The trend was toward the establishment of a parliamentary system of government, with regional assemblies and a federal House of Representatives. Quiz. During the war, the colonial government earmarked a large portion of the Nigerian budget as a contribution to imperial defence. It was British colonialism which was the ultimate cause of the war . In a sense, you can say that the British were the cause of the Biafran Civil War which happened in Nigeria from 1967 to 1970. As its head, the master trader taxed other traders who were members of his "house"; he maintained a war vessel, a large dugout canoe that could hold several tons of cargo and dozens of crew, for the defense of the harbor. [19], The company considered itself the sole legitimate government of the area, with executive, legislative and judicial powers all subordinate to the rule of a council created by the company board of directors in London. Olatunji Ojo, "The Organization of the Atlantic Slave Trade in Yorubaland, ca.1777 to ca.1856", Bouda Etemad, "Economic relations between Europe and Black Africa, Giles D. Short, "Blood and Treasure: The reduction of Lagos, 1851", "Northern Nigeria: The Illo Canceller and Borgu Mail" by Ray Harris in. The British targeted Nigeria because of its resources. Though the Europeans possess many considerable settlements both upon the coast of Africa and in the East Indies, they have not yet established in either of those countries such numerous and thriving colonies as those in the islands and continent of America. British exploitation of their fatherland. [64], Each region also had a Native Administration, staffed by locals, and possessing a Native Treasury. Some were deposed, some were defeated in battle, and others collaborated. Individuals could be fined or jailed for refusing to comply.[12].
Nigeria - Nigeria as a colony | Britannica The Deputy Governor served as political administrator for company territory and appointed three officials in Nigeria to carry out the work of administration. Open Document. Doctrine of Lapse. However, the British East India Company was able to lay the foundation of an empire in the Indian sub-continent because, from a British perspective, of a fortuitous series of circumstances. During the 1880's through 1914, the start of WWI, was an age of imperialism. The mud-walled city of Kano was captured in February, and, after a vigorous skirmish at Kotorkwashi, the sultan's capital, Sokoto, fell the next month. The Colonial Office could veto or revise his policies.
factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria [19][41], In 18961897 the forces of the Niger Coast Protectorate fought with the remnants of the Edo Empire. Because of the spread of mission schools and wealth derived from export crops, the southern parties were committed to policies that would benefit the south of the country. At the urging of Governor Frederick Lugard, the two territories were amalgamated as the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, while maintaining considerable regional autonomy among the three major regions (Northern protectorate, Southern protectorate and the Colony of Lagos). The war also made the British reappraise Nigeria's political future. The Royal Niger Company had its own armed forces. The most powerful figure in the party was Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. Balewa formed a coalition government that included the Action Group as well as the NCNC to prepare the country for the final British withdrawal.
A Summary of British Rule in India - ThoughtCo The Nigeria Regiment of the RWAFF, integrating troops from the north and south, saw action against German colonial forces in Cameroon and in German East Africa. It is not a personal union of separate colonies under the same Governor like the Windwards, it is not a Confederation of States. We also understand that the said National African Company (limited) have full power to mine, farm, and build in any portion of our territory. It backed Yoruba irredentism in the Fulani-ruled emirate of Ilorin in the Northern Region, and separatist movements among non-Igbo in the Eastern Region. 0 Wishlist. The CMS initially promoted Africans to responsible positions in the mission field; for instance, they appointed Samuel Ajayi Crowther as the first Anglican Bishop of the Niger. In 1905, the colonial government divided Bengal into Hindu and Muslim sections; this division was revoked after strong protests. As a practice, colonialism is traced to the1854 and 1855 conference at Berlin in Germany. In 1912, Lugard returned to Nigeria from his six-year term as Governor of Hong Kong, to oversee the merger of the northern and southern protectorates. Political opposition to colonial rule often assumed religious dimensions. The company negotiated treaties with Sokoto, Gwandu and Nupe that were interpreted as guaranteeing exclusive access to trade in return for the payment of annual tribute. Lagos became a major slave port in the late 1700s and into the 1850s. [51], Guidelines for running the Nigerian colony were established in 1898 by the Niger Committee, chaired by the Earl of Selborne, in 1898. If the emirs accepted British authority, abandoned the slave trade, and cooperated with British officials in modernizing their administrations, the colonial power was willing to confirm them in office. The British Conquest of Nigeria From about the mid nineteenth century, the British began to alter the nature of their relationship between themselves and Nigerians. However, development of the Nigerian oilfields slowed when Bergheim died in a car crash in September 1912. The delegation was led by Balewa of the NPC and included party leaders Awolowo of the Action Group, Azikiwe of the NCNC, and Bello of the NPC; they were also the premiers of the Western, Eastern and Northern regions, respectively. 2. Beecroft was the British representative to Fernando Po, where the African Slave Trade Patrol of the Royal Navy was stationed. They invited missionaries to follow them and, in the 1840s, made themselves available as agents who allowed missionaries and British traders to gain access to such places as Lagos, Abeokuta, Calabar, Lokoja, Onitsha, Brass, and Bonny. Beecroft agreed on condition that the slave trade be abolished, and British merchants have a monopoly in commodities. [22] Many locals remained unconvinced of the Crown's authority to completely reverse the legal and moral attributes of a social institution through fiat. While each generated considerable political controversy, they moved the country toward greater internal autonomy, with an increasing role for the political parties.
