Prior to its creation, Ibeju –Lekki was treated as a backwater suburb to Epe Central and North, with its local government created from two autonomous communities, Ibeju and Lekki. However, the existence of Ibeju Lekki local government could be traced back to 1990 during the local government creation exercise by then Nigeria head of state, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. It was one of the four created in Lagos State and one of the two hundred and sixty-nine (269) local governments created in the country that year. It is important to state that it was at this time that nine new states were created in the country. The seat of the Ibeju Lekki local government was originally at Akodo before the recent Lekki local council development area was carved out, which necessitated the movement of the seat of government to the present Igando Oloja location.
Population and tribes
The people are mainly Yoruba-speaking who have settled in the local government in several autonomous communities. Some of the prominent communities include; Ojuoto, Abijo, Orimedu, Awoyaya, Eputu, Lakowe, Bogije, Sapati, Igando-Oloja, Arapagi, oke-odo Elemoro, Akodo, Magbon-Alade, Eleko, Debojo, Solu-Alade, Iwerekun, Mopo, Lalagasa amongst others. With the over 80 towns and villages, Ibeju-Lekki, as a whole, has been developed over time.
Life in the villages situated along the shoreline is quite interesting. The villagers, mainly fishermen, ensure bountiful supply of the offerings from the Atlantic Ocean. Crabs and other seafood walk freely on the beach and are a favourite pastime for tourists who throng the area. The sight of children swimming in the ocean is a fascinating one.
During a visit to Ibeju-Lekki by the Nigerian Tribune, people of all ages were seen swimming freely in the ocean, bathing and fishing. In fact, history recalls that in the past, newborns were thrown into the ocean by village priests in order to determine the legitimacy of such children. Any child who ‘successfully’ makes it back to shore is considered a legitimate born. However, the Nigerian Tribune investigation revealed that the law has since been abolished.
Food
There are many rivers, creeks and lagoons and a typical Ibeju-Lekki resident doesn’t joke with plates of seafood especially the fish species that range from Eja Osan, Epiya, Lamisoro, Obokun amongst others which are usually served best with other local delicacies. As a first-timer in that axis, you are welcomed with the special fish soup tagged ‘ Imooyo’ which usually comes with lots of fish delicacies as an appetizer before the main dish. One unique thing the community can boast of is the freshness of every kind of seafood.
“Life here is simple”, said Moshood Akande, a resident fisherman of Ibeju. “My family and I survive from the sale of fresh sea produce which Lagosians come here to buy. We also have fresh palm wine and palm oil. We eat fresh vegetables and fruits and these give us longevity”, he said.
Ambiance
The Atlantic Ocean and lagoons have permitted the development of sandbars and lagoon islands such as Arapagi, Ita-Oko and refuge islands. Herbs are the most common plants with a generous presence of palm and coconut trees. Because of these, the Lekki shoreline has seen the rise of hospitality businesses: resorts, hotels and regattas.
“I come here often to clear my head”, a writer, Shyanne Nelson told Nigerian Tribune. “Living in Lagos can be tiring and so at least, once a month, I come here by the ocean shore to experience peace”, she said.
Ibeju- Lekki local government usually leaves tourists with memories that linger for long as it boasts of quality centres as resorts. Connecting from Eleko roundabout, tourists can enjoy the ambience of the popular Eleko Beach, a sight of the Lekki Free Zone, the famous Awolowo Prison and the popular La Campagne Tropical Resort. This is situated on 68hectares of land with beautiful aesthetic, the resort is one of the most of the most indigenous as offers more of traditional services to tourists that include their unique ways of salutation, the beautiful wooden room designs, the talking drum wake-up call, beautiful sights of over 14 swimming pools, Yoru-Bar, kayaking, amongst others.
The Awolowo Prison Museum is located in Lekki town. The museum was the detention centre for Obafemi Awolowo in 1962 when he was found guilty of conspiring to overthrow the government of Nigeria and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. The museum used to be the house of a Portuguese slave merchant, Mr Lecqi who settled in the town in the 18th century. The beautiful museum holds pieces of items from Chief Awolowo’s prison experience. The museum aims to take you on a walk through his prison journey. The remains of structures of the slave trade can be seen at the compound – including the Point of No Return and the underground prison where slaves were kept before they were sold abroad. The grave of Mr Lecqi also still survives, where he died from malaria and was buried upright.
Industrialisation of Ibeju-Lekki
With the Dangote Refinery, Lagos Ports Authority, upscale housing estates, among other multinational companies springing up daily in the area, Ibeju Lekki has grown to be one of the most prized locations in Lagos State.
The Lagos Free Trade Zone, otherwise known as Sino-Nigerian Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ), came to limelight in 2006 when it cemented business relations with the Chinese government. This relationship, however, came to fruition the following year, 2007, under the then governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when he led the Lagos State government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese government for the development of the Lekki Free Trade Zone.
Set along the Atlantic Ocean coast, some 55 kilometres away from Lagos, the nation’s commercial capital, the project was said to be the first of its kind the Chinese government would ever build abroad and it was to be executed in three phases. The first phase was projected to cover an area of 15 square kilometres, with the Chinese side investing 200 million US dollars, and the Nigerian side 67 million dollars. Then, the projection was that the investment would have the prospect of dominating the much-coveted West African market.
The LFTZ is located in-between Akodo and Lekki village on the southwestern corner of Lagos state, at Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area, off the Lagos-Epe expressway. The zone has been described as a global business haven by the Lagos state government, and a peep into the on-going activities at the site shows that in the not-too-distant future, the dream of the Lekki Free Trade Zone by the state government will become a reality.
Degradation of a natural habitat
Numerous housing estates, cement plants, proposed refineries and the free trade zone site have ensured daily cutting and burning of once thriving plantations to make way for new buildings. Villages are also being bought off and wildlife destroyed indiscriminately.
Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune, a resident of one of the villages in the zone decried the rate at which the area was being overtaken by industrialisation. While speaking on condition of anonymity, he stressed that normal community life had been disrupted with the deployment of heavy machinery by developers and the potential investors who had descended on their once quiet environment, in their efforts to carve a new status for the zone.
“Some of us are not exactly happy that these businessmen are buying off our properties. The influx of industrialists to this area has caused a lot of problems for us. Now, there are more land disputes where family members turn on one another while trying to sell off their lands. Though many of the lands have been taken by the government, some community leaders still sell us short by offering available lands for sale,” he said.
Community leaders in Akodo and Lekki village, reportedly claimed that their lands were annexed to the over 20 villages that were scrapped to give way for the free trade zone.
As things stand, the La champagne Tropicana and a few other resorts, Awolowo museum, among others, seem the major saving grace for preserving the history and beauty of nature of this new goldmine found on the Ibeju-Lekki landscape.
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