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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | The Yoruba and the pre-colonial kola trade |
Author: | Agiri, B.A. |
Year: | 1975 |
Periodical: | Odù: Journal of Yoruba and Related Studies |
Pages: | 55-68 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Nigeria |
Subjects: | cola mercantile history |
Abstract: | At least forty species of the genus Cola have been identified by botanists. But of these only three have relevance for the kola trade in N igeria. Concern here is with only two cola acuminats, the indigenous species, and cola nitida, the one that has been introduced. The nitida nuts have been important as a trade comroodity in the Western Sudan since very early times. The peoples belonging to the Mande and West Atlantic linguistic groups used the root word goro to describe the nuts. the goro was associated with the spread of Islam. This caused it adoption to be resisted by the Yoruba. Goro nuts imports into Lagoa from Sierra Leone began in 1863. Several factors encouraged the growth of this trade, i.a. British fiscal policy since 1866. The continuous rise in imports of goro nuts in the last decade of the nineteenth century anticipated the situation in colonial period. The colonial period witnessed an expanded internal market for goro nuts in northern Nigeria. Many Yo-rufca farmers started to cultivate the tree crop. At this stage the Yoruba became involved in the goro trade. Notes and ref., tables. |