Lugard and the Abeokuta Uprising by Harry A. Gailey

Author:Harry A. Gailey [Gailey, Harry A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781138980112
Google: ejv0jwEACAAJ
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Published: 2016-01-31T03:37:02+00:00

CHAPTER VI

British Authority Instituted

After approving the few structural changes in the Ẹgba government necessitated by the annexation, Governor-General Lugard did little to investigate the causes of the disturbance. He sent a dispatch to the Colonial Office on 7 September which did not go into detail on the background but rather repeated the earlier arguments he had used against the continued existence of an independent Ẹgba state. Lugard sketched the outlines of what had occurred but this did not add to what the London authorities already knew. He defended the actions of his government since the Alake had lost control and had to appeal for the assistance of British armed forces. Lugard and others had concluded that ‘the state can no longer be deemed capable of standing alone as an independent state’.1 Lugard’s report did not satisfy the curiosity of the colonial officials. In mid-October, Alfred Harding was complaining that Lugard’s dispatch was not very informative and that in one instance it was not quite correct. The telegram sent to Lieutenant-Governor Boyle on 9 August had not instructed Boyle to invite the Alake to ‘denounce the Treaty’, but rather had left this to his discretion.2

In retrospect it appears that Lugard did not wish any full-scale investigation into the events of July and August. Nor was he prepared to be candid with the colonial officials in London. This latter conclusion is borne out by the complaints registered in a Colonial Office minute paper of 1 January 1915 where the writer complains that the Office had not yet received full details of Abẹokuta despite requesting more information by dispatch on 10 September and by telegram on 16 December. Lugard replied to this latter request on 18 December that a full report was to be posted soon. None had been received, another telegram had been framed for sending, but it had been decided in the Colonial Office to wait until the first week of February 1915 in order to allow Lugard more time.3

At first Lugard maintained that he did not want to begin an official investigation since this might prejudice the trial of Alder and Green. British jurisdiction over these men had been assured by the treaty of 1909 with the Ẹgba. After their arrest they were arraigned on the charge of inciting to riot. The two principals were adjudged guilty and in November their conviction was upheld by Chief Justice Speed. Each was sentenced to twelve months of imprisonment. Others charged with them, including A. B. Green’s younger brother, were placed on probation.4 However, in the same telegram transmitting this information to the Colonial Office, Lugard indicated that there would be no full-scale inquiry into the violence at Abẹokuta. In the Attorney- General’s opinion this was not needed in the ‘absence of more substantial grounds’ than that which had been presented.5

Despite his conviction that nothing good could come of an investigation of the events leading to annexation, Lugard had to answer critics of his government. Many educated Lagos citizens, some with close ties

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