British colonial rule over Nigeria

British colonial rule over Nigeria lasted for more than 100 years, but the indirect rule system was mainly established in the early 20th century. At that time, the French and German imperialists also expanded their colonies in West Africa. They all practice the system of direct unification and governance, while Britain practices indirect rule. Why?

This first needs to be analyzed from the characteristics of British imperialism. Britain is a colonial imperialism and the largest colonial empire in the world. Colonies have more special significance to British imperialism than to other imperialists. The British ruling class has rich experience in enslaving and oppressing colonial people. In addition, Britain used to be a "world factory" and monopolized maritime hegemony for a long time. Although the British empire had declined at that time, it still exploited the world, so it was possible to adopt a more flexible colonial policy in Africa. Originally a slave trader, he changed his tactics and turned Africa into a raw material producing area, a commodity market and an investment place under the banner of "opposing the slave trade". Britain's indirect rule policy in Nigeria is closely related to the change of colonial purpose and exploitation mode.

Southern Nigeria is rich in paulownia, rubber and wood, suitable for planting tropical cash crops such as cocoa and coffee, while northern Nigeria is rich in cotton, peanuts and fur. These products are of great significance to the development of soap, glycerin, food, textile and shipbuilding industries in European countries. Therefore, the export of brown oil in eastern Nigeria alone increased from 150 tons in 1808 to136,000 tons. This shows that after Britain stopped the slave trade, its economic interests in Nigeria quickly turned to resource plunder.

1The Berlin Conference, which ended in February, 885, established several principles of "effective occupation" and accelerated the process of dividing up Africa by the great powers. France and Germany fought fiercely in West Africa, and British colonial rule in Nigeria was threatened from two sides. In the East, Germany occupied Cameroon and concluded treaties with Britain twice in 1886 and 1893. Germany tried to expand its sphere of influence. France launched a powerful offensive in the west, occupied the Ivory Coast in 1893, and conquered Dahomey in 1894, and continued to push north and east. 1898 In May, the British and French armies met and confronted each other in Borgu, resulting in tension. On June 14 of that year, Britain and France reached a preliminary agreement on the western and northern borders of Nigeria. This international situation also requires the British government to take new measures as soon as possible to stabilize its colonial rule in Nigeria. The cunning British ruling group understands that in this case, it is most effective to find allies and support from within the local society. Therefore, the policy of indirect rule was generally valued by the colonists. Lugard once pointed out clearly: "From the rebellion in India to the rebellion in Uganda and Sierra Leone, the history of the British Empire has always been. Facts have proved that only a few British officials, no class that can stand with Britain in the crisis and whose interests are completely consistent with Britain, will lead to danger. "

With the completion of British occupation of Nigeria, Nigeria's economic significance to Britain has become more prominent. According to statistics, 1900- 1904 Nigeria exported more than 53,000 tons of Xu Tongyou, and1912-1914 years reached more than 77,000 tons; In the same period, cotton exports increased from 132 tons to 1800 tons; The export volume of peanuts increased from 470 tons to 8 100 tons. The tin mine in Baodi Plateau was officially mined in 1906, with the output of 1907 170 tons and 19 10, 770 tons. In 1900, Nigeria's total export value was more than1800,000, and reached more than 2.7 million in 1904, and more than 5.4 million in19/2. Nigeria is not only profitable as a raw material producing area, but also increasingly important as a commodity market. The total import value increased from 190 1 in 2000 to 1.7 million, to 1904 to 2.4 million and 1907 to 3.8 million. Although the total value of imports and exports is not large in absolute figures, the growth rate is amazing, showing great potential as a raw material producing area and commodity market.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Britain did not have the conditions to rule Nigeria directly. Because its colonial distribution is different from that of France, French black Africa is mainly concentrated in West Africa and Equatorial Africa, where white immigrants can only settle, while British black Africa has East Africa and South Africa besides West Africa, which have good climate and land conditions and can attract a large number of white immigrants. In West Africa, the climate is hot and humid, diseases are prevalent, and white immigrants are very rare. As far as Lagos is concerned, there are 975 people in 19 16, and only 192 1 2 1 6. The protectorate of northern Nigeria covers an area of more than 32,000 square miles and has a population of about 7 million 1906. However, Lugard has only 704 civil servants in 1900- 190 1 and only 266 in 1905- 1906. One third of them often go back to China for vacation, and there are even fewer actual administrative personnel.

