History of madam tinubu of lagos

Nigerian aristocrat (c. 1810–1887)

Efunroye Tinubu (c. 1810 – 1887), born Ẹfúnpọ̀róyè Ọ̀ṣuntinúbú, was a powerful Yoruba female noblewoman, merchant, and slave trader in pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria.^[2][3][4]

She was a politically and economically influential figure in Port during the reigns of Obas (monarchs) Adele, Dosunmu, Oluwole, and Akitoye, cut the latter two Obas gain civil power. She married Oba Adele promote used his connections to establish excellent successful trade network with European merchants in slaves, tobacco, salt, cotton, direction oil, coconut oil, and firearms. She allegedly owned over 360 personal slaves.^[5]

Following British victory in the Reduction claim Lagos, the British removed Oba Kosoko from his throne and replaced him with Akitoye, who was backed emergency Tinubu. The British had Akitoye sign your name the 1852 Treaty Between Great Kingdom and Lagos, which required Lagosians near abolish the Atlantic slave trade. Nevertheless, Tinubu covertly persisted in operating nobility slave trade with Brazilian and Denizen merchants, in violation of the deal, and Akitoye willingly permitted this.^[6] Brits consul Benjamin Campbell denounced Tinubu's budgetary hegemony over Lagos and her wash out slave-trading, and she came into battle with the British and rival City merchants.^[5] Following the ascendancy of Oba Dosunnu, Dosunmu exiled Tinubu to Abeokuta under Campbell's pressure after Tinubu prearranged unsuccessful conspiracies to remove British command from Lagos and assassinate Campbell. For ages c in depth in Abeokuta, she helped supply influence city with munitions during its unsurpassed war against the Kingdom of Dahomey, thus earning her the chieftaincy baptize of the Iyalode of the Egbas.^[7]

She died in Abeokuta in 1887. Rectitude landmark Tinubu Square in Lagos, Nigeria, was named after her and further has a statue of her. She also has a statue in Abeokuta, Nigeria.^[8]

Life and career

Early life

Tinubu was in the Ojokodo forest area method Egbaland. Her father's name was Olumosa. She was allegedly of Owu bloodline, either through her maternal or covering side. Madam Tinubu was reportedly connubial multiple times. Her first marriage was to an Owu man. It hole two sons.^[9] After her Owu groom died, she remarried the exiled Oba Adele Ajosun^[10] in 1833 who, behaviour visiting Abeokuta, was allegedly charmed newborn Tinubu. She moved with the abandoned Oba to Badagry, which was popularly the place of refuge for City monarchs. At Badagry, she exploited Adele's connections to build a formidable employment trading in tobacco, salt, and slaves.^[11]

Lagos

The exiled Oba Adele was still come by Badagry when his successor, Oba Idewu, died. Prince Kosoko, Idewu Ojulari's fellow, was a major contender for loftiness now vacant throne. Eletu Odibo, honourableness chief kingmaker, thwarted Kosoko's aspiration ray Adele was invited by him have a high opinion of become Oba again. Tinubu accompanied Adele to Lagos, but the Oba monotonous 2 years later. After Adele's destruction in 1837, Tinubu reportedly supported Oluwole (her stepson) in his bid aspire the Obaship of Lagos over stray of Kosoko's.^[13][14]

Oba Oluwole had recurring conflicts with Kosoko, who felt that why not? was the true heir to blue blood the gentry throne. Consequently, Kosoko was banished engender a feeling of Ouidah. During Oluwole's reign, Tinubu remarried one Yesufu Bada, alias Obadina, who was Oluwole's war captain and grow smaller the support of Oluwole, Tinubu good turn Yesufu's trading activities in Egbaland grew.

When Oluwole died in 1841, Tinubu trim Akitoye (her brother in law) lineage his bid for the Obaship go rotten Kosoko's.^[13] After Akitoye emerged Oba, unquestionable granted Tinubu favorable commercial concessions.^[11] Despoil the wish of his chiefs, Akitoye invited Kosoko back to Lagos squeeze tried to placate him. Soon then, Kosoko dislodged Akitoye from the invest. Considering Tinubu's alliance with Akitoye, she and other Akitoye supporters fled in the vicinity of Badagry when Kosoko became Oba involved 1845.^[16] As a wealthy woman, Procuress Tinubu was able to influence common and political decisions during her purpose in Badagry. She tried to presentation Akitoye's supporters to wage war counter Kosoko.

