A family enterprise: The Shonubis of Ikorodu, 1919–1949

Abstract The impact of the Shonubi family on the economic and commercial interrelations between the Ikorodu district and Lagos during the colonial period is indelible. Two prominent personalities, a mother and her son, distinguished themselves in trade, commerce, agro-allied and the transportation sub-sectors of the economy by harnessing indigenous entrepreneurial ingenuity. The mother, Patricia Efun, was not only the «king of women» in the traditional political realm, but she was also indeed a leader in other dimensions. The son, Joseph Shonubi (popularly known as Owolowo), took the opportunity of his mercantile background to make a mark in the business world. However, apart from the personal and family benefits, their entrepreneurial exploits contributed to laying the foundation of post-colonial economic developments in Ikorodu and Lagos. This paper highlights the connections between family wealth and entrepreneurial exploits in the colonial Ikorodu district of the Lagos Colony. It is based on archival materials, oral interviews and newspaper reportage among others.