An Evil Amalgamation of Nigeria In 1914
One hundred years ago, on 1st
January 1914, the country, Nigeria, was born, but the order sealing the
amalgamation of the then Southern and Northern protectorates to become the
country of Nigeria was signed on November 22, 1913.
The document was signed in
London by the trio of King’s most Excellent Majesty Earl Spencer, Lord
Stamfordham and Lord Emmott on behalf of the government of the United Kingdom
of Britain and Ireland..
Obviously, no Nigerian was part
of the deal. This, perhaps, accounts for the various agitations for national
conferences by the various ethnic nationalities and other stakeholders within
the country since shortly after it was born. Rather than abate, agitations for
redefinition of terms of engagement get hotter by the day.
As the nation basks in the
ecstasy of the centennial celebration, The Nation reproduces the full text of
the document that gave legal birth to Nigeria.
NIGERIA PROTECTORATE ORDER IN
COUNCIL, 1913 AT THE COURT AT WINDSOR CASTLE, THE 22ND DAY OF NOVEMBER, 1913.
PRESENT, THE KING’ MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY EARL SPENCER, LORD STAMFORDHAM, LORD
EMMOTT
Whereas by the Foreign
Jurisdiction Act, 1890, it is amongst other things, enacted that it shall be
lawful for his Majesty, the king of hold, exercise, and has, or may at any time
hereafter, have within a foreign country in the same and as an ample a manner
as if His Majesty has led acquired that jurisdiction by the cession or conquest
of territory.
And whereas by an
Order-in-Council bearing date: the Twenty-seventy day of December, 1889, and
known as the Northern Nigeria Order-in-Council, 1889, provision was made for
the administration of the Government of the Territories known as Northern
Nigeria. And whereas by further Order-in-Council bearing date, March, 1908, and
October, 11, 1912, and known respectively as the Nigeria Northern
Order-in-Council, 1908 and the Northern Nigeria Order-in-Council, 1912: the
Northern Nigeria Order-in-Council, 1899, has been amended.
And whereas by an
Order-in-Council bearing date the Fourth day of February, 1911, and known as
the Southern Nigeria Protectorate Order-in-Council, 1911, provision was made
for the administration of the Government of the territories known as the
protectorate of Southern Nigeria.
And whereas by further
Order-in-Council bearing date, the Twenty-eight day of March, 1912 and known as
the Southern Nigeria protectorate Order-in-Council, 1912, the Southern
Protectorate Order in Council, 1911, has been amended.
And whereas by certain Letters
Patent passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland bearing date at Westminister the Twenty-eight day of February, 1906,
His late Majesty King Edward the Seventh did constitute the office of Governor
and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Southern Nigeria and provide for the
Government thereof.
And whereas his Majesty has
this day, by and with the advice of the Privy Council, been pleased to direct
that letters patent be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland for the purpose of providing, amongst other thing
that the colony of Southern Nigeria, as in the said Letters Patent more fully
appears and the draft of the said Letters Patent has this day been approved by
His Majesty in Council.
And whereas, it is expedient to
make further and other provision for the peace, order, and good government of
the territories, known as the Protectorate of Northern and Southern Nigeria.
NOW THEREFORE, His Majesty, by
virtue and in exercise of the power by the Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1890, or
otherwise in His Majesty vested, is pleased, by and with the advice of His
Privy Council, to Order, and it is hereby Ordered, as follows:
(i) The Order may be cited as
the Nigeria Protectorate Order in Council, 1913.
(ii) This Order shall apply to
the territories of African which are bounded on the South by the Atlantic
Ocean, on the west, north and north-east by the line of the frontier between
the British and French territories, and on the east by the frontier between the
British and Provided always that such part of the territories so bounded are
within that portion of His Majesty’s Dominion which is known as the Colony of
Nigeria, shall not be included within the limits of this Order. The order shall
be known and described as the protectorate of Nigeria
(iii) In this Order unless the
subject or context otherwise requires. His Majesty includes His Majesty’s heir
and successors. Secretary of State means one of His Majesty’s principal
secretaries of state. Treaty include any treaty, convention, agreement or
arrangement, made by or on behalf of her Majesty, with any civilised power, or
with any native tribe, appended to any such treaty convention, agreement, or
arrangement. Governor means the Governor and commander-in-chief for the time
being of the colony of Nigeria and includes every person for the time being
administering the Government of the said colony. ‘Colony’ means the colony of
Nigeria. ‘Nigeria’ used without qualification means the colony and protectorate
of Nigeria.
