Cleveland State University
EngagedScholarship@CSU
The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs
Michael Schwartz Library
2016
Gender and the Politics of Exclusion in PreColonial Ibadan: The Case of Iyalode Efunsetan
Aniwura
Olawale F. Idowu
Osun State University
Sunday A. Ogunode
Adekunle Ajusin University
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Idowu, Olawale F. and Ogunode, Sunday A. (2016) "Gender and the Politics of Exclusion in Pre-Colonial Ibadan: The Case of Iyalode
Efunsetan Aniwura," The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs: Vol. 2, Article 21.
Available at: http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/jtb/vol2/iss1/21
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Idowu and Ogunode: Gender and the Politics of Exclusion
Introduction
Therelationshipbetweentheusesandmisusesofhistoryisaverycomplexone.Misuse
suggeststhatthepastisinstrumentalizedanddistortedforpoliticalandotherpurposes.It
alsomeansthatthereisarealpastthatmustnotbedistorted.1
Muchhasbeenwrittenontheroleofwomeninnation-building.Thefactthatwomenwere
activechange-agentsinpre-colonialNigeriaisanestablishedhistoricfact.Whathasnotbeen
wellexploredaretheobstaclestothefullmanifestationoftheNigerianwomanasanationbuilder.
Intheresearchers’eagernesstoportraytheNigerianwomanasaheroine,extant
literaturetendstoover-emphasizetheirexploitswithoutcommensuratefocusonthesocialand
institutionalchallengeswithwhichtheyhadtocontend.
Thislacunaintheliteratureoftheroleofwomeninnation-buildingismostevidentin
specificliteratureonIyalodeEfunsetanAniwura.2Itisthecontentionofthispaperthatthis
literaturedoeslittlejusticetotherolethatEfunsetanplayedinthedevelopmentofIbadan.The
consensusseemstoportrayherasaverysuccessfulbusinessmagnatewhosewealthgotthe
betterofher,leadingtoherruin.3
Itisthecontentionofthispaperthatthisconclusionisunfounded.Thisscholarisofthe
viewthatgenderandthepoliticsofexclusionpracticedinIbadanwereheralbatross,rather
thanherwealthandwickedness.
TheoreticalFramework
Thispresentstudyishingedontwotheories.Thesearegendertheoryandthetheoryof
exclusion.Gendertheoryreferstohowsociallyprescribedassumptions,beliefs,andpractices
ofmalesandfemalesareusedtojustifyinequalitiesbetweenthesexesinfavorofmalesinthe
appropriationofpower,rights,leisuretime,andproperty.4Inotherwords,gendertheoryisthe
studyofhowmalesfacilitatethesubordinationofwomenbyappealingtosocialnormsand
values.Implicitingendertheoryisthefactthatmale-femalerelationsarenotconductedonthe
basisofequality;neitherisawoman’spositionatruereflectionofherpersonalworthandvice
versa.
Thetheoryofexclusionstatesthatgroupsinacompositecommunitycanmaximizetheir
ownbenefitsbyexcludingnon-members.5Thistheorybestexplainsgroups’competitionfor
scarceresources.Inthecourseofsuchcompetition,non-membersareseenas“outsiders”or
“enemies.”
IyalodeEfunsetaninIbadanHistory
EfunsetanAdekemiAniwura,thesecondIyalodeofIbadan,wasborninthe1820s.Shehadan
EgbaancestryasherfatherwasanativeofIkijaintheEgbaforest,whilehermotherwasIfe. 6
1GeorgeG.Iggers,“TheUsesandMisusesofHistory:TheResponsibilityoftheHistorian,Pastand
Present”(paperpresentedatInternationalCongressofHistoricalSciences,Oslo,Norway,August9,
2000),3.
2AweBolanle,ed.,“IyalodeEfunsetanAniwura,”inNigerianWomen:AHistoricalPerspective
(Ibadan:Bookcraft,1992),65.
