factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria

It assumed that comparable alterations would be made elsewhere, an attitude that won the party minority voting support in the other regions. The militias and RWAFF battalions were reorganized into the RWAFF Nigeria Regiment.[62]. British Colonizing in Nigeria. [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. Britain also encouraged the formation of the Muslim League of India in 1907. Great Britain was the leaders at this time in colonizing the land filled with rich natural recourses. Robin Hermann, "Empire Builders and Mushroom Gentlemen: The Meaning of Money in Colonial Nigeria". Afeadie, "The Hidden Hand of Overrule" (1996), p. 1012. Public works, such as harbour dredging and road and railway construction, opened Nigeria to economic development. In the Northern Cameroons, however, the largely Muslim electorate chose to merge with Nigeria's Northern Region. Bello wanted to protect northern social and political institutions from southern influence. The neglect of traditional institutions. In the early stages of British rule, it is desirable to retain the native authority and to work through and by the native emirs. The British entry into World War I saw the confiscation of Nigerian palm oil firms operated by expatriates from the Central Powers. 1821 - Sierra Leone, Gambia and the Gold Coast form British West Africa. [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. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1991. 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. One of the most effective tactics, the British used to take over most of India. The most powerful figure in the party was Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. Olatunji Ojo, "The Organization of the Atlantic Slave Trade in Yorubaland, ca.1777 to ca.1856", Bouda Etemad, "Economic relations between Europe and Black Africa, Giles D. Short, "Blood and Treasure: The reduction of Lagos, 1851", "Northern Nigeria: The Illo Canceller and Borgu Mail" by Ray Harris in. These recourses were considered a necessity to the industrialization of the world . David Ellis, "African and European relations in the last century of the transatlantic slave trade"; in Ptr-Grenouilleau. The government was responsible to a Parliament composed of the popularly elected 312-member House of Representatives and the 44-member Senate, chosen by the regional legislatures. They 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. Broadening political participation and expanding educational opportunities and other social services also were viewed as threats to the status quo. Nigerian students abroad, particularly at British schools, joined those from other colonies in pan-African groups such as the West African Students Union, founded in London in 1925. [58], Some of these public work projects were accomplished with the help of forced labour from native black Africans, referred to as "Political Labour". Their forces, which were drawn from hundreds of Igbo youth from all parts of the region, created many problems for the British, but the British used forceful tactics and heavy armaments (destroying homes, farms, and roads) to prevail. This was a case of plenty harvest but few hands to cultivate. The proliferation of labour organisations fragmented the movement, and potential leaders lacked the experience and skill to draw workers together. British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston detested slavery, and in 1851 he took advantage of divisions in native politics, the presence of Christian missionaries, and the maneuvers of British consul John Beecroft to encourage the overthrow of the regime. After the defection of Kano, the only significant disagreement within the NPC was related to moderates. A consul was maintained at Fernando Po to oversee the lucrative palm oil trade in the region called the Oil Rivers. Spain was driven by three main motivations. Gradually, however, the trade forced major economic and social changes in the interior, although it hardly undermined slavery and the slave trade. One of the factors that contributed to the success of indirect rule in Northern Nigeria was the use of the existing traditional system of administration. In-text citation: Developed from Mayan civilization B. acquired empires by means of military conquest C. Independently developed iron technology D. Depended entirely on oral record keeping . [31], In 1891, the consulate established the Niger Coast Protectorate Force or "Oil Rivers Irregulars".[32]. 979 Words. [25][n 1], The missionaries gained in power throughout the 1800s. Rather than seeing themselves as Zulu, Xhoasa, Sotho, etc, nationalist leaders wanted Africans to view themselves as South Africans. Much of the human trafficking which occurred there was nominally illegal, and records from this time and place are not comprehensive. Lugard informed the leaders of conquered Sokoto: The Fulani in old times [] conquered this country. [22] Many locals remained unconvinced of the Crown's authority to completely reverse the legal and moral attributes of a social institution through fiat. Most of these came from military backgrounds. Village Heads were paid 10 shillings for conscripts, and fined 50 if they failed to supply. European traders in Nigeria initially made widespread use of the cowrie, which was already valued locally. [72] In line with this attitude, he rejected Lugard's proposal for moving the capital from Lagos, the stronghold of the elite in whom he placed so much confidence for the future. Early nationalists tended to ignore Nigeria as the focus of patriotism. The kingdom of Benin began in the 900s when the Edo people settled in the rainforests of West Africa. 