This was another popular question and some candidates were able to identify the names and some of the reasons Nigerian leaders could not stop the British from taking their territories. However, skimpy answers prevented most of them from scoring high marks. The points they were expected to give included:
(a) (i) Jaja of Opobo; (v) Aliyu of Kano;
(ii) Nana of Itsekiri; (vi) William Dappa Pepple
(iii) Atahiru of Sokoto; of Bonny.
(iv) Oba Overanmwen of Benin;
(b) (i) the kings and leaders of Nigeria could not form a united front against the British. Each fought from his respective sphere of influence;
(ii) The leaders were always engaged in internal and external strifes.
(iii) some Nigerian leaders signed treaties of cooperation with the British and some even connived with them against their fellow Nigerian leaders;
(iv) the British had superior weapons and a better trained army and as a result, Nigeria could not stand the might of the British army with their outdated guns and primitive bows and arrows;
(v) the use of gun boat diplomacy and the bombardment of towns and villages e.g. Lagos;
(vi) the British used the divide and rule method which made the Nigerian leaders to quarrel with one another, etc. |
