Explain british influence on nigeria education from 1886 to 1925?

Question: Explain british influence on nigeria education from 1886 to 1925?

Education is a vital aspect of human development and social progress. It can empower people with knowledge, skills and values that enable them to participate in society and contribute to its advancement. However, education can also be used as a tool of domination and exploitation by colonial powers that seek to impose their culture, ideology and interests on the colonized people.

This was the case in Nigeria, where the British colonial administration had a significant impact on the education system from 1886 to 1925. During this period, the British pursued various policies and strategies that shaped the nature, content and purpose of education in Nigeria. These policies and strategies were influenced by the political, economic and social objectives of the colonial state, as well as by the interests and activities of the Christian missionaries who played a major role in providing education to Nigerians.

The British colonization of Nigeria began in 1886, when the Royal Niger Company was granted a charter to administer the Niger Delta and the lower Niger River. The company established trading posts, signed treaties with local rulers and exercised military control over the region. In 1900, the British government took over the administration of the company's territories and created two protectorates: Northern Nigeria and Southern Nigeria. In 1914, these two protectorates were amalgamated into one colony under a governor-general.

The British colonial administration did not have a consistent or coherent policy on education in Nigeria. Rather, it adopted different approaches and measures depending on the region, the time and the circumstances. However, some general trends and features can be identified in the colonial education system.

One of these features was the adaptation policy of 1924, which was formulated by Lord Lugard, the first governor-general of Nigeria. The adaptation policy aimed to provide education that was suitable for the "nature and requirements" of each region and each ethnic group. It also sought to preserve and promote the "native customs, traditions and institutions" of Nigerians. The adaptation policy was based on the assumption that Nigerians were not ready for Western civilization and needed to be educated along their own lines.

Another feature of the colonial education system was the reliance on Christian missionaries as the main providers of education. The British colonial administration did not invest much in building schools or training teachers for Nigerians. Instead, it delegated most of the responsibility for education to various missionary groups that operated in different parts of Nigeria. The colonial administration provided some grants and subsidies to the missionaries, but also imposed some regulations and restrictions on their activities.

The missionaries had different motives and methods for providing education to Nigerians. Some of them saw education as a means of converting Nigerians to Christianity and eradicating their "pagan" beliefs and practices. Others saw education as a means of civilizing Nigerians and preparing them for social and economic development. The missionaries also had different curricula and standards for their schools. Some of them focused on teaching basic literacy and numeracy skills, while others offered more advanced subjects such as history, geography, science and arts.

The colonial education system had various effects and consequences for Nigerians. On one hand, it exposed some Nigerians to new ideas, knowledge and skills that enabled them to challenge the colonial rule and demand for self-government. Some of the educated Nigerians became leaders of nationalist movements, such as Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello. On the other hand, it also created divisions and inequalities among Nigerians based on region, religion, ethnicity and gender. The colonial education system favored some groups over others, such as Southern over Northern Nigerians, Christians over Muslims, males over females.

In conclusion, the British colonial administration had a significant influence on education in Nigeria from 1886 to 1925. It pursued various policies and strategies that shaped the nature, content and purpose of education in Nigeria. It also relied on Christian missionaries as the main providers of education to Nigerians. The colonial education system had both positive and negative effects on Nigerians. It empowered some Nigerians with knowledge and skills that enabled them to resist colonialism, but it also divided and discriminated against other Nigerians based on region, religion, ethnicity and gender.

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