History of Mushin Local Government

After the 1960 independence from Great Britain, there were large migrations to the suburban areas. This led to intensive overcrowding. As a result, poor sanitation and inadequate housing lead to poor living conditions. However, since the rise of industrialization in Nigeria, Mushin has become one of the largest beneficiaries of the industrial expansion. Their local commercial enterprises include spinning and weaving of cotton, shoe manufacturing, bicycle and motorized-cycle assembly, along with the production of powdered milk. Once a staple source of revenue in Nigeria, agriculture is also a large central market.

The town is home to hospitals as well as educational facilities reaching the secondary school level. Mushin lies at the intersection of roads from Lagos, Shomolu, and Ikeja. Most of its inhabitants are from the Yoruba tribe, and as a result, Yoruba is the most common language spoken.

Areas/Wards in Mushin Local Government

History of Mushin Local Government

Mushin Local Government is located right in the heart of Lagos State. it has inhabitants mainly from all parts of the country. It is a commercial centre with almost every street having one selling centre or the other Mushin is home to the Aworis. It shares boundaries in the North with Oshodi Isolo Local Government, in the East with Somolu and in the south with Surulere.

Mushin Local Government was a part of Ikeja Local Government of old. It was carved out as a district in 1954 with the boundary extending to the present Shomolu Local Government. Initially, the Mushin District council started as a one rented apartment on Palm Avenue, but it was later moved to Isolo road on the site presently occupied by the Lagos State Waste Disposal Board and the Nigeria Police, Zone D Command.

Mushin local Government moved to Oliyide street in Mushin in the year 1965 when the Isolo road secretariat was razed down during the political riot code-named ‘we tie’…

With the Army’s suspension of Political activities in 1966 and the creation of additional districts in 1967, Mushin District Council was elevated to a Town Council Status. The 1976 Local Government Edict divided the council into two – Mushin West Local Government, which covers Mushin, Agege Motor Road, Isolo, Shogunle, Onigbongbo, Ejigbo, Odi Olowo, Mary land, Ilupeju, Cappa Estate; while Mushin East Covered Bariga, Shomolu, Kosofe and it’s environs.

Due to pressure from the general public, the Lagos State Government later changed Mushin East to Shomolu Local Government, while Mushin West became known and addressed as Mushin Local Government.

Mushin Local Government was later divided into four Local a Government during the civilian regime of Alhaji Lateef Jakanke between (1979-1983), namely, Mushin LG, Itire/Ikate LG, Oshodi/Isolo LG, and Odi Olowo/Ojuwoye/Onigbongbo LG. The Military administration of Gbolahan Mudashiru prohibited and abolished the newly created Local Government and reverted to the status quo.

The subsequent creation of Local Government by the Military administration from 1989, to 12, in Lagos state saw Mushin losing some of its boundaries to Ikeja and Mainland Local Governments. Moreover, the declaration of August 27th and 29th, borne out of the realization of the then Federal Military administration’s commitment to improving the living standard of the populace by advancing even distribution of resources.

This saw the creation of 15 Local Governments in Lagos State in1991 Mushin Also lost some of its towns to Oshodi/Isolo, thereby leaving Mushin with Ilupeju, Itire and part of Ijesha. Two major express roads pass through Mushin, they are Apapa /Oshodi Express road and Agege Motor Road.

According to the provisional figures of the 1991 National Census, Mushin Local Government has a population of about One Million inhabitants. In 2004, after a referendum, Odi Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA was carved out of the present Mushin Local Government, with the headquarters at Palm Venue Mushin, by the then Governor of Lagos State Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The population of Mushin today is close to 2Million inhabitants. Mushin Local Government has:

1. The largest Rice Market in West Africa, Daleko Rice Market,
2. The largest Auto Spare Parts Markets at Ladipo,
3. The largest market for the sale of Oranges at Idi Oro,
4. Armed Forces Resettlement Center is Located in Mushin,
5. The Federal Institute Of Industrial Research and Organization (FIIRO ), is located in Mushin,
6. NITEL Training School is located in Mushin,
7. It is also home to NAFDAC,
8. The largest plank Market at Amu, Mushin
9. Mushin has six functional Primary Health centres, namely, PalmAvenue, Alvis/Omobola, Isolo road, Itire, Ajeano.
10. Mushin has two industrial Areas, namely, Matori Industrial Estate and Apapa Oshodi express road industrial Estate.
11. Mushin Local Government has fifty Public Schools and twenty-six Secondary Schools.
12. Mushin Local Government has a functional Public Library constructed by the administration of Hon. Olatunde Babatunde Adepitan, located opposite the Bishop Aggey school complex, is named Muiz Adeyemi Hybrid Public Library.
13. Mushin is home to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
14. There are two traditional rulers in Mushin; The Olu Of Mushin and the Onitire of Itire Land. There are eight other Baales and Chiefs that make up the Chieftaincy Committee of the Local Government.

History of Mushin

Mushin was founded over six hundred years ago. It was a jungle begging for habitation then, people of substance were not aware of the glory that was to be Mushin, very close to the island.

Mushin was then a resting point of wildlife no one wanted to be identified with, but as GOD  will have it, two hunter cum explorers coincidentally met at a spot where they resolved to make their abode. It was under the Ishin tree, a resting point for birds and animals in those days there was no enmity between them as they saw themselves as co-travellers brought together by destiny.

The two hunters came from different directions and the two hunters were Odu-Abore from IIe-Ife and Aileru from Benin. They never expected to be so identified in the history of things from this part of the country. One major interesting aspect of the life of those two settlers was the language of communication as they came from two different language-speaking areas.

However, the two have identical customs, there was a limit to the language they speak . Later they overcome this insurmountable problem after long communication with hands whenever they could not understand one another. The meeting point where the explorers met was a place occupied by Ishin Tree.

See>>> Mushin Area/Postal Code

The Ishin was situated along the road and it was a passage point to Eko (Lagos ). thus travellers from far and near use to rest under the tree before moving on their journey to Lagos. With time people started to join these two hunters to form a village because of its strategic position; the village gradually grew into a town and later a commercial city.

Mushin connotes its name from the “Ishin tree” the name Mushin was a contractor of two Yoruba words depicting the juicy fruit. As you may want to know “MU” in Yoruba language means “Pick”. It now translates to MU/Pick-ishin/fruit. Adding the two together it would be MU…..SHIN or better still Mushin as it is pronounced today. The indigences of Mushin are awori speaking and their concentration in and around Ojuwoye place of owoye shrines in Mushin.

When there is a dearth of information, rumours take place at the centre stage. The same goes for the name Mushin, the meaning of which has been receiving various definitions all over the world.

Related>>> Streets in Mushin Local Government

GEOGRAPHY OF MUSHIN

Mushin LGA has an average temperature of 26 degrees centigrade and an average wind speed of 10 km/h. The area witnesses two distinct seasons which are the dry and the rainy seasons while the total precipitation in the LGA is put at an estimated 2470 mm of rainfall per annum.

ECONOMY OF MUSHIN

Trade flourishes in Mushin LGA with the area hosting the Daleko rice market which is the largest rice market in West Africa and the Idi oro fruits market. Mushin LGA also hosts several banks, industries, hotels, restaurants, and government institutions.

What is Mushin Known For

Mushin is known for:

1. Sale of rice in Daleko Market
2. Largest Auto spare parts dealers in Nigeria at Ladipo Auto spare parts.
3. Sales of Provisions in Ojuwoye market.
4. Leather and shoes materials in Wey Street.
5. Chair materials in ladipo street.
6. Purchase of okrika in Asawani market.

Source: Mushin Local Government, Wikipedia, Manpower