The need for national political reform conference (2)

Canada

In like manner, Canada, another good example of federalism in practice, has its own history which is also unique to it. The first settlers inhabited Nova Scotia. Others later settled in New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Colombia, etc. Eventually, the people decided to form a union wherein their potentials would be fully harnessed for the common good of all.

Australia

As for Australia, its uniqueness first lies in the fact that it is both a country / nation as well as a continent. It is a perfect example of federalism. Here, people from different countries came together. The first settlers were hardened criminals who were “deported” directly from Britain while others from various parts of the country joined one another to form the large Australian union. Like America and Canada, the people were “compelled” by circumstances in which they found themselves to come together willingly and without any imperial and or colonial power foisting a “union” on them.

Thus, today, Australia represents a good example of nation-state which came together to protect its new found land. Today, Australia is the better for it.

South Africa

Perhaps the most recent of all is South Africa. The painful history of repression, oppression, subjugation, radical segregation and apartheid is still fresh in our memories. The country consists of many tribes, cultures, traditions and histories. From the days of Cecil Rhodes, South Africa has come a long way. Little wonder therefore that the people had no alternative than to come together in order to fight the oppressors. The bitter struggle lasted centuries at enormous human and material cost before securing reprieve in 1994.

The birth of Nigeria

From the foregoing, it is clear beyond doubt that Nigeria started the other way round.

First, the area now known as Nigeria consists of over 400 tribes or nations. The British decided arbitrarily to call the area ‘Nigeria’. Originally, it was ruled as two countries, later as a single entity, later again as three powerful  regions with a weak centre. Subsequently, the military fragmented it into unviable states and ruled for over 30 years as a federation in name but a unitary system de facto.

The military left in 1999, leaving behind a constitution pretended to establish a federal government but which in fact is nothing but a Unitary government where the so-called states are no more than mere representatives of federal government through which salaries and allowances of government officials are paid, leaving little or nothing for capital development.

The birth of the country known as Nigeria: Berlin Conference

A lot of the problems plaguing us as a country today have their foundations in the infamous conference of 1854 to 1855 when the European powers convened in Berlin Germany and Partitioned Africa. This conference signified the absurd partition of our heritage, our language, tradition and culture. The imaginary boundary line along artificial and arbitrary barriers saw some part of Yoruba race being merged with the Republic of Benin, a French territory. Some parts of Hausa/Fulani speaking people were also merged to form part of Niger Republic, Ghana and Sierra Leone. The result is the eternal separation and criminal division of a people hitherto United as different nations under different empires. Such as old Oyo Empire. The Benin Empire, the Hausa Fulani Empire and the Kalabari Kingdom.

The genesis of these seemingly insurmountable problems is the fact that the carving out of the area later known as Nigeria for the British was actually premised on selfish economic interest. The inhabitants of the area later christened Nigeria were never consulted. Indeed, they had no say. The problems associated with most areas of civil strife today in Africa actually have their roots in the problems of the Berlin Conference. These countries include Burundi, Congo, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Sudan, Angola to mention a few.

In the large area carved out for the British which was later named Nigeria, courtesy of Mrs. Lugard, were and still are over 400 tribes and ethnic groups with remarkable differences of language, culture, tradition and even ways of dressing. Some of the big nations forcibly included in the new country like Yoruba, and Hausa kingdoms are as large or even larger than Britain. Apart from the skin pigmentation, these tribes have nothing in common. The differences between these numerous tribes are as much as those between the European countries spanning Ukraine in the East to Portugal, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden on the West. Nigeria has an area of about 93.765 square kilometers and is inhabited by over 200million people spread over 400 ethnic groups, speaking about 295 dialects. In United States of America, you have only one major language. In Britain, one language, in Canada two and Germany only one.

The unpalatable truth however is that the colonial masters never intended Nigeria to be a nation.

Two countries made one

Originally, the country now known as Nigeria was treated as two distinct and separate countries but the two were merged to further entrench the colonial dominance over the area for the sake of propagating the hegemonic tendencies of the British Colonial Administration and was principally geared towards enhancing the economic base of the United Africa Company (UAC) formed in 1879 which was to later assume a new name, Royal Niger Company in 1882.

It is a matter of recorded history that on December 1, 1889, the Charter granted to the Royal Niger Company was revoked. Barely 24 hours later, Lord Lugard became the first British High Commissioner to the newly designated protectorate of Northern Nigeria. The protectorate of Southern Nigeria was also created from the said Niger Coast protectorate. By 1903 Lugard had succeeded in bringing the Sokoto Caliphate under the British rule.

Lord Lugard thereafter started a campaign towards unification of all British protectorates. This campaign was to yield the first fruit in 1906 when the southern Nigeria Protectorate and the colony of Lagos were amalgamated to become the colony and protectorate of Southern Nigeria. The incumbent colonial Governor of Lagos, Sir Eagerton, continued as Governor under an enlarged administration. He had been briefly posted to Hong Kong as Governor General. Upon resumption of office Lord Lugard intensified campaign for the unification of the Northern Nigeria protectorate and the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria and colony of Lagos. The British king had no difficulty in approving of Lord Lugard’s suggestion because of his proven track record and experience as a seasoned administrator. The official approval was given on the 22nd of November 1913 by King George V from his court at Windsor Castle.

Amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria

The amalgamation process took effect from the 1st of January 1914 and Lord Frederick Lugard assumed a new title as Governor-General. It is a significant history fat that even though the country had in law been amalgamated or unified, yet the day-to-day administration was not. Whereas a separate legislative body was in charge office making for the affairs of the colony of Lagos, the Governor General was making laws for the protectorate of Northern Nigeria by proclamation. It is therefore clear to all that the principle reason towards the amalgamation was basically economic.

Economic reasons

The administration of Lord Lugard derived most of her revenue from custom duties and export of raw material which basically were oil palm, palm kernel, groundnut, cocoa, rubber and cotton. About 100% of the revenue from customs duties were accruable from the southern seaport of Lagos. In addition to this, about 90 percent from the exported raw commodities were also from the south. The groundnuts which were the major produce from the North and for which Kano became popular for the “Groundnuts pyramids” had not at this time been fully developed on an appreciable commercial quantity that would meet the industrial demands of Europe. This was later fully tapped. This economic structure fundamentally underscores the reasons for the amalgamation strategy of Lord Lugard. Interestingly, the amalgamation was viewed with undisguised suspicion and derision by the then Northern elites who feared that the process might erode the hegemony and awesome influence enjoyed by caliphate.

…to be continued

AARE AFE BABALOLA, OFR, CON, SAN, LL. D (Lond.)

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