Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960, which ended over sixty years of British administration in the region.
The independence ceremony took place in Lagos and had international representatives, including Princess Alexandra of Kent, who gave constitutional documents on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.
Nigeria became a self-governing constitutional monarchy and joined the Commonwealth of Nations. Then, the country formed a new constitution that arranged a federal system with an elected prime minister and ceremonial head of state.
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How Did Nigeria Gain Independence In 1960?
Nigeria gained independence from Britain on October 1, 1960, after many years of colonial rule. The British had controlled the region since they took over Lagos in 1861.
By 1914, they combined the Northern and Southern Protectorates with Lagos to create a single colony called Nigeria. This allowed the British to govern the country under one system. In the early 1900s, Nigerians began to demand more rights and self-rule.
One of the first leaders of this movement was Herbert Macaulay, who fought for Nigerians to have a say in their government. In the 1930s, the Nigerian Youth Movement also pushed for political changes and better education.
By the 1940s, the British introduced reforms to give Nigerians more power in their government. The Richards Constitution of 1946 created regional assemblies, and later, the Macpherson Constitution of 1951 gave even more Nigerians a leadership role.
In 1954, the Lyttleton Constitution established a federal system, giving different regions more control over their affairs. As independence drew closer, political parties formed to represent different regions and ethnic groups.
The National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), led by Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the Action Group, led by Obafemi Awolowo, played a big part in demanding full independence.
The Northern People’s Congress (NPC), which was strong in the north, won the most seats in the 1959 election. A coalition government was then formed, with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister.
On October 1, 1960, Nigeria celebrated its independence in Lagos. Princess Alexandra of Kent, representing Queen Elizabeth II, handed over constitutional documents.
Nigeria’s new green and white flag was raised, and people celebrated with parades and cultural events. Prime Minister Balewa gave a speech about the importance of self-rule and Nigeria’s role in the world. After independence, Nigeria joined the United Nations and the Commonwealth.
It remained a federation with a parliamentary system, where Balewa was the Prime Minister and Azikiwe was the ceremonial President. In 1963, Nigeria became a republic, with Azikiwe as President, but Balewa kept most of the power.
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Who Helped Nigeria Gain Independence?
Nigeria gained independence from British rule on October 1, 1960, with the efforts of several key leaders who worked through activism, political parties, and negotiations.
These leaders pushed for self-rule and ensured that different regions of the country were represented in the process. One of the most important figures was Nnamdi Azikiwe, who used his newspaper, the West African Pilot, to spread nationalist ideas and encourage Nigerians to fight for independence.
He co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), a political party that campaigned for self-governance. Azikiwe later became Nigeria’s first president in 1960.
Obafemi Awolowo was another key nationalist leader. He attended the fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester, where African leaders discussed decolonization. As a journalist, he used the Nigerian Tribune newspaper to spread nationalist ideas, especially in the western region.
Awolowo also led the Action Group political party, which helped push for independence. Ahmadu Bello, a leader from northern Nigeria, provided the northern region a voice in the independence process.
After studying Local Government Administration in England, he led the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), which represented the interests of northern Nigeria.
He negotiated the terms of independence but chose to remain Premier of Northern Nigeria instead of becoming Prime Minister. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa became Nigeria’s first Prime Minister and united the country.
His party, the NPC, joined forces with Azikiwe’s NCNC to form a coalition government. In 1959, he put forward a motion in parliament that led the British government to agree to Nigeria’s independence. Anthony Enahoro was also a key figure in Nigeria’s independence struggle.
In 1953, he moved the first motion for independence in parliament. Because of this, many people call him the “Father of Nigeria State.” He attended several constitutional conferences that helped Nigeria’s independence process.
Herbert Macaulay was one of the earliest nationalists who believed Nigerians should unite, regardless of background. He founded the Lagos Daily News to spread nationalist ideas and later co-founded the NCNC with Azikiwe.
Joseph Sarwuan Tarka also contributed to the independence movement. He was a member of the Nigerian Constitutional Conference in 1957 and represented the Middle Belt zone in the Henry Willinks Commission of 1958.
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10 Interesting Facts About Nigeria’s Independence
Here are 10 interesting facts about Nigeria’s independence:
- Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960.
- The independence ceremony in Lagos featured Princess Alexandra of Kent, who presented the Freedom Charter on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.
- Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, announced the country’s independence at the ‘Race Course,’ which was later renamed Tafawa Balewa Square.
- Nigeria adopted a British style of government initially, with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as the first Prime Minister.
- Nigeria became a republic on October 1, 1963.
- Before independence, Nigeria was divided into three regions (north, east, and west), each with its own house of assembly.
- Nigeria’s population at the time of independence was over 45 million people.
- British involvement in Nigeria began with the annexation of Lagos in 1861.
- In 1914, the British unified the Northern and Southern protectorates with the Colony of Lagos to form Nigeria, introducing a centralized administrative framework.
- Following independence, Nigeria joined the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations.
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How Old Is Nigeria From Independence?
At the time of writing this, Nigeria is 64 years old since it proclaimed independence from British rule.