seventh of his father's nine children. Adesunlu's children were all involved in the family business. For instance, around 1810, around age twelve, Osifekunde joined his father on a three-month commercial journey to the Niger Delta. Their journey followed the lagoon from Ijebu to Ilaje and Ijo, fishing and saltproducing towns, eastward to the Itsekiri town of Warri, and on the river Benin northward to Ughorton.  
Following in the footsteps of his father, in June 1820, Osifekunde filled his canoe with an assortment of European merchandise purchased in Lagos and left Makun on a trade mission for Mahin, the easternmost Yoruba town and capital of Ilaje kingdom as well as a meeting point for Yoruba, Edo, Itsekiri and Ijo traders. ${ }^{8}$ The plan was to sell the goods and purchase local products such as palm oil, foodstuffs, salt and fish for resale in Ijebu and surrounding markets. This was not an unfamiliar journey for him. He had visited Mahin and beyond many times previously as a boy, trading with his father as far as Benin, Itsekiri and Ijo towns and later in his own capacity. ${ }^{9}$