In order to avert a possible war between European nations and to find a peaceful resolution in their quest for annexation of Africa that has gained momentum since 1876, the Berlin conference was convened on Saturday November 15, 1884 by Otto Von Bismarck the then German chancellor.

The main resolution of the Berlin conference was the establishment of guidelines for future annexation of African territory notable of which was the establishment of the Doctrine of “Effective Occupation” which compelled a European country to prove that it had effectively occupied an African territory before exercising powers over it.

The principle states that European powers could acquire rights over colonial lands only if they possess them or have effective occupation. In other words, if they sign treaties with the local leaders, if they flew their flags there, and if they establish an administration in the territory to govern it, then they will possess the land. The principle also allows the colonial powers to make use of the colony economically. Consequently, within a period of twenty years, most African states had lost their autonomy and independence and were under the control of the colonial European nations.

The British sphere of influence in the territorial area now called Nigeria began as early as before 1800 during the abolition of slave trade. Existing in the area were independent and autonomous kingdoms exercising control and leadership over its people. Notable of these kingdoms were; the Hausa kingdoms, the Yoruba and the Igbos.

Lagos colony was annexed to the British colonial control on 6^th August, 1861 under the threat of force by commander Berddingfield of HMS Prometheus who was accompanied by the acting British consul William McCosky. The Oba Dosunmu of Lagos resisted the cession for 11days while facing threats of violence on Lagos and its people; however, he capitulated and signed the Lagos Treaty of Cession as transcribed below:

Treaty between Norman B. Bedingfeld, Commander of Her Majesty’s ship Prometheus, and Senior Officer of the Bights Division, and William McCoskry, Esquire, Her Britannic Majesty’s Acting Consul, on the part of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, and Docemo, King of Lagos, on the part of himself and Chiefs.

Article I
In order that the Queen of England may be the better enabled to assist, defend, and protect the inhabitants of Lagos, and to put an end to the Slave Trade in this and the neighboring counties, and to prevent the destructive wars so frequently undertaken by Dahomey and others for the capture of the slaves, I, Docemo, do, with the consent and advice of my Council, give, transfer, and by these presents grant and confirm unto the Queen of Great Britain, her heirs, and successors forever, the port and Island of Lagos with all the rights, profits, territories, and appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging, and as well the profits and revenue as the direct, full, and absolute dominion and sovereignty of the said port, island, and premises, with all royalties thereof, freely, fully and entirely and absolutely. I do also covenant and grant that the quiet and peaceable possession thereof shall with all possible speed, be freely and effectually delivered to the Queen of Great Britain, or such person as Her Majesty shall thereunto appoint for her use in the performance of this grant; the inhabitants of said island and territories, as the Queen’s subjects, and under her sovereignty, Crown, jurisdiction, and government, being still suffered to live there

Article II
Docemo will be allowed the use of the title of King in its usual African signification, and will be permitted to decide disputes between natives of Lagos with their consent, subject to appeal to British laws.

Article III
In the transfer of lands, the stamp of Docemo affixed to the document will be proof that there are no other native claims upon it, and for this purpose he will be permitted to use it as hitherto. In consideration of the cession as before-mentioned of the port and island and territories of Lagos, the Representatives of the Queen of Great Britain do promise, subject to the approval of Her Majesty, that Docemo shall receive an annual pension from the Queen of Great Britain equal to the net revenue hitherto annually received by him; such pension to be paid at such periods and in such mode as may hereafter be determined

LAGOS, August 6, 1861
Signed
DOCEMO
TELAKE
OBALEKOW
NORMAN B. BEDINGFIELD Her Majesty’s ship Prometheus, Senior Officer, Bights Division
W. McCOSKRY, Acting Consul

 

Lagos was declared a colony on 5^th March, 1862. The colony established a protectorate over Yoruba land between the period of 1890 to 1897, the colony and protectorate was incorporated into Southern Protectorate in February 1906.

Southern Protectorate was a British protectorate in the coastal area of the territorial area occupied by the British formed in 1900. This comprises of the Oil River area (Niger Delta), and the (Eastern Region of the present Nigeria), all called the Biafrans. For ease of administrative control, Lagos colony was merged with the Southern Protectorate in 1906.

