The city of Lagos has seen many live and die for its power and control, but there was none like Madam Efunroye Tinubu, who, in the 19th century, held the commerce and politics of Lagos in the palm of her hands.
Being a woman, Tinubu was the epitome of defiance to cultural limitations in a male-dominated setting and commanded the respect of kings and elites in precolonial and colonial Lagos.
As a powerful business tycoon and transatlantic slave trader, Madam Tinubu skillfully combined her influence and affluence to become a formidable icon still remembered and celebrated today. It goes without saying that the rich history of Lagos and Abeokuta would certainly have a lacuna if the impact of Madam Efunroye Tinubu were left untold.
Tinubu’s Early Life
Efunroye Tinubu was born and raised in the Egba forest region around the year 1810. Twenty years later, she joined the exodus of the Egba people to Abeokuta in 1830. Not much is known about her early years, except that her mother and grandmother were largely successful traders, a skill which she would eventually pick up from them.
When she came of age, Tinubu married an Owu man and had two sons by him. However, shortly afterwards, her husband died. Thus widowed, the need to take care of her two sons all by herself led her to begin trading herbs, tree bark, leaves and roots, a legacy handed down to her by her grandmother, Osunsola. Tinubu did well in the herbs business, as the marketing skills she had picked up from her grandmother and mother, who was a foodseller, came in handy and resourceful at that time.
Diligently attending to her business and fending for her family in the city of Abeokuta, fate would suddenly visit Tinubu and take her on a journey of affluence and power dynamics which would leave her name in the sands of time and history books of Abeokuta and Lagos.
Becoming a Royal Figure
To gain a full outlook and understanding of Tinubu’s story, let us take a quick detour into the heart of Lagos, where Oba Adele Ajosun had been king since 1811.
The remains of his father, Oba Ologun Kutere, who passed in 1803, were to be taken to the Benin Kingdom as was the customary tradition, and Adele attempted to carry this out in 1821. He was, however, resisted by his brother, Osinlokun, who seized the opportunity and usurped the throne. Adele was then banished to Badagry where he assumed leadership, based on the status of being a former king.
It was during this period of exile that Adele visited the city of Abeokuta in 1833, and of the sea of people he encountered, he could not take his eyes off one woman. As you may have guessed, it was none other than Efunroye Tinubu. Adele was so charmed by her personality that he immediately set out to marry her and took her back with him to his refuge in Badagry.
For Tinubu, her marriage to the exiled king was not the prize, but the key to the prize. She exploited the deep connections and influence of Oba Adele in the areas of politics and trading, using them to set up a massive business network with Europeans in several booming commodities such as salt, cotton, tobacco, and palm oil. But as it was also the era of the transatlantic slave trade, it was only a matter of time before Efunroye Tinubu established a slave trading market and made a name for herself in the lucrative enterprise.
Within the next two years, her business would graduate into a successful trading empire, receiving ammunition and other goods from the Europeans, in exchange for slaves from Abeokuta. Wielding her shrewdness in business together with the opportunities and connections her marriage availed her, Madam Efunroye Tinubu soon rose to become one of the most influential women in Abeokuta, controlling so much power and wealth in those days. This level of affluence paved the way for her future involvement in the heart of the politics of colonial Lagos for many years.
Political Involvement in the Power Dynamics of Lagos
Following her marriage to Oba Adele, Madam Efunroye Tinubu was not one to sit in the shadows in the matters of politics as most women would. Plunged into the political struggles of colonial Lagos because of her husband’s status in the royal family, Tinubu took the front seat in several matters during her lifetime, leveraging her wealth, local and European connections, and height of control as an advantage every politician wanted on their side.
Back in Lagos, Esinlokun, who seized the throne from Efunroye Tinubu’s husband, died in 1829, and his son, Idewu Ojulari, succeeded him. However, four years later, his son would commit ritual suicide at the command of the Oba of Benin, and his second son, Kosoko, was set to be crowned the next king. But because he had previously offended Eletu Odibo, who was in charge of installing a new king, by sleeping with Eletu Odibo’s intended bride, the kingmaker had his revenge by rejecting him and inviting Adele from Badagry from exile back to the throne. Thus, Adele became the Oba of Lagos for the second time in 1835, this time, with Madam Tinubu by his side.
