Imperialism In Nigeria

1080 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Colonial impact on Igbo society

Colonization can be defined as the action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area. Many European countries took part in colonization during the age of imperialism, by doing this these countries used their superiority to dominate the economic, political, and cultural life of the weaker nation being colonized. The age of imperialism came at a time after the Industrial Revolution when European nations were seeking new sources of raw materials and markets to sell manufactured products, colonization solved this problem. Industrialized countries of the west sought to expand their economies by obtaining raw materials from their colonies which could be transported back to factories, turned into manufactured goods, and shipped back to the colonies markets for sale. During …show more content…

In pre-colonial Igbo politics, communities were semi autonomous and devoid of kings or governing chiefs, most Igbo village governments were ruled solely by an assembly of the common people. Though men who held titles were respected and often performed special functions given to them in the assemblies, they were never seen as kings. The Igbo tribe settled law matters by taking an oath to god. If that person died in a certain amount of time, he was guilty. If found not guilty he was free to go, but if guilty that person could face exile or servitude to a deity. When the British came to colonize Nigeria, they sought to centralize the decentralized government they encountered. Under British colonial rule, the diversity within each of Nigeria's major ethnic groups slowly decreased by means of a centralized government, but distinctions between the Igbo and other large ethnic groups became sharper. British rule brought about changes in government by having the tribe to be ruled by chiefs or ezes (traditional rulers), there had been no monarchies before

Show More
Related

  • European Imperialism in Africa

    1417 Words  | 3 Pages

    Europe, in the late 1800’s, was starting for a land grab in the African continent. Around 1878, most of Africa was unexplored, but by 1914, most of Africa, with the lucky exception of Liberia and Ethiopia, was carved up between European powers. There were countless motivations that spurred the European powers to carve Africa, like economical, political, and socio–cultural, and there were countless attitudes towards this expansion into Africa, some of approval and some of condemnation.

    Read More

  • Igbo Government and Social Structure

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    Details of traditional Igbo government and social structure varied from place to place throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, but its characteristic nature remained the same. The basic unit of Igbo life was the village group, and the most universal institution was the role of the family head. This was usually the oldest man of the oldest surviving generation. His role primarily involved settling family disputes, and because he controlled the channel of communication with the all-important ancestors, he commanded great respect and reverence. In some areas the government of chiefs and elders was composed of a governing age grade, in others the council of elders was made up of the oldest members of particular families.

    Read More

  • Imperialism in Africa

    347 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the mid-1800’s Africa south of the Sahara contained more than seven hundred different ethnic groups. Most were organized into communities based on ties of tradition and family. Occasionally, a powerful group formed a state that was strong enough to conquer neighboring groups and form an empire. Europeans had already moved into North Africa. The once-powerful Ottoman Empire had become too weak to prevent local rulers from taking control in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt. These countries were no match for the Europeans bent on conquest.

    Read More

  • Imperialism Dbq Essay

    676 Words  | 2 Pages

    Imperialism is when a mother nation takes over another nation and become its colony for political, social, and economical reasons. Imperialism is a progressive force for both the oppressors (mother country) and the oppressed (colony), majorly occurring during the late 19th and early 20th century. It had more negative effects than positive effects due to its domination to other nations.

    Read More

  • Imperialism In Africa Dbq

    635 Words  | 2 Pages

    Prior to the 19th century, the Europeans traded mainly for African slaves. It turns out they were not immune towards certain diseases and therefore had an increasing risk of becoming sick. For years to come this continued, but not much land was conquered. Eventually, conference between only the Europeans was held to divide up the land appropriately, and the scramble for Africa began. The driving forces behind European imperialism in Africa were expanding empires, helping natives, and natural resources.

    Read More

  • European Imperialism In Africa In The 20th Century

    726 Words  | 2 Pages

    As the 20th century approached, more and more countries grew desperate for land, resulting in an imperialistic activity known as the Scramble for Africa. The European imperialists were motivated by three main factors; economic, political, and social. These factors made countries compete for power and eventually led to the scramble for African territory. Although economic expansion at times was a positive outcome of European imperialism in Africa, these positive effects are outweighed by negative outcomes such as loss of culture and independence.

