In the long term, the acceptance of Christianity by large numbers of Nigerians depended on the various denominations adapting to local conditions. [38][39], In 1892 the British Armed Forces set out to fight the Ijebu Kingdom, which had resisted missionaries and foreign traders. Facebook Instagram Email. [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. European Conquest and Colonization of Africa - 1504 Words | Critical Men Colonial Nigeria - Wikipedia However, in October 1929 in Oloko a census related to taxation was conducted, and the women in the area suspected that this was a prelude to the extension of direct taxation, which had been imposed on the men the previous year. During World War II, Awolowo reorganized it as a predominantly Yoruba political party, the Action Group. Britain withdrew from the slave trade when it was the major transporter of slaves to the Americas. Lugard's governmental model for Nigeria was unique and there was apparently not much planning for its future development. These recourses were considered a necessity to the industrialization of the world . By 1903 the conquest of the emirates was complete. The Colonial Office approved most of Lugard's plan, but balked at authorising him to pass laws without their approval. 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. In the 1870s, therefore, George Taubman Goldie began amalgamating companies into the United African Company, soon renamed the National African Company. Lugard bequeathed to his successor a prosperous colony when his term as Governor-General expired. The pace of constitutional change accelerated after the promulgation of the Richards Constitution. One of the most effective tactics, the British used to take over most of India. Resistance was strong in western Igboland, where a series of wars were waged against the British. The similarity between the federal and regional constitutions was deceptive, however, and the conduct of public affairs reflected wide differences among the regions. The federal government retained specified powers, including responsibility for banking, currency, external affairs, defence, shipping and navigation and communications, but real political power was centred in the regions. Whereas Lugard had applied lessons learned in the north to the administration of the south, Clifford was prepared to extend to the north practices that had been successful in the south. Native Administration was responsible for police, hospitals, public works and local courts. What Were Reasons for European Exploration of the Americas? All were knighted. Imperialism, or the extension of one nation-state's domination or control over territory outside its own boundaries, peaked in the 19th century as European powers extended their holdings around the world. England would forever be changed politically, economically, and socially as a result. [55], Under the Colonial Office was the Governor, who managed the administration of his colony and held powers of emergency rule. In the early stages of British rule, it is desirable to retain the native authority and to work through and by the native emirs. Additionally. British merchants led the trade in palm oil, while the Portuguese and others continued the slave trade. A third type of organisation that was more pointedly political was the youth or student group, which became the vehicle of intellectuals and professionals. The first missions were opened by the Church of England's Church Missionary Society (CMS). The essential basis of this system was a money economyspecifically the British pound sterlingwhich could be demanded through taxation, paid to cooperative natives, and levied as a fine. [40] By 1893, most of the other political entities in Yorubaland recognised the practical necessity of signing another treaty with the British, this one explicitly joining them with the protectorate of Lagos. For political the British were fixed on expanding their empire and gaining control of every major city, state, or country in the world so they could govern every man or woman as they Show More [77] Its revenue quickly increased, from 4,424 in 1901 to 274,989 in 1910. [19] Ultimately, this became the Royal Niger Company. [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]. In the north, for instance, legislation took the form of a decree cosigned by the Governor and the emir, while in the south, the Governor sought the approval of the Legislative Council. Independent Christian churches had emerged at the end of the nineteenth century. [61], The task of unification was achieved on the eve of World War I. A constabulary force was raised and used to pacify the coastal area. In-text citation: Norman Conquest - National Geographic Society Amalgamation of Nigeria was envisioned from early on in its governance, as is made clear by the report of the Niger Committee in 1898. Colonial Lagos was a busy, cosmopolitan port. The modern history of Nigeria - as a political state encompassing 250 to 400 ethnic groups of widely varied cultures and modes of political organization - dates from the completion of the. What are the factors that attracted the British to conquer India Both Africans and Europeans found illegal supplies such as secret