3SamuelJohnson,TheHistoryoftheYoruba(Lagos:CSSBookshop,1921),393;ToyinFalola,The
PoliticalEconomyofaPre-ColonialAfricanState:Ibadan,1830-1900(Ile-Ife:UniversityofIfePress,1984),
79.
4JenniferBothamley,DictionaryofTheories(NewYork:Barnes&NobleBooks,2002),225.
5Ibid.,188.
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ShegrewupintheIkijaquartersofAbeokuta.Thereshehadanormalupbringingtypicalofthe
time.Sufficeittonotethatveryearlyinlife,shefollowedinthefootstepofhermotherasa
petty-trader.Inthisregard,sheusedtoaccompanyhermothertothemajormarketsin
Abeokuta.7Thisearlyacquaintancewithcommerceplacedheringoodsteadlaterinlife.
Soon,shebecameoldenoughtogointotradingonherownaccount.Towardthisend,
sheformedatradingpartnershipwithtwofriends,OloojaandYade.8Alongsidethisduo,she
embarkedonlong-distancetradingtoLagos,Badagry,PortoNorvo,Ikorodu,andIbadan.9Itwas
notlongbeforesherealizedthatlong-distancetradingwasmorelucrative.
SheeventuallygotmarriedtoafellowEgbainAbeokuta.10Asitturnedout,marriage
provedtobeanunsuccessfulventureforher.Thiswasduetoanumberoffactors.Ononehand,
shehadaproblemgivingbirth.11However,thepointisworthnotingthatwhilesomeaccounts
haveitthatsheneverconceived,somehaveitthatshehadonedaughterwhodiedyoung.12In
anycase,theproblemofchildlessnessputagreatstrainonhermarriage.Coupledwiththiswas
thestrainthatherbusinesscommitmentsmadeonhertime.Asaresult,hermarriagesoon
collapsed.13
Followingthisdevelopment,shegaveherselfwhollytoherbusiness.Shemadethe
fatefuldecisiontorelocatefromAbeokutatoIbadan.14Thequestionisworthasking:Whywould
anEgbatradermakeIbadanherbaseatatimewhentheEgbaandIbadanwereswornenemies?
Therearetwoanswerstothisquestion.Ononehand,shewasattractedtoIbadanbecauseofthe
hugeopportunitiesthetownofferedintermsofmarkets,security,accessibility,etc.Ontheother
hand,herdecisiontorelocatetoIbadanwasfurtherstrengthenedbythefactthathermaternal
cousin,BasorunOluyole,wasatthetimethedefactorulerofthetown.15
Propelledbytheseconsiderations,around1860,shemadeIbadanherhome.16Itis
importanttonotethatinIbadan,shesetupwithBasorunOluyoleatOjaOba.17Withthe
patronageofOluyole,aswellasherownconsiderablebusinessacumen,shesoonestablished
herself.Acoupleofyearsafterherimmigration,shebecamealeadingtraderinIbadanwith
commercialinterestsindiverseplaceslikeLagos,Badagry,Ilorin,Abeokuta,PortoNorvo,
Ikorodu,andothers.Shewasparticularlydistinguishedinthetobaccotrade,theslavetrade,as
wellastradeinweaponsandammunitionthatenabledIbadantocarryonitsnumerouswars.
ParticularlyofnoteisthefactthatitwasthankstoherindustryandpatriotismthatIbadan
continuedtohaveanadequatesupplyofwarmaterial,despitetheblockademountedbythe
Egba/IjebucoalitionagainstIbadanduringtheIjaiyewarandothers.18
OfnoteinparticularisthatEfunsetan’sexploitsinbusinesswerenotlimitedtotrading
alone.Shealsoengagedinmanufactureoffinishedgoods,someofwhichwereexportedto
6Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”67.
7Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”68.
8Ibid.,69.
9Ibid.,67.
10Ibid.,69;Johnson,TheHistoryoftheYoruba,393.
11Awe,“TheEconomicRoleofWomeninTraditionalAfricanSociety:TheYorubaExample,”
(paperpresentedatLaCivilisationdelaFemmedanslaTraditionAfricaine,Abidjan,July3-8,1972);
SaburiBiobaku,EminentNigeriansoftheNineteenthCentury(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,
1960),40.
12Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”69;Johnson,TheHistoryoftheYoruba,393;LorandMatory,Sexand
theEmpireThatIsNoMore(Minneapolis:UniversityofMinnesotaPress,1994),19.
13Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”69;Matory,SexandtheEmpireThatIsNoMore,19.
14KemiMorgan,Akinyele’sOutlineofIbadanHistory(Ibadan:Bookcraft,1992),118. 15Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”70.
16Matory,SexandtheEmpireThatIsNoMore,19.
17Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”70.
18J.F.Ajayi,YorubaWarfareintheNineteenthCentury(Ibadan:IbadanUniversityPress,1971),
21.
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Idowu and Ogunode: Gender and the Politics of Exclusion
America.19Notableinthisregardwasthemanufactureofmats,Kijipa,*traditionalcosmeticslike
Laali,**andothersbyhernumerousslaves.Similarly,shewasalsoinvolvedinfoodcrop
cultivation.Inthisregardshehadthreelargeplantationswherethousandsofherslaveswere
engagedinthecultivationofyams,cassava,andothers.20Asaresultofthisextensivebusiness
network,shewasveryprominentintheimport/exporttrade.21
Somesalientpointsofherbusinessactivitiesareworthyofconsiderationatthis
juncture.Firstisthefactthatherextensivebusinessinterestsconstitutedamajorcontribution
tothedevelopmentofIbadan.Forinstance,herfoodcultivationactivitieshelpedtoensurefood
securityforIbadan,whosemalepopulationwasmoreinvolvedinwarfarethaninfarming.
Similarly,hermanufactureandsaleoffinishedproductsalsoattractedmoretraderstotheOjaObamarketandotherIbadanmarkets.Moreover,italsotranslatedtogreaterrevenuetoIbadan
authoritiesintermsofmarketleviesandtoll-fares.However,mostimportantofallwasthefact
thatherextensivecommercialconnectionshelpedtoensurethatIbadanhadanadequate
supplyofEuropean-madeweapons.ThiswasmoresothestrategyoftheIjebuandEgba
coalitiontoblockIbadan’sroutetothecoasttodepriveitofsorelyneededwarmaterials,22but
thankstoEfunsetanandherlikes,wayswerealwaysfoundtobreaktheseblockadesand
smuggleinarmsandammunition.
AlsoworthyofmentionwasthecreditfacilitywhichsheextendedtoIbadanwarchiefs.
Inthisregard,longbeforeshebecametheIyalode,itwashercustom*tosellarmsand
ammunitiontoIbadanwarchiefsoncredit.23
BythenasoneofthewealthiestpersonagesinIbadan,shedeployedaportionofher
considerablewealthtophilanthropy.Inthisregard,shebecameapatronoftheAnglicanChurch.
Alongthisline,shedonatedtothechurchinIbadanregularly.24Moreinstructive,however,was
herpracticeofputtingupthemoneytosecuretheredemptionofnewlyconvertedChristian
slaves.25Throughthismeans,she,alongsidewealthywomenlikeMadamOgunsola,playeda
decisiveroleintheconsolidationofChristianityinIbadan.26Suchwasthewealthandsocial
recognitioncommandedbyEfunsetanatthistimethatwhenBasorunOluyoledied,shewas
madetheMogajioftheOluyolecompound.27ThiswasparticularlynoteworthyasBasorun
Oluyolewassurvivedbychildren,bothmaleandfemale.However,noneofthemcouldmatch
herwealth,popularity,orcontributionstothedevelopmentofIbadan.
UnderherwatchastheMogajioftheOluyolefamily,thefamilygrewbyleapsand
bounds.DistantrelativesfromIle-IfeandAbeokutajoinedthemselvestothefamily.Thus,
beforelong,everyavailablespaceintheOluyolecompoundinOja-Obawasbuiltupuntilthere
wasnomorespace.28
19Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”71.
*Locallymadefabricrenownedforitshardiness,likekhaki.