Imperialism and the Conquest and Colonization of Africa by Europeans An extensive immigrant population of southerners, especially Igbo, already were living in the north; they dominated clerical positions and were active in many trades. The British captured Kano in 1903. "The Hidden Hand of Overrule: Political Agents and the Establishment of British Colonial Rule in Northern Nigeria, 18861914". Oil income was still marginal, but the prospects for continued economic expansion appeared bright and accentuated political rivalries on the eve of independence. Thus Spain and Portugal set up colonies in Central and South America after it was discovered by Columbus. The first known encounter between the British and the people of the region of modern-day Nigeria was on April 1, 1600, when English sailors landed on the Niger River near Katsina, the largest city in northern Nigeria. Whenever a trader had become successful enough to keep a war canoe, he was expected to form his own "house". Military Conquest. 2. In the face of threats to the divided Yoruba states from Dahomey and the Sokoto Caliphate, as represented by the emirate of Ilorin, the British Governorassisted by the CMSsucceeded in imposing peace settlements on the interior.
factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria For some time, missionaries operated in the area between Lagos and Ibadan. Most accounts of Nigeria's colonisation were written by British officials, presenting it as a noble civilising mission to rid Africans of barbaric superstition and corrupt tribal leadership. In 1794, the African Association in Great Britain commissioned Mungo Park, an intrepid Scottish physician and naturalist, to search for the headwaters of the Niger and follow the river downstream. Accordingly, as the volume of trade increased, merchants requested that the Government of the United Kingdom appoint a consul to cover the region. "Specifically, the Company sought to secure the cooperation of the traditional rulers in ensuring peaceful conditions for trade. The conference is popularly called "The Berlin Conference". [81] In 1936, of 6,259,547 income for the Nigerian state, 1,156,000 went back to England as home pay for British officials in the Nigerian civil service. The government was responsible to a Parliament composed of the popularly elected 312-member House of Representatives and the 44-member Senate, chosen by the regional legislatures. They noticed something odd about the local fishermen and asked to come ashore. The Action Group, which staged a lively campaign, favoured stronger government and the establishment of three new states while advocating the creation of a West Africa Federation that would unite Nigeria with Ghana and Sierra Leone.
Events Leading to the Scramble for Africa - ThoughtCo He also led the Nigerian National Democratic Party, which dominated elections in Lagos from its founding in 1922 until the ascendancy of the National Youth Movement in 1938. Some of the treaties contained prohibitions on diplomacy conducted without British permission, or other promises to abide by British rule. The war years brought a polarization between the older, more parochial leaders inclined toward gradualism and the younger intellectuals, who thought in more immediate terms. [55], Under the Colonial Office was the Governor, who managed the administration of his colony and held powers of emergency rule. Afeadie, Philip Atsu. [74] The disease first found its home among the many trading ports along the West African coast. But the war had more concrete consequences. The charter allowed the company to collect customs and make treaties with local leaders.[12]. The southern nationalists were inspired by a variety of sources, including such prominent American-based activists as Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Colonial Lagos was a busy, cosmopolitan port. Additionally. In contrast to Lugard, Clifford argued that colonial government had the responsibility to introduce as quickly as practical the benefits of Western experience. Far from that, NEPU political struggles transformed the Nigerian Independence struggle from the fight against the British to a fight against both the British and the local agents of the British (the Aristocracy). [23] Regardless, slavery had decimated the population and fuelled militarisation and chaos, thereby paving the way for more aggressive colonisation.