How Ijesa Merchants Pioneered the Global Hire-Purchase System

In England, the corporate model and mass production first took shape. But in my homeland, Ijesaland, another global practice began long before. Founded over a thousand years ago by Owa Obokun Onida Arara, a son of Oduduwa, Ijesaland later joined the Oyo Empire and then the British Empire. Much of its rich history isn’t taught in schools, but one innovation stands out. Ijesa merchants invented the hire-purchase system. They traveled across West Africa—and likely to Brazil—selling goods on installment plans. Their tenacity in collecting payments earned them the nickname “Osoomalo,” meaning “I will not rise until I collect my money.” What global practice started in your country and still shapes the world today?

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