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The CMS initially promoted Africans to responsible positions in the mission field; for instance, they appointed Samuel Ajayi Crowther as the first Anglican Bishop of the Niger. Wartime experiences provided a new frame of reference for many soldiers, who interacted across ethnic boundaries in ways that were unusual in Nigeria. What are the factors that attracted the British to conquer India Because of the hazards of climate and tropical diseases for Europeans and the absence of any centralized authorities on the mainland responsive to their interests, European merchants moored their ships outside harbours or in the delta, and used the ships as trading stations and warehouses. 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. Doctrine of Lapse. Local leaders, cognizant of the situation in the West Indies, India, and elsewhere, recognised the risks of British expansion. Ethnic and kinship organisations that often took the form of a tribal union also emerged in the 1920s. In 1886, Taubman secured a royal charter and his company became the Royal Niger Company. 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. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria The basic economic units in each town were "houses", family-operated entities that engendered loyalty for its employees. british empire - What were the main causes of successful take over of Independent Christian churches had emerged at the end of the nineteenth century. When direct Portuguese contacts in the region were withdrawn, however, the influence of the Catholic missionaries waned. Oil income was still marginal, but the prospects for continued economic expansion appeared bright and accentuated political rivalries on the eve of independence. As a protectorate, it did not have the status of a colony, so its officials were appointed by the Foreign Office and not by the Colonial Office. One place that felt victim to this imperialism was Africa. Consequently, he may well deserve the epithet of the "father of Nigeria", which historians accorded him. These schools would teach "the basic principles that would and should regulate character and conduct". The influence of Christianity and the establishment of schools made the nationalists realize that after all God created everyman equal . Modern nationalists in the south, whose thinking was shaped by European ideas, opposed indirect rule, as they believed that it had strengthened what they considered an anachronistic ruling class and shut out the emerging Westernised elite. Nigerian delegates were selected to represent each region and to reflect various shades of opinion. The British led a series of military campaigns to enlarge its sphere of influence and expand its commercial opportunities. "John Beecroft, 17901854: Her Brittanic Majesty's Consul to the Bights of Benin and Biafra 18491854". Most internal problems were concealed, and open opposition to the domination of the Muslim aristocracy was not tolerated. Alan Lennox-Boyd, M.P., the British Secretary of State for the Colonies. 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. 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. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria Colonialism and Development: A Comparative Analysis of Spanish and The yoruba-Igbo rivalry became increasingly important in Nigerian politics. Deadly battles broke out sporadically through 1906. 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. 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. June 30, 2022 . Most of the fighting was done by Hausa soldiers, recruited to fight against other groups. British expansion was conducted primarily by commercialists and resulted in more solid economic potential than the French endeavor (Crowder, 1990). factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria The Royal Niger Company established its headquarters far inland at Lokoja, which was the main trading port of the company,[34] from where it began to assume responsibility for the administration of areas along the Niger and Benue rivers where it maintained depots. [11][12], The amalgamation of different ethnic and religious groups into one federation created internal tension which persists in Nigeria to the present day.[13]. Their common denominators tended to be based on newly assertive ethnic consciousness, particularly that of the Yoruba and Igbo. Seven Years' War | The Canadian Encyclopedia From January 1914 onwards, the newly united colony and protectorate was presided over by a proconsul, who was entitled the Governor-General of Nigeria. By 1903 the conquest of the emirates was complete. In the South, only English had official status. It is not a federal state with federal Executive, Legislature and finances, like the Leewards. 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. Africans also were represented on the Lagos Legislative Council, a largely appointed assembly. In time they captured Oba Ovonramwen and sent him into exile to Calabar, a town east of Benin. 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. Unification meant only the loose affiliation of three distinct regional administrations into which Nigeria was subdividedNorthern, Western and Eastern regions. Du Bois. British colonialism created Nigeria, joining diverse peoples and regions in an artificial political entity along the Niger River. Most of the fighting was done by Hausa soldiers, recruited to fight against other groups. [19] This scenario provided an opportunity for naval expeditions and reconnaissance throughout the region. Colonialism is both a practice and a word that means so much to Nigeria. ", Simon Heap, "'We think prohibition is a farce': drinking in the alcohol-prohibited zone of colonial northern Nigeria. The nationalism that became a political factor in Nigeria during the interwar period derived both from an older political particularism and broad pan-Africanism, rather than from any sense among the people of a common Nigerian nationality. The protectorate was organised to control and develop trade coming down the Niger. In the north, appeals to Islamic legitimacy upheld the rule of the emirs, so that nationalist sentiments were related to Islamic ideals. 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. The similarity between the federal and regional constitutions was deceptive, however, and the conduct of public affairs reflected wide differences among the regions. Other Protestant denominations from Great Britain, Canada, and the United States also opened missions and, in the 1860s, Roman Catholic religious orders established missions. It made anti-slavery treaties with West African powers, which it enforced militarily with the blockade of Africa. [9] Administration and military control of the territory was conducted primarily by white Britons, both in London and in Nigeria. [11] In 1891, the African Banking Corporation founded the Bank of British West Africa in Lagos.[33]. But the war had more concrete consequences. Crowther, a liberated Yoruba slave, had been educated in Sierra Leone and in Britain, where he was ordained before returning to his homeland with the first group of CMS missionaries. with the Norman Conquest led by William, the Duke of Normandy. 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 . Britain also annexed Freetown in Sierra Leone, declaring it a Crown Colony in 1808.[20]. It was replaced by a new coalition government led by David Lloyd George featuring Conservatives and Lloyd George's supporters in the Liberal Party, while Asquith and the remainder of the Liberals entered opposition.[69]. 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. While they all shared a desire for wealth and power, their motivations for colonization differed somewhat, and thus the pattern and success of their colonies varied significantly. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria The Southern Protectorate financed itself from the outset, with revenue increasing from 361,815 to 1,933,235 over the same period. In the north Frederick Lugard, the first high commissioner of Northern Nigeria, was instrumental in subjugating the Fulani emirs. What Britain Did to Nigeria A Short History of Conquest and Rule Max Siollun. The conference is popularly called "The Berlin Conference". The most important innovations in the new charter reinforced the dual course of constitutional evolution, allowing for both regional autonomy and federal union. The colonial economic policies in Nigeria, for instance, discouraged indigenous industrialization, but promoted export crop and mineral production to feed the British factories. The NPC continued to represent the interests of the traditional order in the pre-independence deliberations. Every Sultan and Emir and the principal officers of state will be appointed by the high Commissioner throughout all this country. factors that led to the british conquest of nigeria Facebook Instagram Email. [43][44] The British forces began annual pacification missions to convince the locals of British supremacy. 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. A constabulary force was raised and used to pacify the coastal area. From 1815 to 1840, palm oil exports increased by a factor of 25, from 800 to 20,000 tons per year. 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. They wanted self-government, charging that only colonial rule prevented the unshackling of progressive forces in Nigeria and other states. The Mad Rush Into Africa in the Early 1880s Within just 20 years, the political face of Africa had changed, with only Liberia (a colony run by formerly enslaved African Americans) and Ethiopia remaining free of European control . 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. In contrast, the British pursued comparatively limited settlement and institutional transformation in the more populous and more politically and economically developed preco-lonial areas. Motivation for European conquest of the New World 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. 3. They never were able to elect sizeable legislative delegations, but they served as a means of public expression for minority concerns. 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. Catholic missionaries were particularly active among the Igbo; the CMS worked among the Yoruba. The incidence of slavery in local societies increased. 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 British colonial agricultural and industrial policies in Nigeria have implications for the country's economic advancement.