Treaty of Epe

Last updated

The Treaty of Epe was a treaty between Great Britain (represented by Benjamin Campbell, Consul in Lagos and Thomas Miller Commander of HMS Crane) and Kosoko on 28 September 1854.

Contents

Background

On 26 December 1851, in what is now known as the Reduction of Lagos Britain intervened in Lagos politics by executing naval action against Kosoko, then Oba of Lagos, ousting him, and installing Oba Akitoye who had promised to embrace abolition. On 1 January 1852 Akitoye signed the Treaty between Great Britain and Lagos abolishing the slave trade.

Kosoko fled to Epe and built up an independent base with about 400 warriors and mounted multiple attacks on Lagos; one on 5 August 1853 and another on 11 August 1853 which came dangerously close to the Oba's palace but was rebuffed just in time by a burst of fire from the British naval force under Commander Phillips of HMS Polyphemus.

After much negotiation, Kosoko eventually signed the Treaty of Epe on 28 September 1854 with Consul Benjamin Campbell, agreeing not to make any claims to Lagos or to endanger commerce in Lagos. The treaty was a tactical success for Kosoko who got the British to recognize his state in Epe. In the big picture, however, the Lagos throne remained out of reach with Akitoye and Dosunmu's descendants firmly rooted.

Treaty text

The text of the treaty is transcribed below: [1]

Agreement entered into this 28th day of September 1854 between Kosoko his Caboceers and Chiefs and Chiefs, and Benjamin Campbell Esquire Her Brittanic Majesty's Consul for the Bight of Benin, and Thomas Miller Esquire Commander H.M.S. Sloop "Crane" Senior Officer of the Bights of Benin and Biafra.


1st. Kosoko his Caboceers and Chiefs solemnly pledge themselves to make no attempt to regain possession of Lagos either by threats, hostilities or stratagem


2nd. Kosoko his Caboceers and Chiefs claim Palma, as their port of trade, and Benjamin Campbell Esquire Her Brittanic Majesty's Consul, and Thomas Miller Esquire Commander and Senior Naval Officer in the Bights, engage to recognize Palma, as the port of Kosoko and his Caboceers and Chiefs, for all purposes of legitimate trade.


3rd. Kosoko his Caboceers and Chiefs do most solemnly pledge themselves to abandon the slave trade, that is the export of slaves from Africa, also not to allow any slave trader to reside at their port or any other place within their jurisdiction and influence


4th. Kosoko his Caboceers and Chiefs solemnly bind themselves to give every protection and assistance to such merchants and traders as may wish to reside among them for the purpose of carrying on legitimate trade – also to assist her Brittanic Majesty's Consul to reopen markets on the Jaboo shore viz Agienu, Ecorodu, and Aboyee, and in maintaining order and security at those markets.


5th. There shall be levied at the Port of Palma, an export duty of one head of cowries for every Puncheon of Palm Oil of the average size of one hundred and twenty gallons and two strings of cowries per lb. on all Ivory exported from the above Port for the benefit of Kosoko.


6th. Benjamin Campbell Esquire Her Brittanic Majesty's Consul engages on behalf of her Majesty's Government that for the due and faithful performance of this engagement on the part of Kosoko his Caboceers and Chiefs there shall be paid to Kosoko by her Majesty's Government an annual allowance for his life of Two thousand heads of cowries or one thousand dollars at his option.


7th. This engagement to have full force and effect from this day and until annulled by Her Brittanic Majesty's Government.


7th. This engagement to have full force and effect from this day and until annulled by Her Brittanic Majesty's Government.


Signed up the Lagoon at Appe this 28th day of September 1854
Kosoko X
Oloosema X
Oloto X
Pelleu X
Agenia X
Bosoopo X
Agagoo X
Obatchi X
Whydobah X
Bagaloo X
Apsee X
Oleesau X
Ettee X
Lomosa X
Otcheodee X


B. Campbell (Her Brittanic Majesty's Consul for the Bight of Benin)
Thos. Miller (Commander H.M.S. ‘Crane’ and Senior Officer of the Bights of Benin and Biafra)

In the presence of
Herbert L. Ryves, Lieut. Commander of ‘Minx’
W.P. Braund, Master H.M.S ‘Crane’
Francis Wm. Davis, Assistant Surgeon, ‘Minx’
Geo. Batt. Scala, merchant of Lagos
W.R. Hansen, merchant of Lagos
Jose Pedro da Cousta Roy, merchant of Lagos
S.B. Williams, merchant of Lagos and interpreter

Related Research Articles

The Benin Expedition of 1897 was a punitive expedition by a British force of 1,200 men under Sir Harry Rawson. It came in response to the ambush and slaughter of a 250 strong party led by British Acting Consul General James Phillips of the Niger Coast Protectorate. Rawson's troops captured Benin City, bringing to an end slavery and human sacrifice in Benin, and indeed the Kingdom of Benin itself, which was eventually absorbed into colonial Nigeria. The expedition freed slaves held by the Oba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lagos State</span> State in Nigeria

Lagos State is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Out of the 36 states, it is the second most populous state and the smallest in area. Bounded to the south by the Bight of Benin and to the west by the international border with Benin for ten km, Lagos State borders Ogun State to the north for about 283 km, making it the only Nigerian state to border only one other state. Named for the city of Lagos—the most populous city in Africa—the state was formed from the Western Region and the former Federal Capital Territory on 27 May 1967.

