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The amalgamation of 1914 stands as a watershed moment in Nigeria’s colonial history. Orchestrated by Frederick John Dealtry Lugard, the British colonial governor, the act merged the Northern Protectorate, the Southern Protectorate, and the Colony of Lagos into one entity: the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.
Far from being a product of indigenous negotiation, the amalgamation was conceived and implemented entirely by the British government, motivated by administrative convenience and economic efficiency. Its consequences, economic integration, political imbalance, and enduring cultural divisions, remain central to Nigeria’s identity and challenges today.
Background to the Amalgamation
Prior to 1914, Nigeria existed as a patchwork of diverse polities, Hausa-Fulani emirates, Yoruba kingdoms, Igbo communities, and many others. British influence expanded during the late nineteenth century through trade, missionary activity, and military conquest, culminating in formal colonial rule.
By 1900, Britain had consolidated its holdings into three main units:
Northern Nigeria Protectorate (administered through indirect rule under Lugard’s leadership).
Southern Nigeria Protectorate (governed with more direct intervention and significant missionary presence).
Colony of Lagos (a Crown Colony with closer ties to Britain).
These territories were administratively and culturally distinct. The North was predominantly Muslim, structured under emirate systems, and resistant to missionary activity. The South was more exposed to Western education, Christianity, and coastal commerce.
Financial disparity proved decisive. The Northern Protectorate was underdeveloped and dependent on British subsidies, while the Southern Protectorate generated substantial revenue from customs duties, agriculture, and trade. For the British, amalgamation promised financial consolidation and reduced administrative costs.
Frederick Lugard: The Architect of Amalgamation
Born in 1858, Frederick Lugard had served as a soldier and colonial officer in India and East Africa before arriving in West Africa. His administrative career in Nigeria began as High Commissioner of the Northern Protectorate in 1900. He refined the policy of indirect rule, governing through existing traditional rulers, particularly effective in the emirate system of the North.
Lugard’s philosophy was codified in his book The Dual Mandate in British Tropical Africa (1922). He argued that colonialism served a “dual purpose”: advancing Britain’s economic interests while claiming to develop African societies. In practice, the first priority dominated.
By 1912, Lugard was appointed Governor of both Northern and Southern Nigeria, tasked with preparing the path for amalgamation. He believed a single administration would secure efficiency, unify economic management, and strengthen imperial control.
The 1914 Amalgamation
On 1 January 1914, Britain officially merged the Colony of Lagos, the Southern Protectorate, and the Northern Protectorate into the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Lugard became the first Governor-General.
However, the amalgamation was more administrative than substantive:
Dual structures persisted: The North and South retained separate legal, educational, and administrative systems.
Legislative exclusion: The Legislative Council in Lagos represented only the South, while the North was denied such representation.
Centralised authority: Real power rested with the Governor-General and a small colonial administration, with minimal Nigerian input.
Importantly, no Nigerian leaders or communities were consulted. The decision was imposed from London, reinforcing the colonial perception of Nigeria as a territory rather than a nation.
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Immediate Outcomes
Economic Integration
Customs revenue from the South now subsidised the administration of the North. While this reduced Britain’s financial obligations, it entrenched regional economic dependency.
Infrastructure Development
Colonial authorities expanded railways and roads to connect North and South. The Lagos–Kano railway, completed in 1912, symbolised this integration but primarily served British commercial interests by moving raw materials to ports.
Political Development
The amalgamation deepened Nigeria’s political imbalance. The South, with limited representation in the Legislative Council, had a small political voice. The North remained excluded from such institutions, reinforcing disparities that would influence later constitutional crises.
Cultural and Religious Divisions
The amalgamation forced together regions with starkly different religious and cultural orientations, predominantly Muslim North and Christian/traditional South. While manageable under colonial rule, these divisions became fault lines in the nationalist era and beyond.
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Criticisms of the Amalgamation
Historians and political commentators often criticise the 1914 amalgamation as an artificial construct, serving British convenience rather than Nigerian aspirations.
It was motivated by economic exploitation, not nation-building.
The forced union of diverse peoples sowed seeds of regional mistrust.
Political structures entrenched North–South disparities, still visible in modern governance.
Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, famously remarked decades later: “The mistake of 1914 has come to haunt us.”
Long-Term Impact
The amalgamation created the geographical boundaries of modern Nigeria. Its legacies include:
Nationalist Consciousness – Nigerians from different regions began to imagine a shared identity, however contested.
Structural Challenges – Economic imbalance, political exclusion, and ethnic divisions persisted into independence.
Federalism Debates – Nigeria’s postcolonial struggles with centralisation, resource allocation, and representation stem partly from this colonial blueprint.
By independence in 1960, Nigeria inherited both the unity and fractures of 1914. The amalgamation’s contradictions remain embedded in debates about federalism, secession, and nationhood.
Why the Amalgamation Matters Today
The story of 1914 remains central to Nigeria’s history. It highlights the tension between imposed unity and indigenous diversity, and the long shadow of colonial economic and political structures.
For contemporary Nigeria, revisiting the amalgamation underscores:
The need to balance regional interests equitably.
The importance of inclusive governance.
The resilience of Nigerians in reinterpreting a colonial framework to build a sovereign nation.
Author’s Note
The 1914 amalgamation, engineered by Frederick Lugard, was neither a consensual union nor a genuine project of nationhood. It was primarily a colonial administrative act designed to serve Britain’s interests. Yet, from this imposed framework, Nigerians forged a nation, albeit one still grappling with unity and diversity. Understanding this history is essential to engaging with Nigeria’s contemporary political challenges.
References
Coleman, J. S. (1958). Nigeria: Background to Nationalism. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Falola, T. & Heaton, M. (2008). A History of Nigeria. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lugard, F. (1922). The Dual Mandate in British Tropical Africa. London: William Blackwood & Sons.
