History · Lesson 7

The Scramble, British conquest, amalgamation, indirect rule and colonial society

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: Section B 9 British conquest of Nigeria; Section C 1–5 (protectorates, amalgamation, indirect rule, colonial economy and society, resistance: Ekumeku, Satiru 1906, Egba 1918, Aba 1929); Part II C1–2 imperialism and colonial policies

WAEC: The Scramble and partition; colonial policies (British, French, Portuguese, Belgian); Paper 2: British conquest, amalgamation, indirect rule, colonial economy and society

NECO: The Scramble and partition; colonial policies (British, French, Portuguese, Belgian); Paper 2: British conquest, amalgamation, indirect rule, colonial economy and society

What you will learn

Explain the causes of the Scramble and the significance of the Berlin Conference.
Describe the methods of British conquest and explain why resistance failed.
Describe major resistance movements before and after conquest.
Trace the stages from protectorates to amalgamation and explain amalgamation.
Explain the features of indirect rule and its varying success.
Describe the colonial economy and its effects.
Explain the Aba Women’s War.
Compare British, French, Portuguese and Belgian colonial policies.

Key points

Scramble c.1880–1900: economic, political, humanitarian, racist, technological causes.
Berlin 1884–85: notification, effective occupation, free navigation; no Africans.
Methods: treaties, gunboats, expeditions, divide and rule, RNC, missions.
Jaja 1887; Ijebu 1892; Nana 1894; Benin Feb 1897; Aro 1901–02.
North: Bida/Ilorin 1897; Kano and Sokoto 1903; Burmi 27 July 1903.
Ekumeku 1898–1911; Satiru 1906; Egba 1918; Aba 1929.
Protectorates 1900; Lagos joined south 1906; amalgamation 1 Jan 1914 (Lugard).
Amalgamation: economic and administrative motives; separation persisted.
Indirect rule: NA, courts, treasuries; works in north, mixed west, fails east.
Economy: cash crops, tin, coal, railways (Kano 1912), dependence, expatriate firms.
Aba Women’s War: taxation fears, warrant chiefs; ~55 killed; reforms.
French assimilation/association; Portuguese assimilado; Belgian paternalism.

Start here: The Scramble for Africa and the Berlin Conference

Before 1880 European powers held only small coastal footholds in West Africa (such as Lagos, Freetown, the Gold Coast forts and Senegal). Between about 1880 and 1900 they divided almost the whole continent among themselves. This rush is called the Scramble for Africa.

Causes

Economic: the need for raw materials (palm oil, cotton, rubber, minerals), markets for factory goods and places to invest surplus capital, especially during the trade depression of the 1870s–90s.
Political and strategic: rivalry among Britain, France and Germany; national prestige; protecting routes to India (Egypt and the Suez Canal, hi12).
Humanitarian and religious: the claim to end the slave trade and spread Christianity and "civilisation".
Racist ideas such as "Social Darwinism", which claimed Europeans had a right to rule.
Technology: quinine, steamships, railways, the telegraph and, above all, new weapons such as the Maxim gun.
Trigger events: France’s expansion in West Africa, Leopold II’s activities in the Congo, Britain’s occupation of Egypt (1882) and Germany’s claims in Togo and Cameroon (1884).

The Berlin West Africa Conference (15 November 1884 – 26 February 1885)

Called by the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck, it was attended by European powers and the USA; no African was invited. The General Act:

declared freedom of trade and navigation on the Congo and Niger rivers;
recognised Leopold II’s Congo Free State;
required any power claiming new coastal territory to notify the others;
required "effective occupation" (some real authority on the ground) to support claims on the coast;
pledged to suppress the slave trade.

Britain’s claim to the lower Niger was accepted, helped by Goldie’s purchase of French firms (hi5) and Hewett’s treaties. The conference did not itself partition Africa, but it set rules that sped up the Scramble.

Worked example 7.1 (JAMB-style)

The principle of "effective occupation" was established at the (A) Treaty of Versailles (B) Berlin Conference (C) Brussels Conference (D) Lagos Treaty. Answer: B (1884–85).

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Practice questions

1. The Berlin Conference on Africa was held in

1884–85
1900
1914
1807

Show answer

A: 1884–85
Called by Bismarck.

2. The principle that a European claim needed real presence was

indirect rule
assimilation
self-determination
effective occupation

Show answer

D: effective occupation
Agreed at Berlin.

3. Ijebu was defeated by the British in

1903
1914
1892
1897

Show answer

C: 1892
Expedition of May 1892.

4. Oba Ovonramwen was exiled to Calabar after the British expedition of

1914
1897
1892
1901

Show answer

B: 1897
The punitive expedition sacked Benin City.

5. The Aro expedition, which destroyed the Long Juju, took place in

1901–02
1897
1914
1929

Show answer

A: 1901–02
The Aro trading network was broken.

Key words

Scramble for Africa: The rapid European partition of Africa, c.1880–1900.
Effective occupation: Berlin rule that claims needed real authority on the ground.
Protectorate: Territory under the protection and control of a foreign power.
Punitive expedition: Military force sent to punish resistance.
Maxim gun: Early machine gun.
WAFF: West African Frontier Force.
Amalgamation: The 1914 union of the Northern and Southern Protectorates.
Indirect rule: Ruling through traditional authorities under British supervision.
Native Authority: Local government body headed by a chief or emir.
Warrant chief: British-appointed chief in Eastern Nigeria.
Resident: Senior British officer in a province.
Sabon gari: "New town" quarter for migrants in northern cities.

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