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Total revenues of central and regional governments nearly doubled in relation to the gross domestic product during the decade. 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. [11][12], In 1900, the British Government assumed control of the Southern and Northern Protectorates, both of which were ultimately governed by the Colonial Office at Whitehall. The economy suffered from the decline in the slave trade, although considerable smuggling of slaves to the Americas continued for years afterward. 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. Because of the spread of mission schools and wealth derived from export crops, the southern parties were committed to policies that would benefit the south of the country. This led to protests known as Women's War. Three of these posts were assigned to representatives from each region, and one was reserved for a delegate from the Northern Cameroons. The first missions were opened by the Church of England's Church Missionary Society (CMS). 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. 979 Words. The trade subsequently continued under the Portuguese Empire. 1. 24. "The Hidden Hand of Overrule: Political Agents and the Establishment of British Colonial Rule in Northern Nigeria, 18861914". Additionally. According to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Voyage Database, 308,800 were sold across the Atlantic from Lagos in 17761850. Public works, such as harbour dredging and road and railway construction, opened Nigeria to economic development. [35] However, the company did accept that local kings could act as partners in governance and trade. In 1841 the British tried to settle some Egba on a model farm in Lokoja, but the plan was aborted because the mortality rate among European officials was so high. [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. [18], In 1807, the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted the Slave Trade Act, prohibiting British subjects from participating in the Atlantic slave trade. Lagos became a major slave port in the late 1700s and into the 1850s. [9] Administration and military control of the territory was conducted primarily by white Britons, both in London and in Nigeria. Missionary forces demanded prohibition of liquor, which proved highly unpopular. A Hurst Publication. Most internal problems were concealed, and open opposition to the domination of the Muslim aristocracy was not tolerated. Britain withdrew from the slave trade when it was the major transporter of slaves to the Americas. In practice, British administrative procedures under indirect rule entailed constant interaction between colonial authorities and local rulersthe system was modified to fit the needs of each region. The factors that led to the colonization of africa by the europeans. Afeadie, "The Hidden Hand of Overrule" (1996), p. 1719. [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. [25][n 1], The missionaries gained in power throughout the 1800s. 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. 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. The conference is popularly called "The Berlin Conference". mitchelville beach house. Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. This was a case of plenty harvest but few hands to cultivate. 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. 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. The history of external colonisation of Africa can be divided into two stages: Classical antiquity and European colonialism. European slave trading from West Africa began before 1650, with people taken at a rate of about 3,000 per year. These organisations were primarily urban phenomena that arose after numerous rural migrants moved to the cities. The British targeted Nigeria because of its resources. 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. [63], The Protectorate was centrally administered by the Colonial Civil Service, staffed by Britons and Africans called the British Native Staffmany of whom originated from outside the territory. [19], West Africa also bought British exports, supplying 3040% of the demand for British cotton during the Industrial Revolution of 17501790.[27]. 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. 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. The officers of the RWAFF were British. That's human geography 101. He was convinced that the Muslim religion had fallen into utter degeneration as a result of moral depravity of the Hausa Emirs. Harding, director of Nigerian affairs at the Colonial Office, defined the official position of the British Government in support of indirect rule when he said that "direct government by impartial and honest men of alien race [] never yet satisfied a nation long and [] under such a form of government, as wealth and education increase, so do political discontent and sedition". [11], Britain's imperialistic posture became more aggressive towards the end of the century. Subsequent revisions contained in the Lyttleton Constitution, enacted in 1954, firmly established the federal principle and paved the way for independence. Nigerian units also contributed to two divisions serving with British forces in Palestine, Morocco, Sicily and Burma, where they won many honours. He was prepared to introduce educational and economic changes to strengthen the north. In the meantime, public sector spending increased even more dramatically than export earnings. In 1958 exportation of Nigerian oil was initiated at facilities constructed at Port Harcourt. Under Lugard from 1900 to 1906, the Protectorate consolidated political control over the area through military conquest and initiated the use of British currency in substitute for barter. Britain annexed Lagos in 1861 and established the Oil River Protectorate in 1884. In the 1870s, therefore, George Taubman Goldie began amalgamating companies into the United African Company, soon renamed the National African Company. 