Nigeria: How Lagos Pioneers Built a Vibrant Yoruba Print Culture in the 1920s - At the Height of Colonialism

In the early years of the 20th century, Lagos experienced a burgeoning print culture in the Yoruba language, despite the overwhelming influence of colonial English print media. Cultural anthropologist Karin Barber has delved into this fascinating aspect of history, exploring the content, context, and significance of Yoruba-language print materials produced during this period.

The printing press had a long history in Lagos prior to colonial rule. Missionary societies established the first presses for Yoruba translations of Christian texts in the mid-1800s. However, in Lagos itself, printing presses were operated by independent entrepreneurs from the beginning, rather than missionary organizations.

Initially, most printed materials were in English, serving a small, highly educated elite. This was due to English becoming the primary language of government, education, commerce, and Christian worship after colonialism. The English-speaking elite included individuals who had been freed from slavery, converted to Christianity, and received an English education before returning to Yoruba lands.

By the 1910s, a new reading audience emerged - people who had attended elementary school and were literate in Yoruba. This group provided a fresh market for Yoruba-language publications. Simultaneously, growing dissent against colonial policies fueled a desire among ordinary citizens for political commentary and debate. Additionally, Lagos' vibrant oral street culture prepared them for engaging with Yoruba-language books and papers.

The 1910s saw an expansion of Yoruba print materials, including books on the history of major Yoruba cities like Lagos, Abeokuta, and Ibadan. In the 1920s, newspapers became especially prolific, with five Yoruba weekly papers launched between 1922 and 1929, such as Eko Akete by Adeoye Deniga. These papers contained editorials, news, political commentary, poetry, and advertisements, catering to readers who were literate in Yoruba but less so in English.

The print explosion extended beyond newspapers to books and pamphlets on local history, religion, social issues, and poetry. This experimental era in Yoruba print media was driven by a growing readership, political activism, religious and social changes, and the desire to engage with a diverse and sometimes turbulent audience. Newspaper content often addressed readers directly, using witty references to popular sayings, songs, and narratives to create new genres and styles, such as the narrative "The Life-story of Me, Segilola."