The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, on Monday said he never said that the Benin people owned Lagos.
The monarch spoke in Victoria Island, Lagos, at the launch of “Defend the Defenseless”, a book written by Arese Carrington, wife of a former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington.
Oba Akiolu was reacting to controversies generated by his earlier remarks that the developmental strides being witnessed in Lagos State was because of the blessings given to it by a past Oba of Benin.
The comment generated debates in the media with many contesting the monarch’s position.
In a recent interview with PUNCH, Sammy Adebiyi, a prince of the Akinsemoyin Ruling House of Lagos, who is contesting rights to the throne of Oba of Lagos, said that the Awori are the original owners of Lagos.
Mr. Adebiyi added that neither the Benin nor the Yoruba owned Lagos.
Apparently making reference to reactions generated by his earlier comments, Oba Akiolu on Monday took shots at those who criticised him, saying many of them are not “bonafide sons of Lagos.”
The monarch promised to reply his critics by next year when he begins celebration of his 15th year on the throne as king.
“I never said Bini owned Lagos… but the influence of the Oba of Benin, nobody can wash it away in Lagos,” he said.
“You must have been reading many things in the newspapers. By the grace of God Almighty Allah, next year when I begin to celebrate my 15th anniversary, they will know the kind of person Oba Akiolu is.”
The monarch also commended the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, saying nobody can stop him in his political aspirations.