stills, obtaining colonial liquor permits, and smuggling. Nigerian units also contributed to two divisions serving with British forces in Palestine, Morocco, Sicily and Burma, where they won many honours. The boundaries of the two protectorates and the territories of the Royal Niger Company were difficult to define, but the tension was eased in 1894 when both entities were merged into the Niger Coast Protectorate. If adopted, his proposals can hardly be a permanent solution and I gather that Sir F. Lugard only regards them as temporaryat any rate in part. [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. Under Goldie's direction, the Royal Niger Company was instrumental in depriving France and Germany of access to the region. Durres Port. The departure of Azikiwe and other Igbo members of the NYM left the organisation in Yoruba hands. September 1996. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria 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.. it was on that faithful day, 1 st January 1914 that the L'indpendance du. Otherwise, the Governor-General's office was essentially ceremonial. Lugard's campaign systematically subdued local resistance, using armed force when diplomatic measures failed. Therefore, other factors exist to explain the institutional design. It is not a personal union of separate colonies under the same Governor like the Windwards, it is not a Confederation of States. British business interests wanted to use this to create a monopoly over the industry, but Prime Minister H. H. Asquith's Liberal government and subsequent war coalition favored allowing international free trade. Du Bois. The war also made the British reappraise Nigeria's political future. June 30, 2022 . The British entry into World War I saw the confiscation of Nigerian palm oil firms operated by expatriates from the Central Powers. 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. [46] Lugard was slow to describe these excursions to the Colonial Office, which apparently learned of preparations to attack Kano from the newspapers in December 1902. [43][44] The British forces began annual pacification missions to convince the locals of British supremacy. By extending the elective principle and by providing for a central government with a Council of Ministers, the Macpherson Constitution gave renewed impetus to party activity and to political participation at the national level. Political opposition to colonial rule often assumed religious dimensions. [16] Starting in 1740, the British were the primary European slave trafficker from this area. 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. In time, they built depots onshore and eventually moved up the Niger River to establish stations in the interior. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria The palm oil trade was also linked to the Sokoto jihad and the Yoruba wars, because many warriors recognized the importance of slaves not only as soldiers and producers of food to feed soldiers but additionally as producers of palm oil to trade for European dane guns and other goods. In quick order, a large British military forcedeemed the Punitive Expeditionwas assembled, and on February 18, they arrived in Benin City under orders to invade and conquer it. Colonialism in Nigeria: positive and negative impacts of Nigerian Missionaries were active: Presbyterians in Calabar and the Church Missionary Society (CMS), Methodists, and Baptists in Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Oyo, and Ogbomoso. David Ellis, "African and European relations in the last century of the transatlantic slave trade"; in Ptr-Grenouilleau. In 1950 Aminu Kano, who had been instrumental in founding the NPC, broke away to form the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), in protest against the NPC's limited objectives and what he regarded as a vain hope that traditional rulers would accept modernization. Regional administrations also varied widely in the quality of local personnel and in the scope of the operations they were willing to undertake. The history of external colonisation of Africa can be divided into two stages: Classical antiquity and European colonialism. In 1805, he set out on a second expedition, sponsored by the British Government, to follow the Niger to the sea. 4 Pages. In one year, Lugard recruited 2600 troops, evenly split between Hausa and Yoruba. [11], Britain's imperialistic posture became more aggressive towards the end of the century. 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. We bind ourselves not to have any intercourse with any strangers or foreigners except through the said national African Company (Limited), and we give the said National African Company (Limited) full power to exclude all other strangers and foreigners from their territory at their discretion. One place that felt victim to this imperialism was Africa. The goal of activists initially was not self-determination, but increased participation on a regional level in the governmental process. The Fulani conquest and rule of the Hausa Kingdom of Northern Nigeria In the south the British had to fight many wars, in particular the wars against the Ijebu (a Yoruba group) in 1892, the Aro of eastern Igboland, and, until 1914, the Aniocha of western Igboland. Independence was achieved on 1 October 1960. In time they captured Oba Ovonramwen and sent him into exile to Calabar, a town east of Benin. Significantly, the regional governments controlled public expenditures derived from revenues raised within each region. This led to protests known as Women's War. