BRITISH COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE REPORTS AND THE CONQUEST OF THE LOWER CROSS RIVER REGION, 1885 – 1929

Abstract

Throughout the British colony of Nigeria, intelligence gathering included reporting rebellious behaviour, political activity of the people as well as contentious information about local demography, economic activity, and the indigenous institutions of the people which gave foremost information about the people, culture and environment. The conquest and success of the “colonial order” rested, in turn, on the degree of information or intelligence gathered by the British authorities. From 1849 to 1900, Southern Nigeria came under consular jurisdiction of the Foreign Office in Britain. During the last half of the 18th century, the industrial revolution took place in England, creating the demand for natural products to keep the factories humming – and Africa was a store-house of untapped wealth. The British outrageous attempt to eliminate the role of the coastal chiefs as middlemen who controlled the trading inlets to the hinterland to foist favourable price regime resulted in the opposition of the Africans. There was also the problem of international trade competition, especially between the French and the English which led to the establishment of consular rule. The British Consul was to protect the British commercial interests on the coast and pre-empt any hostile activities and warfare, which led to stoppage of trade. As soon as the Upper Cross River opened up, the Lower Cross followed and this happened with bombardment of Old Town in 1855. Consequently, the foremost military encounter leading to the opening up of the Lower Cross River commenced with the elimination of local rulers whose monopolistic and hegemonic influence threatened the colonial authorities. In doing this, the British authorities employed the services of early explorers, missionaries and keen observers who gathered information about the people’s socio-political and cultural activities as well as military architecture of the people which consequently led to the consequent of the area.