International Journal of African and African American Studies 1

Vol. 1, No.1, Jan 2005

The Yorùbá Literary Activities of the Ijebu People during the Late
19th and Early 20th C
Sola Adebajo
(Olabisi
. Onabanjo
. University Ago-iwoye, Nigeria)

This paper highlights the contributions of the early Ijebu-Yorùbá

. writers before the popularisation of
Yorùbá literary activities. The Ije. bu-Yorùbá mentioned here are the present day people occupying the
south-eastern part of Yorùbaland. This article discusses some of these Ijebu-Yoruba authors,
highlighting their efforts in the early development of Yorùbá language, literature and culture. Their
works are in the areas of history of the people, their folk medicine, and worldview.

Introduction
Research into Yorùbá literary history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries shows that
most of the Yorùbá writers of this era were of Ègbá
. and Òy
. ó. origins. This list includes people
like Samuel Ajayi Crowther, Emanuel Moses, Líjàdù, Josiah Sówándé . (Sóbò
. Aróbíodu),
Àjàyí Kóláw
. ole,
. Ají.saf.é, John B. Ló.sì, Salvador, G.O. George, Adénrelé Obasa, Àjàó, and
many more. These wrote books, pamphlets, and edited Yorùbá Newspapers during this
period. None of these people is of Ij.ebu ethnic group. The question is what happened to the
Ìj.èbú-Yorùbá during this period? Could it be that the Ìj.èbú people were less receptive of the
White man's education? The goal of this paper is to provide an answer to the question. The
end product of our research is that the Ìj.èbú people, though did not embrace Christianity early
enough, wrote a lot of books in the areas of Yorùbá language, literature and culture; it only
happens that some of the authors are today known only by name, while many of their works
are not be readily found in libraries.

First, I would like to talk discuss how the Yorùbá language was reduced to writing; then, I
will on some Ìj.èbú-Yorùbá authors of the period, providing a brief profile and significance of
their work. This paper will also mention the influence of some Ìj.èbú newspapers, almanacs
and diaries that were authored by Ìj.èbú people. The paper will end with a call for people to
surrender and archive books written by the Ìj.èbú or any other Yorùbá in the early period of
western education.

J. F. Adé Àjàyí in "How Yorùbá was reduced to writing"1 mentions names of European
explorers who collected some words in Yorùbá. He also documented linguist who took
interest as far back as 1822. Later, missionaries made remarkable efforts in compiling Yorùbá
words. But the man the big name in the early documentation of Yoruba language was Àjàyí
Crowther. Crowther was the first to preach with Yorùbá language in as far away places as
Sierra-Leone. His Journal for Tuesday 9th of January, 1844 had the following entry:

This afternoon at half past four o’clock, I opened the Yorùbá

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service in the mission Church at Freetown. the whole
proceeding seemed to myself like a dream.2

The Bible passage which Àjàyí Crowther cited that day was taken from St. Luke 1:35. “That
holy thing which shall be born of these shall be called the son God.”
He translated the passage in Yorùbá thus;

Ohung ohworth ti aobin ni inch reh li aomakpe li Omoh

Olorung.

The orthography was awkward but it was a good start. After this, various meetings were held
by the missionaries and linguists especially in Nigeria to perfect the "miracle" of writing
performed by Àjàyí Crowther. From this period people started to write in Yorùbá language.
The first known poem: Tani Se
. Jesu? was written by the Rev. Henry Townsend in Ab.éòkúta
in 18483.

Early Ìj.èbú Authors:

