CHANGE AND ADAPTATION IN THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR OF OSUN DIVISION, WESTERN NIGERIA, 1900-1960 By Abiodun AJAYI B.A., M.A. (Ife) Matric. No: 142176 A research thesis Submitted to the Department of History, University of Ibadan in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the award of the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY of the UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN Department of History University of Ibadan Ibadan APRIL, 2014 i ABSTRACT The advent of colonialism in Osun Division occasioned changes which impacted greatly on the commercial sector of the division. This is well attested by the remarkable adaptation of the sector to the changes. Issues relating to change and adaptation in the commercial sector have been neglected by the available studies on Osun Division. This study, therefore, examined change and adaptation in the commercial sector of Osun Division in the areas of transportation, currency, banking and entrepreneurship between 1900 and 1960 with a view to ascertaining how the colonial innovations were integrated into the Yoruba commercial practices. This study adopted the historical approach. Oral interviews were conducted with 30 purposively selected key informants. They comprised kings and chiefs, former railway officials and passengers, artisans and traders whose ages ranged from 68 to 120 years. Interviews were carried out in major towns of Osogbo, Ikirun, Inisa, Okuku, Ejigbo, Ogbomoso, Gbongan, Ede and Iwo. Archival materials were derived from the National Archives, Ibadan and Sopolu Library, Ikenne. These included Colonial Secretary’s Office papers, Government gazettes together with annual and intelligence reports. Town Series and maps were collected from relevant government ministries in Osogbo and Ibadan. Data were subjected to historical analysis. People of Osun Division adapted in diverse ways to the changes introduced by colonialism. In the area of transportation, extension of railway to Osogbo in 1907 and the subsequent construction of feeder roads elicited massive emigration of people to other parts of Nigeria and further to West African countries like Republic of Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. This stimulated international trade in which the people of Osun Division were well known. New markets and urban centres emerged around the railway stations in Iwo, Ile-ogbo, Kuta, Yawu, Origo, Ede, Osogbo, Ikirun, Inisa and Okuku. Around these stations, human porterage became commercialised with the emergence of the alabaru who were mostly women. The need to have the new money introduced in 1904 gave birth to currency counterfeiting by the smart blacksmiths, who used their local technology to forge British coins. Traders were lured to more lucrative businesses of cash crops and imported items in order to gain more profits. Inadequacies in the operations of the British Bank of West Africa established in Osogbo in 1924 made sogundogoji, a hybrid of the pre-colonial Iwofa credit and modern banking systems to emerge in order to provide greater amount of money for traders and other needy individuals. In the system dominated by European and Levantine firms, indigenous entrepreneurs assumed the roles of distributors of European merchandise and agents of cash crop trade. As indigenous aids to trade complemented the foreign ones, the volume of local and international trade increased. This led to the emergence of commercial elite who became a force to reckon with in the politics of Western region. The Cooperative Produce Marketing Union they formed influenced government policies for better cocoa prices and protection of members from exploitation. Change and adaptation in the commercial sector of Osun Division of Western Nigeria during the colonial period occurred in respect of transportation, currency, banking and entrepreneurship. The outcome was a hybrid that was partly traditional and partly modern. Nevertheless, indigenous commerce thrived simultaneously with foreign trade. Key words: Osun Division, Colonialism, Commercial sector, Change and Adaptation, Western Nigeria. Word count: 496 ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to the Almighty God, who in His mercy made this study a success, and my darling wife, Olufunmike Comfort Ajayi, for standing by me throughout the period of my study. May God bless Her. