Support for broad Nigerian concerns occupied a clear second place. Resistance to colonial rule was mitigated to the extent that local authorities and courts were able to manage affairs. (This was also reflective of growing pan-Africanism among American activists of the time.) Colonial Nigeria was the area of West Africa that became the modern day Nigeria, during the time of British rule in the 19th and 20th centuries. The experiment began in 1890 and was repealed in 1939,[71]. Definition of Colonialism Colonialism means a system which the Europeans adopted in ruling the colonies of Africa to their own benefits. Beecroft was the British representative to Fernando Po, where the African Slave Trade Patrol of the Royal Navy was stationed. The Colonial Office approved most of Lugard's plan, but balked at authorising him to pass laws without their approval. At the same time it is feasible by degrees to bring them gradually into approximation with our ideas of justice and humanity. The conditions that led African peoples to resist colonial rule often emerged from longstanding grievances against colonial labor exploitation taxation racist and paternalist practices arbitrary violence and political illegitimacy. The Nigerian Resistance. Afeadie, Philip Atsu. Colonization of Nigeria. The colonisers decided to use divide and rule method . The operations of this force are still not fully known due to a policy of strict secrecy mandated by the British Government. Play off ethnic and social divisions . The British captured Kano in 1903. The NPC federal parliamentary leader, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, was appointed Prime Minister of Nigeria. [16] Starting in 1740, the British were the primary European slave trafficker from this area. 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. The Portuguese sold slaves as a way to "obtain spices and weapons in other areas" (Alme). His objective was to conquer the entire region and to obtain recognition of the British protectorate by its indigenous rulers, especially the Fulani emirs of the Sokoto Caliphate. The similarity between the federal and regional constitutions was deceptive, however, and the conduct of public affairs reflected wide differences among the regions. All these things which I have said the Fulani by conquest took the right to do now pass to the British. In 1958 exportation of Nigerian oil was initiated at facilities constructed at Port Harcourt. The introduction of the federal principle, with deliberative authority devolved on the regions, signalled recognition of the country's diversity. Traditional authorities were co-opted in the north, where the spread of Western education by Christian missionaries was strongly resisted by Muslim leaders. Christian missionaries were barred, and the limited government efforts in education were harmonized with Islamic institutions.[67]. [50] In the same year, the British created the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF or WAFF), under the leadership of Colonel Frederick Lugard. A lack of interest in extending the NPC beyond the Northern Region corresponded to this strictly regional orientation. At the turn of the century, top wages were four bags of salt (company retail price, 3s 9d) for a month of work. Read suggested they be merged, and more use made of Nigeria's natural resources. The British turned to Persia for oil.[83]. With one man in practical control of the Executive and Legislative organs of all the parts, the machine may work passably for sufficient time to enable the transition period to be left behind, by which time the answer to the problemUnitary v. Federal Statewill probably have become clear. Deadly battles broke out sporadically through 1906. [] These intermediaries assisted government diplomacy and helped to establish and maintain relations between the company and the traditional rulers. It indicates that all African people prior to colonialism have involved in . Macaulay was despised by the British, but he came to be regarded as the father of modern Nigerian nationalism.. Before the discovery of oil in 1956, Nigeria's resources were the main focus for the British Empire, and this was primarily because Nigeria was rich in agricultural wealth and other natural resources, such as rubber and copper. The best way to describe what has happened to Nigeria in the last 72 hours, beginning with the country's first set of general elections on Saturday, February 25, 2023, is to echo Charles Dickens . How did Africans resist c. [32], In 1880, the British Government and traders demonetised the Maria Theresa dollar, to the considerable dismay of its local holders, in favour of the pound sterling. British soap and cosmetics manufacturers tried to obtain land concessions for growing oil palms, but these were refused. Critics, including representatives of the Middle Belt who resented Muslim domination, were relegated to small, peripheral parties or to inconsequential separatist movements.[85]. While each generated considerable political controversy, they moved the country toward greater internal autonomy, with an increasing role for the political parties. The war also made the British reappraise Nigeria's political future. [12] Trade was also conducted through a mechanism of barter and credit. Formal diplomatic relations were established with the opening of the American Embassy in Lagos and of the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, both on 1 October 1960, the same day which Nigeria acquired its independence from British rule. Updated: 11/12/2021 Create an account Individuals could be fined or jailed for refusing to comply.[12]. [19] Although the Ijebu had some weapons they were wiped out by British Maxims, the earliest machine gun. [37] Economically, local colonial administrators also pushed for the imposition of British colonial rule, believing that trade and taxation conducted in British pounds would prove far more lucrative than a barter trade which yielded only inconsistent customs duties. Political leaders resorted to the use of political parties and the media to mobilize millions of Nigerians against the continuation of British rule. History of Islam in Nigeria. 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. Political opposition to colonial rule often assumed religious dimensions. A chief of Bonny in 1860 explained that he refused a British treaty due to the tendency to "induce the Chiefs to sign a treaty whose meaning they did not understand, and then seize upon the country".