Olu Epe of Epe, Alara of Ilara, Olu Epe in Council, Wale Raji, Nosiru Onibon, and Ogunmodede Club Members Attend the Kosoko Memorial Lecture at Glover Hall

Prominent traditional rulers and dignitaries, including the Olu Epe of Epe, Oba Shefiu Olatunji Adewale (Bamgbopa Eshinlokun 1), and Alara of Ilara, Oba Olufolarin Ogunsanwo (Telade IV) gathered at the Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos Island Marina on September 8, 2024, to honor the legacy of the legendary King Kosoko.

The event, which featured a memorial lecture themed “The Economy of Lagos in the Era of King Kosoko: A Tale of Prosperity and Decline”, attracted a notable presence of chieftains from Epe, as well as key figures such as Honourable Wale Raji and members of the Ogunmodede Club.

Attendees included the Olu Epe of Epe, Oba Shefiu Olatunji Adewale (Bamgbopa Eshinkolun 1), and his Olori, Olori Aribike Adewale, The Alara of Ilara Kingdom, Oba Olufolarin Olukayode Ogunsanwo (Telade IV), Honourable Wale Raji, House of Representatives member representing Epe Federal Constituency, the Grand Chief Imam of Epe Division, Sheikh Abdulrahman Sadallah, Prof. Nosiru Onibon, and members of the Ogunmodede Club.

The Grand Chief Imam of Epe Division, Sheikh Sadallah, opened the event with an extensive prayer and graciously acknowledged the dignitaries present.

The lecture provided a thorough and insightful analysis of King Kosoko’s role in the development of Lagos’ economy, highlighting his socio-political efforts to maintain Lagos’ economic prosperity before, during, and after his reign.

The discussion delved into his courageous resistance to British dominance and his relentless fight for what was rightfully his.

The lecture also covered King Kosoko’s involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade with Portuguese and British explorers, and how he accumulated significant wealth from the trade during his reign as the King of Lagos.

King Kosoko was also credited as one of the founding fathers of the Epe Kingdom, where he established a prosperous trading environment after fleeing British control.

At the conclusion of the event, dignitaries such as Hon. Wale Raji expressed their satisfaction with how the lecture was conducted, emphasizing the importance of such events in preserving the long-lost tales of their ancestors.

He noted the profound impact King Kosoko had on the development of both Epe and Lagos, referring to him as an iconic figure central to the prosperity of both regions.

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