factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria

The influx of cowrie led to inflation. The operations of this force are still not fully known due to a policy of strict secrecy mandated by the British Government. The pace of constitutional change accelerated after the promulgation of the Richards Constitution. Under Goldie's direction, the Royal Niger Company was instrumental in depriving France and Germany of access to the region. [57], From 1895 to 1900, a railway was constructed running from Lagos to Ibadan; it opened in March 1901. Observers have pinned the 'humanity's worst mistake' label on several of history's major institutions, ranging from the adoption of agriculture to twentieth-century communism (Diamond Reference Diamond 1987; Economist 2009).In our assessment, the institution of modern colonialism - meaning the exploration, conquest, settlement, and political dominance of distant lands by European and . In 1850, the British created a "Court of Equity" at Bonny, overseen by Beecroft, which would deal with trade disputes. In 1916 Lugard formed the Nigerian Council, a consultative body that brought together six traditional rulersincluding the Sultan of Sokoto, the Emir of Kano and the Oba of Beninto represent all parts of the colony. We also understand that the said National African Company (limited) have full power to mine, farm, and build in any portion of our territory. 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. The incidence of slavery in local societies increased. The Crusades and the Reconquista cemented religious intolerance, and the Christians looked to colonization partly as a means of continuing religious conquests. After initially adopting an indirect rule approach, in 1906 the British merged the small Lagos Colony and the Southern Nigeria Protectorate into a new Colony of Southern Nigeria, and in 1914 that was combined with the Northern Nigeria Protectorate to form the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. The company received 865,000 compensation for the loss of its Charter. 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. Timeline of the British Empire - Historic UK [61] John Anderson diplomatically suggested: If it is the necessity for formally submitting the drafts that hurts Sir F. Lugard, I should be quite prepared to omit that provision provided that the period of publication of the draft prior to enactment is extended from one month to two. [11], The British led a series of military campaigns to enlarge its sphere of influence and expand its commercial opportunities. Other European powers acknowledged Britain's dominance over the area in the 1885 Berlin Conference. In the 1870s, therefore, George Taubman Goldie began amalgamating companies into the United African Company, soon renamed the National African Company. The political parties jockeyed for positions of power in anticipation of the independence of Nigeria. . The decrease in trade indirectly led to the collapse of states like the Edo Empire. Most of the fighting was done by Hausa soldiers, recruited to fight against other groups. British colonialism destroyed the Ndebele state at the end of the nineteenth century. The British Conquest and Resistance of Sokoto Caliphate, 18971903 Ethnic cleavages intensified in the 1950s. Summary of course material Economic freedom in Muslim countries an History of Colonization in Africa | How Africa News Three of these posts were assigned to representatives from each region, and one was reserved for a delegate from the Northern Cameroons. 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. Nigerian units also contributed to two divisions serving with British forces in Palestine, Morocco, Sicily and Burma, where they won many honours. Independence was achieved on 1 October 1960. [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. History of the British Takeover of Nigeria - U.OSU During the 1880's through 1914, the start of WWI, was an age of imperialism. The council was headed by a Governor. The similarity between the federal and regional constitutions was deceptive, however, and the conduct of public affairs reflected wide differences among the regions. How Nigeria Was Colonized by the British: The Complete History They selected an increasingly high proportion of African clergy for the missions. 2. Subsequent revisions contained in the Lyttleton Constitution, enacted in 1954, firmly established the federal principle and paved the way for independence. What Britain Did to Nigeria | Hurst Publishers David Ellis, "African and European relations in the last century of the transatlantic slave trade"; in Ptr-Grenouilleau. Political activists in the southern areas spoke of self-government in terms of educational opportunities and economic development. Whenever a trader had become successful enough to keep a war canoe, he was expected to form his own "house". Developed from Mayan civilization B. acquired empires by means of military conquest C. Independently developed iron technology D. Depended entirely on oral record keeping . 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. [74] The disease first found its home among the many trading ports along the West African coast. Crowther, a liberated Yoruba slave, had been educated in Sierra Leone and in Britain, where he was ordained before returning to his homeland with the first group of CMS missionaries. British and French traders did a large share of this business until 1807 when they were replaced by the Portuguese and the Spaniards. Afeadie, "The Hidden Hand of Overrule" (1996), p. 1719. Impact of British Colonization on Kenya - PHDessay.com 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]. Britain annexed Lagos in 1861 and established the Oil River Protectorate in 1884. Exploration was intensified in 1946, but the first commercial discovery did not occur until 1956, at Olobiri in the Niger Delta. