By Judah Kolawole
The amalgamation of the present day Nigeria happened in January 1914, 12 years before the birth of the late Queen Elizabeth II. The exploitation of Nigeria had long begun in most of the parts in Africa by the British Empire, French and Portuguese. The exploitation and colonization of Nigeria by the British Empire reigned till the 1st of October, 1960. However, the mental colonization of Nigerians and many African nation remains till date. Who to be held accountable for this mental slavery remains a debate.
Late Queen Elizabeth II was born on the 21st of April 1926 and became Queen of Britain on the 6th of February 1952, 8 years before Nigeria’s independence. The death of late Queen Elizabeth II has sparked many controversies on social media platforms. Some have wonderful stories to talk about while others have deep hatred for her. This reaction is not strange. The longest reigning monarch in the history of Britain (70 years) and second longest reigning monarch in the history of the world could have made friends and enemies during her reign.
This short piece is focused on the colonization of Nigeria and the role of Queen Elizabeth II in it. It is essential to point out again that Queen Elizabeth II became Queen of the Great Britain and monarch in charge of colonization on the 6th of February, 1952. Nigeria gained her independence 8 years and 8 months after her coronation. History notes that about 65 countries have claimed their independence from Britain, and 47 happened during the region of Queen Elizabeth II. Contrary to the popular opinion, it is unfair to blame Queen Elizabeth II for the exploitation and colonization of Nigeria and that of the other African countries. The colonies were her ‘inheritance’ from her father, George VI.
At this point, question of who is to blame for the country’s current situation is at debate. Some believe that the 1914 amalgamation of Nigeria is the root of the nation’s problem, while some believe that the colonization and exploitation of Nigeria is the root of Nigeria’s problem. It is expected that many fingers will be pointed when things go south. However, it is essential to note that whatever happened in the past remains in the past. Whatever seed of evil that is believed to have been planted in the past cannot cannot be changed, it is fixed in history. The only options available is to either uproot the seed or nurture it.
After independence in 1960, Nigeria has involved herself in senseless military overthrow and killings, civil war, violation of human rights, looting, declining economy, corruption, and strikes among others. The British Empire didn’t do this, we did it to ourselves. It is easier to point fingers than to take responsibilities of our actions. This article is not a justification to the exploitation and colonization of the British Empire. Perhaps, we might have been better off without their interference. However, the deed has been done, 62 years after independence and we still have not so much to brag about. I will not be concluding with solutions to the misery of Nigeria, it has been mentioned a trillion times. Rather, I’ll end this article with a quote by Steve Maraboli, “Stop pointing fingers and placing blame on others. Your life can only change to the degree that you accept responsibility for it.”
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