(iv) The Governor and
Commander-in-chief for the time being of the colony of Nigeria (hereinafter
called the Governor) shall be the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the
protectorate of Nigeria and he is hereby authorised, empowered and commanded to
exercise on His Majesty’s behalf, all such powers and jurisdiction as His
Majesty at any time before or after the passing of this order had or may have
within the said territories, and to that end to make or cause to be taken all
such measures and to do or cause to be done, all matters and things therein as
are lawful and as in the interest of His Majesty’s service he may think
expedient, subject to such instruction as he may from time to time receive from
His Majesty or through a Secretary of State.
(v) The Protectorate shall be
divided into two or more portions, each under the immediate administration of a
Lieutenant-Governor appointed by His Majesty.
Provided that every
Lieutenant-Governor shall be under control and authority of the Governor and
subject to such instruction as he may from time receive from him. And provided
further that it shall be within the discretion of the Governor, subject always
to the approval of a secretary of State, to transfer a Lieutenant-Governor from
the administration of one portion of the protectorate to another portion, and
to vary the limits of the area administered by a Lieutenant-Governor.
(vi) Every person appointed to
fill the office of Governor shall with all due solemnity, before entering on
any of the duties of his office, cause the commission appointing him to be read
and publish at such place in the protectorate as he may deem expedient, in the
presence of the Chief Justice or some other Judge of Supreme Court, and of such
members of the Executive Council to the colony and Protectorate as can
conveniently attend, which being done, he shall then and there take before them
the Oath of Allegiance in the form provided by an Act passed in the Session
Holden in the Thirty-first and Thirty-second years of the Reign of Her Majesty
Queen Victoria, intuited ‘An act to amend the Law relating to promissory Oaths,
and likewise the usual Oath of Governor and for the due and impartial
administration of Justice, which Oaths the said Chief Justice, or, if he be
unavoidably absent, the senior member of the Executive Council then present, is
hereby required to administer.
(vii) The Executive council of
the colony of Nigeria shall be and deemed to be the Executive Council of the
Protectorate.
(viii) It shall be lawful for
the Governor, from time to time, by ordinance, to provide for the
administration of justice, the raising of revenue, and generally for the peace,
order and good government of the Protectorate, and of all persons therein,
including the prohibition and punishment of acts tending to disturb the public
peace.
Provided as follows:
1. That nothing in any such
ordinance or ordinances contained shall take away or affect any rights secured
to any natives in the said territories by any treaties or agreement made on
behalf or with the sanction of her Majesty, Queen Victoria. His Late Majesty
King Edward the Seventh, or shall be and remain operative and in force, and all
pledge and undertaking therein contained shall remain mutually binding on all
parties to the same.
2. That all laws, Ordinances,
Proclamations, bylaws and regulations of whatsoever nature in force at the date
of the commencement of this force until repealed or revoked by or in pursuance
of any Law or Ordinance passed by the Governor.
3. That the Governor in making
Ordinances shall respect any native laws by which the civil relation of any
native chiefs, tribes, or populations under His Majesty’s protection are now
regulated, except so far as the same may be incompatible with the due exercises
of His Majesty’s power and jurisdiction, or clearly injures the welfare of the
said natives.
4. That every suit, action,
complaint, matter, or things which shall be pending in any Court within the
said territories at the commencement of this Order shall and may be proceeded within
such court in like manner as if Order had not been passed.
(ix) The right is hereby
reserved to His Majesty to disallow any such Ordinance as aforesaid. Such
disallowance shall be signified to the Governor through a Secretary of State,
and shall take effect from time when the same shall be promulgated by the
Governor. The right is also hereby reserved to His Majesty, with the advice of
His Privy Council, from time to time to make all such laws or Ordinances as may
appear to him necessary for the peace, order, and good government of the
protectorate as fully as’ if this Order had not been made.