**Locallymadecosmetic.
*Itwasthetradecustomforprosperoustraderstosellwarmaterieltothewarchiefsoncredit.
20Johnson,TheHistoryoftheYoruba,392;Matory,SexandtheEmpireThatIsNoMore,19.
21JohnIllife,HonourinAfricanHistory(London:CambridgeUniversityPress,2005),80.
22Ajayi,YorubaWarfareintheNineteenthCentury,102.
23Falola,PoliticalEconomyofaPre-ColonialAfricanState,78;BolanleAwe,“WomenandWarfare
inYorubaLandintheNineteenthCentury,”inWarandPeaceinYorubaLand:1793-1893,ed.I.A.
Akinjogbin(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,1998),126.
24Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetanAniwura”,74.
25Ibid.
26AdeniyiOroge,“Iwofa:AnHistoricalSurveyoftheYorubaInstitutionofIndenture,”African
EconomicHistory14(1985),79.
27Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”75.
28Ibid.,76.
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Withsuchapedigree,itwasonlyamatteroftimebeforethehighesthonoropenedtoa
womaninnineteenth-centuryIbadancameherway.Followingthedepositionoftheincumbent
Iyalode,Subuola,in1866shewasofferedthetitleofOtun-Iyalode.29
UponheremergenceasIyalode,shecameintothezenithofpublicresponsibilitythen
availabletoawoman.
TheFallofIyalodeEfunsetan:ThePlaceofGenderandthePoliticsofExclusion
By1873,aftertheAdowar,30thefortunesofIyalodeEfunsetantookaturnfortheworse.This
developmentfollowedhermisunderstandingwithAareLatoosa.Citinginsubordinationand
crueltytoherslaves,thecouncilofchiefshadherdeposedasIyalode.31Deprivedofhertitle,she
nonethelesscommandedconsiderableinfluenceinthepolity.Moreover,thedangerofhaving
suchaninfluentialfoewasnotlostonAareLatoosa.Consequently,hecontinuedtohoundher.
Towardthisend,shewassubjectedtoallsortsofindignities,allinanattempttoforceherinto
exile.Forinstance,shewasnotallowedanyvisitors,whiletraders,drummers,andotherswere
forbiddenfromtransactinganybusinesswithher.32
Refusingtobehoundedoutofthetowntowhichshehadcontributedsomuch,Iyalode
Efunsetanstoodherground.Rather,shetriedtoreasonwithneutralchiefs,givingoutexpensive
giftstotheminavainattempttoreconcileherselfwiththeAareLatoosafaction.This,however,
provedunavailingastheAarehadsethismindonherliquidationonewayortheother.33
ConfrontedwithherdeterminationtostayputinIbadancomewhatmay,AareLatoosahadher
murderedbysomeofherhouseholdslaves.34
Theallegationsofinsubordinationandcrueltyagainsthernotwithstanding,itisthe
contentionofthispaperthatIyalodeEfunsetanwasmerelyavictimofthepoliticsofgenderand
exclusionplayedinIbadaninthenineteenthcentury.Beforeexaminingthebasisforthisview,
thereisaneedtoexaminethebasisoftheviewthatIyalodeEfunsetanwasavictimofherown
arrogance,insubordination,andcrueltytoherslaves.
TheallegationofinsubordinationraisedagainstherbyAareLatoosawasinformedby
thefollowing:35(1)herrefusaltoaccompanyhimontheAdocampaignof1874;(2)herrefusal
tocometothetowngatetowelcomehisarmybackfromthecampaign;and(3)herrefusalto
sendhimsuppliesduringthecampaign.
ThefirstargumentthatherrefusaltoaccompanyhimontheAdocampaignconstituted
anactofinsubordinationisbaseless.Thisisbecause,asIyalode,Efunsetanbelongedtothecivil
lineofchiefsandwasthusnotobligedtopersonallytakepartinmilitarycampaigns.36Inany
case,thesameallegationwasnotleveledagainstTajo,theOtunBalewhoasacivil-chiefdidnot
accompanyAareLatoosaonhiscampaigns.37
Tosomeextent,herrefusaltowelcomeandcongratulatetheAareonhisreturnfromthe
Adocampaigncouldbesaidtoconstituteanactofinsubordination.