[14]. Early on in colonial rule, for example, Nigerians protested the manner in which water rates and head taxes were collected. After independence, tensions that had been building between two . Unification meant only the loose affiliation of three distinct regional administrations into which Nigeria was subdividedNorthern, Western and Eastern regions. The British had participated in it until human trafficking was abolished in 1807. In all three regions, minority parties represented the special interests of ethnic groups, especially as they were affected by the majority. [55], Under the Colonial Office was the Governor, who managed the administration of his colony and held powers of emergency rule. [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. Missionary forces demanded prohibition of liquor, which proved highly unpopular. 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. The NPC continued to represent the interests of the traditional order in the pre-independence deliberations. [67], This system, in which the structure of authority focused on the emir to whom obedience was a mark of religious devotion, did not welcome change. Resistance movements began to rise in . In 1851 deposed king Akintoye of Lagos sought British help in restoring him to the throne. Between them, the French and the British had purchased a majority of the slaves sold from the ports of Edo. [57], From 1895 to 1900, a railway was constructed running from Lagos to Ibadan; it opened in March 1901. 57-100 discuss issues of resistance and collaboration. The Women's War of 1929, known among Igbo women as Ogu Umunwanyi, occurred from November 23 to January 10, 1930. Men such as Balewa believed that only by overcoming political and economic backwardness could the NPC protect the foundations of traditional northern authority against the influence of the more advanced south. The book traces communications in Nigeria back to pre-colonial indigenous communications, through the development of telecommunication, broadcasting networks, the press, the Nigerian lm industry ('Nollywood') and on to the digital . Each region had a governor, premier, cabinet, legislature, and civil service, with the significantly weaker federal government represented in Lagos by a governor-general, bureaucracy, House of Representatives, and Senate. Nigeria: ColonizationKatie Graham. The Governor was, in effect, the coordinator for virtually autonomous entities that had overlapping economic interests but little in common politically or socially. Palm oil was used locally for cooking, the kernels were a source for food, trees were tapped for palm wine, and the fronds were used for building material. Consequently, he may well deserve the epithet of the "father of Nigeria", which historians accorded him. They received attention from major parties before elections, at which time either a dominant party from another region or the opposition party in their region sought their alliance. Quiz. The pace of constitutional change accelerated after the promulgation of the Richards Constitution. Like in other countries under imperialist rule, colonialism in Nigeria resulted in numerous positive and negative impacts. The High Commissioner will be guided by all the usual laws of succession and the wishes of the people and chief but will set them aside if he desires for good cause to do so. Its program reflected greater planning and was more ideologically oriented than that of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons. In 1960, the country attained independence from British rule. They took the right to rule over it, to levy taxes, to depose kings and to create kings. The influx of cowrie led to inflation. [63], The Protectorate was centrally administered by the Colonial Civil Service, staffed by Britons and Africans called the British Native Staffmany of whom originated from outside the territory. Newspapers, some of which were published before World War I, provided coverage of nationalist views. Bright Alozie. Although the Muslim emirs eventually collaborated with the British to establish such rule in Northern Nigeria, the absence of similar authority structures in the South led to more direct colonial rule. Lugard's governmental model for Nigeria was unique and there was apparently not much planning for its future development. Direct taxation on men was introduced in 1928 without major incidents. On a subsequent expedition to the Sokoto Caliphate, Scottish explorer Hugh Clapperton learned about the mouth of the Niger River, and where it reached the sea, but after suffering malaria, depression and dysentery, he died before confirming it. [8], Through a progressive sequence of regimes, the British imposed Crown Colony government on much of the area of West Africa which came to be known as Nigeria, a form of rule which was both autocratic and bureaucratic. "John Beecroft, 17901854: Her Brittanic Majesty's Consul to the Bights of Benin and Biafra 18491854". European colonialists had managed to quell the efforts by Africans to resist the establishment of colonial rule with one exception. In general, the regional constitutions followed the federal model, both structurally and functionally. Elections were held for a new and greatly enlarged House of Representatives in December 1959; 174 of the 312 seats were allocated to the Northern Region on the basis of its larger population. The Headquarters of Gombe emirate was Gombe-Abba[15] until when the then Emir of Gombe, Umaru Kwairanga (18981922), was forced to move from Gombe-Abba, a town founded by his grandfather and the founder of Gombe Emirate, Modibbo Bubayero, to Nafada town in 1913, and then to the current Gombe in 1919, that was after Gombe Emirate was conquered by British colonialists in 1903. [42], The British had difficulty conquering Igboland, which lacked a central political organisation. Early British Imperialism. [64], Each region also had a Native Administration, staffed by locals, and possessing a Native Treasury. In these territories, violent resistance brought colonial rule to a close. [22] Many locals remained unconvinced of the Crown's authority to completely reverse the legal and moral attributes of a social institution through fiat. Modern nationalists in the south, whose thinking was shaped by European ideas, opposed indirect rule, as they believed that it had strengthened what they considered an anachronistic ruling class and shut out the emerging Westernised elite. It made anti-slavery treaties with West African powers, which it enforced militarily with the blockade of