The Ìj.èbú people are those occupying the South-western part of the Yorùbá nation. These, in
essence, are the people in today's Ìjèbú
. and Remo Divisions of Ògùn State. They share ethno-
linguistic identities. Our research shows that the Rev. David Hinderer had brought
Christianity to Oba
. Adémúy.ewó. Fídípòt.
. è, the Awujal.e of Ìjèbúland
. in 1854 from Ibadan.
However, but the wars between the Ìbàdàn and Ìjaìyè people prevented the growth of the new
faith in Ìj.èbúland4. Those who also brought the words of God to Ìj.èbúland after Hinderer
included the Rev. James Johnson who himself was an Ìj.èbú man nicknamed, "Holy Johnson",
“Wonderful Johnson” and "the Pope of Nigeria." John Augustus Òtúnba. Payne, another Ìj.èbú
who was the Registrar of the Highest Court in Nigeria, was from Gbelébùwà Ruling House.
But nowhere in Ìj.èbúland was Christianity fervently embrace as the Òdúbèlà. House in Ìtant.è
bó. in Ìj.èbú-Òde. It was after the Magbon War of 1892 that schools were opened in many
parts of Ìj.èbú-land where reading and writing were introduced. The art of western education
produced the following Ìj.èbú writers among others during the period under discussion.

"Dr." Joseph Odùmósù: (1863-1911). The contributions of Dr. Joseph Odùmósù to the
development of Yorùbá studies: Ìwòsàn, as a case study has been published elsewhere by this
author.5 We only need to re-state that Odumosu was born in 1863 to the Òdúb.èlà family of
Ìtant.èbó. in Ìj.èbú-Òde. He was a man of strong character and an eminent leader. He was a
noble patriot, a great benefactor of all his people, a prolific writer, midwife, psychiatrist,
respected Christian and a curious adventurer. Some of the books which Joseph Odùmósù
produced included: Ìwé Íróhín Ìlú-said to be a newspaper, Ìwé Ìrántú - a History book, Ìwé
Egbogi, that is a book of Yorùbá medicine, Ìwé Àlà, a book on dreams, Ìwé Ìwòsàn, a book
on cures for ailments, Ìwé Gbédègbéy . ò.
. - said to be a dictionary, Ìwé Ìròhìn Ìlú, a
newspapers, Ìwé Ìrántí is said to be a history book, Iwé Gbédègb.éyò. is a Yorùbá-English
Dictionary. What helped Joseph Odùmósù in his writings were his curiosity to learn and his
printing press. It is said that he started to learn English language at an advanced age under
one Comfort Jákásimi. He died at a relatively young age of 48 in 1911. But the short period
was crowded with meritorious deeds in Ìj.èbúland to the extent that his name cannot be
forgotten especially at St. Saviours Anglican Church, Ìtalówáj
. odá,
. Ìj.èbú-Òde.

Reverend David Onàdélé

. Epégà (1881-1956). He was born on the 9th of June 1881 at Odè-
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R.émo.
. He started schooling while living with his brother, Àríyò, . in Ab.éòkúta in 1886. He
went to some other schools in Ìj.èbú and Lagos. Epégà was for a time "banished" from Odè-
R.émo. because of his Christian activities. He later became a tailor after which he went back to
Memorial Grammar School, Ab.éòkúta, after which he became a teacher. Between 1900 and
1904 the Reverend Oládélé
. Epégà (Ewépénígà) started to learn Yorùbá medicine and Ifá
divination. He established the Ìmól. è. Olúwa Institute in 1904 and also established the Láhùsì
Grammar School, Odè-R.émo. . 6 Epégà wrote Ìtàn Ìj.èbú àti Ìlú Míràn (1919); and Ifá, amònà
àwon
. baba wa (1948); and Sónibár.
. é (n.d). He died on June 21, 1906. His son, the late
Reverend Olárímíwá
. Epégà, and his grandson Dr. Afolábí
. Epégà, have revised and enlarged
his book on Ifá, and has been translated into Spanish by Anthonio J. Prada Om . o. Odun.7

Moses Bótù Okùbót. . è. Not so much is known of this historian. From his book Ìwé Ìkétúrú ti
Ìtàn Ìj.èbú (1934), we deduce that he was not a young boy during the Magbon war of 1892.
Moses Okùbót . è. became the Apèènà of Ìdèlé area of Ìjèbú-Òde
. on September 19, 1907.8 He
was a contemporary of "Dr." Joseph Odùmúsù in Ìj.èbú-Òde. He often referred to Odumosu as
“My master." Moses Okùbót. . è started to read the alphabets through the help of friend, Ò.sóókò
- the son of Sàrùmí
. of Ìtóri Ab.éòkúta in 1885. He left for Ìbàdàn in 1890, probably to trade,
and there he started attending church services at Kúd.etì.9

