Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria | ||||
British colony | ||||
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Anthem God Save the Queen |
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Nigeria (red) British possessions in Africa (pink) 1914 |
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Capital | Lagos | |||
Language(s) | English | |||
Government | Constitutional monarchy | |||
Monarch | ||||
- 1914-1936 | George V | |||
- 1952-1954 | Elizabeth II | |||
High Commissioner, Governor | ||||
- 1914-1919 | Sir Frederick John Dealtry Lugard | |||
- 1948-1954 | Sir John Stuart Macpherson | |||
History | ||||
- Established | 1914 | |||
- Disestablished | 1960 |
The Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria was created as a merger of Protectorate of Northern Nigeria and Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria on 1 January 1914, partly because of uneven economy in the two territories, and also due to growing tension with the German colonies.
As one of the wealthiest British colonies, it was a good candidate for being the first colony to be granted independence. Nigeria was first given increased autonomy as the Federation of Nigeria on 1 October 1954 and made fully independent in 1960.
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