Bale of Igbosere, Ramonu Adelakun. circa 1940’s

Bale of Igbosere, Ramonu Adelakun. circa 1940’s

This is one of the many pictures from the E.H Duckworth’s collection. Duckworth was the founding editor of the Nigeria Magazine between 1930’s to 1970’s.

From the history of Lagos, Igbosere is derived from the two Yoruba words; ‘Igbo’ and ‘Osere’, meaning the forest of Osere trees. It is so named after the predominant ‘Osere’ trees found in the forest of that area. Osere trees are popular for its wood which is used for carpentary (Ìkàn) and the carving of canoes (Ọkọ̀) for transport and fishing on the Lagos lagoon (Ọ̀sà). The economic activities in the area drew traders from far and near, including Ijebu, Ilaje, Oyo, Ijesha, Egun, Itsekiri and many others including Benin who come to trade and acquire items on Aromire’s farm (Oko Aromire) at Iduro Imota (station of the Imota people), which became Idumota. The Osere trees at Igbo osere (Osere Forest) were also sold as plank and wood for carpentry at Onikan (the Carpenters) from where finished products were moved to the Iddo island market.