The colonial masters also imposed taxation in West Africa. The colonial belief in the superiority of French civilization was reflected in the judicial system, their attitude toward indigenous law, indigenous authorities, indigenous rights to land, and the educational program. It has been suggested that this fragmentation was an attempt by France to create a destabilized and fragmented West Africa, perhaps in hopes of gaining an upper hand in the approaching post-colonial period (Crowder, 1990: 78). Seventy-eight thousand of those had because French citizens because they were born in one of the communes. The highest-ranking of these juniors were the évolués, or evolved ones. West Africans organized protest against colonialism in form of the assertion of the right to self-rule. Ebou Jallo, 18 February 2021 1970 15 January: PPP opens campaign for republic. At the bottom were the jumbes or subordinate African staff. B. Danquah. In Nigeria, the Lagos Weekly Record was established in 1890 by John Payne Jackson. Colonialism was a double-edged-sword. They introduced new currencies, which were tied to currencies of the metropolitan countries to replace the local currencies and barter trade. It soon became obvious that no adequate provision made for families of absent soldiers. British West Africa was the collective name for British colonies in West Africa during the colonial period, either in the general geographical sense or the formal colonial administrative entity. A West African Frenchman could commute compulsory labor for a monetary payment. (6) In spite of more job opportunities, thousands of school-leavers remained unemployed. To show its resolve and stave off deep immediate American cuts, France, the former colonial power in West Africa, is rushing 600 additional troops to the region, for a total of 5,100. By introducing taxation, Europeans could force Africans into the monetarized economy. These men had been placed in the stead of recognized leadership. One underlying connection of all West African Portuguese colonies was the presence of relatively large numbers of Portuguese in the colonies, especially after 1945 when there was a full-scale emigration program from Portugal, especially to Angola. Later congresses in 1921, 1923, and 1927 were even weaker and less influential. The imposition of foreign domination on West Africa did not go unchallenged. Despite the rapid spread of Christianity in West Africa, Islam was spreading even more rapidly. The emergence of African owned presses and newspapers played an important role in sowing the seeds of early nationalism. He would however fall out of favor with West Africans because the French colonial government used him to forcibly conscript West Africans to fight for the French army during WWI. Soon a struggle between the Anna Pepple House and Manilla Pepple House led to the outbreak of civil war in Bonny in 1869. Thus, in colonial northern Nigeria, for instance, railroads were specifically built for this purpose. In conclusion, Indirect Rule was implemented because it was cheap and practical. The West African elite, through their newspapers and associations, acted as watchdogs of the colonial government, protecting their citizens against its abuses. The African Church and prophetic movement was represented a nationalist reaction against white domination in religious sphere, whim encouraged Africans to adopt African names at baptism, adapt songs to traditional flavors, and translate the bible and prayer books into West African languages. They built few secondary schools, and almost entirely neglected elementary education. The Prophetic Church Movement also emerged during this time, propelling the establishment of at least three prominent churches in West Africa which related Christianity to current West African beliefs. In London, the West African Student Union was founded in 1925 by Nigerian law student, Ladipo Solanke. By 1937, only eighty thousand of the fifteen million French West Africans had become French citizens. Until independence, Ghana was referred to as the Gold Coast. Railroads were a central element in the imposition of the colonial economic and political structures. [citation needed], Even after its final dissolution, a single currency, the British West African pound, was in effect throughout the region—including Nigeria—from 1907 to 1962. [citation needed], British West Africa's development was solely based on modernization, and autonomous educational systems were the first step to modernising indigenous culture. The White man is concerned with commerce and the Black man must trade with the White. Asante must remain [independent] of old . Because of the egalitarian nature of their society, the British found it extremely difficult to subjugate them. In 1897, King Prempeh was exiled, and the Asante were told that he would never be returned. The West African response to this was to break away from European churches and form new, independent West African churches. Many churches incorporated aspects of West African ideas of worship into their liturgies, showing more tolerance for West African social institutions like polygamy. British West Africa as a colonial entity was originally known as Colony of Sierra Leone and its Dependencies, then British West African Territories and finally