The Berlin Treaty of 1884/1885

After the discovery of Africa, European countries began to rush into the continent in
order to lay claim to their colonies so they could exploit the abundant resources found in
Africa.

A colony is simply an area or country that is under the political control of another
country.

The European countries wanted all the valuable resources they could get from Africa,
and some of these resources included;

 Cotton
 Palm oil
 Gold
 Diamond
 Rubber

In the minds of the European powers, the more colonies they had, the larger their
military would be and the more powerful this would make them.

This led to a scramble for Africa and it created disputes among the European powers
and when these disputes started to negatively affect trade, the German chancellor Otto
Von Bismarck called a meeting of 14 countries in Berlin with the aim of dividing the
African continent into different territories amongst themselves (Europeans Powers)

The countries that participated in the Berlin conference include: France, Denmark,
Portugal, Spain Belgium, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Netherlands, Sweden-Norway,
and the USA.

The Berlin Treaty lasted between 15th of November 1884 to 26th of February 1885.

REASONS FOR THE TREATY

The major reason for the Berlin Treaty was to share Africa amongst the European
powers, other reasons include the following.

i. To exploit the Resources found in Africa.

 ii. To avert the possible outbreak of war amongst European powers due to
disputes over the territories.
iii. Control free trade in coastal colonies
iv. Arguments between Otto Von Bismarck, the German chancellor and Jules
Ferry, French foreign minister.

FEATURES OF THE BERLIN TREATY

i. The trade of all nations shall enjoy complete freedom

ii. Christian missionaries and explorers shall enjoy special protection
iii. Any power that takes possession of land on the coasts of the African territory
outside its present possession shall have notified the other signatories.
iv. All flags shall have free access to the whole of the coastlines of the territories.
v. All the powers shall be responsible for the preservation of the tribes and for
the for suppressing slavery.

The Roles of the Royal Niger Company in Nigerian Territories

After getting what they wanted from other Europeans, the British started negotiating with
the African chiefs. With tribal chiefs along the Benue and Niger Rivers, Goldie (Royal
Niger Company) had negotiated treaties by 1886. Also, he entered the interior. The
business changed its name to the National Africa Company and was incorporated (it
was granted a royal charter). The business afterwards changed its name to Royal Niger
Company (It is now called Unilever).

Free trade had been promised by the Royal Niger Company to the local chiefs during
negotiations, but they instead signed private agreements that suited them. Even though
these private agreements were frequently dishonest and signed by regional chiefs, they
were frequently written in English and were upheld by the British authorities.

Certain local chiefs, including Jaja of Opobo and King Koko of the Nembe Kingdom,
were bitter at the Royal Niger Company's enjoyment of the trade monopoly. The Royal
Niger Company started regulating who the indigenous might trade with in 1894. The
locals were forbidden unfettered trade. As a result, some rulers went to war with the
corporation. One example is when King Koko launched an assault on the Royal Niger
Company's headquarters in Akassa, which is now Bayelsa State. In addition to seizing
the base, he reportedly took 60 white men captive. Koko ordered the execution of forty
of the hostages after the Brits failed to talk with him. On February 20, 1895, the British
stormed Benin with their navy and set it ablaze.

Britain became aware of the public backlash against the Royal Niger Company as a
result of this battle. They decided to cancel its charter as a result in 1899. The British
government then purchased the company's shares for £865,000. It was the price paid
by Britain to acquire the region that would one day be known as Nigeria.

Colonial Conquest

The region that is currently known as Nigeria was historically made up of numerous
states with distinct historical origins and religious beliefs. Although there was trade and
interaction between the inhabitants of the many republics, they did not identify
themselves as one. The Yoruba kingdoms, Igbo States, Kanem-Borno Empire, Old Oyo
Empire, Hausa States, and Nupe Kingdom were among them. As was previously
mentioned, Britain received the territories that make up modern-day Nigeria after the
Berlin Conference.