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. Thus Spain and Portugal set up colonies in Central and South America after it was discovered by Columbus. The NCNC backed creation of a midwest state and proposed federal control of education and health services. The first factor to be taken into account is that the British by nature are conservative. To raise additional revenues, Lugard took steps to institute a uniform tax structure patterned on the traditional system that he had adopted in the north during his tenure there. During the 1880's through 1914, the start of WWI, was an age of imperialism. French Roman Catholic missionaries, established in Ouidah (Whydah), arrived in Lagos and considered missionary work on the Niger. From 1886 to 1899, much of the country was ruled by the Royal Niger Company, authorised by charter, and governed by George Taubman Goldie. The Colonial Office could veto or revise his policies. Its residents were employed in official capacities and were active in business. Frederick Lugard, who was appointed as High Commissioner of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1900 and served until 1906 in his first term, often has been regarded by the British as their model colonial administrator. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeriaturkish airlines flight 981 victims. 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. [16] Starting in 1740, the British were the primary European slave trafficker from this area. [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. This became the Lagos Constabulary, and subsequently the Nigerian Police Force. From 1790 to 1807, predominantly British slave traders purchased 1,0002,000 slaves each year in Lagos alone. By the eighteenth century, evidence of Christianity had disappeared. 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. Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. The Action Group, which staged a lively campaign, favoured stronger government and the establishment of three new states while advocating the creation of a West Africa Federation that would unite Nigeria with Ghana and Sierra Leone. Ethnic and kinship organisations that often took the form of a tribal union also emerged in the 1920s. The Deputy Governor served as political administrator for company territory and appointed three officials in Nigeria to carry out the work of administration. The so-called Macpherson Constitution, after the incumbent Governor-General John Stuart Macpherson, went into effect the following year. In general, the regional constitutions followed the federal model, both structurally and functionally. A revelatory account of British imperialism's shameful impact on Africa's most populous state. tamko building products ownership; 30 Junio, 2022; factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria . [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. The British and the French fought the Carnatic Wars, which the British won decisively - making the British the foremost colonial power. The rapid growth of organised labour in the 1940s also brought new political forces into play. Lugard's campaign systematically subdued local resistance, using armed force when diplomatic measures failed. But in the 1700s, the Bight of Benin (also known as the Slave Coast) became the next most important hub. The only significant interruption in economic development arose from natural disasterthe Great Drought of 191314. The Royal Niger Company had its own armed forces. In 1905, the colonial government divided Bengal into Hindu and Muslim sections; this division was revoked after strong protests. These courts contained majorities British members and represented a new level of presumptive British sovereignty in the Bight of Biafra. By the end of the Napoleonic Wars, it ended slavery in its possessions. 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. They caused major transformations in traditional society as they eroded the religious institutions such as human sacrifice, infanticide and secret societies, which had formerly played a role in political authority and community life.[26]. In the Bight of Biafra, the major ports were Old Calabar (Akwa Akpa), Bonny and New Calabar. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Similar status was acquired by the Northern Region two years later. 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. It was colonized by the British in 1884 and the colony is established at the Berlin conference which divides Africa by European powers. The National Youth Movement used nationalist rhetoric to agitate for improvements in education. Uneasy with the amount of latitude allowed traditional rulers under indirect rule, Clifford opposed further extension of the judicial authority held by the northern emirs. [29] His servant, Richard Lander, and Lander's brother John were the ones to demonstrate that the Niger flowed into the sea. Their history illustrates that rarely they had put a programme or a plan before themselves and then acted upon it. The NPC continued to represent the interests of the traditional order in the pre-independence deliberations. Europeans, with an eye to colonization and conquest, restricted the sale of the new weaponry to Africa maintaining military superiority. The decrease in trade indirectly led to the collapse of states like the Edo Empire. [64], Each region also had a Native Administration, staffed by locals, and possessing a Native Treasury. The basic economic units in each town were "houses", family-operated entities that engendered loyalty for its employees. The NPC was called on to form a government, but the NCNC received six of the ten ministerial posts. The mud-walled city of Kano was captured in February, and, after a vigorous skirmish at Kotorkwashi, the sultan's capital, Sokoto, fell the next month. As the emirs settled more and more into their role as reliable agents of indirect rule, colonial authorities were content to maintain the status quo, particularly in religious matters. The Southern Protectorate financed itself from the outset, with revenue increasing from 361,815 to 1,933,235 over the same period. The racial discriminatory tendencies of the Europeans to Nigerians. They wanted self-government, charging that only colonial rule prevented the unshackling of progressive forces in Nigeria and other states. In the South, only English had official status. Lagos was the first part of Nigeria to be conquered and declare a British colony in 1861. 