European Colonialism and its Effect on Modern-Day Nigerian Morality and Culture

 Joseph Nwizugugbo

Mrs. Wombold

World Literature, Period Two

2 November 2020

European Colonialism and its Effect on Modern-Day Nigerian Morality and Culture

Present-day Nigeria, like many other countries along the Bight of Benin, have been incredibly impacted by the legacy of European colonialism. Côte d'Ivoire was occupied by the French, and Benin by the British. In the early 19th century, Africa was partitioned among the major European powers in the Berlin Conference; Austria, Denmark, France, Britain, and many more met in 1884 to develop joint-policy decisions about partitioning Africa into separate colonial territories. (Shasore) After decades of colonial rule, many African countries became shadows of their former occupants. In Nigeria, English is used as one of the most common modes of communication, and traditionally british terms and phrases still remain in the country. In Ghana, European architectural practices have been imparted onto the population, effectively stalling the natural progression of the country’s unique traditional styles. We can see the multitude of impacts on Nigerian society from many different perspectives: economically, culturally, religiously, socially, and politically. Although, what is harder to discern is the extent of the moral shift of Nigeria after the colonial period; with a foreign occupying force came a new set of ideals about religion, economy, and social organization. These factors created a unique environment that changed the moral landscape of Nigerian society  into one that has adopted Christianity to a large extent, values materialism and entrepenurialship, and reflects the modern-day social organization of the West.

  

At the heart of any culture is its morality. Morality is the individual building blocks on which we lay the foundation for culture; they tell us right from wrong, good from evil, and what is moral versus what is immoral. A society’s moral culture can be defined in many ways and drastically caan change over time — when studying a topic this complex, it is important to observe a specific set of vehicles in which we can observe moral culture: for this essay, I will be observing the colonial shift in moral culture through the lens of Nigerian religious practices, economic systems, and methods of social organization 

Before the British ever came to Nigeria, two types religions were prominent in the Niger-Congo area: Islam and the ‘traditional relgion.’ Each tribe had their own respective form of religion; for example, the Igbo people of the southeastern region of Nigeria worshipped a number of gods and deities under the Odiani system of belief. The Yoruba people in the southwestern region of Nigeria worshipped under the Orisha system of belief. Islam mainly had its place in northern Nigeria; it first entered the region through Kano and Katsina. Presently, it is mainly found in Hausaland, the dominant tribe in the northwest. (Tony Okafor) Christianity first reached Nigeria through the Portugese. Missionary activities started in Benin (not to be confused with the modern-day country Benin) in 1515 by Catholic missionaries. (Ogunbado Ahamad). The Portugese established a school to train Yoruba royalty and citizens for priesthood. Colonialism introduced an entire plethora of problems to Nigerian communities — it uprooted the traditional cultural development that was taking place in the area, and cast aside traditional religions as “barbaric” and “impure.” The adaptation of colonialism in west Africa was primarily a survival tactic. By submitting to the more powerful colonial invaders, Nigerian societies could more easily assimilate into European culture. F.K. Ekechi writes, “The adoption of the Christian religion, especially by the male adults, may be seen as a clear method of adjusting to the new colonial regime in which Christianity offered visible social advantages. Communities which embraced the new religion believed that by associating with the Christian missionaries, they would perhaps escape various forms of colonial over-rule.” (Ekechi, F.K) Presently, 53.5% of religious people in Nigeria identify as Muslim, 45.9% identify as Christian, and a miniscule 0.6% identify with their tribe’s respective traditional faiths. ("Religion in Nigeria." Wikipedia,) While Muslims largely dominate the northern region of Nigeria, Christians dominate the south. Traditional beliefs are mostly seen as ceremonial relics of a distant past; as time went on, Nigerian religion and cultural customs grew to emulate the European idea of morality. The uniqueness found across the different tribes was effectively snuffed out, and Nigeria was left with a set of religious and cultural ideals that were foreign to the traditional systems of societal organization.

