factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. Agents also collected intelligence for the colonial officials; they gathered information on public opinion and the military resources of the local polities; they also spied on rival colonial forces in foreign territories. Critics, including representatives of the Middle Belt who resented Muslim domination, were relegated to small, peripheral parties or to inconsequential separatist movements.[85]. The only significant interruption in economic development arose from natural disasterthe Great Drought of 191314. 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 small contingent of northerners who had been educated abroada group that included Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Aminu Kanowas allied with British-backed efforts to introduce gradual change to the emirates. Three of these posts were assigned to representatives from each region, and one was reserved for a delegate from the Northern Cameroons. But in the 1700s, the Bight of Benin (also known as the Slave Coast) became the next most important hub. Indeed it was these developments in the history of Kano that transformed the political outlook of the people. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria The Crusades and the Reconquista cemented religious intolerance, and the Christians looked to colonization partly as a means of continuing religious conquests. The first missions were opened by the Church of England's Church Missionary Society (CMS). Britain and Nigeria'S Independence in 1960 It is still felt 56 years after it was officially announced death. The nationalism that became a political factor in Nigeria during the interwar period derived both from an older political particularism and broad pan-Africanism, rather than from any sense among the people of a common Nigerian nationality. The war also made the British reappraise Nigeria's political future. Ever since, the north-south divide has dominated the politics of independent Nigeria. He was convinced that the Muslim religion had fallen into utter degeneration as a result of moral depravity of the Hausa Emirs. A revelatory account of British imperialism's shameful impact on Africa's most populous state. The most dramatic event having a long-term effect on Nigeria's economic development was the discovery and exploitation of petroleum deposits. He was contemptuous of the educated and Westernised African elite found more in the South, and he recommended transferring the capital from Lagos, the cosmopolitan city where the influence of these people was most pronounced, to Kaduna in the north. Resistance was strong in western Igboland, where a series of wars were waged against the British. 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. Du Bois. The southern nationalists were inspired by a variety of sources, including such prominent American-based activists as Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. Its residents were employed in official capacities and were active in business. West Africa | International Encyclopedia of the First World War (WW1) One 1885 treaty read: We, the undersigned King and Chiefs [] with the view to the bettering of the condition of our country and people, do this day cede to the National Africa Company (Limited), their heirs and assigns, forever, the whole of our territory [] We also give the said National African Company (Limited) full power to settle all native disputes arising from any cause whatever, and we pledge ourselves not to enter into any war with other tribes without the sanction of the said National Africa Company (Limited). 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. [19] This scenario provided an opportunity for naval expeditions and reconnaissance throughout the region. What Britain Did to Nigeria: A Short History of Conquest and Rule by Max Siollun Hurst, 20, 408 pages Join our online book group on Facebook at FT Books Caf Letter in response to this article: Segments of the Yoruba community had their own animosities and new rivalries arose. Lagos became a major slave port in the late 1700s and into the 1850s. "Specifically, the Company sought to secure the cooperation of the traditional rulers in ensuring peaceful conditions for trade. In Europe, Britain sent troops to help its ally, Prussia, which was surrounded by its enemies. The political parties jockeyed for positions of power in anticipation of the independence of Nigeria. [31], In 1891, the consulate established the Niger Coast Protectorate Force or "Oil Rivers Irregulars".[32]. Exploration was intensified in 1946, but the first commercial discovery did not occur until 1956, at Olobiri in the Niger Delta. [11], By the 1880s, the National African Company became the dominant commercial power, increasing from 19 to 39 stations between 1882 and 1893. It is not a personal union of separate colonies under the same Governor like the Windwards, it is not a Confederation of States. Alienated by the anonymity of the urban environment and drawn together by ties to their ethnic homelandsas well as by the need for mutual aidthe new city dwellers formed local clubs that later expanded into federations covering whole regions. He was aware that the Muslim north would present problems, but he had hopes for progress along the lines which he laid down in the south, where he anticipated "general emancipation" leading to a more representative form of government. Wartime experiences provided a new frame of reference for many soldiers, who interacted across ethnic boundaries in ways that were unusual in Nigeria. Timeline of the British Empire - Historic UK If an eye is kept on the Gazettes as they come in this will enable us to warn him of any objections we may entertain to legislative proposals, and also give Liverpool and Manchester an opportunity of voicing their objections. [38][39], In 1892 the British Armed Forces set out to fight the Ijebu Kingdom, which had resisted missionaries and foreign traders. The Action Group was thus the heir of a generation of flourishing cultural consciousness among the Yoruba and also had valuable connections with commercial interests that were representative of the comparative economic advancement of the Western Region. [59], Lugard advocated constantly for the unification of the whole territory, and in August 1911 the Colonial Office asked Lugard to lead the amalgamated colony.