    Read More

  • Umuofia Government In Chinua Achebe's Thing Fall Apart

    1021 Words  | 3 Pages

    As with most primitive societies, the Igbo was ruled by a few elite, all of which were male. Those able to obtain power in the village are male,

    Read More

  • Imperialism In Nigeria

    612 Words  | 2 Pages

    The present day government of Nigeria is in turmoil as a consequence of the past colonization. Unknown to the Europeans, Nigeria had a diverse population of over 600 different ethnic groups, and they each had unique cultures and rulers. The three regionally dominant groups, the Hausain in the North, the Yoruba in the West, an the Ibo in the east were the most influential and well known during this time. When Britain entered Nigeria, local leaders agreed to sign treaties of protection, but others resented foreign rule. Because of the different opinions on ruling, Britain utilized a form of indirect management which worked well in the Hausa-Fulani.

    Read More

  • How Did Things Fall Apart Change The Igbo Culture

    669 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the story, the Europeans changed the Igbo’s culture and transformed it to be similar to theirs. Throughout Things Fall Apart the government of the Igbo culture start changing to become more like the European culture when the white people imperialized Africa. In the beginning, when the tribe didn’t come into contact with the Europeans their government was based around the elders and Oracles judgement. When the Igbo had their own judgement, “If

    Read More

  • The Age of Imperialism

    1586 Words  | 4 Pages

    Imperialism was a time period in which more developed nations colonized less developed nations. The developed nations took advantage of the less developed nations resources, people, lands, and much more. Many countries lost their freedom and independence due to imperialism, however, they also received new technologies and innovations.

    Read More

  • The Effects of Imperialism in Africa

    557 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout history, imperialism has led countries to extend their rule over weaker countries and then colonized those countries to expand their own power. Imperialism allows the ruling countries to use the weaker countries for their resources. Colonizing other countries would then lead to growth and a better reputation for the dominating country. There are many examples of imperialism throughout European history. When many European countries “scrambled” for Africa, it seemed as though Africa had no say in anything.

    Read More

  • Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    To start with, the advantages of the Igbo social structure included a balanced society, equality, distribution of labor, a surplus of food, separate huts, a collective society, and some form of government. A centralized society was achieved through the Igbo social structure. This structure served the purpose to impose the same religion upon the people to enforce a common belief. By organizing the society, the people could follow the idea of “unity” to prevent any conflicts or disagreements within the community. Along with a unified society, some kind of equal status came as a result of the social structure that has been established within the clan. Although the social hierarchy did not promote equal status between men and women, it did, to some extent, promote equality within the division of labor among the people. It relieved the pressure of stress, which may have been bestowed up...

    Read More

  • Igbo Religion

    687 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Growth When It Falls Before the Europeans conquered Nigeria, Igbo society was primitive. A big part of that was the lack of a structured community. Prior to the dispersion of Christianity, many Igbo people worshipped numerous gods for various commodities and activities. As of today, some Igbo people still worship multiple gods, while others practiced Christianity as it became for widespread throughout the 20th century. Religion played a pivotal role in Igbo society.

    Read More

  • Igbo Culture

    1532 Words  | 4 Pages

    When Britain colonized Nigeria in 1851, Igbo culture experienced a vast transformation, causing a significant change in literature. European colonization of Africa changed Igbo literature

    Read More

  • The Effects of Colonialism in Things Fall Apart

    349 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the novel, Things Fall Apart, the effects of colonialism were extremely evident in the Igbo society. As the white Englanders moved into the native's land, their cultural values changed. Examples of these changes were evident in all aspects of the Igbo people's lives, in their religion, family life, children, and the dead. Many of the Igboians were upset by the colonialism of their society, but in the end they were completely incapable of doing anything to reverse the changes that had already taken place in their society.

    Read More

More about Imperialism In Nigeria

Open Document