John Beecroft was an explorer, governor of Fernando Po and British Consul of the Bight of Benin and Biafra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Efunroye Tinubu</span> Nigerian aristocrat

Efunroye Tinubu, born Ẹfúnpọ̀róyè Ọ̀ṣuntinúbú, was a powerful Yoruba female aristocrat, merchant, and slave trader in pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Lagos</span>

Lagos is the largest city of the West-African country of Nigeria, and its former capital; it is the third largest city in Africa in terms of population with about 15.3 million people. It is also the 4th largest economy in Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epe, Lagos State</span> Town and LGA in Lagos state

Epe is a town and Local Government Area (LGA) in Lagos State, Nigeria located on the north side of the Lekki Lagoon and about 90 km from Ibadan. During the 2006 Census, the population of Epe was approximately 181,409.

Akitoye, sometimes wrongly referred to as Akintoye, reigned twice as Oba of Lagos; first, from 1841 to 1845, and a second time, from 1851 to 1853. His father was Oba Ologun Kutere and his siblings were Obas Osinlokun and Adele.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lagos Colony</span> British protectorate from 1862 to 1906

Lagos Colony was a British colonial possession centred on the port of Lagos in what is now southern Nigeria. Lagos was annexed on 6 August 1861 under the threat of force by Commander Beddingfield of HMS Prometheus who was accompanied by the Acting British Consul, William McCoskry. Oba Dosunmu of Lagos resisted the cession for 11 days while facing the threat of violence on Lagos and its people, but capitulated and signed the Lagos Treaty of Cession. Lagos was declared a colony on 5 March 1862. By 1872, Lagos was a cosmopolitan trading centre with a population over 60,000. In the aftermath of prolonged wars between the mainland Yoruba states, the colony established a protectorate over most of Yorubaland between 1890 and 1897. The protectorate was incorporated into the new Southern Nigeria Protectorate in February 1906, and Lagos became the capital of the Protectorate of Nigeria in January 1914. Since then, Lagos has grown to become the largest city in West Africa, with an estimated metropolitan population of over 9,000,000 as of 2011.

William McCoskry was a British merchant who served as Consul at Lagos, then as acting Governor of Lagos Colony.

Henry Stanhope Freeman was the first Governor of the Lagos Colony, serving from 22 January 1862 to April 1865.

The Treaty of Cession, 6 August 1861 or the Lagos Treaty of Cession was a treaty between the British Empire and Oba Dosunmu of Lagos wherein Dosunmu, under the threat of military bombardment, ceded Lagos Island to Britain, whilst retaining the title and powers of Oba, subject to English laws.

The Treaty Between Great Britain and Lagos, 1 January 1852 was an agreement between Great Britain and Oba Akitoye, the newly installed Oba of Lagos. The treaty was signed following British victory during the Reduction of Lagos.

Oba Akinsemoyin reigned as Oba of Lagos from around 1704 to 1749. His father was Oba Ado and his siblings were Erelu Kuti and Oba Gabaro, whom he succeeded.

Chief Daniel Conrad Taiwo, alias Taiwo Olowo, was a trader, arms dealer, slave owner, political power broker, philanthropist and community leader in Colonial Lagos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosoko</span> Oba of Lagos

Kosoko was a member of the Ologun Kutere Lagos Royal Family who reigned as Oba of Lagos from 1845 to 1851. His father was Oba Osinlokun and his siblings were Idewu Ojulari, Olufunmi, Odunsi, Ladega, Ogunbambi, Akinsanya, Ogunjobi, Akimosa, Ibiyemi, Adebajo, Matimoju, Adeniyi, Isiyemi, Igbalu, Oresanya, and Idewu-Ojulari.

Chief Oshodi Landuji Tapa was Oba Kosoko's war captain and one of the most powerful chiefs in the Oba of Lagos' court.

Oba Idewu Ojulari reigned as Oba of Lagos from 1829 to about 1834/5. His father was Oba Osinlokun and his siblings were Kosoko and Opo Olu, a wealthy and powerful female slave holder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reduction of Lagos</span>

The Reduction of Lagos or Bombardment of Lagos was a British naval operation in late 1851 that involved the Royal Navy bombarding Lagos under the justification of suppressing the Atlantic slave trade and deposing the King (Oba) of Lagos, Kosoko, for refusing to end the slave trade.

Dosunmu, referred to in British documents as Docemo, reigned as Oba of Lagos from 1853, when he succeeded his father Oba Akitoye, until his own death in 1885. He was forced to run away to Britain under the threat of force in August 1861.

The Eletu Odibo of Lagos is the traditional nobleman that has historically served as the principal kingmaker of the Oba of Lagos. As head of the Akarigbere class of chiefs, the Eletu Odibo also serves as the prime minister of the Oba.

References

  1. Smith, Robert. The Lagos Consulate 1851–1861. University of California Press, 1979. pp. 138-139 Appendix B. ISBN   9780520037465.