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeriacan low magnesium kill you. In 1958 exportation of Nigerian oil was initiated at facilities constructed at Port Harcourt. [38][39], In 1892 the British Armed Forces set out to fight the Ijebu Kingdom, which had resisted missionaries and foreign traders. Progressive constitutions after World War II provided for increasing representation and electoral government by Nigerians. 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. Colonial Lagos was a busy, cosmopolitan port. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to see among other things the British interest in the area referred to as Sokoto Caliphate, the crises and conflicts that ensued, the resistance put up by the people and the eventual conquest of the caliphate. Most Europeans tended to overlook their own differences and were surprised and shocked that Nigerians wanted to develop new denominations independent of European control. The Colonial Office approved most of Lugard's plan, but balked at authorising him to pass laws without their approval. At first, they lived in small family groups, but gradually these groups developed into a. In 1886, Taubman secured a royal charter and his company became the Royal Niger Company. The emirs retained their caliphate titles but were responsible to British district officers, who had final authority. It was suspended in 1950 against a call for greater autonomy, which resulted in an inter-parliamentary conference at Ibadan in 1950. In February 1961, a plebiscite was conducted to determine the disposition of the Southern Cameroons and Northern Cameroons, which were administered by Britain as United Nations Trust Territories. The racial discriminatory tendencies of the Europeans to Nigerians. The Mad Rush Into Africa in the Early 1880s Within just 20 years, the political face of Africa had changed, with only Liberia (a colony run by formerly enslaved African Americans) and Ethiopia remaining free of European control . . This became the Lagos Constabulary, and subsequently the Nigerian Police Force. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. One of the most influential monarchies in the history of England began in 1066 C.E. 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. African nationalism attempted to transform the identity of Africans. The NPC captured 142 seats in the new legislature. This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 05:21. [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. In pursuance of the above general principles the chief civil officers of the provinces are to be called Residents which implies one who carries on diplomatic relations rather than Commissioners or Administrators. Early nationalists tended to ignore Nigeria as the focus of patriotism. 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. The Conquest (La Conqute) is a term used to describe the acquisition of Canada by Great Britain during the Seven Years' War.It also refers to the resulting conditio Another court was established in 1856 at Calabar, based on an agreement with local Efik traders which prohibited them from interfering with British merchants. [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. Local rulers continued to administer their territories, but consular authorities assumed jurisdiction for the equity courts established earlier by the foreign mercantile communities. 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. The factors that led to the colonization of africa by the europeans. In some cases, British assignment of people to ethnic groups, and treatment based along ethnic lines, led to identification with ethnicity where none had existed before.[84]. After the defection of Kano, the only significant disagreement within the NPC was related to moderates. British colonialism created Nigeria, joining diverse peoples and regions in an artificial political entity along the Niger River. Its residents were employed in official capacities and were active in business. [55], Under the Colonial Office was the Governor, who managed the administration of his colony and held powers of emergency rule. British colony and protectorate from 1914 to 1960, Contemporary photograph of the same building, now housing the, Developments in colonial policy under Clifford, Emergence of Southern Nigerian nationalism, Constitutional conferences in the UK (195758), All of this section to this point is from. But in the 1700s, the Bight of Benin (also known as the Slave Coast) became the next most important hub. 12 tribes of israel family tree; why did poseidon often adopt the shape of a steed. Christian missionaries were barred, and the limited government efforts in education were harmonized with Islamic institutions.[67]. Its final leg enabled it to meet another line, constructed 19071911, running from Baro, through Minnia, to Kano. [11] [12] The Deputy Governor served as political administrator for company territory and appointed three officials in Nigeria to carry out the work of administration. [11], Britain's imperialistic posture became more aggressive towards the end of the century. France sold Louisiana to the United States in 1803, the same year that it gave up on trying to regain Saint-Domingue from the Haitian Revolution. 