British West African Settlements. The French employed a highly centralized and authoritarian system of administration. Like early nationalistic movements, this Pan African Congress was elitist and concerned with issues such as the disabilities of black civil servants. European Economic and Social Policies in their West African Dominions. The French policy actually went out of its way to deliberately destroy traditional paramountcies. If any trading ship or steamer proceeds further up the river than the creek above mentioned, after having been fully warned to the contrary, the said trading ship or steamer may be seized by King Jaja and detained until a fine of 100 puncheon [of palm oil] be paid by the owners to king Jaja . All equipment used to build and operate the railroads were manufactured in Europe, and brought little to no economic growth to West Africa beyond reinforcing the production of West African cash crops for the external market. Members of ruling families were not encouraged to attend new schools that were introduced for fear they may become denationalized. A post-Covid-19 relationship must be premised in part on working with an urban Africa. From left to right: Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_West_Africa&oldid=997370262, Former British colonies and protectorates in Africa, States and territories established in the 1780s, States and territories disestablished in 1957, 1787 establishments in the British Empire, 1957 disestablishments in the British Empire, Pages using infobox country or infobox former country with the symbol caption or type parameters, Articles needing additional references from January 2017, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2014, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 31 December 2020, at 04:55. West Africans embraced Islam as a form of protest against colonialism because it offered a wider world view devoid of the indignity of assimilation to the colonial master’s culture. While the European colonialists saw to the building of roads, railroads, ports, and new technology in West Africa, the infrastructure developed by them, and built with West African forced labor, was designed to exploit the natural resources of the colonies; and advance European colonial presence in West Africa. It was an ancient Christian kingdom, an island of freedom in a colonized continent. What was more, thousands of West African men were forced to construct these railroads; and many died doing so. The French government on their part, limited the number of schools in their West African territories. The people therefore became receptive to nationalist appeal and would become the first willing recruits into militant nationalist movement. Colonial definition, of, concerning, or pertaining to a colony or colonies: the colonial policies of France. When pressured in 1891 to sign a protection treaty which implied British control of Asante, Prempeh firmly and confidently rejected idea. There were even certain policies that deported the wives of these relationships back to Britain and denied them access to any of these colonies. Newspapers became a powerful tool in hands of nationalists to push for political, economic and social development. Trade unions cooperated closely with nationalist leaders in pressing for the end of colonialism. In her now famous challenge, Yaa Asantewa declared: How can a proud and brave people like the Asante sit back and look while white men took away their king and chiefs and humiliate them with a demand for the Golden Stool. This they did, much like the railways, to link production areas to the coasts. Nkrumah who was in London at time later recalled, “at that time it was almost as if the whole of London had suddenly declared war on me personally.”. Today, many post-colonial and post-Soviet states continue the practice of favoring one group over others, whether it be a minority European settler population (as in South Africa), a minority European alliance group (e.g., Lebanon, Syria, Rwanda, Burundi) or an internal ethnic group (e.g., India). He presented the principles of the system in his book The Dual Mandate in Tropical Africa. He was determined to prevent European incursions into the interior. Mbanaso Ozurumba, a.k.a Jaja was a former slave of Igbo origin. Portugal, one of the poorest of the European colonist nations in Africa operated what amounted to a closed economic system in their African colonies. The chief official of the resident for the colony had far reaching executive and legislative power. He had visited London and Moscow and had worked for communist newspaper in Hamburg. They instead penetrated the hinterland to open up free trade and therefore a confrontation with Jaja became inevitable. Indirect Rule which begun as administrative expedient in Northern Nigeria, would eventually be imposed throughout their territories of British Africa. With the discovery of mineral deposits in areas of colonial Sierra Leone, railways were either extended or spur lines were built to facilitate the exploitation of these minerals. Ethiopia held a special significance for colonized Africans. Another reason for the growth of new towns and cities, as well as urbanization, was the need to service the new agricultural sectors imposed by the colonial