History of Ileke village now called Lekki

Ileke (now called Lekki) was a village on the eastern end of the Lekki Peninsula below refuge island, which was itself named after this village. It was known as Ebute Ileke by the local Yoruba people there.

The natives were originally from Ile Ife and settled down at Ijebu Ode.

Ileke village in 1910

From Ode they migrated down to Ilara and from Ilara to Epe. Thence, they finally settled at Ileke called Lekki today led by one Lootu son of Labolo, grandson of Oba Alara.

Maternally, Lootu was the grandson of Oba Nenuwa/Lenuwa of Ode Omi. Lootu was a great salt panner who engaged in the extraction of edible salt from Brine (Seawater).

Refuge Island in Lagos, known in Yoruba as IDE was a gift given to him (Lootu) by his grandad when he learnt that his daughter had given birth to a male son.

When he grew old and died he was buried in Epe. His eldest daughter Ope had an issue with a man from Imakun Omi by name, one Adejebe. The son of this union Ogundosunmu became the first recognized ruler.

Some other towns and villages on the Lekki peninsula were founded by other personages. Akodo Lekki and Iwerekun right on the beach head coastline were founded by Oyemade Ogidigan father of Oniwonlu.

Eputu Lekki on the other hand was founded by Ogunfayo. Magbon Ilado and Eputu were founded by Onafula and Ogundeko from Orugbo, while Orimedu was founded by an Ife hunter by name: Ladejobi who first settled at Okegun Lekki before the crossing the Lagoon. Magbon Oga was founded by two brothers; Oga and Semade. Ibeju on the other hand was founded by Agbeduwa Abeju who settled at Ipebi and Ibomido (where I settled)

Most people here are ancestrally Ijebu Yoruba, and from what we know- The history of Lekki and Epe are very closely linked/Interwoven, Aare Almaroof Olupitan ninu iwe itan.