J. O. Ajíbólá.
. He was born in Àgó-Ìwòyé
. Ìjèbú
. in 1898. He belonged to the Obalólayé
. age
group. He started schooling at the Wesleyan Primary School, Àgó-Ìwòyè
. in 1905. Ajibola
.
went to the popular Wesley College, Ìbàdàn, and became a tutor there. He later went to
England to study law. He was for a time a magistrate in the old Western Region. He started
writing Yorùbá books in England. Ajíbólá
. wrote Òwe Yorùbá (1947); Ìtój . ó. (1947); and Onj.é
Il.è wa (1947). He died in 1990.

Bishop Seth Rún.sèwé Kál.è. This writer was born in Mobalùf

. ón
. near Ìj.èbú-Òde on June 6,
1904. His parents were the first Christians in Mobalùf
. ón.
. He had pastoral cares by agents and
ordained ministers of the Church. Kal.è was educated at Mobalùf
. òn
. and Pòrògún, Ìj.èbú-Òde,
at the primary school level. He went to Ìjèbú-Òde
. Grammar School (1918- 1920). He had his
University education at Fourah Bay College, Freetown, Sierra Leone, and the University of
London, England. He taught in various schools and later became the principal of St. Andrew's
College, Òy . 1951 - 1963.10 He travelled extensively. His two Yorùbá books were Tibi Tire
. ó,
(1943) and Ìkínil'édè Yorùbá (n.d).

Other Ìj.èbú authors whose names could easily be mentioned included people like J. S.
Ògúnlésì who wrote Ìlera Li Ògùn Or . ò. (1945) and J. Bamke Oresajo author of Aiyé Àgbè.
Àj.egbádùn (n.d.), Ìwé Orin fún Àwon . Om . odé
. (1927), and Ìwé Ìwà L.éwa. One can also
mention J. A. Olusola the editor of Ìj.èbú Weekly News (1927 - 1940), J. J. Odùfuwá - from
Ìj.èbú Igbo, who was editor and proprietor of The Ìj.èbú Weekly Echo (1947) and Ìjè. bú
National Voice (1952). John Augustus Òtúnba
. Payne's contributions were in the publications
of almanacs and diaries which were later copied by many other people after he started
producing his Lagos and West African Almanac and Diary in 1874. This was twelve years
ahead of his closest rival, S. S. Saith's Almanac for Lagos and Port Novo, which came in
1896. In what follows, I will examine some of the themes in the books.

History: The only historical writing about Ìjèbú

. during the late 19th and early 20th century
was produced by Moses Botu Okubote's Ìwé Ìkékúrú ti Ìtàn Ìj.èbú. It was first published in
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11
1934. The first chapter of the book explained the three man segments now called Ìj.èbú-Òde
viz: Iwáde, Pòrògún and Ìjàsí. The book also treated the life history of some people in Ìj.èbú-
Òde even though it was silent about specific dates. Men noted included Joseph Odùmósù
nicknamed “A-dé-ko bírí s. owó, a-.sowo-bí-e. nigò, . ògá
. mi a-m.èl.è-jà-ju-.ekùn,” which
translated as “one who makes a small farmland to get a lot of money, he who does good as a
foolish-man, he who understands a fight more than a leopard.” Others are Balógun
Mátùlúkúrò whose base was in Ìbàdàn, Alli Túbògun, . Sánní Òb
. òr
. òb
. or
. ò,
. Alli Akáyínod.. e,
Sánní Sàngósànyà
. Ègb
. ò. and Kòkeúkòbérè. The author also recorded the coming of Islam to
Ìj.èbú-Òde and its first adherents. Mentions were also made of some religious problems
among the early Muslims, especially among the congregations at Ìdèlé, Ìkànìgbò, Ìta-Ògbín
and Ìdépo. Okùbót. . è spoke of events starting from 1954 when David Hinderer brought the
words of God to Oba . Adémúy.ewó. Fìdípòt
. è. . Other highlights include the religious activities
of James Johnson in 1877, those of Òtúnba
. Paynes in 1878, and the establishment of St.
Saviour's Church in Ìjèbú-Òde
. in 1898. One point which must be noted is the description of
the first baptism ever held in Ìj.èbú-Òde. The author graphically captures the postures of the
traditionalists as against the new converts, the Awùjal.è, (Adélékè ògbágbá
. Agbát.èwol.
. è) and
the Rev. R. A. Coker. This was on September 27, 1895. Forty-one people were baptised that
day.12

