factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria

Columbus, in his voyage, sought fame and fortune, as did his Spanish sponsors. However, the British East India Company was able to lay the foundation of an empire in the Indian sub-continent because, from a British perspective, of a fortuitous series of circumstances. The British High Commissioners could depose emirs and other officials if necessary. BRITISH CONQUEST, COLONIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA - ResearchGate The yoruba-Igbo rivalry became increasingly important in Nigerian politics. [10], Following military conquest, the British imposed an economic system designed to profit from African labor. Some of the treaties contained prohibitions on diplomacy conducted without British permission, or other promises to abide by British rule. 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. In the face of threats to the divided Yoruba states from Dahomey and the Sokoto Caliphate, as represented by the emirate of Ilorin, the British Governorassisted by the CMSsucceeded in imposing peace settlements on the interior. Christian missionaries were barred, and the limited government efforts in education were harmonized with Islamic institutions.[67]. 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. Colonialism and Development: A Comparative Analysis of Spanish and Combining the three jurisdictions would reduce administrative expenses and facilitate deployment of resources and money between the areas. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. The British led a series of military campaigns to enlarge its sphere of influence and expand its commercial opportunities. What Were Reasons for European Exploration of the Americas? The NCNC backed creation of a midwest state and proposed federal control of education and health services. During the 1880's through 1914, the start of WWI, was an age of imperialism. [57], Egerton also supervised improvements to the Lagos harbour and extension of the local telegraph network. Britain also annexed Freetown in Sierra Leone, declaring it a Crown Colony in 1808.[20]. They wanted self-government, charging that only colonial rule prevented the unshackling of progressive forces in Nigeria and other states. Its final leg enabled it to meet another line, constructed 19071911, running from Baro, through Minnia, to Kano. Among the other major parties, the NCNC took fifty-six seats, winning a majority in both the Eastern and the Western regions, while the Action Group captured only twenty-seven seats. 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. Amalgamation of Nigeria was envisioned from early on in its governance, as is made clear by the report of the Niger Committee in 1898. Balewa was called on to head an NPC-NCNC coalition government, and Awolowo became the official leader of the opposition. 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. By demonstrating the heavy reliance on West African soldiers for the 'European' conduct of the Great War campaign in the region, it shows how West Africans helped determine the outcome of war in the region. At the same time, British scientists were interested in exploring the course and related settlements along the Niger River. Taxes became a source of discontent in the south, however, and contributed to disturbances protesting British policy. The neglect of traditional institutions. [79][80], Much of the colony's budget went to payments of its military, the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF). Hon. 2. "Separatist Agitations in Nigeria Since 1914." The introduction of the federal principle, with deliberative authority devolved on the regions, signalled recognition of the country's diversity. [29] His servant, Richard Lander, and Lander's brother John were the ones to demonstrate that the Niger flowed into the sea. In 1957, the Western and the Eastern regions became formally self-governing under the parliamentary system. Although his own ambitions were limited to the Northern Region, Bello backed the NPC's successful efforts to mobilize the north's large voting strength so as to win control of the national government. 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. 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. In consideration of the foregoing, the said National African Company (Limited) bind themselves not to interfere with any of the native laws or customs of the country, consistently with the maintenance of order and good government [and] agree to pay native owners of land a reasonable amount for any portion they may require. Britain subsequently lobbied other European powers to stop the slave trade as well. FACTORS THAT LED TO NATIONALISM IN NIGERIA. the British Government completed their assignment of conquest and came up with what they called the Amalgamation of Nigeria . factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria [11], Britain's imperialistic posture became more aggressive towards the end of the century. The Governor-General represented the British monarch as head of state and was appointed by the Crown on the advice of the Nigerian prime minister in consultation with the regional premiers. tamko building products ownership; 30 Junio, 2022; factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria . The huge African continent (three times the size of the continental United States) was particularly vulnerable to European conquest. The rapid expansion in exports, especially after 1830, occurred precisely at the time slave exports collapsed. 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. [13], The Colonial Office accepted Lugard's proposal that the Governor would not be required to stay in-country full-time; consequently, as Governor, Lugard spent four months out of the year in London. Doctrine of Lapse. The British also created "divide and rule" policies, pitting Hindu and Muslim Indians against one another. The legitimate trade in commodities attracted a number of British merchants to the Niger River, as well as some men who had been formerly engaged in the slave trade but who now changed their line of wares. It is not a unitary state with local government areas but with one Central Executive and one Legislature. The Ekumeku, however, became a great source of Igbo nationalism. In the immediate post-World War II period, Nigeria benefited from a favourable trade balance. [19] This scenario provided an opportunity for naval expeditions and reconnaissance throughout the region. 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. The conference drafted the terms of a new constitution. [31], In 1891, the consulate established the Niger Coast Protectorate Force or "Oil Rivers Irregulars".[32]. This made the British win key battles all over the East Coast, as they effectively grabbed control. Lugard's success in northern Nigeria has been attributed to his policy of indirect rule; that is, he governed the protectorate through the rulers defeated by the British. