People Involved in the Struggle for Nigerian Independence – JSS3 Nigerian History Lesson Note (Third Term)

The people involved in the struggle for Nigerian independence were the men and women from many parts of Nigeria who worked to end British rule, which finally ended on 1 October 1960.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. name at least five people who took part in the struggle for Nigerian independence and say what each did;
2. group the nationalists into early, middle and later generations;
3. match the main political parties and newspapers with their leaders or founders;
4. describe the methods the nationalists used to work together;
5. state the challenges they faced and the legacy they left.

What are the key terms in this topic?

A nationalist is a person who works for the freedom of their country from foreign rule.

• Independence: the freedom of a country to rule itself. Nigeria gained it on 1 October 1960.
• Political party: a group of people who organise to win power and govern.
• Strike: a refusal by workers to work until their demands are met.
• Boycott: a refusal to buy or use certain goods as a form of protest.
• Pan-Africanism: the idea that African countries and peoples should be united.
• Constitutional conference: a meeting where leaders agree how a country will be governed.

Who were the early nationalists (1900-1930s)?

There were four early nationalists in this lesson: Herbert Macaulay, Alimotu Pelewura, Ernest Ikoli and J.C. Vaughan.

Herbert Macaulay (1864-1946)

• Title: often called the “Father of Nigerian Nationalism”.
• Background: born in Lagos, studied in England and became a civil engineer.
• Party: started the first political party in Nigeria, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), in 1923.
• Newspaper: used the Lagos Daily News to criticise British rule.
• Causes: fought against unfair land taxes and other bad policies.
• Influence: worked to unite different groups of Nigerians and helped younger leaders such as Nnamdi Azikiwe.
• Death: died in 1946, before Nigeria gained independence.

Alimotu Pelewura (c. 1865-1951)

• Role: a market woman and powerful woman leader in Lagos.
• Group: led the Lagos Market Women’s Association.
• Protests: organised protests against unfair taxes on market women.
• Partnership: worked with Herbert Macaulay on many protests.
• Importance: showed that women were important in the fight for freedom.

Ernest Ikoli (1893-1960)

• Role: newspaper editor and political leader.
• Party: helped start the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) in 1934.
• Newspaper: used The Daily Service to speak against British rule.
• Causes: fought for better education and worked to unite people from different parts of Nigeria.

J.C. Vaughan

• Party: helped start the Nigerian Youth Movement.
• Causes: fought against racial discrimination.
• Demand: called for Nigerians to have more say in their government.
• Teamwork: worked with other early leaders to build unity.

Who were the middle generation leaders (1930s-1950s)?

There were eight middle generation leaders in this lesson: Azikiwe, Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Margaret Ekpo, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Aminu Kano, Michael Imoudu and H.O. Davies.

Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904-1996)

• Nickname: known as “Zik”.
• Background: studied in the United States.
• Newspapers: founded several newspapers, including the West African Pilot.
• Motto: “Show the light and the people will find the way”.
• Party: started the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) in 1944.
• Method: used speeches and writing, not violence, to fight for freedom.
• Offices: first Governor-General of independent Nigeria, then first President when Nigeria became a republic in 1963.

Obafemi Awolowo (1909-1987)

• Background: born in Ikenne, in what is now Ogun State.
• Career: worked as a teacher, clerk and taxi driver before becoming a lawyer.
• Party: founded the Action Group (AG) in 1951.
• Ideas: wrote books on how Nigeria should be governed and wanted a federation in which regions had some power.
• Offices: first Premier of the Western Region.
• Education: believed in free education and introduced free primary education in the Western Region.

Ahmadu Bello (1910-1966)

• Title: the Sardauna of Sokoto, a traditional title.
• Party: led the Northern People’s Congress (NPC).
• Offices: first Premier of the Northern Region.
• Position: represented Northern interests and wanted to be sure the North was ready for independence.
• Education: worked to improve education in Northern Nigeria.

Margaret Ekpo (1914-2006)

• Role: women’s rights activist from the Calabar area.
• Group: formed the Aba Women’s Association.
• Protests: organised women to protest against unfair policies.
• Politics: one of the few women in the Eastern regional legislature, where she fought for women to have a voice.

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (1900-1978)

• Group: founded the Abeokuta Women’s Union.
• Protests: led protests against unfair taxes on women.
• Result: the protests led the Alake (king) of Egbaland to step down temporarily.
• Abroad: travelled internationally to speak about Nigeria’s freedom.
• Votes: fought for women’s voting rights.
• Family: mother of the musician Fela Kuti and said to be the first Nigerian woman to drive a car.

Aminu Kano (1920-1983)

• Role: a teacher who fought for the rights of common people.
• Party: founded the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU).
• Position: opposed the traditional ruling system in the North and wanted better rights for peasants and workers.
• Education: believed in education for both boys and girls.
• Character: known for honesty, simple living and care for poor people.

Michael Imoudu (1902-2005)

• Nickname: “Labour Leader Number One”.
• Union: led the Nigerian Railway Workers Union.
• Strike: played a leading part in the 1945 general strike of Nigerian workers.
• Causes: fought for better pay and conditions for workers.
• Importance: showed that workers mattered in the independence struggle.
• Age: died at about 103 years old.