Before colonialism, a number of different factors could have informed economic relationships within the various tribes. For example, Mark Cartwright investigates the prevalence of Islam in the context of economic practices in “The Spread of Islam in Ancient Africa:” “Islam is not only a religion: it is a comprehensive way of life, catering for all the fields of human existence. Islam provides guidance for all aspects of life - individual and social, material and moral, economic and political, legal and cultural, national and international. (Cartwright, Mark) The British cornered Nigerians into becoming parts of the capitalist-imperialist empire; by creating borders that did not accurately represent the split of separate ethnic or religious groups, they pushed the Nigerian population who had previously lived in a very fluid state of identity into one that was rigid and based entirely on the language spoken in the area. In order to make the Nigerian colony profitable, Sir Frederick Lugard, the Governor of Nigeria, instated the first income tax in 1904. This pushed Nigerians who had previously lived and worked according to their own needs into the jobs provided by the British colonists: operating oil pumps, state-sanctioned farming and agriculture, and a multitude of other industries that would deliberately keep Nigerians from entering an industrial revolution. (Oluwajuyemi 84) Currently, Nigeria is a mixed economy that combines a variety of private ownership in the economy and centralized economic infrastructure. The economic system of Nigeria is incredibly similar to the system seen in modern-day Britain. When Nigeria entered an era of postmodernism after World War Two, capitalism and culture became intrinsically connected; ss Kathleen O. Oluwajuyemi puts it, “Culture is a big part of capitalism and the modern age mainly because culture has become materialistic in its structure and function.” (Oluwajuyemi 89) As World War Two brought more innovation to the country, consumerism and materialism became popular. We see the effects of this phenomenon today with the materialistic culture of Nigerians. In an interview with Dr Obiora Okonkwo, a leader of the Nigerian People’s Deomocratic Party, Okonkwo states that Nigerians too often support politicians based on economic merit without looking at the other crucial issues. “ He said the Igbo had abandoned their traditional “consensus meritorious” method of selecting leaders for material and pecuniary consideration.” (Tony Okafor)

Before Europeans had first contacted the people of present-day Nigeria, the systems of government were built around community. In the 15th century, present-day Igbo societies lived in tight-knit communities that governed and organized society based on a quasi-democratic republican system of government. ("Igbo people." Wikipedia) All citizens were granted equality, and decisions were made by a voting base that included the whole community. The majority of communities in this region did not instate kings. This changed as Great Britain began to colonize the region. The present-day Nigerian borders that exist today were not drawn by Nigerians. The only relations between the different tribes at the time was their close proximity. But by unifying the nation of Nigeria under the British-organized boundaries, many tribes were thrown into political turmoil. Britain organized a system of indirect rule, in which the Governor of Nigeria would meet with the Obas (“ruler” in the Yoruba language) and Emirs (Muslim or Arab ruler) of the respective tribes and coerce them into governing in favot of the colonial rulers. ("Colonial Nigeria." Wikipedia) Nigeria’s government is a Federal Republic with an executive, legislative, and judicial branch. The political system of Nigeria, like its economic system, greatly reflects the political system of modern-day western countries. This system of government reflects modern-day culture, as Nigerians are known for being expressive and brash in their everyday communications.

One of Nigeria’s defining historical events is the colonial period. Like many other West African countries, this phenomenon of foreign rulers wringing the nation out for profit, human cargo, and natural resources left an eternal footprint of European colonialism on the country. Traditional religious practices were stamped out in favor of the more dominant Christian ideals that arrived in the 15th century. The Nigerian economy was made into one that was optimized for exporting labor and goods to Great Britain. The social organizations shifted from one that valued direct involvement in the political system to the ever-stagnant two-party system we observe today in the United States. The question stands: was the colonial period good for society, or would Nigeria be better off with an isolated environment for home-grown cultural and economic development? Some argue the former, and many vehemently support the latter. Others remark that the remnants of British colonies still control Nigeria today. 

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