(x) In the making and
establishing of all such Ordinance the Governor shall conform to and observe
all rules, regulations and directions in that behalf continued in any
instruction under His Majesty’s Sign Manual and Signet.
(xi) Whenever and so often as
the Governor is absent from the seat of Government, or is absent in the colony,
and any place in the protectorate of Nigeria in the exercise or discharge of
any powers or duties conferred or imposed upon him by His Majesty or having
obtained leave from His Majesty under His sign Manual and Signet or through a
Secretary of State, is absent from the said passage as aforesaid, he may
continue to exercise and shall be deemed to be capable of exercising all and
every powers invested in him by this order in councilor by any instructions
from His majesty and may be an instrument under the public seal appoint any
person or person to be his Deputy or Deputies within and part the protectorate
during such absence, and in that capacity to exercise, perform and execute for
and on behalf of the Governor during such absence but no longer, all such
powers and authorities by this order in councilor otherwise vested in the
Governor as shall in any by such instrument be specified and limited, but no
others. Every such Deputy shall conform to and observe all such instructions as
the Governor shall from time to time address to him for his guidance, provided
nevertheless that by the appointment of a Deputy or Deputies as aforesaid the
power and authority of the Governor shall not be abridged, altered or in any
way affected otherwise than his majesty may at anytime hereafter think proper
to direct.
(xii) Whenever the office of
Governor is vacant, or if the Governor is vacant, or if the Governor becomes
incapable or is from any cause prevented from acting the duties of his office,
then such person may be appointed under the royal sign manual and signed or if
there be no such person so appointed, or if such person be absent from Nigeria
or unable to act, then the senior member of the Executive council present for
the time being in Nigeria shall, during his Majesty’s pleasure, administer the
government of the protectorate, first taking the oaths herein before directed
to be taken by the Governor, and in the manner herein prescribed which being
done, the acting Governor his hereby authorized, empowered and commanded to do
and execute, during his Majesty’s pleasure, all things that belong to the office
of Governor according to his majesty’s order and according to his Majesty’s
instructions and law of the protectorate.
(xiii) Whenever the office of
the lieutenant Governor becomes vacant or if a lieutenant-Government is
administering the Government of the colony and protectorate or is absent from
Nigeria or otherwise becomes incapable of or is for any cause prevented from
performing the duties of his office, the Governor may, by an instrument under
the public seal of the protectorate appoint another officer to act
provisionally as lieutenant-Governor.
Such officer shall cease to act
as lieutenant-Governor as soon as either his majesty shall have appointed
another officer to the office shall again be capable of performing the duties
of the office,or the Governor shall appoint another officer to act
provisionally as lieutenant-Governor.
Such officer shall cease to act
as lieutenant-Governor as soon as either His Majesty shall have appointed
another officer to the office shall again be capable of performing the duties
of the office, or the Governor shall appoint another officer to act
provisionally as lieutenant-Governor.
(xiv) The Governor may
constitute and appoint all such judges commissioners justices of the peace and
other necessary officers as may be lawfully constituted and appointed by his
Majesty, all of whom unless otherwise provided by law shall hold their officers
during pleasure.
(xv) The Governor may upon
sufficient cause to him appearing, dismiss any public officer not appointed by
virtue of a warrant from His Majesty whose pensionable emoluments do not exceed
one hundred and fifty pounds of intended dismissal are definitely stead in
writing, and communicated to the officer in order that he may have full
opportunity of exculpating himself, and the matter is investigated by the
governor with the aid of the head for the time being of the department in which
the officer is serving.
The Governor may, upon
sufficient cause to him appearing, suspend from the exercise of his office, any
person holding any office within the Protectorate whether appointed by virtue
of any commission of Warrant from His Majesty, or in His Majesty’s name, or by
any other mode of appointment. Such suspension shall continue and have effect
only until His Majesty’s pleasure therein shall be signified to the Governor.
If the suspension is confirmed by a Secretary of State, the Governor shall
forthwith cause the officer to be so informed, and there upon his office shall
became vacant. In proceeding to any such suspension, the Governor is strictly
to observe the direction in the behalf given to him by any instruction from His
Majesty signified through a Secretary of State.