However,thethirdargumentthatherrefusaltosendhimsuppliesduringthewar
constitutedanactofinsubordinationlacksmerit.Thisisbecauseatthattime,AareLatoosaand
someofhisgenerals,especiallyAjayiOgboriefon,wereheavilyindebtedtoher.38Creditfacilities
29LaRayDenzer,“TheIyalodeinIbadanPoliticsandSociety,”inIbadan:AHistorical,Culturaland
Socio-EconomicStudyofanAfricanCity(Lagos:OluyoleClub,2000),202.
30Johnson,TheHistoryofYoruba,393.
31Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”80;Johnson,TheHistoryoftheYoruba,394;Morgan,Outlineof
IbadanHistory,119.
32Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”80.
33Ibid.,81.
34Ibid.;Johnson,TheHistoryoftheYoruba,393.
35Ibid.,391;Morgan,Akinyele’sOutlineofIbadanHistory,118.
36Falola,ThePoliticalEconomyofaPre-ColonialAfricanState,65;Denzer,“IyalodeinIbadan
PoliticsandSociety,”202.
37Johnson,TheHistoryoftheYoruba,386.
38Ibid.,393.
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Idowu and Ogunode: Gender and the Politics of Exclusion
extendedtotheminpreviouscampaignswereyettobemadegood.Thus,IyalodeEfunsetan,as
abusinessmagnate,couldnotbeexpectedtocontinuetoextendcreditfacilitiestopeoplewho
hadnoinclinationtopaybackwhattheyalreadyowed.
TheotherargumentthatIyalodeEfunsetanmetherruinonaccountofhercrueltytoher
slaveshasnobasisinreality.Ifshehadbeencrueltoherslavesasalleged,afterherdeathnone
ofherslaveswouldhaveremainedinherhouseholdasher“children.”Thus,manydescendants
ofherslavescontinuedtoliveinhercompound,takinguphername.39Thisisparticularly
instructive,asshediedchildless.Certainly,reveringthememoryofa“cruel”masterisnotthe
waytoavengeoneselfonsuchamaster.PerhapsnothingdemonstratesbetterEfunsetan’s
humanetreatmentofherslavesthanthefactthatoneofherslaves,Ataiyero,laterbecamethe
OwaofIlesa.40AsarguedbyAwe,ifshehadbeenacruelmistress,thenoneofherslaveswould
nothavebeenwelloffenoughtoaspiretoandascendtheOwathrone.41Itisimportanttonote
thatBasorunOluyoleregularlyofferedhisslavesassacrificesinhiscolanutgroves.42Notonly
this,butheofferedhisfirstwifeasasacrificeoveratriflingoffense.43Yethewasnotaccusedof
cruelty,norwasanymovetakentodeposeorsanctionhiminanywayonaccountofhisilltreatmentofhisslaves.Itisimportanttonotethatthisisinlinewithassumptionsofthegender
theorythattherole,power,andobligationsprescribedformalesandfemalesarebasedon
differentsocialstandards.44
HavingestablishedthattheallegationsagainstIyalodeEfunsetanwerelargelybaseless,
itisnowimperativetoshowthatshewasavictimofthepoliticsofexclusionandgender.
