▁in ▁O yo ▁against ▁the ▁O yo ▁Empire ▁and ▁the ▁Il or in ▁Em ir ate ▁was ▁founded . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 7 ▁E is ami ' s ▁Y or uba ▁owner ▁sold ▁him ▁to ▁a ▁slave ▁market ▁at ▁the ▁coast ▁to ▁prevent ▁him ▁from ▁being ▁liber ated ▁by ▁Af on ja , ▁who ▁had ▁begun ▁free ing ▁slaves ▁that ▁year ▁if ▁they ▁would ▁join ▁his ▁army ▁( this ▁was ▁the ▁army ▁that ▁would ▁ens lave ▁Samuel ▁A j ay i ▁Crow ther ▁at ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁Crow ther ' s ▁h omet own , ▁Os og un , ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 1 ). ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 8 ▁E is ami ▁was ▁taken ▁on ▁board ▁by ▁European ▁sla vers ▁to ▁sail ▁for ▁the ▁New ▁World , ▁but ▁the ▁slave ▁ship ▁was ▁intercept ed ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁Royal ▁Navy , ▁who ▁enfor ced ▁the ▁Block ade ▁of ▁Africa ▁to ▁abol ish ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁slave ▁trade . ▁The ▁capt ives ▁were ▁liber ated ▁and ▁taken ▁to ▁Sierra ▁Le one , ▁the ▁British ▁col ony ▁established ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 th ▁century ▁in ▁West ▁Africa ▁for ▁fre ed ▁slaves . ▁ ▁In ▁Sierra ▁Le one , ▁under ▁governor ▁Charles ▁Mac Car thy , ▁thousands ▁of ▁liber ated ▁slaves ▁were ▁settled . ▁The ▁" Capt ured ▁Neg ro ▁Department " ▁sent ▁some ▁as ▁app rent ices ▁to ▁the ▁African - American ▁sett lers ▁from ▁North ▁America , ▁and ▁some ▁to ▁previously ▁liber ated ▁African ▁individuals ▁who ▁had ▁settled