Adebisi Sanusi Giwa (?- 1938): The life and career of an Ibadan entrepreneur and community leader

Abstract

This article focuses on the development of indigenous entrepreneurship within the context of colonial economic development and Western-style commercial elitism. It explores the material development that accompanied the development of this class and its implications for social and economic change in Yorubaland of Western Nigeria. The socio-economic transformation that took place in Ibadan in the twentieth century resulted from the revolutionary zeal and potentials of a new generation of indigenous entrepreneurs, who ultimately affected the structure of their society in a very profound way. The essential contributions of Adebisi Giwa of Idikan in this regard remain central to the understanding of society, change and economic transformation in twentieth century Ibadan.