A Historical Re-Assessment of Yoruba Women in Cocoa Production in Nigeria: A Case of Tonkere Farm Settlement in Osun State

Yıl 2019, Cilt: 4 Sayı: 1, 1 - 13, 25.05.2019

Peter Oluwaseun Oyewale

Öz

This
paper focuses on the changing role of women in cocoa production in Tonkere farm
settlement in Osun State, Nigeria. Cocoa was and still a valuable and important
cash crop among the people of Tonkere and Southwest Nigeria at large. Prior to
Nigerian independence, cocoa industry was dominated by men while women only
assisted their husbands during planting and harvesting periods. The
post-independence and new land tenure system that  gave equal right to both men and women to own
landed properties brought a new development in the agricultural sector. This
development led to the emergence of women cocoa farmers in Tonkere and other
Yoruba communities in southwest Nigeria. The participation and contribution of
Yoruba women in cocoa production are hardly documented and acknowledged. This
paper therefore examines the changing role of Yoruba women in cocoa production
in Tonkere, explaining the factors inhabiting their performance in cocoa
production. This paper will benefit extensively on the oral interview with the
major participant in cocoa production in Tonkere most extensively women cocoa
farmers.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Women, Cocoa, Production, Tonkere, Performance, Harvesting

Kaynakça

• 1 Oral Interview with Pa. J.A Oyewale (JP) at his farm in Tonkere, Odeomu Osun State Odeomu on 23/08/2017 age 80years. 2 Ibid 3 S. Johnson. History of the yorubas, C.M.S 1982. 4 K. Onipede. Blessed to Bless: A biography of Mathew and Christina Osunade, Life and Time. Working Paper, 2017. 5 Oral Interview with Oba Akintoye Mathew, the first crown Oba of Tonkere on 22/08/2017 age 70 years. 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid. 8 Oral Interview with Chief Opejin at his residentrce in Odeomu, Osun States on 10/08/2017 age 82 9 A.T Ajayi. Essays on the Economic History of West Africa. 1500-1800, Christak Ventures, Lagos, 2010. 10 Ibid 11 P.O Oyekan. Traditional Agriculture in Ibadan in G.O Ogunremi(ed) Historical and socio-economic study of African city, 1998. 12 R.O Adegboye. An Analysis of Land Tenure Structure in some selected areas in Nigeria, Nigerian Journal of Economic and social Studies, Vol Viii, No2, 1966. 13 A.T Ajayi. Essays on the Economic History of West Africa. 1500-1800, Christak Ventures, Lagos, 2010 14 Oral interview with Hon Adeleye (JP) at his residence in Osunaro’s compound Odeomu, on 04/09/2017, age 84. 15 Oral Interview with Oba Akintoye Mathew, the first crown Oba of Tonkere on 22/08/2017 age 70 years 16 Ibid 17 P.O Oyewale. A History of Cocoa Production in Southwest Nigeria: 1890-1980, A Ph.D Thesis submitted to the Department of History and International Studies, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti. 2017. 18 Ibid 19 Oral interview with Mr. Akinola a cocoa farmer at his farm in Tonkere on 20/08/2017, age 55years. 20 O. Olorunfemi, “ Effects of War-Time, Trade control on Nigeria cocoa Traders and Producers, 1939-1945. A case study of the Hazards of a Dependent Economy. The International Journal of African Historical Studies, Vol.13 No.4 1980. 21 R.O Adegboye. An Analysis of Land Tenure Structure in some selected areas in Nigeria, Nigerian Journal of Economic and social Studies, Vol Viii, No2, 1966. 22 O. Olorunfemi, “ Effects of War-Time, Trade control on Nigeria cocoa Traders and Producers, 1939-1945 .Op cit. 23 G. Okurome, The Food crop Economy in Nigeria Agricultural Policy, Wast Lansing, Michigan, CSNRD Report, 1969. 24 Oral interview with Prof. G.I Olomola in his office at Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti on 11/04/15 age 70+ 25 S. Berry. Cocoa Custom and socio-economic change in rural western Nigeria, Oxford: Clarendon press, 1978. 26 Ibid 27 O. Olatunji. Yoruba Women, Cash crop production and colonial states, C 1920-1957, Paper presented at the conference on “ Atlantic Crossing: Women’s stories from the Caribbean and Nigeria Hinterland” Dartmouth college, 2001. 28 Oral Interview with Pa. J.A Oyewale (JP) at his farm in Tonkere, Odeomu Osun State Odeomu on 23/08/2017 age 80years 29 Oral interview with Mr Akintunde Kolawole a cocoa farmer at his residence in Tonkere on 23/08/2017. 30 Ibid 31 O. Olatunji. Yoruba Women, Cash crop production and colonial states, C 1920-1957, Paper presented at the conference on “ Atlantic Crossing: Women’s stories from the Caribbean and Nigeria Hinterland” Dartmouth college, 2001. 32 Ibid 33 NAICSO, 26/1/11874, Vol. 9: Annual Report, Ondo Province 1931, by Aveling, 664. 34 Ibid 35 Oral interview with Madam Reacheal at her residence in Jojo’s compound Tonkere on 24/08/2017, age 71. 36 O. Olatunji. More than Farmer’s Wivies, Yoruba Women and cash crop production, in the transformation of Nigeria: Essay in honor of Toyin Falola(ed) Adebayo Oyebode. African World press inc. 2002. 37 S.O Babalola and Dennis, “ Returns to women’s labour in cash crop production: Tobacco in Igboho Oyo state in Jean Davision(ed) Agriculture, women, and Land. The African experience ( Boulder, Colo: west view press Inc. 1988. 38 Oral interview with Mrs. Idowu Olubunmi a cocoa women farmer at her residence in Alagbaa compound, Tonkere on 24/08/2017, age 62. 39 F. Mackenzi Gender and Land rights in Murang’s districts, Kenya, Journal of peasant Studies, Vol. 17. 1990. 40 Oral Interview with Pa. J.A Oyewale (JP) at his farm in Tonkere, Odeomu Osun State Odeomu on 23/08/2017 age 80years 41 A. Amarech: Research on Gender and Development. Hswassa 2004 Unpublished