History Lesson note for week 5 & 6.

WEEK 5_ 6. Topic _ political

developments in Nigeria.
What is Amalgamation? This simply
means blending, joining or
combining two or more separated
entities to become only one single
entity for consolidation purpose.
However, amalgamation of Nigeria
can
be described as bringing together of
various Nigerian people whose
languages, traditions and cultures were
total different under one political
entity. The first amalgamation took
place in Nigeria when the colony of
Lagos was joined with the protectorate
of southern Nigeria to become the
colony and protectorate of southern
Nigeria. The bigger amalgamation
later took place in 1914 with the
northern protectorate was joined with
the
southern protectorate to become one
political entity called Nigeria..
REASONS FOR THE
AMALGAMATION NIGERIA.
1. Shortage of funds for the
administration of the northern
protectorate.
2. To make the administration of
Nigeria easy for the British.
3. To use the surplus wealth of the
southern protectorate for the
administration of the north whose
economy was poor.
4. To link the north to the southern
coast by the construction of a railway.
This was because the northern
protectorate was landlocked (had no
access to the sea).
5. To create a larger political entity.
6. To unify the different regions of
Nigeria.
Process of the amalgamation of
Nigerian territories.
The process of amalgamation of the
northern and southern protectorates
was initiated by Lord Frederick
Lugard in 1912. Lugard had
approached Mr.
Lewis Vernon Harcourt, who was the
Secretary of State for Colonies to
support him in his desire to merge the
different regions of Nigeria for
administrative purposes. In 1913,
Lewis Harcourt mandated Lugard to
undertake a field work in Nigeria to
ascertain if amalgamation was
possible.
After the field work, Lugard submitted
his report and proposal for
amalgamation on May 9, 1913. The
different regions of Nigeria resisted
the
amalgamation owing to the
differences in administration. But on
January 1,
1914, the desire of Lugard was
accomplished as Nigerian
protectorates were
amalgamated. After the amalgamation,
southern and northern Nigeria were
still administered as separate entities.

KEY PERSONALITIES AND

THRIE ROLES IN THE
AMALGAMATION OF
NIGERIA TERRITORIES .
a. Taubman Goldie
Taubman Goldie was a British trader
and colonial administrator. It was
Taubman Goldie that organised the
different British firms that operated on
the Niger into a chartered company in
1886. Goldie also established British
rule on the Niger River and on
northern Nigeria through the signing
of
protection treaties with local chiefs
and wars of expedition against groups
that were seen as rebellious. By his
activities, Goldie was responsible for
the
British claims over Nigerian territory
at the Berlin Conference.
b. Lord Frederick Lugard
Lord Frederick Lugard was the High
Commissioner for the protectorate of
northern Nigeria. He introduced the
indirect rule system in Nigeria. When
he
was made the Governor-General of
Nigeria, he embarked on a project to
amalgamate the protectorates of
southern and northe]][[rn Nigeria. He
concluded the project on January 1,
1914.
c. European Missionaries
European missionaries helped in the
opening up of the interior of Nigeria in
the course of their missionary works.
They introduced western education
and prepared the natives as clerks and
interpreters for the British colonial
 administrators.
d. Nigerian Traditional Rulers
Nigerian rulers served the purpose of
British colonial administration. The
were used for the indirect rule system
in British colonies..
Assignment
1. Define the term
AMALGAMATION .
2. State five reasons for the
amalgamation of the colonies
3. Write the short note on the roles of
the following
In the amalgamation of Nigeria.
a) Taubman Goldie
b) Lord Fredrick lugard
c) European missionaries
d) Nigeria Traditional rulers.