1) Lack of British Personnel: Obviously Nigeria was not the only West African country colonized by the British, other countries like Ghana, Sierra-Leone and The Gambia were part of the British colonies. Catholic missionaries were particularly active among the Igbo; the CMS worked among the Yoruba. The Treasury used a planned budget for payment of staff and development of public works projects, and therefore could not be spent at the discretion of the local traditional ruler. 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. Egypt) and titles (e.g. It was supported not only by the income from huge agricultural surpluses but also by a new range of direct and indirect taxes imposed during the 1950s. The British captured Kano in 1903. The kingdom of Benin - BBC Bitesize These included the decline of the Mughal Empire. He definitely laid the basis for British claims. Critics, including representatives of the Middle Belt who resented Muslim domination, were relegated to small, peripheral parties or to inconsequential separatist movements.[85]. BRITISH CONQUEST, COLONIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA - ResearchGate However, development of the Nigerian oilfields slowed when Bergheim died in a car crash in September 1912. What are the Factors which facilitated the rise of Colonialism? They had obtained the assent of the emirs to form a political party to counterbalance the activities of the southern-based parties. God, Gold, and Glory. To establish settled government in the newly won districts; To improve and extend native footpaths throughout the country; To construct properly graded roads in the more populated districts; To clear the numerous rivers in the country and make them suitable for launch and canoe traffic; and. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. How Britain Conquered And Created Nigeria - Politics - Nigeria - Nairaland [11], By the 1880s, the National African Company became the dominant commercial power, increasing from 19 to 39 stations between 1882 and 1893. 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. Inconsistencies in British policy reinforced existing cleavages based on regional animosities, as the British tried both to preserve the indigenous cultures of each area and to introduce modern technology, and Western political and social concepts. History of Nigeria - Wikipedia British are not always carriers of high economic freedom (see Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, and Nigeria). Lugard bequeathed to his successor a prosperous colony when his term as Governor-General expired. "The Hidden Hand of Overrule: Political Agents and the Establishment of British Colonial Rule in Northern Nigeria, 18861914". 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. 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. [23] Regardless, slavery had decimated the population and fuelled militarisation and chaos, thereby paving the way for more aggressive colonisation.[21][24]. Rather than seeing themselves as Zulu, Xhoasa, Sotho, etc, nationalist leaders wanted Africans to view themselves as South Africans. NEPU formed a parliamentary alliance with the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). The large companies that subsequently opened depots in the delta cities and in Lagos were as ruthlessly competitive as the delta towns themselves and frequently used force to compel potential suppliers to agree to contracts and to meet their demands. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. Deadly battles broke out sporadically through 1906. When direct Portuguese contacts in the region were withdrawn, however, the influence of the Catholic missionaries waned. Empty cart. Under the Political Department of the Civil Service were Residents and District Officers, responsible for overseeing operations in each region. Africans come from Africa. Reasons for the development of the slave trade - BBC Bitesize 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]. These courts contained majorities British members and represented a new level of presumptive British sovereignty in the Bight of Biafra. In time they captured Oba Ovonramwen and sent him into exile to Calabar, a town east of Benin. In 1920, portions of former German Cameroon were mandated to Britain by the League of Nations and were administered as part of Nigeria. it was on that faithful day, 1 st January 1914 that the His mission failed, but Park and his party covered more than 1,500 kilometres (930mi), passing through the western portions of the Sokoto Caliphate, before drowning when their boats overturned in rapids near Bussa. Each was under a Lieutenant Governor and provided independent government services. British exploitation of their fatherland. 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. 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. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeriaannalise mahanes height. For some time, missionaries operated in the area between Lagos and Ibadan. Aside from the possibility of treasure, the European governments aimed to find a passage through the Americas to Asia. Much of the human trafficking which occurred there was nominally illegal, and records from this time and place are not comprehensive. [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. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. [31], Captain John Glover, the colony's administrator, created a militia of Hausa troops in 1861. The seven men who governed Northern Nigeria, Southern Nigeria and Lagos through 1914 were Henry McCallum, William MacGregor, Walter Egerton, Ralph Moor, Percy Girouard, Hesketh Bell and Frederick Lugard. During the war, union membership increased sixfold to 30,000. The Royal Niger Company had its own armed forces. In the immediate post-World War II period, Nigeria benefited from a favourable trade balance. What Were the Effects of the British Taking Over Africa? - The Classroom The yoruba-Igbo rivalry became increasingly important in Nigerian politics. Although the capital was not moved, Lugard's bias in favour of the Muslim north was clear at the time. There were numerous differences of detail among the regional systems, but all adhered to parliamentary forms and were equally autonomous in relation to the Nigerian federal government at Lagos. Alan Lennox-Boyd, M.P., the British Secretary of State for the Colonies. For example, many people in Ibadan opposed Awolowo on personal grounds because of his identification with the Ijebu Yoruba. Regional administrations also varied widely in the quality of local personnel and in the scope of the operations they were willing to undertake. [] These intermediaries assisted government diplomacy and helped to establish and maintain relations between the company and the traditional rulers. Colonial Nigeria - Wikipedia In this way Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowtherborn in the Yoruba-inhabited area of Oshogbo and the first African ordained by the CMSwas able to establish mission stations at Onitsha, Lokoja, and Eggan and later at Brass and Bonny. The British entry into World War I saw the confiscation of Nigerian palm oil firms operated by expatriates from the Central Powers. Broadening political participation and expanding educational opportunities and other social services also were viewed as threats to the status quo. Nigerian delegates were selected to represent each region and to reflect various shades of opinion. From there, the strategy to conquer the additional portions of what would be Nigeria was planned and executed until nearly all of what is today Nigeria was under British control in 1905. "Specifically, the Company sought to secure the cooperation of the traditional rulers in ensuring peaceful conditions for trade. Bello wanted to protect northern social and political institutions from southern influence. Otherwise, the Governor-General's office was essentially ceremonial. What are the factors that attracted the British to conquer India 3. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria Motivations for Colonization - National Geographic Society The British encouraged this secession, worsening the war even further. brighton grey motion loveseat; waterford, ct obituaries; jane wymark children. In the long term, the acceptance of Christianity by large numbers of Nigerians depended on the various denominations adapting to local conditions. The slave trade was heaviest in the period 17001850, with an average of 76,000 people taken from Africa each year between 1783 and 1792. To . factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria The Delta streams were called "oil rivers". It soon gained a virtual monopoly over trade along the River[11]. From Lugard's point of view, clear-cut military victories were necessary because the surrenders of the defeated peoples weakened resistance elsewhere. 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. It continued to enjoy special privileges and maintained a de facto monopoly over commerce. Colonial System of Administration In Nigeria: Definition, Historical 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. They were the most politically conscious segment of the population and created the vanguard of the nationalist movement. 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. Joining the Royal Niger Company in 1894, Lugard was sent to Borgu to counter inroads made by the French, and in 1897 he was made responsible for raising the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) from local levies to serve under British officers. A third of the people associated with an 1842 riverine expedition died. The early Nigerian nationalist did not seek independence. These include the fact that military conscription (draft) of numerous African colonial subjects into European armies generated great amounts of anger. The neglect of traditional institutions. In 1946 a new constitution was approved by the British Parliament at Westminster and promulgated in Nigeria. Falola, Toyin, Ann Genova, and Matthew M. Heaton. Segments of the Yoruba community had their own animosities and new rivalries arose. 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. It was colonized by the British in 1884 and the colony is established at the Berlin conference which divides Africa by European powers. The war was driven by the commercial and imperial rivalry between Britain and France, and by the antagonism between Prussia (allied to Britain) and Austria (allied to France). [73] The spread of the disease was quick and deadly, with an estimated 1.5% of the population of Lagos falling victim. This led to protests known as Women's War. The trend was toward the establishment of a parliamentary system of government, with regional assemblies and a federal House of Representatives. The Royal Niger Company established its headquarters far inland at Lokoja, which was the main trading port of the company,[34] from where it began to assume responsibility for the administration of areas along the Niger and Benue rivers where it maintained depots. The only significant interruption in economic development arose from natural disasterthe Great Drought of 191314. The country was divided politically, lacking European rivals, and no sense of national unity. 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.

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