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. 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. [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. The Ekumeku, who were well organized and whose leaders were joined in secrecy oaths, effectively utilized guerrilla tactics to attack the British. The Action Group was largely the creation of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, General Secretary of Egbe Omo Oduduwa and leader of the Nigerian Produce Traders' Association. The Delta streams were called "oil rivers". This line was extended to Oshogbo, 100 kilometres (62mi) away, in 19051907, and to Zungeru and Minna in 19081911. The choice of political elite at the time of independence can also explain these differences. The Colonial Office approved most of Lugard's plan, but balked at authorising him to pass laws without their approval. As a further step toward independence, the Governor's Executive Council was merged with the Council of Ministers in 1957 to form the all-Nigerian Federal Executive Council. Some African Christian communities formed their own independent churches. Open Document. The political parties jockeyed for positions of power in anticipation of the independence of Nigeria. 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. All the territories were now under British control, and the search for an identity began, first as Northern and Southern Nigeria and then with eventual amalgamation. ", Helen Chapin Metz, ed. [81] In 1936, of 6,259,547 income for the Nigerian state, 1,156,000 went back to England as home pay for British officials in the Nigerian civil service. As before, Aro merchants dominated trade in the hinterland, including palm products to the coast and the sale of slaves within Igboland. 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. It is still felt 56 years after it was officially announced death. Even before gaining its charter, the Company signed treaties with local leaders which granted it broad sovereign powers. 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. 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. sutton united average attendance; granville woods most famous invention; alcoa utilities power outage; At the turn of the century, top wages were four bags of salt (company retail price, 3s 9d) for a month of work. The charter allowed the company to collect customs and make treaties with local leaders.[12]. [38][39], In 1892 the British Armed Forces set out to fight the Ijebu Kingdom, which had resisted missionaries and foreign traders. [72] In the south, he saw the possibility of building an elite educated in schools modelled on a European method (and numerous elite children attended high-ranking colleges in Britain during the colonial years). Facebook Instagram Email. 1. The British led a series of military campaigns to enlarge its sphere of influence and expand its commercial opportunities. [12] Trade was also conducted through a mechanism of barter and credit. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. The NPC, entering candidates only in the Northern Region, confined campaigning largely to local issues but opposed the addition of new regimes. [54] Olivier was a member of the Fabian Society and a friend of George Bernard Shaw. 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. 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. They never were able to elect sizeable legislative delegations, but they served as a means of public expression for minority concerns. 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. Although churchmen in Britain had been influential in the drive to abolish the slave trade, significant missionary activity for Africa did not develop until the 1840s. The council was headed by a Governor. Several churches were built to serve the Edo community and a small number of African converts. 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). European interpretations of Christian orthodoxy in some cases refused to allow the incorporation of local customs and practices, although the various mission denominations interpreted Christianity in different ways. 4. In German East Africa, Britain took over Tangayika while Ruanda-Urundi possessions were given to Belgium. 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). They noticed something odd about the local fishermen and asked to come ashore. A permanent British occupation of Egypt required the inviolability of the Ni 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. [57], Egerton also supervised improvements to the Lagos harbour and extension of the local telegraph network. [51], Guidelines for running the Nigerian colony were established in 1898 by the Niger Committee, chaired by the Earl of Selborne, in 1898. A Hurst Publication. In the name of liberating the Igbos from the Aro Confederacy, the British launched the Anglo-Aro War of 19011902. 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]. 