Lagos (Nigeria) is the largest city of the country. A Nigerian huge city that has an interesting museum filled with replicas of some of the best African Art you can find in Europe and the US, there're Beaches like Alpha in "Lekki", Whispering palms in "Badagry", are ideal places for fun seekers. Lagos has an estimated population of 8.8 million inhabitants in the city, or you can say 10.7 million in the metropolitan area according to some estimates and it ranks next to Cairo being the largest cities in Africa.
Afriqiyah Airways Lagos Flights
Outbound flights from London to Lagos are operated four times a week every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, and the inbound flights are also operated thrice a week only i.e every Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
Lagos Island contains the Lagos central business district (with multistory buildings along the marina), many of the city's largest wholesale marketplaces (such as the Balogun Market), the National Museum, Lagos Central mosque, Glover Memorial Hall, Christ's Cathedral (CMS) and the Oba palace. Though formerly in derelict condition, the Tinubu Square on the island is a site of historical importance; it was here that the Amalgamation ceremony that unified the North and South protectorate to form Nigeria took place in 1914. Top»
Historical background
Lagos was a Yoruba settlement of Awori people initially called Oko. Lagos derives its name from a Yoruba deity. The Yoruba still use the name Eko when they speak of 'Lagos', a name which never existed in Yoruba language. It is likely that the name 'Lagos' was given to the town by the first Portuguese settlers who navigated from a coastal town of the same name in Portugal. The present day Lagos state has a higher percent of Awori, who migrated to the area from Isheri along the Ogun river. Throughout history, it was home to a number of warring ethnic groups who had settled in the area. During its early settlement, it also saw periods of rule by the Kingdom of Benin.[5] Portuguese explorer Rui de Sequeira visited the area in 1472, naming the area around the city Lago de Curamo; indeed the present name is Portuguese for "lakes". Another explanation is that Lagos was named for Lagos, Portugal - a maritime town which at the time was the main centre of the Portuguese expeditions down the African coast and whose own name is derived from the Latin word Lacobriga. From 1404-1889 it served as a major centre of the slave trade, ruled over by Yoruba kings called the Oba of Lagos. In 1841 Oba Akitoye ascended to the throne of Lagos and tried to ban slave trading. Lagos merchants, most notably Madam Tinubu, resisted the ban, deposed the king and installed her brother Oba Kosoko. While exiled, Oba Akitoye met with the British, who had banned slave trading in 1807, and got their support to regain his throne. In 1851 he was reinstalled as the Oba of Lagos. Lagos was formally annexed as a British colony in 1861. This had the dual effect of crushing the slave trade and establishing British control over palm and other trades.[6] The remainder of modern-day Nigeria was seized in 1887, and when the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria was established in 1914, Lagos was declared its capital. It continued to be the capital when Nigeria gained its independence from Britain in 1960. Lagos experienced rapid growth throughout the 1960s and 1970s as a result of Nigeria's economic boom prior to the Nigerian Civil War otherwise called the Biafran War. Lagos was the capital of Nigeria from 1914 up to 1991; it was stripped of this title when the Federal Capital Territory was established at the purpose-built city of Abuja. However, most government functions (especially the head of state) stayed in Lagos for a time since Abuja was still under construction. On November 14, 1991, the Office of the Presidency and other federal government ministries were finally relocated to the new Capital city of Abuja In 2002, an accidental detonation of military explosives caused the death of more than 1100 people. Top»
Entertainment
Lagos is famous throughout West Africa for its music scene. Lagos has given birth to a variety of styles such as the Nigerian-styled hiphop (naija hiphop), highlife, juju, fuji, and Afrobeat. National Arts Theater Nigerian Super EaglesLagos is the center of the Nigerian movie industry, often referred to as 'Nollywood.' Idumota market on Lagos Island is the primary distribution center. Many films are shot in the Festac area of Lagos. The cinemas are gradually losing their supporters to the movie industry. Yoruba-spoken films happen to be the most watched in the cinemas, followed by Indian films. Films are not premiered for a long period of time in the western sense, especially with Yoruba-spoken films. The English-spoken films controlled mainly by the Igbos are the most popular and move directly from the studios to the market. Iganmu is home to the National Arts Theater — the primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria. Top»
Fun Facts
Lagos, subsequently to the re-modernization project achieved by the current administration of Governor Raji Babatunde Fashola, is gradually becoming a major tourist destination, being one of the largest cities in Africa and in the world. Lagos is currently taking steps to become a global city. The 2009 Eyo carnival which took place on the April 25th, was a step toward world city status. Currently, Lagos is primarily known as a business-oriented and a fast paced community. Lagos has a number of sandy beaches by the Atlantic Ocean. Two of the popular beaches include Bar Beach and Lekki Beach. However in January 2009, a privately owned zoo was commissioned in the epe area of Lagos as it serves as a home for many animals that originate from Africa.It is a fully endorsed project by the Lagos State Government. Lagos has a variety of hotels ranging from three star to five star hotels. Some of the popular hotels include Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Federal Palace Hotel, Ikoyi Hotel, Sofitel Lagos Moorhouse Ikoyi, Eko Hotels And Suites and The Palmview Manor. Visitors are mostly attracted to Nigeria's rich culture, entertainment scenes and vitality which Lagos city offers. Tourist attractions include Oba's Palace, the National Museum, Shrine of Fela and the beach resorts. Top»
Quick Facts
Lagos is served by Murtala Mohammed International Airport, one of the largest airports in Africa and a top international air passenger gateway to Nigeria. The airport is located in the northern suburb of Ikeja and has Domestic and International Terminals. With 5.1 million passengers in 2008, the airport accounts for almost fifty percent of all air traffic in Nigeria. Outbound international travel from Murtala Mohammed Airport accounts for the majority of all air passengers traveling to and from Nigeria. The airport has recently undergone upgrades along with the addition of a new terminal. Top»
Did You Know?
As in other major cities of the world, football is Lagos' most popular sport. Prominent Lagos football clubs include Julius Berger FC, First Bank and Stationery Stores. The Nigeria national football team, also known as the Super Eagles, used to play almost all of their home games in Lagos at the National Stadium in Surulere; however, games are now mostly played at the larger and newer National Stadium in Abuja, which is the default home of the Super Eagles. Top»
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