[60]. Free shipping for many products! [19] Ultimately, this became the Royal Niger Company. Balewa was called on to head an NPC-NCNC coalition government, and Awolowo became the official leader of the opposition. The operations of this force are still not fully known due to a policy of strict secrecy mandated by the British Government. Britain subsequently lobbied other European powers to stop the slave trade as well. The conquest was personal to William. Among the other major parties, the NCNC took fifty-six seats, winning a majority in both the Eastern and the Western regions, while the Action Group captured only twenty-seven seats. Nigeria (Sokoto Caliphate inclusive) fell prey to the attacks. Local rulers continued to administer their territories, but consular authorities assumed jurisdiction for the equity courts established earlier by the foreign mercantile communities. European slave trading from West Africa began before 1650, with people taken at a rate of about 3,000 per year. British exploitation of their fatherland. In-text citation: God, Gold, and Glory. British soap and cosmetics manufacturers tried to obtain land concessions for growing oil palms, but these were refused. [64], Each region also had a Native Administration, staffed by locals, and possessing a Native Treasury. They noticed something odd about the local fishermen and asked to come ashore. Other commercial crops, such as cocoa and rubber, were encouraged, and tin was mined on the Jos Plateau. Both claimed in 1908; territories formed in 1962 (British Antarctic Territory) and 1985 (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands). This was a case of plenty harvest but few hands to cultivate. By demonstrating the heavy reliance on West African soldiers for the 'European' conduct of the Great War campaign in the region, it shows how West Africans helped determine the outcome of war in the region. The council was headed by a Governor. Afeadie, "The Hidden Hand of Overrule" (1996), p. 1213. Most internal problems were concealed, and open opposition to the domination of the Muslim aristocracy was not tolerated. Similar status was acquired by the Northern Region two years later. "Nigerian Forces Comforts Fund, 19401947: 'The Responsibility of the Nigerian Government to Provide Funds for the Welfare of Its Soldiers'. Spain was driven by three main motivations. 2. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. Deadly battles broke out sporadically through 1906. Another court was established in 1856 at Calabar, based on an agreement with local Efik traders which prohibited them from interfering with British merchants. The war was between the Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist nation that had declared independence from Nigeria. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria During the war, the colonial government earmarked a large portion of the Nigerian budget as a contribution to imperial defence. Afeadie, "The Hidden Hand of Overrule" (1996), p. 1012. The British led a series of military campaigns to enlarge its sphere of influence and expand its commercial opportunities. The Southern Protectorate financed itself from the outset, with revenue increasing from 361,815 to 1,933,235 over the same period. Sir Richmond Palmer, acting as Lieutenant Governor in the North, disagreed with Clifford and advocated the principles of Lugard and further decentralisation. Following military conquest, the British imposed an economic system designed to profit from African labor. At the same time, George Dashwood Goldie, a British businessman, bought out all French rivals and created the Royal Niger Company (chartered 1886) in order to control trade on the Niger and administer the immense territories of the Sokoto caliphate and Borno. In the Northern Region, the colonial government took careful account of Islam and avoided any appearance of a challenge to traditional values that might incite resistance to British rule. Retrieved October 11, 2014 from. "John Beecroft, 17901854: Her Brittanic Majesty's Consul to the Bights of Benin and Biafra 18491854". Although he reported on the eastward flow of the Niger, he was forced to turn back when his equipment was lost to Muslim Arab slave traders. Rather than seeing themselves as Zulu, Xhoasa, Sotho, etc, nationalist leaders wanted Africans to view themselves as South Africans. [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. Empty cart. Macbeth) in the essay title portion of your citation. [32] This included a river fleet which it used for retaliatory attacks on uncooperative villages. In the north, appeals to Islamic legitimacy upheld the rule of the emirs, so that nationalist sentiments were related to Islamic ideals. Although realistic in its assessment of the situation in Nigeria, the