Recommendations for texts on banishment in West Africa

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Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi

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Feb 10, 2023, 4:08:30 AM2/10/23
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Hi all,

I’m working on my second book, which fictionalizes a bit of family lore.  My great-grandfather was discovered with a cache of guns and banished by the British in 1897 – no one from the family ever heard from him again and no one knows where he died, was buried, etc.

I’m obviously not a historian, so I wonder if you have any suggestions for texts that I should read that examine the use of banishment to suppress suspected anti-colonial dissent.  I know, for example, that the Asantehene was banished to the Seychelles and eventually returned to Ghana but don’t know how more minor figures who were banished during the colonial period were treated.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,


Lola

Toyin Falola

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Feb 10, 2023, 4:27:44 AM2/10/23
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There is a list of exiled kings and chiefs…as in Jaja of Opobo

And a list of internally relocated, as in the Alake

Enjoy!

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Omolola Ogunyemi

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Feb 10, 2023, 10:57:52 AM2/10/23
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Thank you - Jaja of Opobo’s relocation to St. Vincent and Barbados offers some intriguing possibilities.  I will read more about that and find out more about the Alake.

Lola


On Feb 10, 2023, at 1:27 AM, Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu> wrote:



Emeagwali, Gloria (History)

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Feb 10, 2023, 10:57:52 AM2/10/23
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What is there to enjoy about
this very sad situation?

Some anti-colonial activists were
sent to Barbados. If I am not
mistaken that includes
 Jaja of Opobo.
I suggest that the Public Records
Unit in The UK and the Nigerian 
National Archives may have 
leads.A graduate student could
 be encouraged to pursue the 
research.Many would  have been 
killed without documentation 
of their demise, so there is no
guarantee that the information 
would be found but it is
worth a try.

Toyin, I did not see an attachment.


Professor Gloria Emeagwali
Prof. of History/African Studies, CCSU
africahistory.net; vimeo.com/ gloriaemeagwali
Recipient of the 2014 Distinguished Research
Excellence Award, Univ. of Texas at Austin;
2019 Distinguished Africanist Award
New York African Studies Association

From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Toyin Falola <toyin...@austin.utexas.edu>
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2023 4:14 AM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Recommendations for texts on banishment in West Africa
 

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Moses Ebe Ochonu

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Feb 10, 2023, 10:57:53 AM2/10/23
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Dr. Ogunyemi,

This is interesting, and I'd be the first to buy your book. I love when family history intersects with grand political events. Fictionalized or not, the story you want to tell is a very important one. Incidentally, my new book project is on colonial exile, but I'm focusing on external exile--African kings who were deposed during the conquest, deemed a threat, and exiled to places outside their colonial territories. For now I'm focusing on Jaja of Opobo, Prempeh I of Asante, Kabalega of Bunyoro, and Mwanga I of Buganda.

Here's a rough list off the top of my head (forgive the absence of dates in some cases--I'm too busy to confirm) of African kings who were considered a threat to the new British order, deposed, and then banished internally, although I've included one who technically was exiled externally (Nana Olomu).

1. Zulu King Cetshwayo exiled in 1879 to Cape Town

2.Oba of Benin Ovonramwen exiled to Calabar in 1897

3. Nana Olomu, King of Itsekiri exiled to Accra Ghana for 12 years

4. Emir of Katsina, Yero

5. Emir of Gwandu, Muhammadu (1906)

6. Emir of Zazzau, Muhammad Kwasau

7. Emir of Bida, Abubakar

8. Emir of Zazzau Aliyi Dansidi

9. Emir of Kano, Aliyu

10. I think the Emir of Gumel (forgot his name) was also exiled to Lokoja.

All the Northern emirs listed above were exiled to Lokoja.




Omolola Ogunyemi

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Feb 10, 2023, 11:09:25 AM2/10/23
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Thank you for this list! I appreciate it.

Lola


On Feb 10, 2023, at 7:57 AM, Moses Ebe Ochonu <meoc...@gmail.com> wrote:



Omolola Ogunyemi

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Feb 10, 2023, 11:52:40 AM2/10/23
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Thank you for suggesting the UK public records unit as well as the Nigerian National Archives. A cousin of my mother’s searched the UK archives decades ago for clues about what happened to Okonjo, my great-grandfather. That search was fruitless, so I may end up having to adapt an amalgamation of different banished people’s stories.

Lola


On Feb 10, 2023, at 7:57 AM, 'Emeagwali, Gloria (History)' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



Emeagwali, Gloria (History)

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Feb 10, 2023, 2:31:23 PM2/10/23
to 'Omolola Ogunyemi' via USA Africa Dialogue Series
LO

Let me declare up front that
I have not used the service 
listed for archival research.
I get a thrill out of doing the 
research in person and I can’t 
vouch for this service. It is 
something to consider,
 however, given the 
circumstances.