[21][24]. Officials of the Sokoto Caliphate considered these treaties quite differently; from their perspective, the British were granted only extraterritorial rights that did not prevent similar arrangements with the Germans and the French and certainly did not surrender sovereignty. By 1919 the National Council of British West Africa, an organization consisting of elites across West Africa, was demanding that half the members of the Legislative Council be Africans; they also wanted a university in West Africa and more senior positions for Africans in the colonial civil service. Islam reached Nigeria through the Bornu Empire . with the Norman Conquest led by William, the Duke of Normandy. Despite his somewhat successful efforts to enlist non-Yoruba support, the regionalist sentiment that had stimulated the party initially continued. In the north, appeals to Islamic legitimacy upheld the rule of the emirs, so that nationalist sentiments were related to Islamic ideals. In the 1920s, Nigerians began to form a variety of associations, such as professional and business associations, like the Nigerian Union of Teachers; the Nigerian Law Association, which brought together lawyers, many of whom had been educated in Britain; and the Nigerian Produce Traders' Association, led by Obafemi Awolowo. Aside from the possibility of treasure, the European governments aimed to find a passage through the Americas to Asia. While they all shared a desire for wealth and power, their motivations for colonization differed somewhat, and thus the pattern and success of their colonies varied significantly. Although it reserved effective power in the hands of the Governor-General and his appointed Executive Council, the so-called Richards Constitution (after Governor-General Sir Arthur Richards, who was responsible for its formulation) provided for an expanded Legislative Council empowered to deliberate on matters affecting the whole country. [27] To produce all this oil, the economy of the southern region crossed over from mostly subsistence to the production of palm oil as a cash crop.[28]. Indeed it was these developments in the history of Kano that transformed the political outlook of the people. Nigerian students abroad, particularly at British schools, joined those from other colonies in pan-African groups such as the West African Students Union, founded in London in 1925. He argued that the division into two separate colonies was advisable unless a stronger central government could bind Nigeria into more than just an administrative convenience for the three regions. In practice, British administrative procedures under indirect rule entailed constant interaction between colonial authorities and local rulersthe system was modified to fit the needs of each region. Initial British attempts to open trade with the interior by way of the Niger could not overcome climate and diseases such as malaria. After the defection of Kano, the only significant disagreement within the NPC was related to moderates. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1991.
What Were Reasons for European Exploration of the Americas? Nigerian recruits participated in the war effort as labourers and soldiers. Local leaders, cognizant of the situation in the West Indies, India, and elsewhere, recognised the risks of British expansion. The approaches of the two men to colonial development were diametrically opposed. [73] The spread of the disease was quick and deadly, with an estimated 1.5% of the population of Lagos falling victim. British colonialism destroyed the Ndebele state at the end of the nineteenth century. [73], Africa as a whole was hit by three waves of H1N1 influenza A, the first and second would be the most deadly for the colony of Nigeria. "The agents performed similar but more expansive roles as their Company counterparts. The 1922 constitution provided Nigerians with the chance to elect a handful of representatives to the Legislative Council. Lugard bequeathed to his successor a prosperous colony when his term as Governor-General expired. In 1851 deposed king Akintoye of Lagos sought British help in restoring him to the throne. . The British wanted products like palm oil and palm kernel and export trade in tin, cotton, cocoa, groundnuts, palm oil and so on (Graham, 2009). The Colonial Civil Service used intermediaries, as the Royal Niger Company had, in an expanded role which included diplomacy, propaganda and espionage.
11 Effects Of Colonialism In Nigeria - Information Guide in Nigeria The first missions were opened by the Church of England's Church Missionary Society (CMS). European slave trading from West Africa began before 1650, with people taken at a rate of about 3,000 per year. These schools would teach "the basic principles that would and should regulate character and conduct".
Nigeria: From Colonization To Decolonization | Afrolady Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Final Conquest Verse By Verse Study of The Book Revelation DVD Robert Jeffress at the best online prices at eBay! [58], Some of these public work projects were accomplished with the help of forced labour from native black Africans, referred to as "Political Labour". During the war, union membership increased sixfold to 30,000.
Why was Britain able to establish an Empire in India In 1900, the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate passed from company hands to the Crown.
factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria [52], The territory of the Royal Niger Company became the Northern Nigeria Protectorate, and the Company itself became a private corporation which continued to do business in Nigeria. Frederick Lugard, shortly before becoming High Commissioner of Northern Nigeria.[68]. Afeadie, "The Hidden Hand of Overrule" (1996), p. 1012. [56], Walter Egerton's sixfold agenda for 1908, as detailed on 29 November 1907, in a telegram to the Colonial Office, is representative of British priorities. [11] [12] By 1903 the conquest of the emirates was complete. The influence of Christianity and the establishment of schools made the nationalists realize that after all God created everyman equal . That's human geography 101. L'indpendance du. In the long term, the acceptance of Christianity by large numbers of Nigerians depended on the various denominations adapting to local conditions. Retrieved October 11, 2014 from. Ouidah (now part of Benin) and Lagos were the major ports on the coast. Even before gaining its charter, the Company signed treaties with local leaders which granted it broad sovereign powers. Columbus, in his voyage, sought fame and fortune, as did his Spanish sponsors. The proliferation of labour organisations fragmented the movement, and potential leaders lacked the experience and skill to draw workers together. British soap and cosmetics manufacturers tried to obtain land concessions for growing oil palms, but these were refused. The superior weapons, tactics and political unity of the British are commonly given as reasons for their decisive . By an overwhelming majority, voters in the Southern Cameroons opted to join formerly French-administered Cameroon over integration with Nigeria as a separate federated region. In an economy with many qualified applicants for every post, great resentment was generated by any favouritism that authorities showed to members of their own ethnic group. In addition, two other protectorates were declared, one over the Oil Rivers and the other over the hinterland of Lagos, to establish a claim that these areas were also British spheres of interest.. Unification meant only the loose affiliation of three distinct regional administrations into which Nigeria was subdividedNorthern, Western and Eastern regions. Any activity in the north that might include participation by the federal government (and consequently by southern civil servants) was regarded as a challenge to the primacy of the emirates. As a protectorate, it did not have the status of a colony, so its officials were appointed by the Foreign Office and not by the Colonial Office. Native Administration was responsible for police, hospitals, public works and local courts. the British Government completed their assignment of conquest and came up with what they called the Amalgamation of Nigeria . They selected an increasingly high proportion of African clergy for the missions.
british empire - What were the main causes of successful take over of The cleavage between the Yoruba and the Igbo was accentuated by their competition for control of the political machinery. Segments of the Yoruba community had their own animosities and new rivalries arose. This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 05:21. In practice, Lugard used the annual sessions to inform the traditional rulers of British policy, leaving them with no functions at the council's meetings except to listen and to assent. What Britain Did to Nigeria A Short History of Conquest and Rule Max Siollun. In 1958 exportation of Nigerian oil was initiated at facilities constructed at Port Harcourt. "John Beecroft, 17901854: Her Brittanic Majesty's Consul to the Bights of Benin and Biafra 18491854". The Northern People's Congress (NPC) was organised in the late 1940s by a small group of Western-educated Northern Nigerians.
British Colonize Nigeria Essay - 979 Words | Bartleby All were knighted. Other firms applying for licenses were rejected. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeriaturkish airlines flight 981 victims. Progressive constitutions after World War II provided for increasing representation and electoral government by Nigerians. Ethnic and kinship organisations that often took the form of a tribal union also emerged in the 1920s. Facebook Instagram Email. [] They needed special personnel: such officials who knew the local conditions and who could communicate between the Company and the indigenous people. In popular parlance, discussions of colonialism in Africa usually focus on the European conquests that resulted in the scramble for Africa after the Berlin Conference in the 19th century. ", Simon Heap, "'We think prohibition is a farce': drinking in the alcohol-prohibited zone of colonial northern Nigeria. [76], The British treasury initially supported the landlocked Northern Nigeria Protectorate with grants, totalling 250,000 or more each year. In the 1850s, quinine had been found to combat malaria, and aided by the medicine, a Liverpool merchant, Macgregor Laird, opened the river. Ever since, the north-south divide has dominated the politics of independent Nigeria. They were the most politically conscious segment of the population and created the vanguard of the nationalist movement. [8] Azikiwe was installed as Governor-General of the federation and Balewa continued to serve as head of a democratically elected parliamentary, but now completely sovereign, government. [19] Ultimately, this became the Royal Niger Company. [75] The colonial government was not equipped nor ready in general for such a situation. Following the defeat of an unsuccessful foray by Consul General James R. Phillips, a larger retaliatory force captured Benin City and drove Ovonramwen, the Oba of Benin, into exile. The Native Administration was headed by the traditional rulersmostly emirs in the north and often obas in the southand their District Heads, who oversaw a larger number of Village Heads. [73] The colonial government would enact new legislation in reaction to the pandemic including, travel passes for individuals in the colony, increased usage of sanitary practices, and door to door checks on indigenous Nigerian households.
Squaring the ledger Britain's rule in Nigeria | Financial Times The Colonial and Pre-Colonial Eras in Nigeria | AHA - Historians PDF BRITISH CONQUEST, COLONIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA - ResearchGate Their common denominators tended to be based on newly assertive ethnic consciousness, particularly that of the Yoruba and Igbo. Du Bois. Significantly, the regional governments controlled public expenditures derived from revenues raised within each region. British expansion accelerated in the last decades of the nineteenth century. The Nigerian Civil War is also known as the Nigerian-Biafran war and took place between July 1967 and January 1970.
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