The growth and development of Islam in Epe, Lagos State, Nigeria, 1851-2010

Abstract

The historiography of Islam in Epe, one of the coastal towns to the east of Lagos, deserves a much closer look, not only because Epe is one of the most Islamised towns on that axis, but also because the circumstances of the spread of Islam into the town was inextricably linked with events in the Lagos Kingdom, especially the dynastic struggles that engulfed the royal family from the middle of the 19th century. This study therefore traced the evolution and the growth of Islam in Epe. The study highlights the factors responsible for the growth of Islam and brings to sharp focus how trade and conflicts were responsible for the growth and development of Islam in that axis of Lagos. It highlights the nexus between politics and religion. The study relied on oral interview, primary documents sourced from the national archives in Ibadan and secondary literatures.

Keywords: Epe, Lagos, Islam, Culture, Kayo-kayo