GE

From: Raluca Oprean <ad...@rotraretrieval.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2023 12:42 PM
To: Emeagwali, Gloria (History) <emea...@ccsu.edu>
Subject: Professional Archival Research Services for Documents Abroad
 

EXTERNAL EMAIL: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click any links or open any attachments unless you trust the sender and know the content is safe.

Dear Dr. Emeagwali,

 

I hope you are having a great start to 2023! 


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Head Researcher & Founder

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London, UK




Professor Gloria Emeagwali
Prof. of History/African Studies, CCSU
africahistory.net; vimeo.com/ gloriaemeagwali
Recipient of the 2014 Distinguished Research
Excellence Award, Univ. of Texas at Austin;
2019 Distinguished Africanist Award
New York African Studies Association
From: 'Omolola Ogunyemi' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2023 11:21 AM

Omolola Ogunyemi

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Feb 10, 2023, 5:31:03 PM2/10/23
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I honestly had no idea that this type of archival research service existed. Thank you! I understand that you haven’t used them, but it might just be worth my while 🙂.

Lola


On Feb 10, 2023, at 11:31 AM, 'Emeagwali, Gloria (History)' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



Cornelius Hamelberg

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Feb 10, 2023, 5:31:16 PM2/10/23
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The Colonial Archives lodged at the British Museum should be a good place to start. Special permission/letter of introduction from a competent authority is needed to access the colonial holy of holies…

Patrick Effiboley

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Feb 10, 2023, 5:31:35 PM2/10/23
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This is an interesting theme. A colleague of mine is writing on exiled kings from the actual territory of Benin Republic. I hope that his paper will be available next year. But this will be in French in case you can read some.
Adding to the list of exiled kings, I will give the following names
King Gbéhanzin (Danxome) exiled to Martinique and eventually died in Alger.
Agoli Agbo (Dahome) to Gabon
Otutu bidjo (Hollidje)

Dr Emery Patrick EFFIBOLEY
Maître-Assitant en Histoire de l'Art
Chef, Département d'Histoire et d'Archéologie, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Bénin
Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of the Witwatersrand,Johannesburg,(2014-2016) 
 


Moses Ochonu

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Feb 10, 2023, 5:42:30 PM2/10/23
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Let’s not forget Sheikh Ahmadu Bamba, whom the French exiled to Gabon for 7 years.



Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 10, 2023, at 4:31 PM, 'Patrick Effiboley' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



Harrow, Kenneth

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Feb 10, 2023, 7:20:24 PM2/10/23
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Relevant to moses’s recalling for us cheikh amadou bamba, the father of mouridism, the iconography of him and his miracles abounds in dakar. For the exile, we see the boat that will take him to gabon, and him praying, on his prayer mat, on the ocean waves. I was very taken by all the devotional images of bamba and he and his peers adorn the cover of my second book on islam in africa, The Marabout and the Muse.
Ken
From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Moses Ochonu <meoc...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2023 5:40:51 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Recommendations for texts on banishment in West Africa
 

Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi

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Feb 11, 2023, 5:37:57 AM2/11/23
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Aah - the inspiration for one of my favorite Youssou N'Dour songs...







Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi

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Feb 11, 2023, 5:37:58 AM2/11/23
to 'Patrick Effiboley' via USA Africa Dialogue Series
Thank you - I am astounded by the sheer number of exiled kings/chiefs/etc.  My French isn't great but I can get by.

Lola




Uyilawa Usuanlele

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Feb 11, 2023, 5:37:58 AM2/11/23
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Lola,
        Your best bet is the National Archive, Ibadan. Though it is in a sorry state, it is your only hope, and you will need a lot of patience. Ibadan houses the lion's share of the colonial documents dealing with the former Western Provinces, which included Central Province (before 1914 when its name was changed and divided) which included Asaba District, and late  Benin Province (a new Province excised from Central) which included Asaba Division, where your family hails from. Dont also forget that parts of Asaba were under Royal Niger Company administration before 1900. So try Ibadan.  
Uyi 
From: 'Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, February 10, 2023 1:29 AM

To: Usaafricadialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Recommendations for texts on banishment in West Africa

Omolola Ogunyemi

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Feb 11, 2023, 2:08:23 PM2/11/23
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Thank you 🙏🏾.

Lola


On Feb 11, 2023, at 2:37 AM, Uyilawa Usuanlele <big...@hotmail.com> wrote:


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