'Efunroye Tinubu deserves posthumous nat’l honour'

Efunroye Tinubu

THE Sole Administrator of the estate of late Madam Efunroye Tinubu, Chief Akindele Adamakin, has called on the Federal Government to confer a posthumous national honour on the legendary 19th-century businesswoman, describing her as one of the most influential women in West African history.

Adamakin made the call in Lagos during the 138th anniversary remembrance of Madam Tinubu, organised by Adamakin Investments and Works Limited as part of its end-of-year celebration.

Speaking at the event, Adamakin said Madam Efunroye Tinubu’s contributions to commerce, politics and territorial expansion in Lagos and Abeokuta remained largely unrecognised at the national level, despite their historical significance.

“Her contributions stand unparalleled. The lands occupied today by political leaders were genuinely acquired through purchase and conquest long before the height of colonialism.

“In another nation, she would be canonised. Her tomb in Abeokuta could rival major global tourism sites, attracting visitors from across the world to witness the empire built by a Black woman,” he said.

Adamakin lamented what he described as the gradual erasure of indigenous heroes from Nigeria’s educational curriculum, contrasting the reverence accorded historical figures with Nigeria’s treatment of Madam Tinubu.

According to him, Madam Efunroye Tinubu was already trading with the Portuguese long before British annexation, describing her as a visionary whose influence predated many modern institutions.

He also clarified issues surrounding the Tinubu family lineage, stating that President Tinubu’s surname traces back to Madam Efunroye Tinubu, despite a historical rift that separated the Lagos and Abeokuta branches of the family in 1945.

“The real Tinubu our President embodies is Madam Efunroye. This platform is about reuniting all Tinubus. We invite the President to join hands with her living descendants for a unified front,” he said.

Culled from Vanguard