Origins & Migration

In the mid-19th century, the Yoruba world was in upheaval. Oba Kosoko, the powerful King of Lagos, had fiercely resisted British attempts to abolish the slave trade. In late December 1851, British naval forces bombarded Lagos in a decisive campaign called the Reduction of Lagos and deposed Kosoko from the throne.

Facing overwhelming force, Kosoko and his loyalists fled Lagos on December 28, 1851, embarking in war canoes toward the east. They landed in Epe, a quiet coastal settlement then sparsely populated, where they sought refuge. Initial resistance from Epe’s rulers was overcome when Kosoko appealed to the Awujale of Ijebu-Ode, who granted him and his followers asylum — marking the beginning of a permanent shift in the social and cultural landscape of Epe.

Among the entourage that accompanied Kosoko were warriors, traders, scholars, and clerics — men and women whose faith, skill, and influence would leave an enduring imprint on the community.