governments. Second, to create an illusion that colonials were profiting from their becoming “civilized.” Both the junior Frenchmen or petits Français and the evolved ones or évolués were to serve the grandeur of France and in the far, far, future, they would become “civilized” enough to be considered fully French. [citation needed], Nigeria gained independence in 1960. The Sierra Leone Weekly News was founded in 1884, and the Gold Coast Independent first published in 1885. Lagos rose from 100,000 in 1939 to 230,00 in 1950. Thus, the historical authority of chiefs and their relationships with subjects was corrupted to one of authoritarianism which reproduced the authoritarian system of government in the Estado Novo dictatorship (1926-74). (5) War gave impetus to education in West Africa. Another East Bengal in West Bengal March 14, 2021 Three decisions made by the British Raj, and one miracle by a Mahatma immediately after freedom in … Because protectorate treaties posed serious challenges to West African independence most West African rulers naturally rejected them. The cardinal principles of the European colonial economic relationship in West Africa were to: (1) stimulate the production and export of West African cash crops including palm produce, groundnuts, cotton, rubber, cocoa, coffee and timber; (2) encourage the consumption and expand the importation of European manufactured goods; (3) ensure that the West African colony’s trade, both imports and exports, were conducted with the metropolitan European country concerned. The Lt.-governor was directly under the governor-general and could make decisions on only a few specified subjects. These warrant chiefs were corrupt and miniature tyrants. WW1 had far reaching political and economic impact on West Africa. By 1920, there were no less than 14 churches under exclusive African control. In the 1920’s colonial administration succeeded in breaking alliance by supporting chiefs against the elite; (4) The National Congress of British West Africa (1920). Real authority was held by the Portuguese council of ministers, which was controlled by the prime minister. The British literally had to fight their way from Igbo village to village, from town to town, before they could finally declare their imperial authority over the Igbo people. This treaty set up rules for European occupation of African territories. They returned home with experience which deeply influenced desire for freedom and liberty. Moreover, they could be replaced at any time by a higher Portuguese power. ... including that of the deadly Ebola virus in West Africa between 2010 and 2015. In the face of this insult the chiefs held a secret meeting at Kumasi. In 1910, the British colonial office expressed the opinion that Englishmen naturally expected to enjoy fruits of their conquests, therefore they should be preferred over Africans in senior positions. The Germans had a highly centralized administration. They became disgruntled and blamed colonial government and European firms for their plight. Once a West African became a Frenchman, they were subject to French law and access to French courts. In 1887, the British consul Harry Johnson enticed Jaja to the British gunboat for discussions; but then exiled him to West Indies where he died in 1891. In 1934, the Lagos Youth Movement was founded by a group of young men led by Ernest Ikoli, Samuel Akinsanya, Dr. J.C. Vaughan formed. The warrant chiefs were the main targets of the women’s attack. He argued that the role of the British officers, except in critical areas such as taxation, military forces and the alienation of land, was to advise, not demand. The British replaced Creole archbishops and superintendents with Europeans. Some of the most notable movements included: (1) The Fante Confederacy (1868-72) of the Gold Coast, which recommended British withdrawal from all of her West African colonies; (2) The Egba United Board of Management (1865)  of Nigeria, which aimed to introduce legal reforms and tolls on European lines, establish postal communications in Lagos; (3) The aborigines Rights Protection Society (1897) of the Gold Coast was formed to oppose government proposals to classify unoccupied land as crown land (meaning that the land belongs to government). The economic impact of the war on West Africa was tremendous and far reaching, resulting in (1) an increased economic importance of West Africa to the world market. By 1960, the territories of French West Africa had achieved independence. European nations were summoned to discuss issues of free navigation along the Niger and Congo rivers and to settle new claims to African coasts. WW1 led to the arbitrary division of Togo and Cameroon between France and Britain as result of Treaty of Versailles: The division was made without reference to peoples, and this offended the latter’s sense of justice and fair play. They were colonial subjects trained to work in administrative positions. With the end of these wars, the British gained control of the hinterland of Ghana. By 1935, all those areas that were still holding out against the imperialists and clinging to … Just six years ago, Liberia lost nearly 5,000 people to Ebola. Isaac Wallace Johnson and Nnamdi Azikiwe, for instance, were active in the West African press; and the press served as