The Brits conducted a number of military operations in an effort to increase their territory
and assert their power. The wrath of the British army was directed at the regions that
had rejected missionaries and foreign commerce. The British then conquered a war-
weakened Yorubaland after destroying Ijebu. Benin City was also taken between 1896
and 1897, and the Oba of Benin, Ovonramwen, was banished.

After beginning the Anglo-Aro War between 1901 and 1902, they were unable to
establish political power over the Igbo, making it difficult to acquire Igbo territory. As a
result, the British started pacification missions every year to persuade the Igbo of their
superiority.

The Protectorate of Northern Nigeria was established by the British in 1900, and an
offensive against the Sokoto empire followed. First on the military's list of targets was
Kano, which they took in 1903. Brigadier George Kemball served as the force's
commander. Sultan Muhammad Attahiru resisted being captured when the troops
arrived in Sokoto. The British army was attacked by his troops, but it was defeated.

Territorial Management in Nigeria In 1900, the Southern and Northern Protectorates

came under the rule of the British government. They imposed various administrative
structures on the territories of Nigeria. Until 1900, the Niger Coast Protectorate, the
Lagos Colony and Protectorate, and the Royal Niger Company's possessions made up
the entirety of Nigeria. These regimes each had their own distinctive administrative
policies.

The Royal Niger Company was interested in making profits for its shareholders while
Lagos and the Niger Coast had regular governments. The Crown Colony System was
used in Lagos. The crown rule was the direct control by the British Government.
In 1862, H.S. Freeman became the pioneer governor when the colony began. The
British Governor was the only authority of the Crown Colony but he was assisted by a
Legislative Council which had a Chief Justice, a Colonial Secretary and a Senior Military
officer.

In 1886, an Executive Council was created when the Lagos Colony was separated from
the Gold Coast. Though the government departments were headed by non-Africans,
assistance came from highly qualified African Staff in the Police, public works, medical
judiciary and custom services.

The Lagos Protectorate composed of Yoruba territories and was controlled by the
governor. The protectorate was divided into districts under the control of District
Commissioners. The districts were reorganized into provinces in 1914.

The Benin Province was ruled by a British political officer; the Vice Consul. The council
of Benin chiefs was political agents of the British and they assisted the vice consul.

The Eastern provinces were sub-divided into three divisions: Eastern, Central and
Western Divisions by the appointed Consul-General for Oil Rivers Protectorate; Sir
Claude MacDonald. The headquarter of the eastern province was at Old Calabar. The
divisions also had their headquarter: Calabar was the headquarter of Eastern province;
Bonny was the headquarter of Central province while Warri was the headquarter of
Western province. The divisions were later further divided into districts with Vice-
Consuls as the heads. The British appointed Warrant Chiefs (local rulers) who had
'Certificate of Recognition' given by the colonial government.

The Niger Delta areas were governed by a Vice-Consul who was assisted by a native
council. These areas consisted the Urhobo, Itsekiri and so on.

Meaning of Amalgamation
Amalgamation can be defined as the uniting two or more different communities under a
single administrative and political authority to case governance.

The definition is applicable to what the British did in Nigeria in 1914, when the Northern
and Southern protectorates were brought to get as a single nation.

Before the 1914 amalgamations, there was an amalgamation of the colony of lagos
created in 1861 with Niger coast protectorate to form the colony and southern
protectorate in 1893. This was the first amalgamation that took place in Nigeria.
The major reasons for the amalgamation of Nigerian territories
There was one major reason and other minor reasons for the amalgamation of
territories Nigerian in 1914. We will discuss the major reason first and follow it up with
other reasons.

1.Financial Reason
This was the major reason the southern and northern protectorates were joined
together. The northern protectorate was not financially buoyant and the British tax
payers were finding it very hard to keep up. However, the southern protectorate was not
only financially buoyant, it was producing surplus every year.

The British colonial policy stipulated that colonies should be self- sufficient and self-
financed. However, the northern protectorate received subsidy from the southern
protectorate and the British Imperial Grant-in-Aid. This was against the British colonial
policy.

