The Amalgamation of Nigeria – JSS3 Nigerian History Lesson Note (Third Term)

The amalgamation of Nigeria was the joining of the Northern and Southern Protectorates into one British colony, the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, on 1 January 1914.

Behavioural objectives

1. Define amalgamation and state when it took place.
2. Describe how the Colony of Lagos, the Southern Protectorate and the Northern Protectorate were governed before 1914.
3. Give reasons why the British amalgamated the Northern and Southern Protectorates.
4. Name the key figures in the amalgamation and state the role of each.
5. Explain the effects of the amalgamation and the criticisms made of it.

What is amalgamation?

Amalgamation is the joining together of two or more separate units to form one single unit.

• Meaning in Nigerian history: the British joined the Northern and Southern Protectorates into one colony called Nigeria.
• Date: 1 January 1914.
• Leader: Sir Frederick Lugard, the first Governor-General of the unified Nigeria.
• Result: many peoples, cultures and regions came under one administration for the first time.
• The name “Nigeria”: Flora Shaw, who later became Lugard’s wife, suggested the name in 1897.

What was Nigeria like before amalgamation?

Before 1914, the British ruled the area now called Nigeria as three territories, and two of them merged in 1906.

The Colony of Lagos

• Establishment: Lagos became a British colony in 1861 after the British forced Oba Dosunmu to give up his territory.
• Administration: British officials governed it directly as a Crown Colony.
• Importance: it was a major trading port and an entry point for British influence into the interior.
• Legal system: British law applied, with British-style courts and procedures.

The Protectorate of Southern Nigeria

• Formation: it was built up in stages through several British territorial acquisitions.
• Components: it included the Niger Coast Protectorate (formerly the Oil Rivers Protectorate) and territories once held by the Royal Niger Company.
• Administration: it was a protectorate, not a colony, but British officials ruled it fairly directly.
• Economy: it was valuable to Britain for palm oil, cocoa and other resources.

The Protectorate of Northern Nigeria

• Establishment: it was formally set up in 1900 when the British government took over territories of the Royal Niger Company.
• Conquest: British forces led by Frederick Lugard completed the conquest with the defeat of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1903.
• Administration: it was governed by Indirect Rule, through traditional rulers, especially the emirs.
• Economy: it produced groundnuts, cotton and other crops, but developed more slowly than the South.

What was different about the territories?

• Administration: each territory had its own system of government.
• Law and economy: legal codes, economic policies and patterns of development also differed.
• Merger of 1906: Lagos and the Southern Protectorate joined, leaving two British territories, North and South.
• Until 1914: the North and South remained separate.

Why did the British amalgamate the Northern and Southern Protectorates?

The British amalgamated the two protectorates for economic, administrative, strategic and ideological reasons.

Economic and financial reasons

• Northern financial problems: the North cost more to run than it earned in revenue.
• Southern prosperity: the South had a profitable palm oil trade and coastal ports.
• Financial integration: revenue from the South could pay for the administration of the North.
• Railway development: the British had built railways linking North and South and wanted one administration to manage them.

Administrative efficiency

• Streamlined governance: running one colony promised to be more efficient than running two.
• Unified civil service: a single colonial civil service could be created.
• Standardised policies: policies could be more consistent across all territories.
• Use of resources: officials and funds could be placed where they were needed.

Imperial strategic interests

• Colonial rivalry: European powers were competing for territory in Africa, so joining British holdings made strategic sense.
• Territorial control: a united Nigeria was easier to defend and gave Britain a stronger presence in West Africa.
• Trade benefits: a larger territory gave a bigger market for British manufactured goods.
• Resource access: Britain secured access to Nigeria’s varied natural resources.

Ideological factors

• “Civilising mission”: some British officials claimed that amalgamation would advance their so-called civilising mission.
• Administrative vision: Lugard believed in larger, more efficient colonial units.
• Colonial theory: amalgamation matched British ideas of the time on how to govern colonies.

How did the amalgamation take place?

The amalgamation took place in three phases: preparation, formal proclamation and later adjustments.

Preparation phase (1912 to 1913)

• Lugard’s appointment: in 1912 Lugard was made Governor of both the Northern and Southern Protectorates to prepare for the merger.
• Administrative planning: Lugard and his team planned how to merge the different systems.
• Economic assessment: studies looked at how to join the economies of the two regions.
• Infrastructure: plans were made to connect the regions better.

Formal amalgamation (1 January 1914)

• Official proclamation: the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria was proclaimed.
• Governor-General: Lugard became the first Governor-General.
• New structure: a unified administration was set up, but with large regional differences kept.
• Capital: Lagos became the capital.

Post-amalgamation adjustments (1914 to the 1920s)

• Administrative integration: joining the systems continued for years after 1914.
• Legal harmonisation: efforts were made to bring the legal systems closer, but many differences remained.
• Financial integration: finances were gradually joined, with Southern revenue supporting the North.
• Infrastructure expansion: railways, roads and communication links were extended.

What was the amalgamated Nigeria like?

The 1914 amalgamation created one Nigerian colony on paper, but the regions stayed largely separate in practice.

Regional distinctions maintained

• Separate administration: the Northern and Southern Provinces were run differently in many ways.
• Different legal systems: different legal codes applied in different parts of the country.
• Cultural separation: the British did little to encourage cultural mixing between regions.
• Development patterns: development policies differed between North and South.

How was Nigeria divided after 1914?