The importance of Okùbót.è's Ìwé Ìkékúrú ti Ìtàn Ìj.èbú can never be over-emphasised.
Naming, which is an important aspect of Yoruba culture, is treated as it relates to the Ìj.èbú
people. The authors had 25 difference categories of names borne by the Ij.èbú. the names
relate to workmanship, worship, kingship, and so on. One topic in the book which all the
other Yorùbá groups have borrowed from and used is what was called the Ìjèbú . National
Calendar. This was borne out of the various traditional worships in the Ìj.èbú area. They
included festivals which Okubote called Ìtàn Ìsìn Ìbòrì. . sà ní Il.è Ìj.èbú. He identified fifteen of
them. In all the 12 Gregorian calendar months in the Western world, which have formed our
calendar, the Ìj.èbú people celebrate one festival except in the month of June, which is known
as Òkúdu. According to the author, this is a month of bereavement to the Awujale. The Ìj.èbú
National Calendar starts from S. é. é. r.é which is October, Obelú, Ìmúnsí-ònà . and Ìgbè, Ìràwò, . O.s
ù, Ìgbé.su-o.sù, Erìnnà,
. Ìròl.
. é-orópo, Èìbì,. Ìjàsa, Orò, As.emo,
. Olúde, and ends with Odún . ògú
(ògún). The last part of Okùbòt.. é's book is devoted to major events in Ìj.èbúland from 1760 to
1934 when the book was published.

Folk-medicine: The late Dr. Joseph Odùmósù's name readily comes to mind when one
considers the reduction of Yorùbá therapeutics into writing. For one thing, Joseph Odùmósù
lived during a very difficult period in history of the Yorùbá people when there were wars,
diseases, ignorance and poverty. He had foresight about the need meet the needs of the people
because there were no hospitals in Ìj.èbúland during his period. Besides, Joseph Odùmósù
extended the frontiers of Yorùbá language and culture. Thus, thousands of medicinal herbs
were mentioned in his book, Ìwòsàn which first published in 1905. Ìwòsàn is a combination
of three sub-books called Ìwòsàn 1, Ìwòsàn 2, and Ìwòsàn 3. When taken together there are
172 different diseases with a total of 5,621 recipes for treating them.14

World View: Yorùbá folklore and folk life as they relate to oraculum, astrology,
physiognomy and interpretation of dreams were treated by the same author, Joseph Odùmósù,
in his Ìwé Itúmò. Àlá àti Ohun tí Ayípadà which first appeared in the market in 1907.15 The
first part deals with 643 dreams in alphabetical order. The next is divination, and is based on
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the 16 Great Poems of Ifa called Ojú-Odù with interpretations, even though no actual
divination poems are recorded. Following this is celestial palmistry in which days and months
that are either good or bad within the year are clearly explained. Joseph Odùmósù treats
physiognomy at the end of the book. There are two observations to make on the book. First,
Joseph Odùmósù was highly responding to the yearning aspirations of the Yorùbá in general
and the Ìj.èbú people in particular. At that time, the Ìjèbú
. were still agonising under the brutal
but inexplicable weight of Governor G. T. Carter's over-zealousness and British
authoritarianism. The five-day 1892 war called Magbon . War, no-doubt, left the Ìj.èbú people
bruised. Thus, as a psychologist, philosopher, and a religionist, Joseph Odumosu produces
Iwé Ìtumo. Àlá to cater for those whose emotions were destabilised and those who had
diseases. Second, it does seem that the late Joseph Odùmósù was more literate than was at
first conceived. He possessed a good working knowledge of the English Language from
where he was able to read certain books published outsides Nigeria in the late 19th century.
For instance from pages 57 to 85 of the 1953 edition of the book is the same as Foulsham's
book, Napoleon's Book of Faté6 (pages 75 to 93). Also, one would find in certain parts of the
French man's book translated into Yorùbá in Ìwé Ìtumò Àlà, In spite of the criticisms of
translating from another book, Odùmósù's efforts should be appreciated rather than
depreciated.

