During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the British Empire expanded its colonial ambitions to the southern territories of present-day Nigeria. The use of force by the British military in campaigns, expeditions, and in quelling resistance often resulted in significant loss of life – the true extent of which has too often been swept under the rug.
For although the casualties on the British side were thoroughly documented, the number of the Nigerian victims remains largely unknown. Who were these people who died under the occupation? Were there women and children among the dead? And under which prevailing political circumstances were they killed?
John Igbino intends to fill this knowledge gap with this publication. He has sourced and analyzed a vast number of mainly unpublished archival documents, examining the complicated relationship between Indigenous opposition and occupiers and the ensuing misconduct. Igbino’s research facilitates a more thorough and nuanced understanding of Britain’s malpractice in British West Africa and the political situation at the time, and tells the stories of those, who have been disregarded in British historiography.
Contents
Chapter 1: Aro
Chapter 2: Ogoni
Chapter 3: Asaba Hinterland
Chapter 4: Ogwashi-Uku
Chapter 5: Afikpo
Chapter 6: Kwa
Chapter 7: Igarra
Chapter 8: Ibibioland
Chapter 9: Ishan
Chapter 10: Kwale
Chapter 11: Onitsha Hinterland
Chapter 12: Munshi
Chapter 13: Egbaland: Slaves No More
Chapter 14: Iseyin
Chapter 15: Abakaliki
Chapter 16: Owerri
Chapter 17: Okigwi
Chapter 18: Ekwi
Chapter 19: Awka
Chapter 20: Achengwa
Chapter 21: Owa
Chapter 22: Jodi of Ezekwe
Purpose and Main Themes
The principal aim of this book is to compute and document the number of people who were killed and the associated political circumstances as Britain deployed military methodologies to impose and consolidate its rule over the land that became Southern Nigeria between 1900 and 1930.
- The military methodologies and campaigns utilized for British colonial occupation.
- The human cost of colonial rule in Southern Nigeria, focusing on casualties and deaths.
- Political opposition and resistance movements by Indigenous populations against colonial rule.
- The use of "British rule" versus "colonialism" to emphasize state responsibility for violent actions.
- The consequences of governance policies such as Warrant Chieftaincy and the Native Court system.
Auszug aus dem Buch
Chapter 1: Aro
By the turn of the nineteenth century, Britain had not occupied the entirety of the Southern Provinces of Nigeria. It annexed Lagos in 1851, and by 1893 it had signed treaties with the entire Yoruba City States to the west of the Niger. But an independent Kingdom of Benin lay across its landward routes from the west to the east and the south-east. Thus, in 1897 it attacked and destroyed the Kingdom of Benin. Thus, by the close of 1897, Britain had occupied Lagos and the entire Western and South-Western Provinces. But it was still unable to declare the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Provinces until 1906 because it had yet to occupy the hinterlands and the people beyond the eastern and south-eastern banks of the River Niger. Similarly, by 1900 Britain had not occupied the land and people on the River Niger’s eastern and western deltas. Therefore, in 1900—and for the purposes of occupying the above-mentioned land, deltas, and people—it assembled one of the largest concentrations of military capabilities in West Africa in Asaba. And the Aro Expedition (1901–1902) was the first of three decades of Britain’s relentless military campaigns whose sole aim was the conquest and occupation of the above-mentioned hinterlands and deltas and their inhabitants.
But as it assembled its forces and armamentaria and commenced its military campaigns, it faced a number of major problems. And one of the most intractable of the problems was the Igbo’s and their neighbours’ systems of governance. Because, unlike Lagos, Benin Kingdom, and Yoruba City States, which had structured and centralised systems of public administration, the Igbos and their neighbours did not evolve large and centralised systems of public administration that Britain could have attacked and collapsed by destroying their centres and seizing their Obas, Kings, and Chiefs as hostages.
Summary of Chapters
Chapter 1: Aro: Describes the political and military circumstances prior to the Aro Expedition and the initial resistance of the Aro people.
Chapter 2: Ogoni: Recounts the military operations in Oron and discusses the attitudes of colonial officers toward the Ogoni people.
Chapter 3: Asaba Hinterland: Details the opposition of the Ekumeku Society to British rule and the subsequent military campaigns conducted against them.
Chapter 4: Ogwashi-Uku: Analyzes the rebellion in Ogwashi-Uku in 1909 and criticizes colonial government response to the unrest.