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. The first known encounter between the British and the people of the region of modern-day Nigeria was on April 1, 1600, when English sailors landed on the Niger River near Katsina, the largest city in northern Nigeria. The company received 865,000 compensation for the loss of its Charter. Read suggested they be merged, and more use made of Nigeria's natural resources. [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. They had obtained the assent of the emirs to form a political party to counterbalance the activities of the southern-based parties. The Colony was ultimately governed by the British Colonial Office in London. A constabulary force was raised and used to pacify the coastal area. In the Bight of Biafra, the major ports were Old Calabar (Akwa Akpa), Bonny and New Calabar. [50] In the same year, the British created the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF or WAFF), under the leadership of Colonel Frederick Lugard. [18], In 1807, the Parliament of the United Kingdom enacted the Slave Trade Act, prohibiting British subjects from participating in the Atlantic slave trade. The Norman conquest in 1066 was the last successful conquest of England. Other Protestant denominations from Great Britain, Canada, and the United States also opened missions and, in the 1860s, Roman Catholic religious orders established missions. Ouidah (now part of Benin) and Lagos were the major ports on the coast. 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. 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. After the Berlin Conference of 1884, Britain announced the formation of the Oil Rivers Protectorate, which included the Niger Delta and extended eastward to Calabar, where the British Consulate General was relocated from Fernando Po. Nigerian recruits participated in the war effort as labourers and soldiers. penn wood high school alumni; picture of shawn westover; microblading nickel allergy Seven Years' War | The Canadian Encyclopedia Norman Conquest - National Geographic Society History of Colonization in Africa | How Africa News Among his leading lieutenants were Samuel Akintola of Ogbomoso and the Oni of Ife, the most important of the Yoruba monarchs. necessitated by several factors. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeriacan low magnesium kill you. 11 Effects Of Colonialism In Nigeria - Information Guide in Nigeria factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. Much of the human trafficking which occurred there was nominally illegal, and records from this time and place are not comprehensive. ", Tamuno, T. N. (1970). While each generated considerable political controversy, they moved the country toward greater internal autonomy, with an increasing role for the political parties. The colonial economic policies in Nigeria, for instance, discouraged indigenous industrialization, but promoted export crop and mineral production to feed the British factories. In April 1927, the British colonial government in Nigeria took measures to enforce the Native Revenue (Amendment) Ordinance. The appointment of Joseph Chamberlain as colonial secretary in 1895 especially marked a shift towards new territorial ambitions of the British Empire. September 1996. PhD dissertation accepted at the Graduate Programme in History, York University, Ontario. With this victory, the British went on to conquer the rest of Yorubaland, which had also been weakened by sixteen years of civil war. 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. [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. 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. 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. The emirs retained their caliphate titles but were responsible to British district officers, who had final authority. [55], Under the Colonial Office was the Governor, who managed the administration of his colony and held powers of emergency rule. The only significant interruption in economic development arose from natural disasterthe Great Drought of 191314. 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]. It assumed that comparable alterations would be made elsewhere, an attitude that won the party minority voting support in the other regions. 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. Although the capital was not moved, Lugard's bias in favour of the Muslim north was clear at the time. British colonialism led to the spread of the English language in Africa, and many former British colonies still maintain English as an official language. The Colonial Civil Service used intermediaries, as the Royal Niger Company had, in an expanded role which included diplomacy, propaganda and espionage. As a practice, colonialism is traced to the1854 and 1855 conference at Berlin in Germany. In November 1908, Bergheim reported striking oil; in September 1909, he reported extracting 2,000 barrels per day. The Southern Protectorate financed itself from the outset, with revenue increasing from 361,815 to 1,933,235 over the same period. By 1938 the NYM was agitating for dominion status within the British Commonwealth of Nations so that Nigeria would have the same status as Canada and Australia. [38][39], In 1892 the British Armed Forces set out to fight the Ijebu Kingdom, which had resisted missionaries and foreign traders. The British were not yet willing to assume the expense of maintaining an administration in Nigeria. Britain and Nigeria'S Independence in 1960 [11] In 1891, the African Banking Corporation founded the Bank of British West Africa in Lagos.[33]. What are the Factors which facilitated the rise of Colonialism? With one man in practical control of the Executive and Legislative organs of all the parts, the machine may work passably for sufficient time to enable the transition period to be left behind, by which time the answer to the problemUnitary v. Federal Statewill probably have become clear. The pulpits of the independent congregations became avenues for the free expression of critics of colonial rule. The colonial period proper in Nigeria lasted from 1900 to 1960, after which Nigeria gained its independence. The Governor was, in effect, the coordinator for virtually autonomous entities that had overlapping economic interests but little in common politically or socially. African Resistance to European Imperialism: Conflicts & Impact 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. 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. From Conquest to Independence: the Nigerian Colonial Experience 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. God, Gold, and Glory. The basic economic units in each town were "houses", family-operated entities that engendered loyalty for its employees. 