TRIBAL DISCRIMINATION AND MISTREATMENT IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA (PART 1 ):- In order to understand the situation which now exists in Nigeria the reader must realise that the Kingdom of Old Calabar in Southern Nigeria had independent rulers (e.g. OROK EDEM EYAMBA 1X 1880-1896) The Bakassi Peninsula was a dependency of Old Calabar. In 1884 Old Calabar had 86 component Divisions,the treaties of 23-24 July and 10 September 1884 increased this to 96. The distinction between the aquisition of sovereignty and the establishment of a Protectorate was well known in British Law at that time. In 1885 H.M.Government,the Colonial Power,declared a protectorate(London Gazette 5 June 1885) On 10 July 1886 a Royal Charter was granted to the National Africa Company (The Royal Niger Company)thus forming a business partnership (See command 7977 and C.9372)Statutory Instruments of 1892/3. These treaties with King/Chiefs in the Southern Nigeria. In 1886 Lagos retained separate status under the control of Gilbert Carter. On May 1st 1906 the Colony and the Protectorate of Lagos was amalgamated with the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria which had its headquarter in Lagos. There was an Anglo-German exchange of notes on 29 April and 7 May 1885,a further exchange regarding Rio del Rey on 14 April 1893,and a boundaries agreement 15 November 1893. The was a protest by King Obong Edem Effiong(in accordance with Article 4 of the 1885 Treaty) who dispatched a two man delegation to London in 1913.(Prince Bassey and Prince James Eyo). This is mentioned in Hansard. The protest was against the putative treaty by Lugard with Germany,partly negotiated on 11 March 1913 and 12 April 1912.(172). There was no implementation of the 1913 arrangement it being superseded by the Versailles Treaty. In which German Carmeroon was forfeit. The outbreak of World War 1 had consigned this to history. However,they were amalgamated with the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria and the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria (See the report by Sir Fredrick Lugard on the Amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria and Administration (1912-1919).(Command 468). This arrangement continued until the Clifford Constitution in 1922. In 1946 the Richards Constitution divided Nigeria Country into 3 Regions, namely NORTH(prodominantly Hausa/Fullani) WEST(Yoruba) EAST(Ibo). A further Constitution was developed in 1948. This continued through the John Mc pherson Constitution in 1951 and 1954 Littleton Constitution which was meant to be preparatory to Independence. The 1960 Constitution was based on the 1948 Constitution. So it will be seen that the Southern Tribes e.g. Ibibio,Efik etc,were still afforded the status of Protectorate. You will wonder just how,Protective this was when I consider the events leading to and following Independence in Part 2. I have discussed these historical treaties,becuase as you will see from events of 1961,they were still in force at the true of Independence and thereafter.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:09:42 +0000
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