Nigeria

Nigeria, a British protectorate in West Equatorial Africa, constituted 1st January 1900, includes all the territories occupied till that date by the Royal Niger Company, and the Niger Coast Protectorate. Its southern boundary is the Gulf of Guinea. On the east it is bounded by (German) Cameroon from the Rio del Rey river north-eastwards to the south-west corner of Lake Tsad. On the west it is bounded by the Lagos (q.v.) Protectorate and the (French) hinterland of Dahomey. Crossing the Niger near Ilo, the boundary runs northward to about 14° N., whence its course is mainly eastward to the north-west of Lake Tsad. It includes the whole of the lower basin of the Niger from Ilo downwards, and nearly the whole of its great tributary, the Benuë. Its area is from 400,000 to 500,000 square miles, and the population is estimated to be between 30 and 40 millions. The Niger Coast Protectorate (known till 1893 as the Oil Rivers Protectorate), formed in 1844, extended from Lagos to the Rio del Rey river, including what are called the Oil Rivers, the whole Benin region (in 1897), and the Niger delta, except the portion between the Forcados and Brass rivers, and was administered under the Colonial Office by a commissioner and consul-general. The Niger territories were first occupied by the British United African Company in 1879, which by treaties with many native states and tribes finally acquired rights over the whole region now called Nigeria except the Niger Protectorate (about one-tenth). The territory of the company, which in 1886 obtained a charter as the Royal Niger Company, included the Fulah empire of Sokoto, the kingdom of Gando, the Borgu and Mossi countries, part of Adamawa, the western parts of Bornu, and other native states. In 1899 the government arranged to take over all the powers and rights of the company on 1st January 1900, paying £565,000 for rights, compensation, repayment of expenditure, plant and buildings, besides assuming responsibility for the public debt of £250,000; the company also receiving the half of certain royalties on minerals worked in North Nigeria for ninety-nine years. For administrative purposes the protectorate is divided into North and South Nigeria by a straight line between Lagos and Cameroon at 7° 15' N., each administered by a High Commissioner. Northern Nigeria is fertile, with great agricultural resources, and fairly healthy. Cotton, indigo, rubber, hides, ivory, and minerals (silver, tin, and lead) are the chief products. The Hausa race form a large proportion of the population, and are civilised and industrious. The chief towns are Kana, Yola (capital of Adamawa), Wurno (capital of Sokoto), Gando, Bida, Ilorin, Yakoba, Sokoto, and Zaria, with a reserved port in South Nigeria at the mouth of the Forcados river. There is a military force of about 3000 Hausas of all arms. Southern Nigeria includes the whole of the Coast Protectorate and part of the Niger Protectorate. The inhabitants are pagan negro tribes, more or less cannibalistic in their habits. Asaba, Benin, and Idda are the chief inland towns; and on the coast, Wari, Barutu, Akassa, Brass, New Calabar, Bonny, Opoba, and Old Calabar, where the customs for both N. and S. Nigeria are collected. The chief products are palm-oil and kernels, rubber, ivory, indigo, gums, coffee, and hides. There is a native police force (with military organisation) of over 7000 men.