The British Conquest of Nigeria

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In today’s class, we will be talking about the British conquest of Nigeria. Enjoy the class!

The British Conquest of Nigeria

• The first Phase (1851 – 1900)

The British made use of two agencies in their conquest of Southern Nigeria namely

1. Consulate at Calabar and
2. The Royal Niger company.

Nigerian British relations

The British began to alter the nature of their relationship with Nigerians. The moved from the coast into the interior. They did this based on 2factors. Quinne could cure malaria that had killed a lot of Europeans and they had sophisticated weapons.

Annexation of Lagos

Lagos was bombarded by British gunboats. They expelled Kosoko and installed Akintoye. In 1861, Lagos was declared a Lagos colony.

Britain needed Lagos for

1. Profitable trade
2. It was a major port
3. To ensure legitimate trade and to ensure the slave trade was not revived.

The British occupation of Lagos 1551

Reason

1. A humanitarian attempt at stopping slave-trade.
2. British desire to improve their commercial ventures.
3. Succession dispute between Akintoye and Kosoko.

The Ijebu expedition of 1892:

In 1892, the British mounted an expedition against Ijebu-Ode which for a long time had refused to welcome missionaries and foreign traders in its domain. The Ijebu soldiers put up a stiff resistance but were heavily defeated. The defeat of the Ijebu served as a lesson to the rest of Yorubaland and discouraged any further plans for resistance.

The conquest of the South-eastern part:

In 1892, Oba Ovonramwen signed a treaty with the British. The ill-fated attempt by acting consul, J. R. Phillips, to have further ‘talks’ with the Oba in 1896 provided the excuse for a military expedition against Benin in 1897. The Oba was exiled and Benin came under British domination.

To the east of the Niger, the Aro traders became the main target of destruction. They were accused of obstructing trade, and of engaging in the slave trade and propagating a fetish cult. The expedition against the Aro brought the Igboland under the British influence.

• The second phase (1900 – 1914)

Sokoto caliphate

Conquest of northern Nigeria:

In 1902, the British forces invaded Zaria and conquered her. Despite the absence of its emir, Kano fought gallantly but in vain. She was captured in 1903.

The expedition then moved to Sokoto where it defeated the charging cavalry troops with automatic weapons.

In 1906, the Emir of Hadeija led his troops against the British and was killed with his followers. In the same year, there was a Mahdist revolt in Satiru, north of (Satiru) to the ground.

The desire of the British to conquer the northern part of Nigeria was to colonise it and rule (Indirect rule).

• The fall of Bauchi and Gombe:

In 1902, Bauchi fell to the British and its ruler, Umar, was deported.

Gombe welcomed the British as a saviour from the pilages of Jubril Gaini, a freelance raider its empire was therefore recognized.

• The fall of Bida, Kontagora and Yola:

The British accused Bida and Kontagora of slave raiding and by 1902 they had been forced to accept British protectorate.

The British also accused the emir of Yola, Zubeir, of slave trading and trade obstruction and by 1901 Yola fell to the British.

General evaluation

1. What were the main reasons for the British occupation of Lagos?
2. How was the British conquest of Yorubaland accomplished?
3. Why were the British desirous to conquer the northern part of Nigeria?

 

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