• 1914: Nigeria was divided into the Northern Provinces and the Southern Provinces.
• 1939: the Southern Provinces were split into the Western Provinces and the Eastern Provinces.
• Three-region structure: North, West and East later became the three regions of Nigeria, which shaped the country at independence.

Limited integration

• Political separation: there was little political integration between regions.
• Economic differences: the regions kept different economic orientations.
• Educational disparities: the South generally had more Western-style schools.
• Religious differences: the mainly Muslim North and mainly Christian South were set further apart by colonial policies.

Who were the key figures in the amalgamation?

The key figures were Lugard, Harcourt, Egerton, Wallace and Flora Shaw.

Sir Frederick Lugard (1858-1945)

• Background: he was a soldier with wide experience in colonial administration.
• Previous role: he was High Commissioner of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate (1900-1906).
• Architect of amalgamation: he designed the framework for the amalgamated Nigeria.
• Indirect Rule: he was its chief supporter and applied it across Nigeria after amalgamation.
• Writing: he wrote “The Dual Mandate in British Tropical Africa” (1922), setting out his views on colonial rule.

Lord Lewis Harcourt (1863-1922)

• Position: he was British Colonial Secretary (1910-1915) and approved the amalgamation plan.
• Involvement: he gave political support in London to Lugard’s proposal.
• Recognition: Port Harcourt was named after him.

Sir Walter Egerton (1858-1947)

• Role: he was the last Governor of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate (1906-1912).
• Contribution: he helped prepare the South for amalgamation and carried out development projects.

Sir William Wallace (1860-1940)

• Position: he served as Acting Governor of Northern Nigeria and helped carry out Lugard’s policies.
• Support: he supported the amalgamation and helped with the changeover in the North.

Flora Shaw (Lady Lugard)

• Contribution: she suggested the name “Nigeria” in 1897, after the River Niger.

What was the impact and legacy of the amalgamation?

The amalgamation of 1914 created the territory of modern Nigeria and left lasting political, social and economic effects.

Creation of modern Nigeria

• Territorial foundation: it set the boundaries of the later independent nation.
• National identity: it created the need for a Nigerian identity that goes beyond region and ethnic group.
• Political framework: it gave the basic frame for later political development.

Regional tensions

• North-South divide: regions with very different histories and colonial experiences were joined, and tensions still remain.
• Religious differences: the religious pattern of North and South became a factor in national politics.
• Development disparities: unequal educational and economic growth between regions caused lasting problems.

Administrative legacy

• Federal structure: regional differences kept after 1914 helped lead Nigeria to a federal system.
• Civil service tradition: the unified colonial civil service influenced the civil service after independence.
• Legal system: Nigeria’s several sources of law reflect the incomplete joining of the regions.

Economic patterns

• Single economy: one economy was created, with regional specialisations.
• Revenue sharing: the question of how to share national revenue among regions began then and is still debated.
• Infrastructure: the pattern of railways and roads started after 1914 continued to shape development.

Why has the amalgamation been criticised?

Critics say the amalgamation ignored Nigerian views, drew artificial boundaries, joined the regions only on paper and served British economic interests.

Lack of Nigerian input

• No consultation: Nigerians were not asked whether their territories should be joined.
• Colonial decision: British officials decided mainly in British interests.
• Imposed unity: unity came from outside and did not grow from within.

Artificial boundaries

• Disregard for ethnic boundaries: many ethnic groups, some with histories of conflict, were put in one country.
• Administrative convenience: boundaries suited British administration, not cultural or historical realities.
• Legacy of division: these boundaries contributed to later ethnic tensions and separatist movements.

Incomplete integration

• Superficial unity: administrative unity was created, but little social, cultural or political integration.
• Regional isolation: the regions had limited contact with each other.
• Development gaps: the amalgamation did not close, and in some ways widened, the gaps between regions.

Economic motivation

• Financial considerations: critics say British financial concerns were the main motive.
• Resource exploitation: a unified territory made it easier for the British to exploit Nigerian resources.
• Dependency patterns: the economic structures set up then created dependence that continued after independence.

What steps were taken towards integration after amalgamation?

Steps towards integration after 1914 came through new constitutions, better infrastructure, education and growing political awareness.

Constitutional developments

• 1922 Clifford Constitution: it introduced limited elective representation, only in Lagos and Calabar.
• 1946 Richards Constitution: it created regional assemblies and recognised the three regions, with a central government.
• 1951 Macpherson Constitution: it increased Nigerian participation and strengthened regional and central governments.
• 1954 Lyttelton Constitution: it set up a federal system, the structure Nigeria had at independence.

Infrastructure development

• Railway extension: the railway network was extended to join regions.
• Road construction: roads linked areas that had been isolated.
• Postal and telegraph services: communication links connected different parts of Nigeria.

Educational integration

• Educational institutions: some schools accepted students from different regions.
• Common curriculum: efforts were made to standardise education.
• Civil service training: training brought together Nigerians from different regions.

Political awareness

• Nationalist movements: they gradually built a vision of Nigeria as one nation.
• Pan-Nigerian organisations: groups brought together Nigerians from different regions with shared interests.
• National media: newspapers and later radio created awareness across regional boundaries.

Evaluation

1. What is amalgamation, and on what date did the amalgamation of Nigeria take place?
2. Name the three territories that the British administered before 1914.
3. State four reasons why the British amalgamated the Northern and Southern Protectorates.
4. Who was the first Governor-General of the unified Nigeria?
5. Give three criticisms of the amalgamation.

Assignment

1. Write a short note explaining how the Northern and Southern Protectorates differed before 1914, and describe two effects of the amalgamation on Nigeria after 1914.