Why did British annex Lagos in 1861?

Lagos was annexed on 6 August 1861 under the threat of force by Commander Beddingfield of HMS Prometheus who was accompanied by the Acting British Consul, William McCoskry. By 1872 Lagos was a cosmopolitan trading center with a population over 60,000.

What are the impact of colonialism in Nigeria?

Many changes accompanied British rule: Western education, the English language, and Christianity spread during the period; new forms of money, transportation, and communication were developed; and the Nigerian economy became based on the export of cash crops.

When was Lagos annexed?

1861
Britain’s annexation of Lagos in 1861 is widely accepted by imperial historians to have been an event of some importance; on this judgment, at least, conflicting explanations of the episode are agreed.

Who cede Lagos to the British in 1861?

Oba Dosunmu of Lagos
The Treaty of Cession, 6 August 1861 or the Lagos Treaty of Cession was a treaty between the British Empire and Oba Dosunmu of Lagos (spelt ‘Docemo’ in English documents) wherein Dosunmu, under the threat of military bombardment, ceded Lagos Island to Britain, whilst retaining the title and powers of Oba, subject to …

What was Nigeria before colonization?

The Benin Empire (1440–1897; called Bini by locals) was a pre-colonial African state in what is now modern Nigeria. It should not be confused with the modern-day country called Benin, formerly called Dahomey.

Why was Lagos annexed by the British?

The British annexed Lagos in 1861 in order to protect Akitoye’s son and successor, foil Kosoko’s bid to return, and secure a base for further activities. The British were not yet willing to assume the expense of maintaining an administration in Nigeria.

What was the name of the British colony in Nigeria?

Lagos Colony was a British colonial possession centred on the port of Lagos in what is now southern Nigeria.

When did Lagos become the capital of Nigeria?

Lagos Colony. The colony and protectorate were incorporated into Southern Nigeria in February 1906, and Lagos became the capital of the protectorate of Nigeria in January 1914. Since then, Lagos has grown to become the largest city in West Africa, with an estimated metropolitan population of over 9,000,000 as of 2011.

What was the colonial period like in Nigeria?

The colonial period proper in Nigeria lasted from 1900 to 1960, after which Nigeria gained its independence. Through a progressive sequence of regimes, the British imposed Crown Colony government on much of the area of West Africa which came to be known as Nigeria, a form of rule which was both autocratic and bureaucratic.