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History and Culture Overview
A unique blend of modern society and rich tradition
Nigeria Turns 50
October 1, 2010 will be a day of celebration for Nigeria: a historic
milestone marking 50 years of independence, five decades of progress, a
half century spent traveling the difficult road from a socially
fractious colonial outpost to a strong, united and prosperous nation.
Nigeria
gained independence from Britain in 1960, but the country itself was
formed in 1914 when the British government amalgamated three of its
colonial territories: Lagos, which it annexed in 1861; the Southern
Provinces, over which it established rule between 1885 and 1894; and the
Northern Protectorate, which it controlled by 1903. Until 1914, the
three were governed by Britain as separate but related territories.
Between
1922 and the constitution signed into law in 1947, a policy of regional
representation saw increased local involvement in the government of the
country. The constitution of 1954 created regional governments, and the
first federal elections took place in 1959. It was not until 1963 that
Nigeria – which for three years had existed as a British dominion –
broke all ties with its former colonial master and established itself as
a republic within the Commonwealth.