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria ", Helen Chapin Metz, ed. The British annexed Lagos in 1861 in order to protect Akitoyes son and successor, foil Kosokos bid to return, and secure a base for further activities. The policy of indirect rule used in Northern Nigeria became a model for British colonies elsewhere in Africa. Order. Catholic missionaries were particularly active among the Igbo; the CMS worked among the Yoruba. Other commercial crops, such as cocoa and rubber, were encouraged, and tin was mined on the Jos Plateau. brighton grey motion loveseat; waterford, ct obituaries; jane wymark children. 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. Some of the treaties contained prohibitions on diplomacy conducted without British permission, or other promises to abide by British rule. The CMS pioneered trade on the Niger by encouraging Scottish explorer and merchant Macgregor Laird to run a monthly steamboat, which provided transportation for missionary agents and Sierra Leonean traders going up the Niger. 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. [18], In 1807, the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted the Slave Trade Act, prohibiting British subjects from participating in the Atlantic slave trade. British colonialism created Nigeria, joining diverse peoples and regions in an artificial political entity along the Niger River. [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. [74] The disease first found its home among the many trading ports along the West African coast. French in West Africa - University of Pennsylvania During the war, the colonial government earmarked a large portion of the Nigerian budget as a contribution to imperial defence. So, how did Europeans end up in Africa? 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. Until he stepped down as Governor-General in 1918, Lugard primarily was concerned with consolidating British sovereignty and with assuring local administration through traditional rulers. Ouidah (now part of Benin) and Lagos were the major ports on the coast. Empty cart. Although this trade grew to significant proportionspalm oil exports alone were worth 1 billion a year by 1840it was concentrated near the coast, where palm trees grew in abundance. The Ekumeku, who were well organized and whose leaders were joined in secrecy oaths, effectively utilized guerrilla tactics to attack the British. The NPC was called on to form a government, but the NCNC received six of the ten ministerial posts. The Reconquista, or reconquest, refers to the 800 years of violence and expulsion of Muslims from the Iberian Peninsula after the failed Crusades. In German East Africa, Britain took over Tangayika while Ruanda-Urundi possessions were given to Belgium. For example, many people in Ibadan opposed Awolowo on personal grounds because of his identification with the Ijebu Yoruba. Afeadie, Philip Atsu. The Sokoto jihad and the Yoruba wars stimulated the slave trade at a time when the British were actively trying to stop it. Sir Richmond Palmer, acting as Lieutenant Governor in the North, disagreed with Clifford and advocated the principles of Lugard and further decentralisation. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. French Roman Catholic missionaries, established in Ouidah (Whydah), arrived in Lagos and considered missionary work on the Niger. On 9 May 1913, Lugard submitted a formal proposal to the Colonial Office in which Northern and Southern provinces would have separate administrations, under the control of a "strongly authoritarian" Governor-General. A Summary of British Rule in India - ThoughtCo 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. Britain subsequently lobbied other European powers to stop the slave trade as well. 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. 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). . 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. Although lacking Azikiwe's compelling personality, Awolowo was a formidable debater as well as a vigorous and tenacious political campaigner. It is not a federal state with federal Executive, Legislature and finances, like the Leewards. They never were able to elect sizeable legislative delegations, but they served as a means of public expression for minority concerns. Between them, the French and the British had purchased a majority of the slaves sold from the ports of Edo. The superior weapons, tactics and political unity of the British are commonly given as reasons for their decisive . 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. The Industrial Revolution was a period of scientific and technological development in the 18th century that transformed largely rural, agrarian societiesespecially in Europe and North America . Christian missionaries were barred, and the limited government efforts in education were harmonized with Islamic institutions.