Learn More About Olu AKENGBUWA and Why Itsekiri Must Keep Protecting Her Territories

 

15-5-1807 Governor of São Tomé to King of Warri [(Olu AKENGBUWA I
(EYEOLUSAN)] Dom Joaõ

To the most excellent, most noble and most honored Prince, Lord Dom Joaõ, by the grace of God King of Warri, great friend of the very high, very powerful, very august and invincible Prince Lord Dom Joaõ, by the grace of God Prince Regent of Portugal and of the Algarves at home and abroad, in Africa and of Guinea, the sea conquests and the commerce with Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, Judaea etc.

I, Luis Joaquim Lisboa, Governor of the islands of Principe and São Tomé, belonging to the most high, most powerful, most august Lord Dom Joaõ, Prince Regent of Portugal and the Algarves, wish your Highness much honour and increase.

From Jozê Francisco Camacho, vassal of the Crown of Portugal who came from the dominions of your Highness to this government, having finished his trading, I received a notice from your Highness in which you ask me to have Antonio Dias, of the island of Principe, pay your Highness the value of nine slaves and one clock which he had delivered to one Ambrozio, a seaman, all of which together is of the value of eleven slaves. In pursuing this debt, your Highness has commanded to retain as prisoners the six Portuguese seamen who were shipwrecked from the Escuna Voluntaria [name of ship] on the coasts of the dominions of your Highness, whom your Highness does not want to deliver up without being first paid the eleven slaves which you demand. And once this payment is made your Highness will free the said seamen, to whichever Portuguese ship comes to your kingdom, since your Highness does not desire to have any quarrel with the Portuguese nation, but on the contrary he wishes to carry on much commerce with it.

I must say to your Highness that the master of Escuna Pensamento [a ship], Feliz, is going to regulate the whole account with your Highness, along with the debt that the above-mentioned Antonio Dias made in your land, and so your Highness, receiving payment, can release the six Portuguese seamen that you are holding prisoners. Then I hope that the Portuguese inhabitants of these islands will not be owing anything more to your Highness, and that in view of this good will of mine and that your are a great friend of the most serene Prince Regent of Portugal, you must allow and favor the trade of Portuguese vassals, not imposing heavy customs for yourself or for your War Captain, much less by helping the Ijaw, who have done so much evil to the Portuguese, nor allowing the traders to deceive the Portuguese or to take their merchandise for a lower price than they are worth, since your Highness knows that the Portuguese nation has carried on much trade in your kingdom which has given your Highness much custom revenue, and from these islands many ships are continually going to to your port, and even more will go if your Highness carries on a good commerce with the Portuguese. Your Highness must see to it that now no more English ships go to your kingdom to buy slaves and that only the Portuguese carry on all the trade. For this reason it is very fitting for your Highness to have slaves brought from Calabar and Bane to sell to the Portuguese who come to Warri. Your Highness also should have supplies sold to the Portuguese ships at reasonable and never excessive prices, so as to attract in that way more ships from this city, and not to oblige them to go to Benin to buy at cheaper rates.

Your Highness, as a Christian king, must be a friend of the Christians, must help and defend them from those who are not, especially the Ijaw, and not impose heave customs on them, nor consent that the War Captain and the titled chiefs demand more from them than what they have always paid. And when your Highness favors the Portuguese, I will make this known to the most high and must powerful Lord Prince Regent of Portugal, so that he may know that your Highness is his great friend, and a friend of all the Portuguese, his vassals.

I continue praying to God to deliver your Highness from all your enemies, that your kingdom may grow and that he make you more powerful than all the kings of Africa. The island of Principe, 15 May 1807.

Luis Juaquim Lisboa.

Reference

Joseph Kenny OP: Church in Nigeria - originals - 9
In-text: (Dhspriory.org, 2016)
Adrian Edema : Dhspriory.org, (2016). Joseph Kenny OP: Church in Nigeria - originals - 9. [online] Available at: http://www.dhspriory.org/kenny/DH09.htm [Accessed 4 Feb. 2016].