29. The king (so called by courtesy, though he is really Emir, under the Sultan of Sokoto) received us in a very friendly manner and after we had briefly stated the object of our visit, handed us over to the care of his head slave and favourite attendant, who took us to his house and lodged us in his stable. This man, “Ogunkojole” by name (i.e., “War does not resemble home”), is the king’s right hand man without whom he does nothing. He is practically prime minister, very wealthy and possesses many slaves of his own, yet he himself is the king’s slave and cannot redeem himself. Throughout my stay he acted as my “Baba Kekere” (i.e., “Little Father”), without whom no stranger can approach an African monarch in the Yoruba country.

30. In the afternoon we . . . went out, through the Khambari market, where we saw a large number of slaves of both sexes and all ages sitting huddled together waiting for purchasers.

38. In the evening we were ready early to go to the king, but our host delayed us till seven before he allowed us to go to the palace, saying that the king was not ready . . . We were kept waiting at the palace for over an hour. Messengers went to and fro several times. Our host sent word that “the king had gone to the inner room and he dared not wake him. We had better go home. Should the king awake we would be sent for.” He was “talking Yoruba) (i.e., dissimulating) and was quite aware that we knew it. It meant that the king had changed his mind and would not see us . . .

When our host (Ogunkojole) came home he did not say one word asking us to show the [magic] lantern [presentation] the next night, but fully agreed to our leaving the next morning as we had arranged.