[67]. The Emirs and chiefs who are appointed will rule over the people as of old-time and take such taxes as are approved by the High Commissioner, but they will obey the laws of the Governor and will act in accordance with the advice of the Resident. Although the capital was not moved, Lugard's bias in favour of the Muslim north was clear at the time. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeriaannalise mahanes height. Britain also encouraged the formation of the Muslim League of India in 1907. They wanted self-government, charging that only colonial rule prevented the unshackling of progressive forces in Nigeria and other states. Some African Christian communities formed their own independent churches. British influence in the Niger area increased gradually over the 19th century, but Britain did not effectively occupy the area until 1885. Among his leading lieutenants were Samuel Akintola of Ogbomoso and the Oni of Ife, the most important of the Yoruba monarchs. The NPC continued to represent the interests of the traditional order in the pre-independence deliberations. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 8(04), 563. doi:10.1017/s0022278x00023909. 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. What Britain Did to Nigeria - Max Siollun - Oxford University Press During his six-year tenure as High Commissioner, Sir Frederick Lugard (as he became in 1901) was occupied with transforming the commercial sphere of influence inherited from the Royal Niger Company into a viable territorial unit under effective British political control. The superior weapons, tactics and political unity of the British are commonly given as reasons for their decisive ultimate victory. In 1900, the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate passed from company hands to the Crown. European traders in Nigeria initially made widespread use of the cowrie, which was already valued locally. [73], Due to the failure of the sanitation officers in Lagos, the virus would continue to spread throughout the southern provinces throughout September and finally make its way into the hinterlands by October. 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. [42], The British had difficulty conquering Igboland, which lacked a central political organisation. The mud-walled city of Kano was captured in February, and, after a vigorous skirmish at Kotorkwashi, the sultans capital, Sokoto, fell the next month. These included the decline of the Mughal Empire. [45], A campaign against the Sokoto Caliphate began in 1900 with the creation of the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria, under the direction of Governor Lugard. The Governor-General, in turn, was responsible for appointing the prime minister and for choosing a candidate from among contending leaders when there was no parliamentary majority. The introduction of the federal principle, with deliberative authority devolved on the regions, signalled recognition of the country's diversity. Rather than seeing themselves as Zulu, Xhoasa, Sotho, etc, nationalist leaders wanted Africans to view themselves as South Africans. While initially organised for professional and fraternal reasons, these were centres of educated people who had chances to develop their leadership skills in the organisations, as well as form broad social networks. 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. From 1790 to 1807, predominantly British slave traders purchased 1,0002,000 slaves each year in Lagos alone. "The Hidden Hand of Overrule: Political Agents and the Establishment of British Colonial Rule in Northern Nigeria, 18861914". "Specifically, the Company sought to secure the cooperation of the traditional rulers in ensuring peaceful conditions for trade. 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: Description. The Colonial Civil Service used intermediaries, as the Royal Niger Company had, in an expanded role which included diplomacy, propaganda and espionage. How Britain Conquered And Created Nigeria - Politics - Nigeria - Nairaland The movement brought to public notice a long list of future leaders, including H.O. 1821 - Sierra Leone, Gambia and the Gold Coast form British West Africa. 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. 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. http://www.kibin.com/essay-examples/the-factors-that-led-to-the-colonization-of-africa-by-the-europeans-PLa41Sz5 Be sure to capitalize proper nouns (e.g. [11] [12] The influx of cowrie led to inflation. [23] Regardless, slavery had decimated the population and fuelled militarisation and chaos, thereby paving the way for more aggressive colonisation.[21][24]. Trained as an army officer, he had served in India, Egypt and East Africa, where he expelled Arab slave traders from Nyasaland and established British presence in Uganda. Even before gaining its charter, the Company signed treaties with local leaders which granted it broad sovereign powers. 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. A consul was maintained at Fernando Po to oversee the lucrative palm oil trade in the region called the Oil Rivers.
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