Inthisregard,itisworthytorecallthatEfunsetanwasofEgbaandIfeorigin.Itappears
thatIbadanpowerelitesneverforgotthis,despiteherlongresidencyinthetownandvaluable
contributionstotheprogressofthestate.Frominception,theOyoelementsinIbadanhad
alwaysdisplayedatendencytoexcludenon-Oyointhetown.Anoteworthyexampleinthis
regardwastheexpulsionofMaye,anIfechiefwhowastheheadofIbadanatitsinception.45
Similarly,LaRaynotesthatfollowingadisputebetweenOyoandnon-Oyoelementsin1833,the
non-Oyoelementswerepoliticallymarginalized.46
Apartfromthis,IyalodeEfunsetanfellvictimtothepoliticsofexclusionrifeinIbadanas
aresultofotherfactors.NotableamongthesewasthefactthattheEgbaatthistimewere
Ibadan’smostimplacablefoes.Theyneverforgavenorforgotthedestructionoftheirhomeland
bytheOyo.Thus,theEgbanevertiredofanyopportunitytoharasstheIbadan.Apartfrom
frequentslave-raidingactivitiesandanti-Ibadancoalitionsthattheyenteredinto,theEgbas’
ultimateweaponagainstIbadanwastoblockIbadan’saccesstothecoasttoprocurewar
material.47Asaresultoftheseanti-Ibadanactivities,theIbadanneverhadcausetohavelovefor
anyEgba.ItwaswithinthiscontextthatonecanunderstandbetterwhyEfunsetans’splightwas
reallyonaccountofhernon-Oyooriginratherthaninsubordinationorcrueltytoherslaves.
Viewedagainstthisbackground,onecanunderstandhowAareLatoosacouldeasilymisreadthe
refusalofEfunsetantoextendfurthercreditfacilitiestohimasanEgbaconspiracytosabotage
Ibadanwarefforts,ratherthananattemptbyabusinesswomantoprotectherbusiness
interests.
IyalodeEfunsetan’scasewasfurthercomplicatedbythefactthatshecontinuedto
associatewithherEgbacompatriotsregardlessofofficialrelationsbetweenIbadanand
Abeokuta.Inthisregard,itisworthytonotethathercousinOgundipewastheBalogunof
39Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”80.
40Ibid.
41Ibid.
42Falola,ThePoliticalEconomyofaPre-ColonialAfricanState,27.
43Johnson,TheHistoryoftheYoruba,345.
44Ibid.
45Johnson,TheHistoryoftheYoruba,239.
46Ogunremi,2000:207
47Ajayi,YorubaWarfareintheNineteenthCentury,93;Morgan,Akinyele’sOutlineofIbadan
History,22.
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Abeokutaatthistime.ShewasalsoonfriendlytermswiththeReverendOlubioftheAnglican
ChurchwhowasalsoanEgba.48Thus,herEgbaancestry,coupledwithhercontinued
associationwithleadingEgbachiefsatatimewhenIbadanandAbeokutawereswornenemies,
castconsiderabledoubtonherallegiance.Thiswasfurtheraggravatedbyhertendencyto
celebrateandflauntherEgbaancestry.Forinstance,onbecomingtheIyalode,sherevivedthe
annualAlakijafestival,thenationaldeityofIkija,oneoftheEgbatownsdestroyedbytheOyo.49
ItisimportanttonotethatthepompandpageantrywithwhichshecelebratedtheAlakija
festivalrivaledthatoftheOke-IbadanfestivaldedicatedtothenationaldeityofIbadan.50This
naturallygalledthepeopleofIbadanandraiseddoubtconcerningherloyalty.
Asaresultofthese,therewerelegitimatesecurityconcernsthatshecouldbeafifth
columnistservingtheinterestofAbeokuta,herstateofbirth,ratherthanIbadan,herstateof
residence.Thus,itwasfeltimperativetoerronthesideofcaution.Conservativeelementsled
byAareLatoosathereforeresolvedthatIbadansecuritywasincompatiblewithhercontinued
residenceinthetown.Herinabilitytotakethecueandgointoexilesealedherfate.
ThepoliticsofexclusionpracticedinIbadanatthistimewerenottheonlyfactorthat
workedagainsther.Inadditiontothis,shewasalsoavictimofthepoliticsofgender
discrimination.Evidenceaboundsinthisregard.