More Cultural Aspects: The late Chief J.O. Ajíbólá's

. book Òwe Yorùbá unearthed a lot of
cultural elements. Proverbs defined as witty sayings of our forefathers, got a good treatment
in their compilation and translation. Many of the Yorùbá ideas of religion, morality and
courtesies are woven into the proverbs, which contain traditional and ingenious play on
words. Arranged alphabetically, the book contains 854 proverbs in Yorùbá. The same
proverbs are translated into English language to enable the non-Yorùbá understand their
intrinsic values. The author in chapter 4 of the book also attempts some dictionary work. The
Ifá book written by Rev. D.O. Epégà in 1908 and which has since been expanded by his son,
the late Oláríniwá
. Epégà in 1965 has an interesting preface:

Ìwé yì jé. nínú àwon . ìwé tí a n s. e láti fi è. kó. tí a jogún lów

. ó. àwo.
n bàbá wa hàn pé Ol . órun
. bá àwon . bàbá wa sòr . ò. ìmò,
. òtító.
. Ifá
ni òtító. ná tí ó tó. àwon
. bàbá wa. Kristian ni àwa b.è ni àwa kò
j.é tìtorípé pé àwa j.é Kristian kí a bó. a.so. olá . kúrò àwon . bàbá
wa?

'This book is one of the books we write to show that it is true

God spoke truthfully with our fathers through the knowledge
we inherit from them. Ifa is the truth that guides our fathers.
We are Christians, but we cannot because we are Christians
remove their honour.1

The excerpt goes to show that Epégà embraced Ifá divination in spite of the fact that he was a
reverend gentleman. His two books, Mysteries of Yorùbá Gods I & II also show that the
author, and later his children, was not ready to discard cultural values and beliefs in spite of
their western education.

Newspapers: It must be said that the first Newspaper in Nigeria; Ìwé Ìròhìn fún àwon
. Ègbá
àti Yorùbá was published in Ab.éòkúta in 1859 by the Rev. Henry Towasend.18 Robert
International Journal of African and African American Studies 6
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Campbell edited and published the first English Newspaper called Anglo-African in Lagos in
1863.19 Between 1859 and 1950, more than 15 Yorùbá Newspapers were published and
edited in Nigerià.0 Most of the papers were based in Lagos. The first Newspaper published in
Ìj.èbúland is not known until now but there is indication that the late Joseph Odùmósù
published a Yorùbá Newspaper called Ìròhìn Ìlú in his press in Ìj.èbú-Òde. He was said to
have helped St. Saviour's Church, Ìj.èbú-Òde advertise events free of charge. This writer has
not been successful in tracing any copy of the newspaper. In 1934, J. A. Olú.solá, . a printer
and publisher, established The Ìjèbú . Weekly News at Ìta Òsù, Ìjèbú-Òde.. Another
Newspaper, The Ìjè. bú Weekly Echo published by J. J. Odùfuwa an Ìjè. bú Igbó indigene was
established at 58 Macullum Street, Èbúté M.étta, Lagos. Its maiden edition was on August 2,
1947. Though based in Lagos, it was mainly concerned with activities in Ìjè. búland. The same
Odùfuwa published Ìj.èbú National Voice in 1952 with its first edition on February 16. The
interesting thing about these papers is that they were bilingual i.e. stories were carried both in
English and Yorùbá. The Ìjè. bú Weekly Echo even wrote some stories in Igbo and Hausa. All
the Newspapers had news, views, advertisements, comments and exhortations. Today's
columns such as sports, health, arts, leisure etc. were seldom included. One paper, Ìj.èbú
Weekly News, stood for the emancipation of the Yorùbá in general and the Ìj.èbú in
particular. At a time, and for a long period, the newspaper formed a league called Egb.. é Máro.
.
Sílè; (Fight Against counterfeiting). In one of such adverts the paper made a call for people to
join the crusade of ridding Ìjè. búland of coin counterfeiters thus:

