, Mr. The Isale Eko Descendants’ Union of Lagos Island will today mark first Isale Eko Day, a cultural festival to foster unity among its indigenes.
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