H.O. Davies (1905-1989)

• Role: a lawyer who fought for workers’ rights.
• Party: one of the founders of the Nigerian Youth Movement.
• Ideas: argued that Nigerians should have more control over their economy.
• Writing: wrote many articles about Nigerian freedom.

Who were the later nationalists (1950s-1960)?

There were five later nationalists in this lesson: Tafawa Balewa, Anthony Enahoro, Joseph Tarka, Mbonu Ojike and Mokwugo Okoye.

Tafawa Balewa (1912-1966)

• Office: first Prime Minister of independent Nigeria.
• Background: began as a teacher in Northern Nigeria.
• Party: member of the Northern People’s Congress.
• Role: helped negotiate the final steps to independence.
• Nickname: “The Golden Voice of Africa”, because of his fine speaking voice.

Anthony Enahoro (1923-2010)

• Motion: the first person to move a motion in 1953 calling for Nigeria’s self-government.
• Career: a newspaper editor at a very young age.
• Party: member of the Action Group.
• Sacrifice: spent time in jail for his political activities.
• Later life: kept fighting for democracy long after independence.

Joseph Tarka (1932-1980)

• Role: represented minority groups in the Middle Belt.
• Party: founded the United Middle Belt Congress.
• Cause: protected smaller ethnic groups from domination.
• Importance: showed that the struggle belonged to all Nigerians, not only the large ethnic groups.

Mbonu Ojike (1914-1956)

• Campaign: “boycott all boycottables”.
• Aim: encouraged Nigerians to use local products instead of British ones.
• Culture: called for pride in African culture and traditions.
• Death: died before independence but inspired many with his ideas.

Mokwugo Okoye (1926-1998)

• Role: a radical nationalist who wrote many books.
• Sacrifice: spent time in jail for his political activities.
• Belief: wanted complete freedom from British influence, both political and economic.

Who were the international supporters?

Two well-known supporters from outside Nigeria were Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and George Padmore of Trinidad.

Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana

• Achievement: led Ghana to independence in 1957, before Nigeria.
• Effect: inspired Nigerian nationalists by showing that African countries could be free.
• Belief: supported pan-Africanism.

George Padmore

• Background: a writer from Trinidad who supported African independence.
• Advice: advised many African leaders, including Nigerians.
• Writing: wrote books and articles supporting freedom for African countries.
• Links: helped connect Nigerian nationalists with international supporters.

How did the nationalists work together?

The nationalists worked together through four methods: political parties, newspapers, labour unions and constitutional conferences.

Forming political parties

Parties helped organise the people and put pressure on the British.

Using newspapers

Leaders started newspapers to teach Nigerians about freedom and rights.

Working with labour unions

• Strikes: Michael Imoudu and others organised workers to go on strike.
• Message: the strikes showed the British that Nigerians were serious.
• Pressure: workers’ protests added to the pressure on the British.

Attending constitutional conferences

• Place: leaders such as Azikiwe, Awolowo and Balewa attended meetings in London.
• Aim: they negotiated with the British about independence.
• Task: they had to agree on how Nigeria would be governed after the British left.

What challenges did the nationalists face?

The nationalists faced three main challenges: internal differences, British resistance and limited resources.

Internal differences

• Disagreement: leaders did not always agree on how Nigeria should be governed.
• Central government: some, such as Azikiwe, wanted a strong central government.
• Strong regions: others, such as Awolowo, wanted strong regions.
• Northern fears: leaders such as Ahmadu Bello feared too much southern influence.

British resistance

• Power: the British did not want to give up power easily.
• Punishment: some leaders were arrested or had their newspapers shut down.
• Division: the British tried to divide Nigerians by region and ethnic group.

Limited resources

• Money: the nationalists did not have much money.
• Sacrifice: many gave up personal comfort for the struggle.

What was the legacy of the nationalists?

The legacy of the nationalists is a free Nigeria, schools and colleges, and a political system built on parties and a federation.

A free Nigeria

• Independence: Nigeria became independent on 1 October 1960.
• Flag: the British flag came down and the Nigerian flag went up.

Educational institutions

• Schools: many leaders founded schools and colleges.
• West: Awolowo introduced free primary education in the Western Region.
• North: Ahmadu Bello helped to develop higher education in the North, including the university at Zaria.

Political system

• Structures: they helped to create Nigeria’s political structures.
• Federation: they set up the federal system still used today.
• Party politics: they began the practice of parties, elections and debate.

What did the nationalists have in common?

The nationalists came from different backgrounds but shared one aim: Nigeria’s freedom.

• Background: they included men and women, northerners and southerners, Muslims and Christians.
• Approach: some were radical and others more moderate.
• Methods: they used newspapers, political parties, protests, strikes and negotiations.
• Sacrifice: some went to jail, some gave up comfortable lives, and some, such as Herbert Macaulay, died before independence.

Evaluation

1. Who is often called the “Father of Nigerian Nationalism”, and which party did he start in 1923?
2. Name three women who took part in the struggle and state what each did.
3. Match each newspaper to its owner: Lagos Daily News, West African Pilot, Daily Service, Tribune.
4. Name two challenges the nationalists faced.
5. Who was the first Prime Minister of independent Nigeria, and which party did he belong to?

Assignment

Choose one nationalist from this lesson. Write five sentences about the person, using only the points in the note. State the generation they belong to and one way they helped Nigeria to become free.