(xvi) When any crime or offence
has been committed within the Protectorate, or for which the offender may be
tried therein, the Governor may, as he shall see occasion, in His Majesty’s
behalf, grant a pardon to any accomplice in such crime or often, who shall give
such information as shall lead to the conviction of the principal offender, or
of anyone of such offenders if more than one, and, further, may grant to any
offender convicted in any court, or before any judge, justice, magistrate, or
other officer within the Protectorate, a pardon, either free or subject to
lawful conditions or any remission of the sentence passed on such offender, or
any respite of the execution of such sentence, for such period as the Governor
think fit, and may remit any fines, penalties, or forfeitures due or accrued to
His Majesty.
(xvii) The seal now or
hereafter in use as the Public Seal of the Colony of Nigeria shall be and be
deemed to be also the Public Seal of the Protectorate of Nigeria, and shall be
used for sealing all things whatsoever that shall pass the said Seal.
(xviii) This order shall come
into operation of the First Day of January 1914, and shall be published in the
Government Gazette; and the Governor shall give directions for the publication
of this Order as such time or times as he thinks proper for giving due
publicity thereto within the protectorate of Nigeria.
(xix) The above-recited Order
to Council of the Twenty-seventh day of December 1899, the Nineteenth day of
March 1908, the fourth day of February 1911, the Twenty-eight day of March 1912
and the Eleventh day of October 1912,shall from the commencement of this Order
be revoked, without prejudice to anything lawfully done thereunder.
(xx) His Majesty may from time
to time revoke, after, add to, or amend this Order. And the Right Honourable
Lewies Harcourt, one of His Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State, is to
give the necessary directions herein accordingly.
The law British evil empire use
to to form this contraption call Nigeria.
HERE IS BIGHT OF
BIAFRA ON THE WORLD MAP BEFORE
NIGERIA WAS
CREATED BY LUGARD IN 1914
HERE IS BIGHT OF BIAFRA ON THE WORLD
MAP
BEFORE NIGERIA WAS CREATED BY
LUGARD
Only 6 Nigerians Signed
The
Amalgamation Document,
No Igbo Was Among Them (See The Names)
Many Nigerians have asked if
there were parties from the southern and northern Protectorate that partook in
the declaration of Nigeria, or did the British on their own sign the document
in the absence of the people involved?
Southern and Northern
Protectorate were joined to form Nigeria in 1914. By then the nationalist we
know of now were still little to know what happened. Nnamdi Azikiwe was only 10
years old, Ahmadu Bello was 4 years, Awolowo was 5 years then. Which Nigerian
signed the Amalgamation document?
There were only 28 individuals
involved in the forceful Amalgamation of the South and the North Protectorate.
Out of the 28, only 6 were Nigerians. The rest were all British citizens. Lord
lugard the first governor general led the Amalgamation (he was one the one to
propose it first) and the final signature was his.
Sir Kitoyi Ajasa
The six Nigerians are;
1. HRH Maiturare Sarkin
Mussulumi and Sultan of Sokoto
2. Usuman Dan Maje who later
became Emir of Kano
3. Sir Kitoyi Ajasa a lawyer
4. HRH Oladugbolu Alaafin of
Oyo
5. HRH R Henshaw (Obong of
Calabar)
6. Abubakar Shehu of Borno
These are the Nigerians present
at the amalgamation. They were there ceremoniously. From the names above, you
would notice that no Igbo man was present in the amalgamation of Nigeria
despite the Igbos having powerful Kings like the Obi Okosi of Onitsha, Eze Nri
òbalíke etc The reason is not far-fetched. The Igbos fought strongly against
the British rule and they were never in support of their systems. Lagos colony
was also against the amalgamation as at then.
The British were more
comfortable to deal with Fulani/Northerners. The reason there were more
fulani/northerners during the amalgamation. So, the saying that Northerners
wants to always rule Nigeria did not just start. It was positioned so by the
British. Even the location of the amalgamation was also located in the North.
Nigeria was not formed by
consensus but by Force.
Reference: British
administration in Nigeria 1900 to 1950 - A Nigerian view by Isaac Okonjo,Trade
and imperialism in Southern Nigeria 1881 to 1916, Igbo land 1860 to 1960
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