Checkout The First Woman To Buy A Car In Nigeria

Efunroye Tinubu was the first woman to buy a car in Nigeria. See how she made her money, cost and brand of car she bought and more

Madam Efunroye Tinubu was the first woman to buy a car in Nigeria. Her full name is Ẹfúnpọ̀róyè Ọ̀ṣuntinúbú. Her name indicates that she was born into the family of Osun (goddess of ocean/sea/river) worshipers.

Apart from been the first female to buy a car in nigeria, she was also the first Iyalode of the Egba clan.

The Birth of First Woman to Buy Car in Nigeria

Madam Efunroye Tinubu – first woman to buy car in Nigeria, was born around 1805. Her place of was Ojokodo forest area of Egbaland in Abeokuta, Nigeria.

The name of her father was Olumosa. One record has it that Madam Tinubu came from Owu ancestry. She was a very important figure in Lagos during the eras of Obas Adele, Oluwole, Akitoye, and Dosunmu.

The popular Tinubu Square in Lagos, Nigeria is named after Efunroye Tinubu. Tinubu Square was formally called Independence Square. during the pre-independence, Tinubu square was called Ita Tinubu (Tinubu’s precinct or Tinubu Square), but it was renamed Independence Square by government in First Republic. A statue of Tinubu stands in Abeokuta.

Marriage of madam Tinubu Efunroye

Madam Tinubu had crisis with her marriage. She married multiple times. Her first husband was to an Owu man, a man from the clan where she was allegedly came from. She had two son for him.

After the death of her Owu husband, Efunroye remarried the exiled Oba Adele Ajosun in 1833. They met when the deposed oba visited Abeokuta. Adele was charmed by Tinubu and both agreed, got married and relocated to Badagry. Badagry was traditionally the place of refuge for Lagos monarchs.

How Did First Woman to Buy a Car in Nigeria Make Her Money?

She started trading tree bark and leaves to make a living. She had learned valuable market skills from her grandmother, Osunsola, who traded in tree bark, roots, herbs, and leaves. She also learned business skills from her mother, Nijeede, who had been a food seller.

At Badagry, Madam Efunroye Tinubu capitalized on Adele’s connections to build a strong business trading in salt, tobacco and slaves. She was a powerful Yoruba female merchant. She became popular slave trader in pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria. She did a lot of slave trade with Europeans.

Madame Tinubu built a financial empire through arms and salt trade. She married Adele, an exiled oba of Lagos years after the death of her first husband. She gained economic and political power through the marriage and was able to build a business empire through the trade of salt and tobacco from Europe for slaves from Abeokuta.

When and How Efunroye Tinubu Got Her Car?

The first woman to buy a car in Nigeria got the vehicle in year 1834. She got it in exchange for 500 slaves. This is because there was no currency in Nigeria then.

Did The First Female to Buy a Car in Nigeria Drove it Herself?

Efunroye Tinubu did not drive her car at all. She did not know how to drive. She leased the car out to the Europeans who are residing in Lagos at that time.

What Brand of Car Did Efunroye Tinubu Bought?

The kind of car the first woman to buy a car in Nigeria is not known. No record about the brand of the vehicle Efunroye Tinubu bought is found.

Her Political Influence

In 1835, her husband Adele returned to his throne but died two years later making her a widow for the second time. She then helped install Adele’s son, Oluwole as the new king and married his military advisor.

After the accidental death of Oluwole, she helped install her brother – in – law on the throne and he rewarded her with stores in downtown Lagos. She was rumoured to own over three hundred personal slaves. After slavery was repudiated in 1845 by European nations and commercial crops the new items of commerce, she expanded her empire by controlling the major items of commerce.

Madam Tinubu was the major conduit in Lagos between European merchants and Traders. She fell from power after organising a plot to remove the British consul, Benjamin Campbell from power after he railed against her secret slave trade with Europeans. She was exiled from Lagos and returned to Abeokuta.

Efunroye Tinubu Death

Madam Tinubu was an economic powerhouse and an important figure in 19th century Nigeria and died in 1887. She was buried in Ojokodo Quarters in Abeokuta.