The Eclipse of the Institution of Slavery and its Impact on the pre-colonial state of Ibadan, 1873-1900 (Published)
The concept of progress among individuals, communities and organisations globally implies positive changes. The process of change itself is a normal occurrence and this is why it has been regarded as the most permanent phenomenon in human history. However, it must be noted that despite its permanent nature, societies view the concept of change as less desirable than status quo because of the fear of the unknown. This is applicable to development in the pre-colonial state of Ibadan. The Ibadan of our period introduced quite a lot of dynamism into statecraft. The changes swept through governance, agro-allied and local industrial production; marketing and diplomacy, both at home and in the vassal states. However, decision makers in Ibadan were reluctant when it was their turn to experience similar changes. This is not surprising because the wind of change that confronted the status quo in Ibadan was massive, such that the existing arrangement in which slaves were practically made the mainstay of the political economy of the state, collapsed under the new arrangement that was introduced by the British. This paper therefore, discusses the prelude to the sweeping changes and their effects on the society.
Keywords: Eclipse, Ibadan, Impact, Slavery, pre-colonial