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. [73] In direct reaction to the epidemic, colonial authorities allowed African doctors and medical personnel to work with influenza patients due to the severity of the situation. In 1907, the corporation received a loan of 25,000, repayable upon discovery of oil. But the war had more concrete consequences. By 1903 the conquest of the emirates was complete. 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. By an overwhelming majority, voters in the Southern Cameroons opted to join formerly French-administered Cameroon over integration with Nigeria as a separate federated region. Nigeria (Sokoto Caliphate inclusive) fell prey to the attacks. African nationalism attempted to transform the identity of Africans. [19] Although the Ijebu had some weapons they were wiped out by British Maxims, the earliest machine gun. Oil income was still marginal, but the prospects for continued economic expansion appeared bright and accentuated political rivalries on the eve of independence. 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. The British High Commissioners could depose emirs and other officials if necessary. Britain withdrew from the slave trade when it was the major transporter of slaves to the Americas. While each generated considerable political controversy, they moved the country toward greater internal autonomy, with an increasing role for the political parties. During World War II, three battalions of the Nigeria Regiment fought against Fascist Italy in the Ethiopian campaign. 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. Some were deposed, some were defeated in battle, and others collaborated. [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. During the war, union membership increased sixfold to 30,000. 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. Macbeth) in the essay title portion of your citation. [49], Concrete plans for transition to Crown ruledirect control by the British Governmentapparently began in 1897. 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. 2. Other commercial crops, such as cocoa and rubber, were encouraged, and tin was mined on the Jos Plateau. The emirs gave support to limited modernization largely from fears of the unsettling presence of southerners in the north, and by observing the improvements in living conditions in the South. He argued that the division into two separate colonies was advisable unless a stronger central government could bind Nigeria into more than just an administrative convenience for the three regions. The British Conquest of Nigeria From about the mid nineteenth century, the British began to alter the nature of their relationship between themselves and Nigerians. Most of the fighting was done by Hausa soldiers, recruited to fight against other groups. "The Hidden Hand of Overrule: Political Agents and the Establishment of British Colonial Rule in Northern Nigeria, 18861914". Britain also annexed Freetown in Sierra Leone, declaring it a Crown Colony in 1808.[20]. British influence in the Niger area increased gradually over the 19th century, but Britain did not effectively occupy the area until 1885. Following the defeat of an unsuccessful foray by Consul General James R. Phillips, a larger retaliatory force captured Benin City and drove Ovonramwen, the Oba of Benin, into exile. Colonial Lagos was a busy, cosmopolitan port. Hausa was recognised as an official language in the north, and knowledge of it was expected of colonial officers serving there. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. 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. 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). Although per capita income in the country as a whole remained low by international standards, rising incomes among salaried personnel and burgeoning urbanization expanded consumer demand for imported goods. 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. The supply of precious metals was finite, and monarchs hoped to find large deposits of gold and silver in the Americas. Lugard's governmental model for Nigeria was unique and there was apparently not much planning for its future development. THE FULANI CONQUEST AND RULE OF THE HAUSA KINGDOM 235 from 1804, the date of the Hegira. It was also partly to protect the Egba that the British shelled Lagos in 1851, expelled Kosoko, the reigning oba, and restored his uncle, Akitoye, who appeared more willing to join in a campaign to abolish the slave trade. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Final Conquest Verse By Verse Study of The Book Revelation DVD Robert Jeffress at the best online prices at eBay! Quiz. Despite these difficulties, the Action Group rapidly built an effective organisation. The Native Administration was headed by the traditional rulersmostly emirs in the north and often obas in the southand their District Heads, who oversaw a larger number of Village Heads. However, development of the Nigerian oilfields slowed when Bergheim died in a car crash in September 1912. The war was between the Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist nation that had declared independence from Nigeria. ", Tamuno, T. N. (1970). Despite the acceptance of European and North American influences, the nationalists were critical of colonialism for its failure to appreciate the antiquity, richness and complexity of indigenous cultures. Lugard bequeathed to his successor a prosperous colony when his term as Governor-General expired. The Ekumeku, however, became a great source of Igbo nationalism. Afeadie, "The Hidden Hand of Overrule" (1996), p. 1315. 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 trend was toward the establishment of a parliamentary system of government, with regional assemblies and a federal House of Representatives.

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