Africa. Wartime experiences provided a new frame of reference for many soldiers, who interacted across ethnic boundaries in ways that were unusual in Nigeria. Adam Smith wrote in 1776 that the African societies were better established and more populous than those of the Americas, thus creating a more formidable barrier to European expansion. Out of reverence for traditional kingship, for instance, the Oba of Benin, whose office was closely identified with Edo religion, was accepted as the sponsor of a Yoruba political movement. The council was promoted as a device for allowing the expression of opinions that could instruct the Governor-General. In the north, appeals to Islamic legitimacy upheld the rule of the emirs, so that nationalist sentiments were related to Islamic ideals. The officers of the RWAFF were British. Village Heads were paid 10 shillings for conscripts, and fined 50 if they failed to supply. The emirs retained their caliphate titles but were responsible to British district officers, who had final authority. The British, when faced with dissent, tended to grant political reforms in an effort to dispel the attractiveness of more-radical suggestions. At the same time, British scientists were interested in exploring the course and related settlements along the Niger River. Hon. They gathered information which was needed for policy-making in administration. [32] This included a river fleet which it used for retaliatory attacks on uncooperative villages. [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. Osoba and Fajana pointed . Three years later internal divisions arose that was dominated by major ethnic loyalties. By a British Act of Parliament, Nigeria became independent on 1 October 1960. Mordi, Emmanuel Nwafor. 1324 Words6 Pages. Nigeria: A Country Study. 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 the twentieth century, Lagos became a center for resistance to colonial rule. [73] The spread of the disease was quick and deadly, with an estimated 1.5% of the population of Lagos falling victim. Published August 7, 2020. "The Hidden Hand of Overrule: Political Agents and the Establishment of British Colonial Rule in Northern Nigeria, 18861914". It was guerrilla warfare in the case of the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya (1952-60) and Zimbabwe's war of independence (1965-79); it was all . From 1886 to 1899, much of the country was ruled by the Royal Niger Company, authorised by charter, and governed by George Taubman Goldie. Anietie A. Inyang & Manasseh Edidem Bassey, "Imperial Treaties and the Origins of British Colonial Rule in Southern Nigeria, 18601890". Afeadie, "The Hidden Hand of Overrule" (1996), p. 1921. B. Consequently, in 1849, John Beecroft was accredited as consul for the bights of Benin and Biafra, a jurisdiction stretching from Dahomey to Cameroon. The French had abolished slavery following the French Revolution, although it briefly re-established it in its Caribbean colonies under Napoleon. The Northern People's Congress (NPC) was organised in the late 1940s by a small group of Western-educated Northern Nigerians. The discussion of pragmatic resistance in Africa comes full circle with the former Portuguese colonies, South Africa, and Kenya. Hogendorn. The first missions were opened by the Church of England's Church Missionary Society (CMS). Their common denominators tended to be based on newly assertive ethnic consciousness, particularly that of the Yoruba and Igbo. The company interfered in the territory along the Niger and the Benue, sometimes becoming embroiled in serious conflicts when its British-led native constabulary intercepted slave raids or attempted to protect trade routes. The charter allowed the company to collect customs and make treaties with local leaders.[12]. Three of these posts were assigned to representatives from each region, and one was reserved for a delegate from the Northern Cameroons. The British High Commissioners could depose emirs and other officials if necessary. By 1938 the NYM was agitating for dominion status within the British Commonwealth of Nations so that Nigeria would have the same status as Canada and Australia. [67], The Colonial Office, where Lugard was still held in high regard, accepted that changes might be due in the south, but it forbade fundamental alteration of procedures in the north. As a historical event, anticolonialism means the struggle against imperial rule in colonized countries, mostly during the first half of the twentieth century. A third of the people associated with an 1842 riverine expedition died. The British entry into World War I saw the confiscation of Nigerian palm oil firms operated by expatriates from the Central Powers. Goods were made available on credit to African middlemen, who were expected to trade them at a pre-arranged price and deliver the proceeds to the company. Several churches were built to serve the Edo community and a small number of African converts. British merchants led the trade in palm oil, while the Portuguese and others continued the slave trade. Today, Lagos remains Nigeria's financial capital and, as home to an estimated eight million people, ranks . Years of colonial rule yieleded system w/ all-powerful central government surrounded by weak and economically insolvent states. The legitimate trade in commodities attracted a number of British merchants to the Niger River, as well as some men who had been formerly engaged in the slave trade but who now changed their line of wares. In 1929, this incident in Nigeria later became one of the reasons for the fight against colonial rule in Africa A) The Nigerian Oil crisis B) The Aba Women's Revolt C) . Chapter 2 argues that following the transformation of the Northern Nigerian region by the Sokoto Jihad in the nineteenth century, Islamic structures provided the crucial structural and ideological frameworks on which the British colonial administrative system was rationalized in the Northern Nigeria Protectorate in the first half of the twentieth century. In 1805, he set out on a second expedition, sponsored by the British Government, to follow the Niger to the sea. The Colony was ultimately governed by the British Colonial Office in London. Significantly, Macauley's NNDP remained almost entirely a Lagos party, popular only in the area whose people already had experience in elective politics. The Sokoto jihad and the Yoruba wars stimulated the slave trade at a time when the British were actively trying to stop it. 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