Three White Cap Chiefs of Lagos

Aro Meta (Three White Cap Chiefs of Lagos), The Explicit Monument of Lagos, Yorubaland.

Moyo fun e, moyo fun ara mi

Aro Meta popularly called the “three wise men” are meant to welcome people coming into the City of Lagos. The Aro Meta are a white granite sculpture of three Lagos white-cap chiefs, mainly, of the Idejo family. They are not just a mere sculpture; they are rich in meaning. They depict the three kinds of traditional greetings common amongst Eko chiefs. Eko refers typically to Lagos Island.

Their clenched right fists symbolize a strong belief in the supremacy of the right over the left. All of them display clenched fists with the right hand always placed over the left. Not only that, the statues are also robed in intricately tied white wrappers with the ends flung across the left shoulder allowing the gesture of the right arm .

This is not a coincidence, because in the Yoruba culture, the right hand signifies acceptance and respect while the left hand is viewed with revulsion because it is often used to perform unsavory tasks and chores. Initially, the Aro Meta were located at the former Lagos-Ibadan toll gate from where they were moved further to the bridge linking Ojodu and Alausa secretariat. Until in 2004 where they were destroyed by unknown persons for reasons believed to be religious, they were also damaged during the subsidy protest in January 2012.

Aro Meta became more popular in the early 90s when Yoruba Fuji Superstar Obesere sang about them, he proposed each of the men indicates different meaning to newcomers to Lagos, apparently, being smart and cautiously attentive aren't options in Lagos,