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. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. 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. These schools would teach "the basic principles that would and should regulate character and conduct". 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. A constabulary force was raised and used to pacify the coastal area. Nigerian recruits participated in the war effort as labourers and soldiers. [61], The task of unification was achieved on the eve of World War I. Ken Swindell, "The Commercial Development of the North: Company and Government Relations, 19001906". The Headquarters of Gombe emirate was Gombe-Abba[15] until when the then Emir of Gombe, Umaru Kwairanga (18981922), was forced to move from Gombe-Abba, a town founded by his grandfather and the founder of Gombe Emirate, Modibbo Bubayero, to Nafada town in 1913, and then to the current Gombe in 1919, that was after Gombe Emirate was conquered by British colonialists in 1903. Christian missionaries were barred, and the limited government efforts in education were harmonized with Islamic institutions.[67]. The huge African continent (three times the size of the continental United States) was particularly vulnerable to European conquest. 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. Economic competition among these "houses" was so fierce that trade often erupted into an armed battle between the crews of the large canoes. [] They needed special personnel: such officials who knew the local conditions and who could communicate between the Company and the indigenous people. By 1903 the conquest of the emirates was complete. Indeed it was these developments in the history of Kano that transformed the political outlook of the people. . Read suggested they be merged, and more use made of Nigeria's natural resources. Balewa formed a coalition government that included the Action Group as well as the NCNC to prepare the country for the final British withdrawal. 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. In Europe, Britain sent troops to help its ally, Prussia, which was surrounded by its enemies. Initially, most palm oil (and later kernels) came from Igboland, where palm trees formed a canopy over the densely inhabited areas of the Ngwa, Nri Kingdom, Awka and other Igbo peoples. tamko building products ownership; 30 Junio, 2022; factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria . 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. To some extent, competition amongst these companies undermined their collective position vis--vis, local merchants. 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. In German East Africa, Britain took over Tangayika while Ruanda-Urundi possessions were given to Belgium. 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. It was colonized by the British in 1884 and the colony is established at the Berlin conference which divides Africa by European powers. Lugard bequeathed to his successor a prosperous colony when his term as Governor-General expired. Hausa was recognised as an official language in the north, and knowledge of it was expected of colonial officers serving there. The introduction of the federal principle, with deliberative authority devolved on the regions, signalled recognition of the country's diversity. The Igbo redirected slaves into the domestic economy, especially to grow the staple food crop, yams, in northern Igboland for marketing throughout the palm-tree belt. The charter allowed the company to collect customs and make treaties with local leaders.[12]. 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. [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. The most important innovations in the new charter reinforced the dual course of constitutional evolution, allowing for both regional autonomy and federal union. 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. The receding British presence enabled local officials and politicians to gain access to patronage over government jobs, funds for local development, market permits, trade licenses, government contracts, and even scholarships for higher education. [31], In 1891, the consulate established the Niger Coast Protectorate Force or "Oil Rivers Irregulars".[32]. The country was divided politically, lacking European rivals, and no sense of national unity. How did use of enslaved African people for labour develop? [53] The first five heads of the Nigeria Department (18981914) were Reginald Antrobus, William Mercer, William Baillie Hamilton, Sydney Olivier, and Charles Strachey. The National Youth Movement used nationalist rhetoric to agitate for improvements in education. The early history of Lagos Colony was one of repeated attempts to end the Yoruba wars. [37] Economically, local colonial administrators also pushed for the imposition of British colonial rule, believing that trade and taxation conducted in British pounds would prove far more lucrative than a barter trade which yielded only inconsistent customs duties. 