Women and Their Role in the Economy of Pre-Colonial Ilorin , Northern Nigeria

Abstract

The state structure of most pre-colonial African societies relied heavily on the economy which had various components. Women’s role was indeed critical to the proper functioning of such components. The emirate setting to which Ilorin became sub-summed as from the early 19 th century was originally designed by the Caliphate leaders to restrict women’s level of economic participation. This notwithstanding, the pre-emirate Yoruba political and economic background of Ilorin where the women folk played important roles in the process of economic relations seemed to have pre-dominated in Ilorin emirate during the 19 th century. Based on this premise, this study evaluates the economic peculiarities of Ilorin during the pre-colonial period and the extent to which the women were involved in the promotion of economic growth. By using both primary and secondary sources, the paper argues that unlike the situation that obtained in some emirates within the Sokoto Caliphate where women were kept off the stage in terms of economic activities, the Ilorin women during the pre-colonial period were actively involved in pottery, trade and commerce, cheese production, weaving and embroidery works, blacksmithing industry, bead-making, agriculture and craftworks, etc. The Ilorin women established dominance in a wide range of economic activities that enhanced the sustenance of Ilorin before British conquest. As the efforts of Ilorin women were to compliment that of the men which gave Ilorin economy the strength to support the emirate’s expansionist programmes and its elaborate administration, the study concludes that women’s role was central to the economy of Ilorin during the pre-colonial period.