Introduction

What is decolonization : decolonization can be defined as a process by which enslaved and

dependent countries seek autonomy from there inslaves.
the Portuguese paved the way for the slave trade, and Nigeria was a big area of business
for them. They sold slaves in order to obtain spices and weapons in other areas .The
decolonization of Africa was conquered by European imperial powers in the late 19th and
early 20th centuries.The process of decolonization coincided with the new Cold War
between the Soviet Union and the United States, and with the early development of the new
United Nations. Decolonization was often affected by superpower competition, and had a
definite impact on the evolution of that competition. It also significantly changed the pattern
of international relations in a more general sense. The abolition of the slave trade was the
key moment when the British truly “intervened in the region.” They placed their focus on
obtaining goods to increase their ability to trade, as well as on converting the people of the
area, which was previously heavily Muslim, to Christianity.

Reasons for colonization

Colonialism can be seen as the pursuing, establishing and maintaining of control and
exploitation of people and of resources by a foreign group of people
Why the nigerian people were Colonialism is the pursuing, establishing and maintaining of
control and exploitation of people and of resources by a foreign group of people
One predominant reason for they colonisation and the enslavement of the
Nigerian people by the British and the Portuguese were economic reasons and the
resources of the people . The British targeted Nigeria because of its resources. The British
wanted products like palm oil and palm kernel and export trade in tin, cotton, cocoa,
groundnuts, palm oil and so on because at that time due to imperialism countries needed
more land and resources to feed its people .

How they were colonised

slavery in 1807 and pushed for forms of “legitimate commerce” , the British began to explore
British colonialism began under the pretense of policing the slave trade. Britain outlawed
avenues through which the resources of the indigenous peoples could be exploited and
maximised . they needed to create a structure for indirect rule to achieve this they had to
control Africans through their traditional authorities. The British reasoned that approaching
the people through their local leaders would minimise opposition to British rule . In Northern
Nigeria, they used the existing emirs and their traditional institutions. The British
accomplished the colonisation by using its military . After.the British government gained
control over the Royal Niger Company’s territories also known as Lagos , and added on
lower regions near the river to create the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria and Protectorate
of Southern Nigeria . the British conquest of northern and southern Nigeria and the merging
of the two to establish Nigerian colonies and protectorate, the British seeks the best interests
between direct rule and indirect rule. They will not hesitate to use the means of direct rule if
they think that indirect rule cannot guarantee their colonial status. The divide and rule policy
is always adopted by the British over the colonisation of Nigeria. The consequences of
colonisation consist of many parts. Politically, slavery was abolished. Economically, the tax
system and transportation system deepened the British’s plunder and control over the
economy in Nigeria. Culturally, the British controlled the religious culture in Nigeria through
training a group .
What colonization affected
Colonial rule transformed political, economic, social, and cultural dynamics among
indigenous peoples. Indirect rule bound “traditional” rulers to British authority. The economy
became increasingly dependent on exports.When the colonists took over the country's rule
during the colonial era, the natives suffered a massive culture and identity loss. The British
brought and imposed their culture, language, behaviour, beliefs, and other ways of life on the
Nigerians. This then led to the natives abandoning some of their customs and culture in
favour of those brought by the colonisers. For most natives, though, the conformity to the
new way of life was more out of fear of the colonialists than a belief in their ways of life.
According to Nigeria Infopedia, claims that politically Nigeria was put in a state of disunity,
enmity, debased, discrimination mediocracy, regionalism and absence of patriotism.
Because the British officials never had interest in improving Nigeria's politics. That’s why
they implemented the division rule without considering the massive ethnic differences .

Pre colonial era

The pre colonial era is the time period before colonialism . Nigeria as a whole only dates
back to 1914, that’s when the British formed the country by grouping several small northern
and southern regions. The region of Nigeria itself has been in existence for a very long time
and has been home to many different Africans and their different civilizations. From the 12th
century up until the actual creation of Nigeria in 1914 many different groups have lived and
governed in the area, but not all of them lived and obeyed the same kings and rulers. In the
pre colonial Nigeria we had the hause , the Yoruba , and igbo . A distinguished feature about
this is the existence of one ruler that focuses power and sources in one authority.