Chapter 5: Afikpo: Critiques the misleading justifications for British colonial settlement in Afikpo and the military assaults that followed.
Chapter 6: Kwa: Examines colonial documentation deficiencies and the military operations against Kwa nationalist leaders.
Chapter 7: Igarra: Discusses the resistance of Igarra nationalists and the resulting military interventions and human rights violations.
Chapter 8: Ibibioland: Details colonial military campaigns in Ibibio territory and the use of propaganda to justify increased violence.
Chapter 9: Ishan: Examines the origins of political circumstances surrounding the ambush of colonial officials in Ishanland and the following retaliatory military actions.
Chapter 10: Kwale: Explores colonial economic motivations behind attacks on the Kwale people and subsequent administrative punishments.
Chapter 11: Onitsha Hinterland: Details military operations in Onitsha Hinterland and the colonial reliance on debunked narratives of cannibalism to legitimize violence.
Chapter 12: Munshi: Reviews the political and military tensions in Munshiland and Britain’s subsequent annexation and punitive actions.
Chapter 13: Egbaland: Slaves No More: Describes the uprising in Egbaland and the fundamental disruption of local jurisprudence caused by British administration.
Chapter 14: Iseyin: Chronicles the political uprising in Iseyin and the repressive measures taken by the colonial administration to crush dissent.
Chapter 15: Abakaliki: Discusses the allegations of misconduct in Abakaliki and the military patrols authorized to maintain colonial authority.
Chapter 16: Owerri: Examines reports and patrols in Owerri and the colonial failure to adequately address local grievances.
Chapter 17: Okigwi: Details the military operations in Okigwi and the failure of colonial administrative institutions to prevent confrontation.
Chapter 18: Ekwi: Charts the political circumstances of the 1918 punitive patrol to Ekwi and the excessive use of British military force.
Chapter 19: Awka: Analyzes the political circumstances in Awka Division and the subsequent military operations due to local resistance.
Chapter 20: Achengwa: Describes the military actions in Achengwa triggered by local resistance to corrupt colonial administration.
Chapter 21: Owa: Documents the aggression of colonial officials in Owa leading to severe retaliatory measures and military occupation.
Chapter 22: Jodi of Ezekwe: Details allegations of sexual violence by colonial officers and the subsequent failure of the colonial legal system to provide justice.
Key Keywords
British rule, Southern Nigeria, colonialism, military expeditions, indigenous resistance, Warrant Chieftaincy, Native Court Ordinance, casualties, colonial violence, punitive patrols, Ekumeku Society, Ogoniland, Ibibioland, Ishan, Munshi.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this research fundamentally about?
The work documents the human cost of British colonial occupation in Southern Nigeria between 1900 and 1930, focusing on the military methods used to impose and consolidate colonial rule.
What are the central themes of the work?
Key themes include the violent nature of British military pacification, local indigenous resistance, the role of colonial administration in creating official corruption, and the systematic denial of indigenous rights.
What is the primary aim or research question?
The primary aim is to compute and document, as accurately as sources allow, the death toll and political circumstances of the Indigenous people killed by British military forces during the specified period.
Which scientific methods are primarily used?
The book relies on an analysis of original archival documents, including original correspondence, despatches, and military reports, supplemented by the use of established forensic and computational methods—such as the Captain Milne-Home method—to estimate casualty figures from reported ammunition expenditures.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections cover specific regional military operations, localized resistance to British control, the implementation of colonial tax and labor policies, and the political consequences of administrative decisions on indigenous societies.
Which keywords characterize this historical research?
The research is characterized by terms such as British Rule, Southern Nigeria, militarization, indigenous resistance, collective punishment, colonial corruption, and casualty data.
How does the work address the death of Dr. Stewart?
The author discusses the death of Dr. Stewart as a pretext used by the colonial administration to justify punitive expeditions and the enforcement of the Collective Punishment Ordinance in affected regions.
How does the author interpret the use of "Juju" by colonial authorities?
The author argues that "Juju" was a misrepresentation and a political propaganda tool used by colonial officers to dehumanize Indigenous people, justify the destruction of cultural assets, and legitimize the use of excessive military force.
- Citation du texte
- John Igbino (Auteur), 2023, Britain's Killing Fields. Southern Nigeria 1900 - 1930, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1355336
