Agege is a

suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separ ...

and local government area in the Ikeja Division of

Lagos State Lagos State ( yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkó) is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Of the 36 states, it is both the most populous and smallest in area. Bounded to the south by the Bight of Benin and to the west by the international border with Benin ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

Etymology

When the kolanut plantations in the Agege area started to flourish it attracted huge settlements. Agege experienced rapid development and became a powerful center of the kolanut trade. These settlements attracted different people of different backgrounds and interests such as laborers, and most of these were Hausa. Whenever the Yorubas needed labourers for jobs such as cutting of trees, they would engage the services of the Hausa people. Because of this work the immediate area where the Hausas lived was named ‘Ilu Awon Ageigi’ which translates as ‘Town (Ilu) of the tree cutters’. The name Agege was thus formed out of the word Ageigi.

Geography

The boundary of Agege from the Northern part of Lagos stretches from Dopemu road through Anu-oluwapo street to olukosi down Fagbola through Osobu street to Orile road down to Old Agege Motor Road opposite Nitel. From the Southern part of Lagos it stretches from Ashade retail market to Akilo street. From the Eastern part of Lagos it stretches from Oba ogunji road up to the by-pass to Agege Motor road by Nitel office. From the Western part of Lagos, the boundary of Agege stretches from Abeokuta express road from boundary with Ikeja Local government to Dopemu junction.

History

The foundation of Agege as a populated and commercial settlement began when a railway station was located close to Orile -Agege, an Awori settlement; the new railway linked Lagos with Abeokuta and was subsequently extended to Ibadan and to the Northern region. Prior to the construction of the station, Awori and Egba farmers cultivated food and cash crops such as Cocoa and Kola nut within the settlement. It is worthy of note that large scale cocoa plantations in Yorubaland started at Agege, before extending to many South Western Nigerian towns. Commercial activities sprang up around the station as collection, sorting and grading of Cocoa for transportation and export took place at Agege. The kolanut trade between Agege and the Northern region also expanded as a railway service was extended to the Northern regions. Small scale market activities also rose as market woman set up shop close to the railway station. The Agege Local Government was created in 1954 and was operative until 1967 after the first military takeover when it was merged with the Ikeja District council for a period of thirteen years. Agege was removed from the Ikeja Local Government in 1980 and remained so until 1983 when the Military took over power again and abolished the existing system of Local Government at the time . Again the Governance of Agege remained with Ikeja for another six (6) years. Subsequently, there have been three other local governments carved out from Agege Local Government. They are: Alimosho, Ifako Ijaye and Orile-Agege Local Government Areas. The Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government area of Lagos State is Alhaji Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi.

Economy

When

Dasab Airlines Dasab Airlines was an airline based in Abuja, Nigeria. Code data * ICAO Code: DSQ *Callsign: DASAB AIR History The Nigerian government set a deadline for airlines operating in the country to re-capitalize on April 30, 2007. Dasab Airlines, alo ...

existed, its Lagos office was in Agege.

People

The inhabitants of Agege Local Government are multi-ethnic although the

Awori Awori is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Aggrey Awori (1939–2021), Ugandan economist and politician * Maria Awori (born 1984), Kenyan swimmer *Moody Awori (born 1927), Kenyan politician See also *Awori tribe The Awori is ...

are the indigenous inhabitants. Some major communities making up the Agege Local Government are Ogba, Asade, Dopemu, Orile, Magbon, Oko-Oba, Atobaje, Gbogunleri, Isale Oja, Oke-Koto, Panada, Tabon-Tabon, Ajegunle, Sango, Keke, Papa uku/Olusanya, Oniwaya, Moricas, Iloro, Mangoro, Darocha, Onipetesi, Alfa Nla and Agbotikuyo. The inhabitants of Agege Local Government are essentially Yorubas with the presence of sparse population of non-Yoruba speaking people.

Agege Bread

The Agege bread is an unsliced bread. It is a bread in Agege. This unsliced bread became popular in Agege town a long time ago. The soft texture and long shelf life of this bread were loved and cherished by people. It had no name nor label. People began to refer to it as Agege Bread as its popularity grew. Agege bread is now one of Lagosians' favourite foods , being sold everywhere from breakfast tables to garages almost in all the streets of Lagos.

Traditional Rulers

In Agege / Orile Agege, the

Chieftaincy A tribal chief or chieftain is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribe The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of western Afroeurasia. Tribal societies are sometimes categorized as ...

Community has three recognized Obas and Six traditional members.

Events

On 3 June 2012, Dana Air Flight 992 crashed into residential buildings in Agege while attempting to land at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, killing all 153 people on board and 10 other people on the ground.

Education

It includes a campus of Lagos State University.

National Youth Service Corps The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a program set up by the Nigerian government during the military regime to involve Nigerian graduates in nation-building and the development of the country. There is no military conscription in Nigeria ...

Permanent Orientation Camp is located at Iyana-Ipaja Road, Agege.

Photo Gallery of Agege Community

File:Oba Akron round about at Agege local government, Ogba town.jpg, Oba Akran roundabout Agege File:Agege Football Stadium.jpg, Agege Stadium File:Side view Agege Lagos.jpg, A view of Agege Stadium File:2008 agege bread seller Lagos Nigeria 2655737752.jpg, A bread Seller at Agege Community File:Train journey. Via Agege to Lagos..webm, A community in Agege File:Taste Fried Chicken Agege.jpg, A restaurant at Agege Agege Guinness Rd Agege, Lagos.jpg AGEGE ROUND ABOUT 7, AGEGE LAGOS.jpg Agege Road, Agege Lagos.jpg Ajelogo market Lagos main land.jpg GUINNESS ROAD 3, AGEGE LAGOS.jpg GUINNESS ROAD 5, AGEGE LAGOS.jpg GUINNESS ROAD 9, AGEGE LAGOS.jpg Guinness road, Agege Lagos.jpg Guinness Road, Agege.jpg Railway stations in Nigeria

References

External links

Agege Local Government
* New School, NYC. Sustainable Cities Clu
blog post
about Agege, Lagos {{Divisions and LGAs of Lagos State Slums in Nigeria Neighborhoods of Lagos Local Government Areas in Lagos State Local Government Areas in Yorubaland