NotableamongthesewastherefusaloftheIbadanstatetoplacetributarytownsunder
hercontrol.Inthisregard,itisworthytonotethatitwascustomaryforallthetownsand
villagesinIbadantobedividedamongallthechiefsinIbadan.51Suchchiefswereregardedas
BabaIsaleofthetributarytownsunderthem.Apartfromoverseeingtheaffairsofthesetowns
inthenameofIbadan,eachchiefwasexpectedtomaintainhimselfbytributesandlevies
collectedfromhistributarytowns.However,thisprivilegewasonlyenjoyedbythreeofthefour
classesofchiefsinIbadan.52Interestingly,theIyalodelinewasexcluded.53Thus,onlymale
chiefsenjoyedtheprivilegeofbecomingBabaIsale.
ForawomanwhosecontributionstotheriseofIbadanimperialismsurpassedthatof
manymalechiefsandrivalledtherest,thisarrangementwasunacceptabletoIyalodeEfunsetan.
Knownforherindependentthinkingandoutspokenness,shemusthaveregisteredher
reservationsinclearterms.ForapatriarchalmilitaryrepubliclikeIbadan,suchindependent
thinkingcouldnothavebeentakenlightly.Hence,itwasfoundexpedienttocutherdowntosize
topreservethegenderstatusquothatplacedmenabovewomenasofright.Thiswasmoreso
asEfunsetanatthistimewasthemasterofherhousehold,asshewasdivorced.Thus,sucha
powerful,prosperous,andindependentwomanwasathreattotheorthodoxbeliefsaboutthe
placeofwomeninthissociety.
OtherevidencethatshowsthatherruinhaditsrootsinthegenderpoliticsofIbadanlies
inthefactthatEfunsetan’sprivatearmydidnotenjoythesameprivilegeaccordedtothe
privatearmiesofmalechiefs.Inthisregard,itisimportanttonotethattheIbadanimperial
armywasacompositeunionofprivatearmiesrecruitedandequippedbyindividualchiefsand
well-to-doindividuals.Inthecourseofwar,theywereplacedunderaunifiedcommand.Atthe
endofthewar,thebootyofwarbelongedtothechiefwhoownedthetroops.However,onlya
tokenofthebootywasgivenoutasapresenttotheBaaleandtheBalogunastheall-reigning
commanders.Inthecaseofthehundred-manarmyownedbyIyalodeEfunsetan,thereverse
wastrue.RatherthanletIyalodeEfunsetandispensewiththewarbootycapturedbyherarmy,
AareLatoosaappropriatedeverythingandgavewhateverhepleasedtoEfunsetanashershare
48Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”81.
49Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”78.
50Ibid.
51Johnson,TheHistoryoftheYoruba,384.
52BolanleAwe,“TheIyalodeintheTraditionalYorubaPoliticalSystem,”inSexualStratification:A
CrossCulturalView,ed.A.Schelegel(NewYork:1977),210.
53Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”77.
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Idowu and Ogunode: Gender and the Politics of Exclusion
ofthewarbootycapturedbyhertroops.54Thisdoublestandardisyetmoreevidenceofthe
genderpoliticstowhichshewassubjected.
Inthelightofsuchactsofgenderdiscrimination,IyalodeEfunsetansoonhadcauseto
reviewherinvolvementinaffairsofthestate.Shenaturallycametotheconclusionthaton
accountofhergenderandethnicorigin,herbenefitfromtheIbadanstatewasnot
commensuratewithhercontributions.Hence,shedecidedtogiveonlyqualifiedsupporttostate
projects,especiallyastheyconcernedwarsofconquest.
Theresultofthisresolutionsoonbegantomanifest.First,shedecidedtobemore
stringentinhercreditpolicy.Thus,sheinsistedthatchiefsstillindebtedtoherwouldnotenjoy
furthercreditfacilitiesuntiltheysettledtheiroutstandingdebts.Unfortunately,theweapons
andammunitionwithwhichIbadanchiefsprosecutedtheirwarswereusuallyboughtoncredit.