Richards Constitution undoubtedly intensified regionalism as an alternative to political unification. Nigeria - Nigeria as a colony | Britannica French in West Africa - University of Pennsylvania Independence was achieved on 1 October 1960. (Specifically it would enable direct subsidy of the less profitable Northern jurisdiction.) June 30, 2022 . For example, many people in Ibadan opposed Awolowo on personal grounds because of his identification with the Ijebu Yoruba. In large measure, European missionaries assumed the value of colonial rule in terms of promoting education, health and welfare measures, thereby effectively reinforcing colonial policy. But by providing for comparable regional governments exercising broad legislative powers, which could not be overridden by the newly established 185-seat federal House of Representatives, the Macpherson Constitution also gave a significant boost to regionalism. Independent Christian churches had emerged at the end of the nineteenth century. In the north Frederick Lugard, the first high commissioner of Northern Nigeria, was instrumental in subjugating the Fulani emirs. British colonialism led to the spread of the English language in Africa, and many former British colonies still maintain English as an official language. 12 tribes of israel family tree; why did poseidon often adopt the shape of a steed. Many of the slaves exported in the 1820s and 30s were intercepted by the ships of the Royal Navy, emancipated, and deposited in Sierra Leone under missionary tutelage. They were helped by two major factors; the discovery of quinine as a preventive drug against malaria and the armory the British possess which was superior compared to those of the Nigerians. 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. In the immediate post-World War II period, Nigeria benefited from a favourable trade balance. Facebook Instagram Email. There were three main factors that contributed to the European colonization Africa which were, political, social, and economic. Its architecture was in both Victorian and Brazilian style, as many of the black elite were English-speakers from Sierra Leone and freedmen repatriated from the Empire of Brazil and Spanish Cuba. In contrast to Lugard, Clifford argued that colonial government had the responsibility to introduce as quickly as practical the benefits of Western experience. The search for oil, begun in 1908 and abandoned a few years later, was revived in 1937 by Shell and British Petroleum. . Every Sultan and Emir and the principal officers of state will be appointed by the high Commissioner throughout all this country. 1 Economic Motives. Ethnic cleavages intensified in the 1950s. The introduction of the federal principle, with deliberative authority devolved on the regions, signalled recognition of the country's diversity. To some extent, competition amongst these companies undermined their collective position vis--vis, local merchants. [74] But with the advancement and efficiency of colonial transportation networks, it was only a matter of time before the disease began to spread into the interior. THE FULANI CONQUEST AND RULE OF THE HAUSA KINGDOM 235 from 1804, the date of the Hegira. He definitely laid the basis for British claims. The election of the House of Representatives after the adoption of the 1954 constitution gave the NPC a total of seventy-nine seats, all from the Northern Region. 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. David Richardson, "Background to annexation: Anglo-African credit relations in the Bight of Biafra, 17001891"; in Ptr-Grenouilleau. Not wishing to appear out of control or weak, they approved the expedition (two days after it began) on 19 January 1903.,[47] In general, the Colonial Office allowed Lugard's expeditions to continue because they were framed as retaliatory and, as Olivier commented in 1906, "If the millions of people [in Nigeria] who do not want us there once get the notion that our people can be killed with impunity they will not be slow to attempt it."[48]. A people with no knowledge of their past would suffer from collective amnesia, groping blindly into the future without guide-posts of precedence to shape their course. Doctrine of Lapse. The principal figure in the political activity that ensued was Herbert Macauley, often referred to as the father of Nigerian nationalism. 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. History of the British Takeover of Nigeria - U.OSU The first factor to be taken into account is that the British by nature are conservative. Causes Of European Colonization In Africa | ipl.org Local leaders, cognizant of the situation in the West Indies, India, and elsewhere, recognised the risks of British expansion. In the Eastern Region, appointed officials who were given "warrants" and hence called warrant chiefs, were strongly resisted by the people because they lacked traditional claims. 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). [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. Nigeria: From Colonization To Decolonization | Afrolady Dike, K. O. 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. The most powerful figure in the party was Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. [42], The British had difficulty conquering Igboland, which lacked a central political organisation. [17] In 1767, British traders facilitated a notorious massacre of hundreds of people at Calabar after inviting them onto their ships, ostensibly to settle a local dispute. Awolowo had little difficulty in appealing to broad segments of the Yoruba population, but he worked to avoid the Action Group from being stigmatized as a "tribal" group. A permanent British occupation of Egypt required the inviolability of the Ni factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria In time they captured Oba Ovonramwen and sent him into exile to Calabar, a town east of Benin. 