Efuronye Tinubu was an extremely powerful Yoruba female aristocrat, slave trader and merchant who was born in 1810.

She was one of the most influential people in pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria. Wherever there was a place of power, affluence and influence, Tinubu was there.

During the reigns of Obas (monarchs) Adele, Dosunmu, Oluwole, and Akitoye in Lagos, she was one of the few who yielded great power; both politically and economically.

She was married to Oba Adele after the death of her first husband - with whom she had two sons.

Now an Iyalode after marrying the Oba, she used his power to create a successful trade network with European merchants in slaves, tobacco, salt, cotton, palm oil, coconut oil, and firearms, and has over 360 personal slaves.

Efunroye Tinubu was not just a woman; she was a force of nature, a beacon of power and ambition in a world dominated by men.

Her first business was a modest market stall, where she traded in goods brought by the ships that docked in Lagos harbor. But Efunroye was not content to remain a small-time trader. She possessed a keen intellect and a sharp business acumen that set her apart from her peers. With each deal she brokered, each negotiation she won, her reputation as a shrewd businesswoman grew.

As her wealth and influence expanded, Efunroye turned her attention to more ambitious ventures. She invested in shipping, establishing her own fleet of vessels that plied the waters of the Atlantic, trading goods from Africa to Europe and beyond. She built warehouses and factories, turning raw materials into valuable commodities that commanded high prices in the markets of the world.

But Efunroye's success did not come without its challenges. In a world dominated by men, she faced prejudice and discrimination at every turn. Yet, she refused to be cowed by the patriarchal society that sought to confine her to the role of a subservient wife and mother.

Instead, she fought back with a steely resolve and outmanoeuvred her rivals.

Her rise to prominence did not go unnoticed by those in power. Kings and princes sought her counsel, eager to benefit from her wisdom and expertise.

It was surprising that a woman will engage in a slave trade and be so good at it. On one occasion, she was alleged to have sold a young boy into slavery.

When asked why she did that, she said: "I have a large house-hold and I must feed them well. I need money to do that, that's why."

She died in 1887 and was buried in Abeokuta.

BEB