Whilesomeofthempaidontime,somehadbaddebtculture.Onesuchperennialdebtorwas
AareLatoosa,thedefactorulerofIbadanby1874.55Thus,thisstringent,newdebtpolicy
adoptedbyIyalodeEfunsetanearnedherenemiesinpowerfulplaces.Ratherthanseeitfor
whatitwas—i.e.,aninnocentattemptbyabusinesswomantocollectherdebt—they
convenientlyreadmeaningintoit.Itwasnotlongbeforetheyaccusedheroftreason,claiming
thatbywithholdingcreditfacilitiesfromthem,shemeanttosabotagetheirwarefforts.This
allegationhadsomeelementofplausibilitybecausetheEgbas,hercompatriots,weresomeof
thearch-enemiesofIbadan.
Herlaterdecisionnottosendherslave-soldierstoaccompanytheIbadanarmyonthe
Adocampaignlentfurthercredencetothismisleadingview,althoughshemadethisdecision
mainlytoprotestherunfairtreatmentinthedistributionofwarbooty.Itwasonaccountofthis
thatAareLatoosa’shandswerestrengthenedagainstheronhisreturnfromtheAdowar.The
stepstakenbyAareLatoosatocutherdowntosizeeventuallyculminatedinherdeathin1874
atthehandsoftwoofherslaves,atthebehestofLatoosa.56
Conclusion
Inthelightoftheforegoingdiscourse,theseveralconclusionscanbedrawn.Arrogance,cruelty
toherslaves,andinsubordinationdidnotruinIyalodeEfunsetanaspopularlybelieved.Rather,
shewasruinedbythepoliticsofgenderandexclusionpracticedbytheOyopowerelitesin
Ibadaninthenineteenthcentury.Herplightwastypicalofthefateofmanywell-to-dowomenin
pre-colonialYorubaland.Hence,LawandIllifenotethatwell-to-dowomenexperienced
difficultyinconvertingtheirwealthintopublicstatusandmalerespect.57Itisinstructivetonote
thatthisconclusionisborneoutbytheobservationofBolanleAwethattheprominenceofthe
Iyalodeinnineteenth-centuryYorubalandwas“indefianceofwhatwascustomaryand
traditionalamongtheOyo-Yoruba.”58
Towhat,then,canoneattributetheenduringimageofIyalodeEfunsetanasablood
thirstytyrantthatmethernemesisatthehandsofAareLatoosa?Theanswertothisquestionis
thatoneneedsnottoseekfar.Itisanestablishedfactofhistorythathistory,toalargeextent,is
theaccountofthevictorsofwars.Withinthecontextofthisdiscourse,thismeansthatmostof
whatisknownofIyalodeEfunsetancamedownfromhernemesis,i.e.,theOyoelementsin
Ibadan.ItisinstructivetonotethatanexaminationofthehistoriographyonIyalodeEfunsetan
revealsthatofthesixscholarswhohavewrittenabouther,onlyoneisnon-Oyoinorigin.59
54Awe,“IyalodeEfunsetan,”77.
55Ibid.,80.
56Ogunremi,2000,204;FunsoAfolayan,“MilitaryAlliancesinYorubaLand,”inWarandPeacein
YorubaLand:1793-1893,ed.I.A.Akinjogbin(Ibadan:HeinemannEducationalBooks,1998),410.
57Illife,HonourinAfricanHistory,80;RobinLaw,“LegitimateTradeandGenderRelationsin
NigeriaandDahomey,”inFromSlaveTradetoLegitimateCommerce(London:CambridgeUniversity
Press,1995),208.
58Awe,“TraditionalYorubaPoliticalSystem,”150.
59Johnson,The History of the Yoruba, 384..
Published by EngagedScholarship@CSU, 2016
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The Journal of Traditions & Beliefs, Vol. 2 [2016], Art. 21
Interestingly,onlytheIjesha-bornAwedrewconclusionsthatcontradictpopularassumptions
aboutIyalodeEfunsetan.
Acknowledgments
ThisworkbenefitedfromtheresearchassistanceofDr.KemiAdeshina,aseniorcolleagueinthe
department.ThisworkisalsoindebtedtoDr.KoyaOgen,myHeadofDepartmentforhis
incisivecommentsinparticularandmentorshipingeneral.
http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/jtb/vol2/iss1/21
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