We hate being called a race of counterfeiters and we are

determined to fight against coins counterfeiting in Ijebuland
and in Nigeria as a whole. The Ijebu Anti-Counterfeiting
League has been established in Ijebu with Headquarters at 20
Abasi Street, Ijebu-Ode with the object of employing every
possible means to fight against the crime. This is our desire
and may God help us. 21

The patronages enjoyed by these newspapers were informed by the fact that most of the
publishers owned the press from where they were produced. For example The Ìj.èbú Weekly
News was printed on the Ìj.èbú National Press owned by the printer/publisher.

Òtúnbá
. Payne started producing his Lagos and West African Almanac and Diary in Lagos in
1884. It must be said that he had started keeping diaries of events from 1851. These can be
categorised under (a) names of consults and governors, (b) names of judges, (c) fire
occurrences, (d) civil strives and (e) miscellaneous. For example, he had these entries:

(a) Consul Beecroft was called Aj.él.è Onírùngbòn

. - 1851
Consul W. McCoskry was called Ajél. . é Apóngb
. òn
. - 1862
Governor Glover was called Agba Gólóbà Afáríogun - 1863 etc.

(b) G. W. Watson Chief Magistrate was Olórí Adájó. - 1863

B. Way - Chief Magistrate was Adájó. Y.egi - 1863
Salman Smith- Chief Judge was Adájó. Onírúnrú - 1883 etc.

(c) Iná Ìsàl.ègangan - an area of Lagos was on April 9, 1873

Iná Ìtta Kakáwà (100 houses burnt) was on January 7, 1887
International Journal of African and African American Studies 7
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Iná Òbùn
. Èkó (500 houses burnt) was on September 10, 1877.
Iná Ìta Obádínà
. which spread to Oko Faji and Aroloya (300 houses destroyed)
November 21, 1887.
Iná Enu
. Owá to Ìdúmàgbò ( a blind woman was burnt to death) August 31, 1891 etc.

(d) Ìjà òp
. olú
. was on - December 1, 1833
Agidìngbì, British Squadron under Admiral Bruce bombarded
Lagos and Kòsókó. expelled - December 20, & 27, 1851 etc.

(e) Miscellaneous:
Cession of Lagos - August 6, 1861
C.M.S. House (Ile Alapako built) October 23, 1852.
Madam Tinubu expelled by King Docemo (Dòsùmú) from Lagos - April 15, 1856.

All these and many more were recorded in the diaries of this great Ìj.èbú author.

Conclusion:
From the discussion above, it is clear that the Ìj.èbú people contributed their own quota to the
general pool of Yorùbá writing in the late 19th and early 20th century. One has to say with
emphasis that the Màgbon . War of 1892 quickened Ìj.èbú Western education. Hitherto, literate
Ìj.èbú were restricted to Lagos, Ibadan and Ab.éòkúta and they were not highly regarded in Ìj.è
búland. Most schools were opened immediately after the Màgbon . War for school children. It
must be said that many adults also took to reading and writing in spite of public ridicules they
received. Joseph Odùmósù was referred to as “Omo. n kó? . ABD n b.e lápò,” for he always
went about with the Yoruba primer in his pocket. The various printing presses set up in Ìj.è
búland helped to propagate Western education. We cannot locate these presses today. We
heard of those owned by Joseph Odùmósù, J.A. Olú.solá, . and one Wellington Osìlàjà,
. all
which were said to have been located in Ìj.èbú Òde. More research is necessary to place Ìj.èbú
literary activities in proper perspectives.