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Glory and honour be to Almighty God for enabling me to accomplish this study despite the very many challenges which came my way in the course of the Ph.D programme. My most sincere gratitude goes to Dr. Rasheed Olaniyi, who supervised this research work and whose interest, guidance, cooperation and constructive criticism contributed in no small measure to the success of this study. In fact, I give a special commendation to him. I am especially thankful to: Professors Akin Alao and O.C. Adesina, Drs. V.O. Edo, J.O. Fadeiye, and L.A. Adeniran, for being sources of inspiration to me in my career of choice and for lending me some of their books that I used for this study. I would like to thank the authorities and staff of the National Archives, Ibadan; Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan; Emeritus Professor J.F. Ade Ajayi’s Library, Ibadan, and Sopolu Library, Ikenne, for the permissions granted me to use documents and other facilities at their disposal. I wish to express my profound gratitude to my parents, Late Chief Adewole Ajayi and Late Mrs. Mopelola Ajayi who contributed in no small measure to my success in life. My warmest thanks also go to my wife, Mrs. Olufunmike Ajayi, my sister Adeopa Oluwakemi and my brother, Femi Ajayi for their moral and spiritual supports. I also thank His Majesty, Oba Joseph Oyedele Fasiku II, the Olunisa of Inisa, His Majesty, Oba Dr. Adetoyese Oyeniyi Odugbemi 1 J.P., the Olufi of Gbongan, their council members and my other informants for their assistance in the course of my field work. Last but by no means the least, I am deeply grateful to members of staff of the Department of History, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo for their understanding and cooperation in the course of my study. The encouragements and iv support given me by my senior colleagues: Drs. Gboyega Ajayi, J.O. Akinbi, Dare Alao, A. Ikuejube, D.Z. Olupayimo, Messers, J.O. Abimbola and M.O. Adepoju were highly appreciated. The trio of Mr. A.V. Omojeje, Mrs. Adu-Peters and Mrs. P.F. Owojuyigbe deserve my special appreciation, may God bless you all. Abiodun Ajayi v CERTIFICATION This is to certify that this study was carried out under my supervision by Abiodun Ajayi for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. --------------------------------- ------------------------------- Dr. Rasheed Olaniyi, B.A. (Sokoto), M.A, Ph.D. (Kano) Date Department of History, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE….……………………………………………… i DEDICATION………………………………………………… ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………… iii CERTIFICATION……………………………………………. v ABSTRACT …………………………………………………… vi TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………… vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS………………………………….. ix LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………. xi LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………….. xi CHAPTER ONE: BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY i. Introduction ……………………………….………… 1 ii. Statement of Problems………………………….…… 5 iii. Objectives of the Study……………………………… 6 iv. Thesis Statement………..…………………………… 7 v. Scope of the Study……………...………………….. 10 vi. Significance of the Study……………………………. 10 vii. Methodology………………………………………… 11 viii. Definition of Concepts……………………………… 13 ix. Review of relevant Literature……………………….. 15 CHAPTER TWO: STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE YORUBA COMMERCIAL SECTOR i. Introduction…………………………………………… 28 ii. Basic Features of the Yoruba Indigenous Economy… … 28 Iii Structure and Function of the Marketing system……… 39 iv Internal and External Trades...………………............... 44 v. Conclusion…………………………………………….. 60 CHAPTER THREE: ADVENT OF A NEW COMMERCIAL ORDER i. Introduction…………………………………………… 61 ii. The British Colonisation of Yorubaland……………. 62 vii iii. The Colonial Economy in Osun Division…............... 67 iv. Impact of the New Commercial Orientation on Osun Division…………………………………………............ 88 v. Conclusion…………………………………............... ….. 113 CHAPTER FOUR: BIOGRAPHIES OF SOME COMMERCIAL ELITE IN COLONIAL OSUN DIVISION i. Introduction………………………………………………. 115 ii. Entrepreneurs, Agents and Stakeholders in the Commercial Sector of Osun Division ……………..…………………. 117 iii. Biographies of some Commercial Elite...………………….. 131 iv. Conclusion…………………………………………………… 147 CHAPTER FIVE: ADAPTATION OF THE YORUBA COMMERCIAL CULTURE AND THE CHALLENGES OF CHANGE IN THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR OF OSUN DIVISION Introduction…………………………………………………… 152 i. Factors that Aided the Survival of the Yoruba Commercial Activities in Osun Division....……...…………………….. 161 ii. Aspects and Agents of Change in Osun Division’s Commercial Sector……………………………………………………... 174 iii. Challenges of Change in the Commercial Sector of Osun Division……….…………….……………………………… 182 iv. Effects of the Changes on the Commercial Sector of Osun Division………………………...………………………...… 199 v. Conclusion…………………………………………………. 204 CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION i Summary………………………………………………… 207 ii Conclusion……………………………………………....….. 211 BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………….… 213 APPENDICES................................................................................ 243 viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ABC -African Banking Corporation ADO -Assistant District Officer AG -Action Group ANCE -Association of Nigerian Cooperative Exporters ANFC -All Nigeria Farmers’ Congress AWAM -Association of West