Oba Adele would not rule for long, though, as he died in 1837. Consequently, Madam Efunroye Tinubu wasted no time in dictating the political system of colonial Lagos thereafter. As sure as you may have imagined, the indignant Kosoko returned to the scene to fight for the kingship he was prejudicially denied. Oluwole, one of Adele’s sons, also vied for the coveted seat of leadership. Kosoko had more grounds and legitimacy compared to Oluwole whose father was banished for 14 years.
However, he did not have one key ingredient when it came to politics – the support of the underground controller, who was none other than Madam Efunroye Tinubu. Wielding her wealth and strategic connections built over time, she backed Oluwole to the throne, as against many rivals, including Kosoko.
Despite having been barely two years in Lagos and being considered an outsider in the royal hierarchy and political aristocracy, Madam Efunroye Tinubu succeeded in turning the power dynamics as she willed, to Oluwole’s eventual ascension to the throne. Her influence and participation in the royal tussle were the only thread Oluwole had to hold on to, and it turned out to be all he needed.
This victory further cemented Tinubu’s hold on the political landscape of colonial Lagos and established her feet further among the select few most influential people in the kingdom.
Knowing her onions quite well when it came to matters of influence and power, Madam Efunroye Tinubu went on to marry Yesufu Bada, a renowned war chief and the king’s army captain, who would be her third husband. Adding his sphere of influence to hers and with the king’s backing, Efunroye Tinubu expanded her slave trading empire with the Europeans across Egbaland and into her newly found kingdom in colonial Lagos, which was the hub of economic trade.
During Oluwole’s reign, Kosoko kept making trouble and giving usurping tendencies, as he felt he was wrongfully denied a second time. Oluwole would therefore banish him to Ouidah and banish his sister as well on the grounds of witchcraft, despite having no concrete evidence against her.
In 1841, Oba Oluwole stored gunpowder in his palace when lightning struck during heavy rainfall, and he was blown into pieces. It was an unfortunate accident. However, the natives knew more than to call it a mere accident; it was either the gods were angry with him and struck him down or the hand of an enemy of the king was involved. Whichever one was the case, the king was gone and someone had to take over. Again, the strivings began.
This time, Madam Efunroye Tinubu put forward Akitoye, her late husband’s brother, to be the next king. Kosoko also returned with greater strength to claim what he felt was his right, but the weight of Madam Tinubu’s support and influence in Lagos politics was too much to overthrow. After much tussle within the royal family, Akitoye would emerge on top and was crowned the new Oba of Lagos in 1841.
As a sign of gratitude to Efunroye Tinubu for her vital role in his ascension, the new king granted her ownership of several profitable enterprises in Lagos and approved her commercial expansion in slave trading.
About four years down the line, Akitoye invited Kosoko from exile against the advice of his counsellors, to make peace with him for fear of the consistent threat he posed to his rulership. That decision, however, turned out to only realise his fears.
Shortly after Kosoko’s return, he mustered an army and seized the throne from his uncle, who was forced to flee to Badagry for refuge along with his supporters and loyalists. Considering the damage Madam Efunroye Tinubu had done to Kosoko’s aspirations over the years, she was no doubt not welcomed in the palace, and so, she fled to Badagry as well. However, she kept mounting pressure on Kosoko and instigating conflicts in a bid to restore power to Akitoye, her brother-in-law.
While in Badagry, Madam Efunroye Tinubu continued to expand her sphere of influence and merchandise. She became the major merchant the Europeans dealt with in all of Lagos and served as the intermediary between them and the local merchants in the kingdom.
Both in Abeokuta and Lagos, Tinubu controlled the major trading ports, which imported arms and several food and cash crops in exchange for slaves to be shipped across the Atlantic. With the ammunition she obtained, Madam Efunroye Tinubu– the renowned slave merchant–was able to put together a formidable army which kept the transatlantic slave trade functioning and booming.
Turning Tides: The Beginning of the End
In the 1800s, the world went through a humanitarian reconstruction as the slave trade was abolished in many nations, including Great Britain. Akitoye knew he needed the alliance of the British to regain the throne, but their support would come at a great price: to abolish the slave trade.
As the slave trade thrived in Lagos and Kosoko, the new king profiting greatly from the merchandise, Akitoye wrote to the British Crown in 1846 and again in 1850, pleading for British intervention to upturn the slave trading network in Lagos and to restore him as king to maintain the abolishment of the slave trade.
Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther—a native of the Oyo Empire who was sold as a slave to the Portuguese, eventually freed by the British, and had become a missionary—would urge Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace for Britain’s intervention and Akitoye to be restored as king for the best interests of Britain’s commercial activities in Lagos and the effective abolishment of the transatlantic slave trade which prospered in the region.
In December 1851, the British bombarded Lagos to pull down the forts of slave trade and human trafficking in the region. They dislodged Kosoko from being king and reinstalled Akitoye as king, who then agreed to sign a treaty enforcing the abolishment of the slave trade on January 1, 1852.
Conflict with the British and Banishment
With Akitoye holding the door into Lagos ajar, the British went on to suppress the slave trading activities in the region. This undoubtedly set them directly against many key figures at the helm of the slave merchandise, including Madam Efunroye Tinubu. Despite the treaty signed by the king, Tinubu secretly continued to sell slaves across Europe, with Akitoye left with no choice but to give his consent, considering the power Tinubu wielded.
However, her slave trading escapades were discovered by the British and she became a major target of the colonists. Madam Tinubu resisted the British forces several times and became the biggest threat to their bid to control Lagos and abolish the slave trade. Benjamin Campbell, the British Consul assigned to the region, therefore, publicly denounced her influence, dominance and involvement in slave trading which was against the directive of the British Crown.
Madam Efunroye Tinubu who would be intimidated by no one, challenged the Consul’s authority and infringement into the politics of Lagos. Other slave traders and Kosoko loyalists also challenged Tinubu’s hegemony of Lagos which led to a drastic conflict. To restore peace, Campbell compelled Akitoye to send Tinubu to Abeokuta, which he eventually did. Shortly afterwards, Akitoye died, and his son Dosunmu reigned in his stead.
Following Akitoye’s death, Madam Efunroye Tinubu returned to Lagos and backed Dosunmu to be king. She further amassed military might, which grew beyond that of the royal palace, and Oba Dosunmu began to be wary of her presence in Lagos. Madam Tinubu went on to make and execute plans to destabilise British influence in the economic and political spheres and sought to assassinate Campbell.
But before she could fully hatch the plan, Campbell confronted her with a large army and had her banished to Abeokuta, ordering Oba Dosunmu to give the orders. Thus, Madam Efunroye Tinubu was removed from her seat of influence in Lagos, returning to Egbaland, where she spent the rest of her days.
Life in Exile
Madam Efunroye Tinubu’s exile to Abeokuta opened up a new season of her life, one which arguably surpassed all of her previous experiences and successes. She maintained her revered status and began to adapt her trading activities to the economic climes of that time. The business tycoon remained prosperous, trading with local and European merchants, and her presence greatly aided the economic growth of Abeokuta.
At that time, Abeokuta also faced threats from surrounding rival groups and Madam Efunroye Tinubu stood up to defend her land. The kingdom of Dahomey particularly attacked the people of Abeokuta and threatened to subdue them. Madam Tinubu traded for ammunition and supplied the Abeokuta warriors with enough arms and guns to defeat the people of Dahomey.
This victory was widely celebrated, and as a form of gratitude to the one who wrought the victory, Madam Efunroye Tinubu was bestowed the title of the Iyalode of Egbaland, the first time such would be given. She also got involved in the politics of the land, backing Prince Oyekan to become the next Alake of Egbaland against other rivals in 1879.
Madam Efunroye Tinubu’s Legacy
Madam Efunroye Tinubu’s life was one characterised by influence, power and wealth. Her involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, the royal tussle in Lagos, economic trading activities across continents, political decisions of the land and face-off with the British, which led to her eventual banishment, give an animated picture of the complex dynamics of colonial Lagos in the 19th century.
Her massive influence on the economic and political structure of Lagos amplifies her success in life, and her legacy lives on in the annals of Lagos and Abeokuta. Her slave merchandise, however, remains a point of controversy but also goes to show the moral ambiguities and social constructs of her time.
The story of Madam Efunroye Tinubu is of a powerful woman who defied the male dominance of the period and weaved the threads of business, politics and colonialism into a coat of many colours with which she so elegantly dressed herself.
A memorial site called Tinubu Square on Broad Street in Lagos was constructed for her as a tribute. Also, a statue was erected in her honour in Ita Iyalode, in her home city of Abeokuta. The two monuments still stand to this day.
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