A REVISIT OF THE 1851 BRITISH DETHRONEMENT OF OBA KOSOKO OF LAGOS

This study re-examines the British dethronement of Oba Kosoko of Lagos in 1851 within its broader political, economic, and socio-historical contexts. Lagos, prior to British intervention, was an autonomous coastal polity with complex indigenous political institutions and a thriving economy deeply integrated into Atlantic trade networks, particularly the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The rivalry between Oba Kosoko and Oba Akitoye, which culminated in British military intervention, has often been interpreted in colonial historiography as a humanitarian effort aimed at suppressing the slave trade. This study challenges such Eurocentric interpretations by situating the event within the framework of indigenous political rivalry and British imperial ambition. Using the historical method, the research draws upon primary sources such as British parliamentary papers, treaties, naval reports, and missionary records, complemented by secondary works from nationalist and revisionist historians. It argues that the 1851 intervention was not solely motivated by humanitarian concerns but was significantly influenced by British commercial, strategic, and political interests along the West African coast. The study further demonstrates that British involvement exploited existing internal divisions within Lagos politics, transforming a dynastic struggle into an instrument of imperial expansion. The findings reveal that the dethronement of Oba Kosoko marked a decisive turning point in the erosion of Lagos’ political sovereignty, leading to increased British control over its internal affairs and culminating in the formal annexation of Lagos in 1861. By reassessing the interaction between indigenous agency and external imperial forces, this study contributes to a more balanced understanding of nineteenth-century African–European relations and enriches the historiography of Lagos and Yoruba political history.