2. During World War II, three battalions of the Nigeria Regiment fought against Fascist Italy in the Ethiopian campaign. British expansion was conducted primarily by commercialists and resulted in more solid economic potential than the French endeavor (Crowder, 1990). Rather than seeing themselves as Zulu, Xhoasa, Sotho, etc, nationalist leaders wanted Africans to view themselves as South Africans. With these events, the daily routines of the royal court were . All were knighted. [57], From 1895 to 1900, a railway was constructed running from Lagos to Ibadan; it opened in March 1901. Men The principal commodities of legitimate trade were palm oil and palm kernels, which were used in Europe to make soap and as lubricants for machinery before petroleum products were developed for that purpose. Individuals could be fined or jailed for refusing to comply.[12]. 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. What Britain Did to Nigeria A Short History of Conquest and Rule Max Siollun. They received attention from major parties before elections, at which time either a dominant party from another region or the opposition party in their region sought their alliance. The kingdom of Benin - BBC Bitesize The Anglicans and other religious groups had a conscious "native church" policy to develop indigenous ecclesiastical institutions to become independent of Europeans. 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. [65], Half of all taxes went to the colonial government and half went to the Native Treasury. Military Conquest | West-African Colonial Administration They never were able to elect sizeable legislative delegations, but they served as a means of public expression for minority concerns. The French had abolished slavery following the French Revolution, although it briefly re-established it in its Caribbean colonies under Napoleon. [25][n 1], The missionaries gained in power throughout the 1800s. Clifford emphasized economic development, encouraging enterprises by immigrant southerners in the north while restricting European participation to capital intensive activity. Direct taxation on men was introduced in 1928 without major incidents. 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. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria Three of these posts were assigned to representatives from each region, and one was reserved for a delegate from the Northern Cameroons. 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). Britain also encouraged the formation of the Muslim League of India in 1907. Clifford also believed that indirect rule encouraged centripetal tendencies. The British wanted products like palm oil and palm kernel and export trade in tin, cotton, cocoa, groundnuts, palm oil and so on (Graham, 2009). 12 tribes of israel family tree; why did poseidon often adopt the shape of a steed. [21], Whether British conquest of Nigeria resulted from a benevolent motive to end slavery or more instrumental motives of wealth and power, remains a topic of dispute between African and European historians. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1991. Several churches were built to serve the Edo community and a small number of African converts. mitchelville beach house. Under Goldie's direction, the Royal Niger Company was instrumental in depriving France and Germany of access to the region. Subsequent revisions contained in the Lyttleton Constitution, enacted in 1954, firmly established the federal principle and paved the way for independence. In 1905, the colonial government divided Bengal into Hindu and Muslim sections; this division was revoked after strong protests. 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. Between them, the French and the British had purchased a majority of the slaves sold from the ports of Edo. Three years later internal divisions arose that was dominated by major ethnic loyalties. Africans also were represented on the Lagos Legislative Council, a largely appointed assembly. The movement soon assumed both religious and national characteristics. Nigeria (Sokoto Caliphate inclusive) fell prey to the attacks. In time, they built depots onshore and eventually moved up the Niger River to establish stations in the interior. 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. His government guided the country for the next three years, operating with almost complete autonomy in internal affairs. Borno capitulated without a fight, but in 1903 Lugard's RWAFF mounted assaults on Kano and Sokoto. This was a case of plenty harvest but few hands to cultivate. [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. Spain was driven by three main motivations. [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. Stealing Africa: How Britain looted the continent's art Aside from the possibility of treasure, the European governments aimed to find a passage through the Americas to Asia. The official languages of Kenya, for example, are English and Kiswahili, while Zimbabwe -- formerly Rhodesia under British colonial rule -- uses English as its only official language. [12] Trade was also conducted through a mechanism of barter and credit. African Nationalism | South African History Online 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. SLAVE TRADE - Central Connecticut State University Initial British attempts to open trade with the interior by way of the Niger could not overcome climate and diseases such as malaria. 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. Bello wanted to protect northern social and political institutions from southern influence. In the Northern Cameroons, however, the largely Muslim electorate chose to merge with Nigeria's Northern Region. [74] But with the advancement and efficiency of colonial transportation networks, it was only a matter of time before the disease began to spread into the interior. The Action Group consistently supported minority-group demands for autonomous states within a federal structure, as well as the severance of a midwest state from the Western Region. The militias and RWAFF battalions were reorganized into the RWAFF Nigeria Regiment.[62]. The trade subsequently continued under the Portuguese Empire. It is not a personal union of separate colonies under the same Governor like the Windwards, it is not a Confederation of States. 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). Thus Spain and Portugal set up colonies in Central and South America after it was discovered by Columbus. "The agents performed similar but more expansive roles as their Company counterparts. 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. British staffs in each region continued to operate according to procedures developed before unification. Its activist membership was drawn from local government and emirate officials who had access to means of communication and to repressive traditional authority that could keep the opposition in line. [67], This system, in which the structure of authority focused on the emir to whom obedience was a mark of religious devotion, did not welcome change. emblemhealth medicare customer service; did cody webster play college baseball 0 Home. The Colonial Office approved most of Lugard's plan, but balked at authorising him to pass laws without their approval.

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