Just five years after the Màgbon . War, a book (the title of which was lost to termites), on
reading, translation, biblical studies and 400 years almanac was published in Ìj.èbú-Òde in
1897 by D. John-Sorinolu (Gbédègb.éyò- . oba).
. John Sórìnolú
. was probably Oba Adélékè
Ògbágba's interpreter. The calendar in the book is from 1901 to 2,300. Our conviction is that
there are still many books written by the Ìj.èbú people in particular and the Yorùbá in general
in Yorùbá language during the period under review. It would be helpful if these rare books
and manuscripts were archives so that researchers may have access to copies of such
materials. Books evaluated in this paper were obtained through various sources and tortuous
journeys, not to talk of expenses.
International Journal of African and African American Studies 8
Vol. 1, No.1, Jan 2005

Notes

1. Àjàyí, J. F. Adé. "How Yorùbá was reduced to writing": ODU, No. 8 1960
2. Àjàyí, J. F. Ade. opt cit.
3. Adébàjò, Olú.solá. Oládip
. ò;
. Àgbéy.èwò I.sé. Àwon . A.síwájú Oǹkòwé . Yorùbá láti Odún
.
1848 si Odún
. 1938,Ph.D. Thesis, Obáf.. émi Awolów. ò. University, Ilé-If.è, 1991.
4. Okùbòt.. è, Moses Bótù, Ìwé Ìkékúrú ti Ìtàn Ìj.èbú, Ìbàdàn. The Author. 1934p. 37.
5. For this article - See If.è African Languages and Literatures: In Honour of Professor
Ayò. Bámgbó.sé, by F. A. Soyoye. and L.O. Adéwolé . 1991, p. 4-11.
6. Adébàjò, Olú.solá. Oládip
. ò. opt cit. p. 49.
7. Ibid. p. 49
8. Okubòt.. è, Moses Bótù: opt. cit p. 95.
9. Ibid. p. 40.
10. Personal discussion with Bishop Kal.è in March 1988 at Mobalùf . òn.
. He gave this
writer access into his rich library.
11. Okùbòt.. e, Moses Bótù, Ìwé Ìkékúrú ti Ìtán Ìj.èbú, Ìbàdàn. Ola-Olu
. Stores, Ibadan.
12. Ibíd., p. 43 and 44.
13. Adébàjò, Olú.solá. Oládip
. ò,
. opt. cit. p. 264.
14. Opt. cit. p.6.
15. Odùmósù, Joseph, Ìwé Ìtumò. Àlá àti ohun tí a yípadà, If.é-Olú Printing Works, Lagos,
1953, edition.
16. Foulshamm, W., Napoleon's Book of Fate: Foulshamm & Co. Ltd., Veoril Road,
Slough, Berks (n.d.)
17. Epégà, David Onàdélé:
. Ifá: Amònà, Àwon . Bàbá Wa. Lagos, The Author, 1908 (1965
edition)
18. For a record of all Yorùbá Newspaper published during the period, see Adébàjò, Olú.s
olá
. Oládip
. ò,-
. Àgbéyèwò . I.sé. Àwon
. A.síwájú Oǹkòwé . Yorùbá láti Odún
. 1848 si Odún
.
1938, PhD Thesis, Obaf.. émi Awolów . ò. University, Ilé-If.è 1991. p. 281.
19. Ibid. p. 282
20. Opt. cit.
21. Ìj.èbú Weekly News (1936) We are grateful to the authorities of the National
Archives, Ìbàdàn for allowing us to use the establishment for research purposes as
regards records of early Yorùbá Newspapers.
22. The front and back of the book are not available but page 5 of the book has Àkíyèsí in
which the author paid glowing tributes to the following people- Mr. E. Fry, Misses M.
Tynan, J. Palmer and P. Leach. To end Àkíyèsí, the author writes;

Ìwé yí dára fún àwon . òd

. óm
. okùnrin
. àti òd
. óm
. obìnrin
. ìlú wa fún
àti gbìyànjú láb.é ilé olukúlùkù won.
. Aíye sá di aiyé èdè òyìnbó
ná. Èmi ni ti nyín nítòto.

This book is good for boys and girls in our land for
encouragements under each person’s roof. This is the age of
Western education. I am yours sincerely.
John-Sorinolu (Gbédègb.éyo-
. oba)
.
Ìj.èbú-Òde. June,1897.