It was because of this that both protectorates were joined together. It was expected that
the wealthy southern protectorate should continue to subsidize northern protectorate.
With this, both protectorate being one, would thrive.

2. Easy Governance
In 1912, Sir Lugard became the governor general of the northern and southern
protectorates. Governing these two protectorates was not an easy task. Lugard and his
amalgamation advocates knew that the Lagos colony and the protectorates would fall
under one government after the amalgamation, and governance would be easier.

3. The Need to Create Access to Sea by Land

The northern protectorate was land-locked. This means the northern protectorate was
not bound by any sea. Amalgamation was therefore needed to create access to the sea
which the Lagos colony and the southern protectorate had. The northern railway was to
be extended to Baro on the Niger where goods could be shipped to the sea. This would
further facilitate a swift transportation of goods.

4. The Need for a Unifying Policy

The 1914 amalgamation was very much needed during the British rule because Nigeria
then, needed a policy that could unify the different rivals policies that were springing up
in different parts of the country because of the decentralized system of government that
was in place. The laws and legal systems were unified through the amalgamation.
Three types of courts were created throughout Nigeria due to the new legal system.
These courts were the Supreme Court, the Provincial Courts and the Native Courts. A
Central Secretariat and seat of government was established by Lugard in Lagos.

After the amalgamation, new names and divisions were provided to different parts of the
country. There were 22 provinces and 85 divisions. The Nigerian Council (later renamed
Legislative Council) consisted of representatives from various provinces.
The reasons for the amalgamation of the Nigerian territories can be summed up into the
following main points.

i. To reduce cost of administration

ii. To raise more funds for the colony
iii. To ease administration
iv. To unite the colony
v. To accelerate growth and development of Nigeri
vi. To achieve Lugard’s personal ambition
vii. To Gain full control of the territories

PROCESS OF AMALGAMATION

The Amalgamation process started long before the event took place on January 1914,
the process is summarized below.

1. Arrival of Lord Lugard to Northern territory in 1895; this was significant and crucial to
the 1914 amalgation, lugard, on arrival to the North used military forces to conquer
sokoto the seat of the caliphate in 1903.

2. This was the last Northern territory to be captured by the British, meaning that the
entire Northern territory was eventually under their control,

3. This was a major achievement that acted as a starting point for future amalgamation
of Nigeria being nursed by Lugard and other British officials

4. The establishment of Northern protectorate; this was created in 1900 and had sir
Fredrick Lugard as it first high commissioner,

5. Division of Nigeria into three separate region; the next step was division of the British
colony into three separate units, they were; The Lagos colony, The Niger coast
protectorate, The Northern protectorate.

The First Amalgamation

The three separate units were reduced to two, The Lagos colony was merged with
Niger coast protectorate to create colony and protectorate of southern Nigeria with its
capital in Lagos, with this, only two protectorates existed, the southern and Northern
protectorates which were governed by Lugard as a British colony.

The Plan To Merge The Two Protectorates

The idea of merging the two protectorates began with Sir Frederick Lugard, he shared
this idea with the then secretary of state for the colonies, Mr Lewis Veron Harcourt, His
argument was based on ease governance of two sides, the colony secretary bought this
idea and the process of achieving this started preliminary field work for the
amalgamation

Lugard was mandated by Mr. Lewis Veron Harcourt to conduct a detailed field work of
the country to see the possibility of uniting different regions of Nigeria, This was
necessary before a proposal for amalgamation could be submitted to the queen

Submission Of Amalgamation Proposal

On May 9th 1913, the proposal was submitted to the colonial office in London stating
the unification of the two protectorates into a single administrative unit after a thorough
field work had been carried out by lord Lugard.

Approval By The Queen;

The proposal was then sent to queen and been convinced approved the proposal for
the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates.

The Amalgamation
On January 1st 1914, the two protectorates were amalgamated and Sir Fredrick Lugard
became the first Governor- General of the country.