an important element in keeping the elite united. Moreover, the British had the power to dispose of traditional rulers and replace them with their own nominees. Here are his words to the British envoy: The suggestion that Asante in its present state should come and enjoy the protection of Her Majesty the Queen and Empress of India, is a matter of very serious consideration and I am happy to say we have arrived at this conclusion, that my kingdom of Asante will never commit itself to any such policy. West Africans believed that these principles were just as applicable to the colonies as to occupied territories of Europe. Members believed that West Africans should seeks their independence in near future. And district heads, especially in Igbo and Ibibiolands, Nigeria, were appointed to defined areas without much consideration to their relationship with the populations under their authority. The second principle, was the principle of continuity. They came home with burning desire for better life for themselves and people and urgent demand for extension to Africa of freedom for which many of them had fought and died. West African people struggled against the breaking up of their historical states as well as any threat to their land through petitions, litigations, uprisings. When West African leaders struck alliances with the imperialists, they did so in an attempt to enhance their commercial and diplomatic advantages. African Chiefs were not local government authorities. The Impact of European Colonialism on West Africa. WW1 allowed West Africans access to external wartime rhetoric, which had tremendous impact upon the thoughts and aspirations of literate West Africans. To this end, King Jaja signed a trade treaty with the British in 1873. These roads however had the added effect of providing the impetus for increasing urbanization in West African cities and towns. That was the beginning of the Yaa Asantewa War. Sierra Leone was self-governing by 1958 and gained independence in 1961. By signing the treaty, the British acknowledged Jaja as the king of Opobo and dominant middleman in the Niger Delta trade. At the head of each colony was the governor, who was responsible to the Secretary of State at the colonial office. Subdivisions were divided into cantons under African chiefs. In practice however, scholars have argued that this policy was like the association of a horse and its rider, since the French would at all times dictate the direction that the development should take and determine what would be of mutual benefit to themselves and West Africans. Dutch Colonialism, Dutch forts, Dutch language and Dutch religion, Dutch colonial ruins, Dutch remains . Seaports, in cities like Dakar, Lagos, and Abidjan, thus, registered remarkable growth rates in the fifty years of the twentieth century. The key to the development of colonial economies in West Africa, was the need to control labor. The person could be appointed to any post in France and in colony. Under him were the Council of Ministers and the Overseas Ministry, which was made up of the Overseas Advisory Council, and the General Overseas Agency. The British merchants and officials were no longer in the mood to respect Jaja’s preeminence in the Niger Delta hinterland. Origins, organization and effects in the development of West Africa, 3: Islam in West Africa. Ex-service men had seen life in more developed countries and enjoyed high living standards in army. From west to east, the colonies became the independent countries of The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria. Over 176,000 men from British West Africa served in British colonial army during war. Like British, they divided their colonies into regions and districts. In 1899, in a further attempt to humiliate the Asante people, the British sent British governor Sir Frederick Hodgson to Kumasi to demand the Golden Stool. French West Africans were more affected than those in the British colonies. The Prophet Garrick Braide movement Began in 1912, ending with imprisonment in 1916. Young men found it much easier to obtain European currency by working in government or civilian sector jobs in towns and cities, rather than working on the plantations, which many were forced to do. Branches of the movement were established in Lagos and Gold Coast. The chiefs were discussing how they could make war on the white men and force them to bring back the Asantehene. The British found few people as difficult to subdue as the Asante of Ghana in their quest to build their West African colonial empire. Few Africans fought in British Africa. [3], In terms of social issues with British West Africa; sex and race usually conflicted each other (Carina E. Ray called it the "White Wife Problem"). It was not a political party, but a discussion center which brought together larger numbers of debating clubs to discuss issues of national importance. There were also Governors of Districts, Administrators of Circumscricoes, Chefes de posto and at the very bottom of the governmental hierarchy, the African Chiefs. They did this by encouraging large numbers of skilled and unskilled laborers to concentrate in given locales. This resulted in the tremendous growth of towns and cities in the vicinities of these industries. See more. The Circumscricoes and