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.
The Story Behind Britain’s “Punitive Expeditions” in Nigeria
Britain did not conquer the territories that became Nigeria in one single war.In many places, British control arrived through treaties and negotiations. In others,...
The Battle Where Poisoned Arrows Terrified British Soldiers
A British commander was leading his troops towards a fortified town in Northern Nigeria. His forces had rifles, artillery and Maxim machine guns. The...
Colonial Federalism in Nigeria: 3 Powerful Forces That Reshaped Nationalist Politics
Colonial federalism in Nigeria developed alongside the country’s existing ethnic, cultural and political identities. During the final decades of colonial rule, constitutional regionalisation, uneven...
How Colonial Institutions Shaped Post-Independence Nigerian Politics: 3 Powerful Constitutional Shifts That Entrenched Regional Rivalry
How Colonial Institutions Shaped Post-Independence Nigerian Politics begins during the final decades of British colonial rule, when constitutional reforms progressively strengthened the political importance...
Guregu and Ogedengbe: The Powerful Colonial Caption Behind a Yoruba Military Mystery
Guregu and Ogedengbe are linked by a striking description associated with a colonial-era photograph. Guregu is identified as Ogedengbe’s “principal Lieutenant” and described in...
The Battle of Burmi in 1903
The Battle of Burmi 1903 was one of the decisive confrontations in Britain’s conquest of Northern Nigeria. On 27 July 1903, Sultan Muhammadu Attahiru...
Hadejia Resistance of 1906: 5 Crucial Hours That Reshaped an Emirate
The Hadejia Resistance of 1906 was not the beginning of Hadejia’s encounter with British colonial power. It was the violent culmination of several years...
Satiru Uprising of 1906: 2 Fierce Battles That Shook British Rule in Sokoto
The Satiru uprising of 1906 erupted less than three years after British forces had conquered Sokoto and brought the surviving institutions of the Sokoto...
Lagos Gaol Execution of 1885: The Powerful Story of a Colonial Prison Crisis
The Lagos Gaol Execution of 1885 was reported in extraordinary detail by The African Times on 1 October 1885. Under its “Lagos News” section,...
Dorugu and Abbega: 2 Remarkable African Travellers Who Helped Shape Heinrich Barth’s Record of West Africa
Dorugu and Abbega occupy an unusual place in the history of nineteenth-century African exploration. Both were young Africans who had experienced slavery before entering...