Work

Property disputes, neighbourhood development and everyday life in Epetedo, colonial Lagos, 1927–1947

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This article examines land disputes in Epetedo, a Lagos neighbourhood established in 1862, to explore how city dwellers interpreted their past and defined their area’s identity. After its establishment, Epetedo became the centre of conflicts over the ownership of its 21 compounds. From 1927 to 1947, two factions produced competing historical narratives in an effort to change property laws and disseminate their quarter’s history. Drawing on disputants’ records like petitions and letters, I demonstrate how residents articulated the meaning of a neighbourhood through historical writing, as well as through their socio-political and spatial engagements.

Source: Urban History

DOI: 10.1017/s0963926825000124

Author: Titilola Halimat Somotan

Institution: Georgetown University

Language: English

Topic: African history and culture studies

Subfield: Anthropology

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550