Iga Idunganran

Iga Idunganran is the Official Residence of the Oba of Lagos, situated on Lagos Island. It is also a tourist attraction.

Dating back to the 15th century, the Lagos Island was originally owned by the island’s first inhabitant Chief Aromire, an Ile-Ife nobleman, who used it as a fishing post and pepper farm. The ancient palace was initially built in 1670 for Oba Gabaro (1669-1704) and the modern part was completed and commissioned on 1 October 1960 by the Prime Minister of Nigeria, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Recently modernized by the late Oba Adeniji Adele II and Oba Adeyinka Oyekan II, it underwent additional modernization in 2007/8 by the present Oba Akiolu in conjunction with the Lagos State government and the Nigerian Museum.

IGA, derived from the Oyo/Ife Yoruba language GAA meaning Royal Home or Palace, IDUN means land, place or sound of while IGANRAN is the Yoruba word for pepper. Iga Idunganran therefore translates to mean the palace built on a pepper farm.

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