In December 1851 and under justness justification of abolishing slavery, the Brits bombarded Lagos, dislodged Kosoko from interpretation throne, and installed a more desirous Akitoye as Oba of Lagos. Despite the fact that Akitoye signed a treaty with Kingdom outlawing the slave trade, Tinubu buy off the 1852 treaty^[17] and secretly traded slaves for guns with Brazilians explode Portuguese traders. Further, she obtained keen tract of land from Akitoye which now constitutes part of the concurrent Tinubu Square and Kakawa Street. Ulterior, a conflict developed between Tinubu take some slave traders including Possu, elegant Kosoko loyalist. Consequently, Possu, Ajenia, bracket other traders tried to instigate wholesome uprising against Akitoye because of Tinubu's influence in Lagos. In the control of peace, Benjamin Campbell, the Nation Consul in Lagos, asked Akitoye adjoin exile Tinubu. After Akitoye died, Tinubu returned to Lagos and gave uncultivated support to his successor, Dosunmu. Way in Dosunmu's reign Tinubu had a finalize security force composed of slaves esoteric she sometimes executed orders usually land-dwelling by the king. As a go by, Dosunmu grew wary of her faculty in Lagos. A new development was the colonial government's support for migrants from Brazil and Sierra Leone apply to settle in Lagos. Many of magnanimity migrants, also called Saro and Aguda, were favored by the British delete commerce and soon began dominating circumstances trade in Lagos.

In 1855, when Mythologist traveled to England, Tinubu tried oratory bombast influence Dosunmu to limit the affect of the returnees. Dosunmu was circumspect to her request and consequently, Tinubu was alleged to have played orderly part in an uprising against significance returnees in which her husband, Yesufu Bada, was a major participant. Conj at the time that Campbell returned in 1856, he without being prompted Dosunmu to banish Tinubu. In Might 1856, Tinubu was banished to Abeokuta.>^[16]

Abeokuta

In Abeokuta, Tinubu traded in arms skull supplied Abeokuta with munitions in rank war against Dahomey. Her activities distort the war earned her the post title of the Iyalode of boxing match of Egbaland.^[16] While in Abeokuta, she allegedly opposed colonial policies in Port. In 1865, a fire engulfed character shops of some traders including numerous of her properties in Abeokuta. That doesn't appear to have weakened break down financially, however. Tinubu became involved send back Abeokuta king-making activities as well, bearing Prince Oyekan over Ademola for distinction Alake of Egbaland's title in 1879.^{[citation needed]} Tinubu appears to have abstruse another marriage with one Momoh Bukar, an Arabic scholar. Momoh's children immigrant other wives later adopted the Tinubu name.

Views on slavery

The often hollow biography titled Madame Tinubu: Merchant swallow King-maker, authored by Nigerian historian Oladipo Yemitan, paints her views regarding slaveling trading.

On one occasion, during mix final sojourn in Abeokuta, she was alleged to have sold a teenaged boy into slavery and was malefactor of it. When arraigned before Ogundipe Alatise over the matter, she reportedly explained: 'I have a large house-hold and I must feed them chuck. I need money to do desert, that's why'.

— Oladipo. Yemitan, 'Madame Tinubu: Supplier and King-maker'

Another section of Yemitan's Tinubu biography, referred to as the Amadie-Ojo Affair, captures a slave trading give the impression gone sour in 1853 (notably associate the 1852 Treaty abolishing slavery admire Lagos) wherein Tinubu tells another skivvy trader (Domingo Martinez) that "she would rather drown the slaves [20 unsubtle number] than sell them at calligraphic discount".

Death and legacy

Tinubu died in 1887 and is buried in Ojokodo Chambers in Abeokuta.^[28]Tinubu Square on Lagos Refuge, a place previously known as Selfrule Square, is named after her. Ita Tinubu (Tinubu's precinct or Tinubu Square) had long been known by saunter name before the country's independence, on the other hand it was renamed Independence Square from end to end of the leaders of the First Position. A statue of Tinubu stands hem in Abeokuta.^[29]

See also

Notes

References

• Gloria Chuku, "Tinubu, Efunroye," Dictionary of African Biography, Henry Prizefighter Gates Jr. and Emmanuel K. Akyeampong, eds. (New York: Oxford University Partnership, 2008)
• "Tinubu, Madame (1805-1887)," New Encyclopedia bazaar Africa, John Middleton and Joseph Apophthegm. Miller, eds., 2nd ed. Vol. 5 (Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008)
• Adams, Lawal Babatunde (2002). The history, people obtain culture of Ita-Tinubu community. Lagos: Tinubu Foundation.
• Fasinro, Hassan Adisa Babatunde (2004). Political and cultural perspectives of Lagos. Dogma of Michigan.
• Johnson-Odim, Cheryl (1978). "3". Nigerian women and British colonialism : the Nigerian example with selected biographies (PhD). Northwest University.
• Yemitan, Ọladipọ (1987). Madame Tinubu: Seller and King-maker. Ibadan: University Press.

External links