4. 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. In the Bight of Biafra, the major ports were Old Calabar (Akwa Akpa), Bonny and New Calabar. [78], After establishing political control of the country, the British implemented a system of taxation in order to force the indigenous Africans to shift from subsistence farming to wage labour. Some of the treaties contained prohibitions on diplomacy conducted without British permission, or other promises to abide by British rule. A Summary of British Rule in India - ThoughtCo 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. 4 Pages. 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. The history of external colonisation of Africa can be divided into two stages: Classical antiquity and European colonialism. The most striking departure was in the Northern Region, where special provisions brought the regional constitution into consonance with Islamic law and custom. In 1957, the Western and the Eastern regions became formally self-governing under the parliamentary system. Some of them also manned Company stations and served as District Agents.". It was colonized by the British in 1884 and the colony is established at the Berlin conference which divides Africa by European powers. Park reached the upper Niger the next year by travelling inland from the Gambia River. The preparation of a new federal constitution for an independent Nigeria was carried out at conferences held at Lancaster House in London in 1957 and 1958, which were presided over by The Rt. 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. Siollun concludes with what he calls "the mistake of 1914": his view that the British resolution to join their northern and southern protectorates into one poorly integrated colony constitutes the single most consequential decision of colonial rule 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The superior weapons, tactics and political unity of the British are commonly given as reasons for their decisive . It continued to enjoy special privileges and maintained a de facto monopoly over commerce. Gradually, however, the trade forced major economic and social changes in the interior, although it hardly undermined slavery and the slave trade. [61], The task of unification was achieved on the eve of World War I. With this victory, the British went on to conquer the rest of Yorubaland, which had also been weakened by sixteen years of civil war. It was a relatively simple adjustment for many Igbo families to transport the oil to rivers and streams that led to the Niger Delta for sale to European merchants. September 1996. Significantly, Macauley's NNDP remained almost entirely a Lagos party, popular only in the area whose people already had experience in elective politics. In all three regions, minority parties represented the special interests of ethnic groups, especially as they were affected by the majority. Regional administrations also varied widely in the quality of local personnel and in the scope of the operations they were willing to undertake. An example was that at Onitsha, where they could bargain directly with local suppliers and purchase products likely to turn a profit. Even before gaining its charter, the Company signed treaties with local leaders which granted it broad sovereign powers. The British encouraged this secession, worsening the war even further. Although lacking Azikiwe's compelling personality, Awolowo was a formidable debater as well as a vigorous and tenacious political campaigner. British merchants led the trade in palm oil, while the Portuguese and others continued the slave trade. Native Administration was responsible for police, hospitals, public works and local courts. Frederick Lugard, shortly before becoming High Commissioner of Northern Nigeria.[68]. Some were deposed, some were defeated in battle, and others collaborated. Because of the hazards of climate and tropical diseases for Europeans and the absence of any centralized authorities on the mainland responsive to their interests, European merchants moored their ships outside harbours or in the delta, and used the ships as trading stations and warehouses. [70], Lugard's immediate successor (19191925), Sir Hugh Clifford, was an aristocratic professional administrator with liberal instincts who had won recognition for his enlightened governorship of the Gold Coast in 19121919. Anietie A. Inyang & Manasseh Edidem Bassey, "Imperial Treaties and the Origins of British Colonial Rule in Southern Nigeria, 18601890". Amalgamation of Nigeria was envisioned from early on in its governance, as is made clear by the report of the Niger Committee in 1898. In some instances, however, a double allegianceto the idea of sacred monarchy for its symbolic value and to modern concepts of law and administrationwas maintained. Afeadie, Philip Atsu. The British targeted Nigeria because of its resources. The conference drafted the terms of a new constitution. One place that felt victim to this imperialism was Africa. Bello wanted to protect northern social and political institutions from southern influence. The transfer of responsibility for budgetary management from the central to the regional governments in 1954 accelerated the pace of public spending on services and on development projects.