factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria

The history of Nigeria can be traced to the earliest inhabitants whose remains date from at least 13,000 BC through early civilizations such as the Nok culture which began around 1500 BC.Numerous ancient African civilizations settled in the region that is known today as Nigeria, such as the Kingdom of Nri, the Benin Empire, and the Oyo Empire. 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. When Faidherbe and his successors proceeded with their conquest of the hinterlands they met with strong and sustained resistance from a number of sources including the Moors, the Toucouleur Empire of Segou under Al Hajj Umar and the powerful Almamy . Lagos was the first part of Nigeria to be conquered and declare a British colony in 1861. [35] However, the company did accept that local kings could act as partners in governance and trade. The British colonization of Kenya destroyed the culture and economy of the native people, but it established a democratic government and left Kenya a more modernized country. The first factor to be taken into account is that the British by nature are conservative. Africans also were represented on the Lagos Legislative Council, a largely appointed assembly. Three of these posts were assigned to representatives from each region, and one was reserved for a delegate from the Northern Cameroons. 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. [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. Its final leg enabled it to meet another line, constructed 19071911, running from Baro, through Minnia, to Kano. The Royal Niger Company had its own armed forces. Durres Port. There was virtually no pressure for greater unity among the regions until after the end of World War II. But the war had more concrete consequences. 2. 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. Additionally. After the defection of Kano, the only significant disagreement within the NPC was related to moderates. Afeadie, Philip Atsu. 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 most powerful figure in the party was Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. The legal justification for this campaign was a treaty signed in 1886, when the British had interceded as peacemakers to end the Ekiti Parapo war, which imposed free trade requirements and mandated that all parties continue to use British channels for diplomacy. 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. British influence in the Niger area increased gradually over the 19th century, but Britain did not effectively occupy the area until 1885. Gradually, however, the trade forced major economic and social changes in the interior, although it hardly undermined slavery and the slave trade. In 1916, Sir Edward Carson led the majority of the Conservative and Unionist Party to vote against Party Leader Bonar Law on the issue, forcing it to withdraw from the Asquith coalition and for the government to begin to break apart. It, therefore, hired native intermediaries who could conduct diplomacy, trade and intelligence work in the local area. [8] British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to British subjects in 1807. Inconsistencies in British policy reinforced existing cleavages based on regional animosities, as the British tried both to preserve the indigenous cultures of each area and to introduce modern technology, and Western political and social concepts. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. Britain annexed Lagos in 1861 and established the Oil River Protectorate in 1884. The movement soon assumed both religious and national characteristics. The economy suffered from the decline in the slave trade, although considerable smuggling of slaves to the Americas continued for years afterward. In an economy with many qualified applicants for every post, great resentment was generated by any favouritism that authorities showed to members of their own ethnic group. For some time, missionaries operated in the area between Lagos and Ibadan. Thanks to this skewed writing of history, many Nigerians today still have Empire nostalgia and view the colonial period through rose-tinted . 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. 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. Free shipping for many products! 4. [8] Azikiwe was installed as Governor-General of the federation and Balewa continued to serve as head of a democratically elected parliamentary, but now completely sovereign, government. During World War II, Awolowo reorganized it as a predominantly Yoruba political party, the Action Group. 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. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeriacan low magnesium kill you. 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 superior weapons, tactics and political unity of the British are commonly given as reasons for their decisive . Other Protestant denominations from Great Britain, Canada, and the United States also opened missions and, in the 1860s, Roman Catholic religious orders established missions. 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. The only significant interruption in economic development arose from natural disasterthe Great Drought of 191314. 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. 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. He definitely laid the basis for British claims. Although realistic in its assessment of the situation in Nigeria, the Richards Constitution undoubtedly intensified regionalism as an alternative to political unification. Oil income was still marginal, but the prospects for continued economic expansion appeared bright and accentuated political rivalries on the eve of independence. speedo sectionals 2022 texas info@hebasanmakine.com on it burgers ferntree gully closed +90 224 371 29 30 [31], Captain John Glover, the colony's administrator, created a militia of Hausa troops in 1861. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria. [73] The spread of the disease was quick and deadly, with an estimated 1.5% of the population of Lagos falling victim. Description. Other European powers acknowledged Britain's dominance over the area in the 1885 Berlin Conference. British colonialism led to the spread of the English language in Africa, and many former British colonies still maintain English as an official language. Nigeria (Sokoto Caliphate inclusive) fell prey to the attacks. E-mail: tundeoduwobi@yahoo.com Recibido: 15 Marzo 2011 / Revisado: 7 Abril 2011 / Aceptado: 17 Abril . That's human geography 101. Any activity in the north that might include participation by the federal government (and consequently by southern civil servants) was regarded as a challenge to the primacy of the emirates. Out of reverence for traditional kingship, for instance, the Oba of Benin, whose office was closely identified with Edo religion, was accepted as the sponsor of a Yoruba political movement. Britain subsequently lobbied other European powers to stop the slave trade as well. Deadly battles broke out sporadically through 1906. Thus Spain and Portugal set up colonies in Central and South America after it was discovered by Columbus. Islam reached Nigeria through the Bornu Empire . Colonial official A. J. Harding commented in 1913: Sir F. Lugard's proposal contemplates a state which it is impossible to classify. Siollun concludes with what he calls "the mistake of 1914": his view that the British resolution to join their northern and southern protectorates into one poorly integrated colony constitutes the single most consequential decision of colonial rule in Nigeria. [38][39], In 1892 the British Armed Forces set out to fight the Ijebu Kingdom, which had resisted missionaries and foreign traders. Lagos became a major slave port in the late 1700s and into the 1850s. [11], The British led a series of military campaigns to enlarge its sphere of influence and expand its commercial opportunities. Crowther was succeeded as bishop by a British cleric. African nationalism attempted to transform the identity of Africans. 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. Missionary forces demanded prohibition of liquor, which proved highly unpopular. [73] An estimated 500,000 Nigerians would lose their lives due to the pandemic, severely decreasing production capabilities on Nigerian farms and plantations. This scheme proved unpopular and confusing to many involved parties and was phased out. At first, they lived in small family groups, but gradually these groups developed into a. 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. 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 . Consequently, in 1849, John Beecroft was accredited as consul for the bights of Benin and Biafra, a jurisdiction stretching from Dahomey to Cameroon. Exploration was intensified in 1946, but the first commercial discovery did not occur until 1956, at Olobiri in the Niger Delta. 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. Some were deposed, some were defeated in battle, and others collaborated. Portuguese Roman Catholic priests who accompanied traders and officials to the West African coast introduced Christianity to the Edo Empire in the fifteenth century. L'indpendance du. 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 British penetration of Nigeria met with various forms of resistance throughout the country. To reduce costs, Lagos was administered first from Freetown in Sierra Leone, along with Gold Coast forts such as Elmina, and later from Accra (in present-day Ghana); only in 1886 did Lagos become a separate colony. [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 made the British win key battles all over the East Coast, as they effectively grabbed control. In the meantime, public sector spending increased even more dramatically than export earnings. Some European traders switched to legitimate business only when the commerce in slaves became too hazardous. Broadening political participation and expanding educational opportunities and other social services also were viewed as threats to the status quo. [27] To produce all this oil, the economy of the southern region crossed over from mostly subsistence to the production of palm oil as a cash crop.[28]. 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.

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