THE ROAD TO THE ABOLITION OF SLAVE TRADE IN LAGOS: THE DRAMA BETWEEN OBA AKITOYE AND KOSOKO By Anago James Akeem Osho
Oba Akitoye was a king who believed in legitimate commerce and he
desired a good relationship between his people and the British, but his nephew
was a defiant slave trader who believed that Oba Akitoye usurped his position
as a king.
Before Akitoye became king, Kosoko was in exile in Whydah (Ouidah) and
Whydah was another important slave trading port that time.
Kosoko and his friend, Gezo, the king of Dahomey does not want the
seed of the British to be planted and to germinate in Yorubaland due to their
success in slave trade of the era.
Kosoko and his army, with support from his bosom friend Gezo, the King
of Dahomey, declared war against Oba Akitoye in July, 1845 and unfortunately
for King Akitoye, the Eletu Odibo, the commander of his army, who could have
rallied soldiers to protect the kingdom had relocated to Badagry because he did
not support the pardon granted to Kosoko to come back home from exile in Whydah
by Akitoye.
After the king sent for him (Eletu Odibo), he returned to Lagos but
was assassinated on his way to Ikorodu. As soon as Akitoye heard the news, he
feared for his life and him and his supporters departed Lagos for Abeokuta to
seek protection. From there he relocated to Badagry where he made several
attempts to communicate with the British consul in the area on the state of
affairs in Lagos.
Akitoye was deposed and Slave trade became grounded by the new King,
Kosoko. The British were invited by Akitoye to broker peace so that he could be
restored back to the throne but Kosoko does not want any interference by the
British. He ordered his men who had stationed his Warships on the waterfront to
open fire on a British ship which was advancing toward Lagos, hoisting a flag
of truce.
Beecroft and his naval team were so infuriated that they attacked
Lagos but were immediately repelled by Kosoko and his men but it was
momentarily because on December 28, 1851, Kosoko and his supporters were sacked
by the British in Lagos.
It was victory for Akitoyewho was restored back as king on 1st
of January, 1852, on board the British ship, HMS Penelope. He signed a treaty
with commodore Henry W. Bruce and Mr. John Beecroft for the abolition of the
slave trade, encouragement of legitimate trade and protection of missionaries.
The drama that ensued and the successful defeat of Kosoko made the
British to realize the power of their guns over the natives. Later, Akitoye was
not comfortable with the dominating presence of the British but there was
nothing he could do about it.
His children were not happy with him because of his rash decision to
take back his throne through the support of the British and their gun. To break
the Camel’s back, he reigned for just twenty months. He died in August 1853.
Akitoye’s invitation of the British was the beginning of colonialism
in Lagos and his environ and it plunged the Niger delta and other hinterland
kingdoms into it.
The British conquered Lagos in 1851 and acquired it as a protectorate
and colony of the British in 1861.
SLAVE PORTS OF LAGOS
1, Isale eko
2, Offin
3, Marina
4, Okun Apese
5, Lekki
6, Takwa Bay
7, Otto-Iddo
8, Epe etc.