Colonial Nigeria
Explore Nigeria’s colonial era (c. 1861–1960), from the annexation of Lagos and the Royal Niger Company to the 1914 amalgamation and the road to independence. This category examines British administration, missionary education, commerce and railways, taxation and labor, cultural change and urban life, and the rise of nationalist movements, including women’s protests, unions, and political parties. Discover biographies, key events, and documents that reveal resistance, collaboration, and everyday experiences across Nigeria’s regions.
Chief Amodu Tijani Oluwa and the Lagos Land Case That Reached the Privy Council
Chief Amodu Tijani Oluwa, an Idejo White Cap Chief of Lagos and head of the Oluwa family, entered history through a legal struggle that...
Christian Missions in Ibadan, From Kudeti to a Growing Protestant City
Christian mission history in Ibadan is closely linked to the arrival of the Church Missionary Society in the early 1850s. In 1853, C.M.S. missionaries...
From Slave Ship to City Hall, The Rise of John Ezzidio in Nineteenth Century Freetown
John Ezzidio was born around 1810 in Nupe country, in the region of present day Nigeria. His early life unfolded in a period marked...
Nigeria at Charles and Diana’s 1981 Royal Wedding
On 29 July 1981, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were married at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. The ceremony became one of the...
Sir Richmond Palmer and the Making of Colonial Northern Nigeria
Sir Herbert Richmond Palmer was one of the most influential British administrators to serve in Northern Nigeria during the early twentieth century. Born on...
The African Conference at Lancaster House, 1948, When Britain Opened the Door to Colonial Dialogue
In late September 1948, a significant colonial conference unfolded inside the formal halls of Lancaster House. Known as the African Conference, the gathering brought...
Industry, Influence, and Enterprise in Late Colonial Nigeria
In the final decades of British colonial rule, Nigeria’s move toward modern economic development unfolded far beyond government chambers and nationalist rallies. It advanced...
Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Ebute Ero and the Early Foundations of Anglican Lagos
Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Ebute Ero, stands as one of the most enduring Anglican institutions on Lagos Island. Its story is closely tied to...
The London and Kano Trading Company
Some colonial era company names sound like they were designed to explain themselves. The London and Kano Trading Company is one of them. It...
When Resistance Shaped Daily Life: The Ekumeku Movement’s Struggle Against Colonial Rule
From 1883 to 1914, the Ekumeku Movement challenged British rule in Igbo communities. Unlike isolated uprisings, Ekumeku represented a prolonged pattern of resistance, ensuring...