The Northern Protectorate was a British protectorate that lasted between 1900 to 1914 and covers the area currently known as Northern Nigeria. The protectorate spanned 660,000 square kilometres (225000 sq miles) and included the states of Sokoto Caliphate and parts of former Borunu Empire conquered in 1902. The first High Commissioner of the protectorate was Fredrick Luguard who actively suppressed revolution and created a system of administration built around native authorities. In 1897, Fredrick Lugard was appointed the head of the West African frontier force which was task with stopping Fulani resistance and possible incursion of the French in the Northwest area. The Berlin conference of 1884 provided the area that would become the Northern protectorate to the British.

The Royal Niger Company was formed in 1886 with George Taubman Godie as the vice governor. The company negotiated trade agreements and political agreements, sometimes coercive with many of the chieftains, emirs and the Sokoto Caliphate. By 1899, much of the territorial area was ruled by the Royal Niger Company. In January 1890, the Royal Niger Company’s charter was revoked and the British government took over control. The company was paid £865,000 and was given the rights to half of all mining revenue in large part of the area for 99years in exchange for ceding the territory to the British government.

Frederick Lugard was then appointed the High Commissioner of the newly created Northern Protectorate. One defining characteristics of the administration in the Northern Nigeria Protectorate was the inclusion of the chiefs and native authorities fitting into the British administration. Taxation proved very difficult in the protectorate and Lugards attempt to institute poll taxes were foiled by the emirates. This created a substantial deficit in the budget of the protectorate.

These financial and administrative challenges resulted in discussions lead by Lugard for the unification of the Northern Protectorate and the Southern Protectorate as budgets from the Southern protectorate runs into surplus. It is important to note that the cultural and religious differences of these groups of people were not taken into consideration neither were they consulted. The Northern protectorate is predominantly Muslims, while the Southern protectorates are Christians.

The economic disparities between the protectorates were to be corrected by creating a central administration in Lagos with customs revenue from the South paying for projects in the North.

The Order-in-Council was drawn up in November 1913 and in January1914, the Northern and Southern Protectorate of Nigeria was amalgamated to form entity today called the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This Lugardian approach to amalgamation converted the area into a battle field for two British cohorts; the Southern and the Northern cohorts for the remaining period of the British colonial rule. While the North wanted to incorporate the South on the basis of indirect rule, the South wanted to incorporate the North through expansion, and the extension of the power of modern bureaucracy, western education, western commerce and western legal system and practice. Thus amalgamated Nigeria remained a ram-shackle affair until 1960, the year of independence. Hitherto, it was merely an arrangement in which fierce unwilling rams looking in different directions were shackled together.

After independence, the entity witnessed series of military coup and counter coup. The Eastern Region (part of the Southern Protectorate) known as the Biafrans had accused the then Northern protectorate of economic marginalisation, injustice, lack of rule of law and corruption and threatened to restore its sovereignty if these ills were not remedied. This lead to the Aburi accord in Ghana in January, 1967 attended by Gen. Odimegwu Ojukwu the then governor of the Eastern region with his delegates and Gen. Yakubu Gowan, the then head of state with his delegates. One of the main resolutions in the Aburi accord was the autonomy and resource control of each of the entire region that constitutes the entity (Nigeria). Upon their return to Nigeria, the then head of state refused to implement the agreement and on May 30th 1967, Gen. Ojukwu declared the Republic of Biafra which led to the civil war between Nigeria and Biafra.

During the civil war which lasted for three years, over three million Biafran children, men and women were massacred. Even when the war ended in January 1970, Biafrans believed that the reconciliation, reconstruction and re-integration programme by the Nigerian government was in futility as most of their properties were declared abandoned and each surviving Biafran was given only £20 regardless of how much he has got in the bank.

During early 1990s a new group known as the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) headed by Ralph Uwazurike was formed. This group has continued to agitate and hold peaceful protest in demanding for the State of Biafra. This has been as a result of the continued marginalisation of the region, incessant killings of the Biafran people, injustice by the Nigerian State, outright differences in cultural belief and religion as well as corruption. Nigeria is meant to be a federal state but never practice true federalism as power is concentrated solely at the center.

Recently, a pro-Biafra  group called the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) headed by Mr Nnamdi Kanu has intensified effort in its agitation for the restoration of Biafran State. Mr Nnamdi Kanu has established Radio Biafra through which he reaches out to the Biafran people in their renewed agitation for Biafran State. Over time, Biafrans have shown very strongly their resolve to regain their freedom from the Laggard experiment called Nigeria through the UN instrument of Self-Determination.