The situation in the army is similar. 1903, Lugard took more than 700 African soldiers and only 30 Europeans attacked Kano. At the same time, Britain fought the Ashanti War on the Gold Coast and the Ying Bu War in South Africa, and Lugard was ordered to send troops to reinforce. After the outbreak of World War I, the British government dispatched about 4,000 indigenous troops and 350 British officers from Nigeria to Cameroon to fight against Germany. Under such conditions, even if the British colonists wanted to exercise direct rule in Nigeria, they were unable to do so.

As for the economic and political development of Nigeria at that time, it was not conducive to the direct rule of Britain. Nigeria is one of the ancient civilizations in West Africa. Long before the arrival of the colonialists, the seven northern Hausa city-states were very prosperous, and agriculture and handicrafts had reached a high level of development. 1804 usman Dan Fodio, a Fulani priest, unified the city-state of Hausa and established a great empire centered on sokoto. This is rare in Africa in the19th century. So when the colonists came to northern Nigeria, they were not faced with backward and scattered primitive tribes, but with a once prosperous unified country. Although sokoto Sultans' control over the city-states was greatly weakened at that time, they still maintained a formal subordinate relationship and had a unified religious belief in Islam. The emir of each city-state has political, economic, military and religious power. He is both a king, an army commander and an imam. Amir is hereditary, and the heir is elected from the royal family by the city aristocratic meeting. The political institutions of each city-state are relatively complete. Under the Amir, there are Vizier (prime minister), Maji (financial officer), Ajian (judge) and other official positions, and the courts and prisons are complete. There are also local political powers of chiefs at district, township and town levels. Land is a feudal state-owned system, and sultans, emirs and chiefs enjoy the right to control the land. They have established a national treasury and a complete set of tax systems. All these conditions made it possible for British colonists to implement indirect rule.

The Nigerian people's struggle against aggression and slavery also played a direct role in the decision of British ruling policy. Lugard's conquest in the north met with fierce resistance every step forward. 1903 When Kano was attacked in February, the Kano people built strong fortifications, and 5,000 soldiers were ready for battle, forcing Lugard to give everything he had to win. In sokoto, the British army was resisted by 3000 infantry and 1500 cavalry. Although the British army won the first battle, it was defeated in the Battle of Bourmi, killing more than 400 people. After the fall of sokoto, Sudan retreated to the eastern region. At his call, teams from Kano, Bida and Bornu joined the fight against aggression. In June of the same year, Wallace, then the British Acting High Commissioner, reported in horror in a letter to the Colonial Department: "The rebellion (in sokoto and Kano) has produced some unexpected serious situations ... People seem to unanimously respond to the Sudanese call; Men, women and children left their villages and towns to follow him; It shows a fanatical spirit, which I never thought they would have. " In other words, although the Nigerian people's heroic war of resistance to defend their independence failed, it taught the colonists a lesson and made them realize that there are powerful forces among the people. A colonial rule can not be consolidated and sustained only by the direct suppression of a few colonial aggressors, but must be supplemented by other indirect means. British colonists also realized from setbacks that since the local kings and chiefs in Africa have prestige and appeal, if they can turn their enemies into friends and let them serve the colonial regime, they can play a role that British officials can't; If the original indigenous regime can be used by colonial rule, it can not only reduce the administrative expenses of colonial authorities, but also deceive public opinion, and its effect is incomparable to direct rule.

At the beginning of 1906, the people's uprising in Satiru, near sokoto, also promoted the approach of colonial authorities and indigenous rulers and the formation of indirect ruling order. The main force of this uprising is the poor peasants of Hausa nationality, who oppose both the colonial invaders and the feudal oppression of Sudan and Emir. The uprising team quickly spread to many neighboring areas and defeated the revolutionary army; To sokoto: March. Lugard quickly mobilized a large number of troops to suppress the uprising. The Sultan of sokoto was frightened by the anti-feudal nature of the uprising. He completely abandoned the anti-British flag, turned around, tried his best to stop the uprising, and sent someone to escort the British garrison officer Bo into the city to stabilize the British army. Afterwards, Berden said with a lingering fear: "As long as he (Sultan) shows a little hesitation, I have no doubt that a large group of' talaka Wa' (meaning the poor class) will join the enemy immediately, and many chiefs will respond to their requests consciously or unconsciously. What we will encounter will not be isolated and fanatical rebellion, but comprehensive resistance. " It was under the impetus of Sudan that emirs all over the country stood on the side of an Englishman and expressed their willingness to help the British army. The invaders colluded with the indigenous rulers, and the uprising was finally drowned in a pool of blood. Afterwards, the colonists once said with emotion: "This great trust should be attributed to Lugard's policy and its indirect ruling system." This shows that the British indirect rule system in Nigeria is caused by various historical conditions.