Chefes de posto roughly corresponded to the British provincial and district officers. The European scramble for Africa culminated in the Berlin West African Conference of 1884-85. Each district was divided into one or more traditional states which were ruled by traditional rulers. Taxes could be imposed on land, produce, and homes (hut tax). Migrant work encouraged the separation of families. During those campaigns African soldiers gained some knowledge of outside world which widened outlook. For instance, the Ewes of Togo were split by division, and thus, organized “Ewe Union Movement” to appeal for remerging of their ethnic group. In it, he identified the two most important administrative principles to employ in ruling alien people. One such movement was the Gold Coast Youth Conference (1930), organized by J. The Emperor was assisted by the Chancellor, who was assisted by Colonial Officers, who supervised the administration. Introduction, spread and effects, 6: Christian Missionary Activities in West Africa, 7: Scramble for and Partition of West Africa, 9: Problems of Independent West African States, 10: West Africa and International Organizations, 11: Women and Authority in West African History, 12: The Environment in West African History. Rather, he was a subordinate of the British overlord who used him to implement unpopular measures such as compulsory labor, taxation, and military enlistment. African chiefs could be transferred from one province to another. German African colonial experience essentially amounted to thirty years (1884-1914) and was characterized by bloody African rebellions. In 1936, it changed its name to the Nigerian youth movement. These African “British men,” especially Creoles, rose in colonies of Freetown, Bathurst, southern Ghana and Lagos to important positions in the church, commercial firms and the colonial government. Jaja was an avowed nationalist and determined to control the trade in his political domain. British West Africa was the collective name for British colonies in West Africa during the colonial period, either in the general geographical sense or the formal colonial administrative entity.The United Kingdom held varying parts of these territories or the whole throughout the 19th century. Global and colonial prejudice. They obtained necessary education to fight white domination effectively. He headed the colonial bureaucracy, directed the native authority system, and was responsible for the colonies’ finances. It is estimated that 211,000 Africans were recruited from Francophone Africa. The Baule of Ivory Coast and Tiv of Nigeria stiffly resisted colonial occupation. Effective Occupation was a clause in the Berlin Treaty which gave Europe a blank check to use military force to occupy West African territories. The French had a policy of assimilation which sought to “civilize” indigenes and gradually turn them into petits Français or junior Frenchmen. Algeria), but a substantial share was also with West Africa. I know what is necessary for me and what I want: I have my own merchants: also, consider yourself fortunate that I do not order your head to be cut off. He was first taken to Elmina Castle. They must also have been decorated with the Legion of Honor, a military award. Wallace-Johnson had international background. However, with the growth of European racism, western educated Africans (elites) found that they were increasingly discriminated against in administration. West African Senior School Certificate Examination. Yaa Asantewa, the Queen Mother of Ejisu, was at the meeting. They took part in the conquest of Togo and Kameron. Of these 163,952 fought in Europe. West African chiefs were subordinate to the European officers with little power to act on their own. In the religious sphere, the Creoles played an important role in Christianizing many parts of West Africa including, Sierra Leone, Lagos, Abeokuta, and the Niger Delta. He founded a shipping company called the Black Star Line to strength links between Africa and Afro-Americans. European Penetration and West African Resistance to Penetration. First, to cut down on costs by replacing French manpower. In Fernando Po, Reverend James Johnson was leading figure of the African church movement until his death in 1917. African chiefs were appointed, not by birth, but rather by education, and familiarity with the metropolitan administrative practice. The colonies were divided into cercles under the commandants du cercles. In French West Africa, the colonies were integral parts of the metropolitan country, and were also considered overseas provinces. Moreover, railroads meant that larger amounts of West African produced crops could be sent to coast. (4) War resulted in speedy growth of cities as result of people flocking into cities to take up new jobs. The policy created a western class of black Englishmen who were supposedly British partners in religion, trade and administration. They fought side by side with Europeans and discovered their strengths and weaknesses. The 2nd Pan African Congress was held in Paris in 1919 under the initiative of W. E. B. Dubois, the founder of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), who hoped that the problems of black people would be included in discussions of the Peace Conference at the end of WW1.