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. In contrast to Lugard, Clifford argued that colonial government had the responsibility to introduce as quickly as practical the benefits of Western experience. 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. Several churches were built to serve the Edo community and a small number of African converts. But the war had more concrete consequences. 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. [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. There were some specific outcomes and impacts for Africans as a result of WWI. Some European traders switched to legitimate business only when the commerce in slaves became too hazardous. Egypt) and titles (e.g. [29] His servant, Richard Lander, and Lander's brother John were the ones to demonstrate that the Niger flowed into the sea. 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. Beecroft was the British representative to Fernando Po, where the African Slave Trade Patrol of the Royal Navy was stationed. His government guided the country for the next three years, operating with almost complete autonomy in internal affairs. The 1922 constitution provided Nigerians with the chance to elect a handful of representatives to the Legislative Council. 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. Political activists in the southern areas spoke of self-government in terms of educational opportunities and economic development. In April 1927, the British colonial government in Nigeria took measures to enforce the Native Revenue (Amendment) Ordinance. Afeadie, "The Hidden Hand of Overrule" (1996), p. 1213. Three years later internal divisions arose that was dominated by major ethnic loyalties. 0 Wishlist. Africans also were represented on the Lagos Legislative Council, a largely appointed assembly. The Delta streams were called "oil rivers". These recourses were considered a necessity to the industrialization of the world . "Specifically, the Company sought to secure the cooperation of the traditional rulers in ensuring peaceful conditions for trade. In 1912, Lugard returned to Nigeria from his six-year term as Governor of Hong Kong, to oversee the merger of the northern and southern protectorates. The British led a series of military campaigns to enlarge its sphere of influence and expand its commercial opportunities. The most dramatic event having a long-term effect on Nigeria's economic development was the discovery and exploitation of petroleum deposits. Northern leaders committed to modernization were also firmly connected to the traditional power structure. The emirs retained their caliphate titles but were responsible to British district officers, who had final authority. Thanks to this skewed writing of history, many Nigerians today still have Empire nostalgia and view the colonial period through rose-tinted . The council was headed by a Governor. Rather than seeing themselves as Zulu, Xhoasa, Sotho, etc, nationalist leaders wanted Africans to view themselves as South Africans. Recovery came quickly and improvements in port facilities and the transportation infrastructure during World War I furthered economic development. Afeadie, "The Hidden Hand of Overrule" (1996), p. 1921. From Lugard's point of view, clear-cut military victories were necessary because the surrenders of the defeated peoples weakened resistance elsewhere. (This was also reflective of growing pan-Africanism among American activists of the time.) Clifford emphasized economic development, encouraging enterprises by immigrant southerners in the north while restricting European participation to capital intensive activity. The approaches of the two men to colonial development were diametrically opposed. In the South, only English had official status. 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]. The most powerful figure in the party was Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. 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. [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. 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. There were three main factors that contributed to the European colonization Africa which were, political, social, and economic. 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. The British responded to such evidence of rivalry by defending their right to free navigation on the river at the Berlin West Africa Conference of 188485. Read published a Memorandum on British possessions in West Africa, which remarked upon the "inconvenient and unscientific boundaries" between Lagos Colony, the Niger Coast Protectorate and the Royal Niger Company. Bello wanted to protect northern social and political institutions from southern influence. They later discovered that the demand for palm oil was in fact stimulating an internal slave trade, because slaves were largely responsible for collecting palm fruits, manufacturing palm oil, and transporting it to the coast, whether by canoe or by human porterage. The British were not yet willing to assume the expense of maintaining an administration in Nigeria. Nigeria (Sokoto Caliphate inclusive) fell prey to the attacks. In popular parlance, discussions of colonialism in Africa usually focus on the European conquests that resulted in the scramble for Africa after the Berlin Conference in the 19th century. 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. Similar status was acquired by the Northern Region two years later. During World War II, Awolowo reorganized it as a predominantly Yoruba political party, the Action Group.