Eastern Region, Nigeria
Eastern Region | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Autonomous region of Nigeria | |||||||||
1954–1967 | |||||||||
Capital | Enugu | ||||||||
Demonym | Easterner | ||||||||
Area | |||||||||
• 1965 | 76,145.65 km2 (29,400.00 sq mi) | ||||||||
Population | |||||||||
• 1965 | 12,000,000 | ||||||||
Government | Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu | ||||||||
Premier | |||||||||
• 1951–1953 | Eyo Ita | ||||||||
• 1954–1959 | Nnamdi Azikiwe | ||||||||
• 1959–1966 | Michael Okpara | ||||||||
Legislature | Eastern Regional Assembly | ||||||||
• Upper house | House of Chiefs | ||||||||
• Lower house | House of Assembly | ||||||||
Historical era | Decolonisation of Africa | ||||||||
1884 | |||||||||
1 October 1954 | |||||||||
15 March 1957 | |||||||||
1 October 1960 | |||||||||
16 November 1961 | |||||||||
• Constitution of the First Republic | 1 October 1963 | ||||||||
15 January 1966 | |||||||||
28 July 1966 | |||||||||
May–October 1966 | |||||||||
5 January 1967 | |||||||||
• Independence (as Biafra) | 27 May 1967 | ||||||||
15 January 1970 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Today part of | Nigeria |
The Eastern Region was an
The region had the third-, fourth- and fifth-largest indigenous ethnic groups including Igbo, Ibibio and Ijaw. It was what later became Biafra, which was in rebellion from 1967 to 1970.[2]
Geography
The Eastern region of Nigeria was geographically located in
region also suffered from soil erosion.The region had three types of vegetation. The coastal area in the south is dominated by
History
Colonial rule
In 1849,
Historically, residents of Eastern Nigeria had an individualistic and democratic culture.[9] To establish indirect rule within the administrative divisions, the British began a tendency to strengthen the powers of the traditional village heads beyond their traditional pre-colonial duties.[10]
Along with the British traders, Christian missionaries also established mission bases in the region. In 1846, Reverend Hope Masterton Waddell formed a branch of the
Culture
Prior to World War II, there were five major cities in Eastern Nigeria,
Traditional authority in many villages is earned by the most senior man of the family next in line to the throne or a wealthy man who has paid footing to other title holders. Among the Efiks and Ibibio's, masked secret societies played an important social and regulatory role. The masked societies kept debtors in check and played important part in local festivals.[13] In many areas in the region, the use of native courts to settle debts and bride price were important social institutions.[14]
Dancing and sports were also important social elements in the Eastern region.
Demographics
The Eastern region had an ethnically diverse population. The largest ethnic group in the region were the
Economy
Trade in
Trading of goods was also a major part of the regional economy. In 1954, imports to the region was about 25 million pounds a year which were brought into the country by a few European firms but distributed by thousands of traders within the region.[23] The trade in imported goods such as dried fish, motor parts, textiles goes on along with the trade in local foodstuff.[24]
In industry, the coal mines of Enugu managed by the Nigerian Coal Corporation and Nigersteel's rolling mill which used steel scraps to produce mild steel bars were one of the few coal mines and steel plants in operation in West Africa in 1963.[25] During the NCNC led government, a cement factory was established at Nkalagu, Nigerian Breweries chose a stout factory at Aba, a Tobacco and glass making plant was located at Port Harcourt. Oil mining in the region started by Shell D' Archy in 1937 did not yield commercial quantities until 1957. But by 1965, oil was a promising source of income.[26]
Statutory corporations
The task of managing the trade and income earned in palm oil kernels was given to the Eastern Nigeria Marketing Board and the Eastern Nigeria Finance Corporation. The Eastern Nigeria Marketing Board came into effect in 1954 and was given the responsibility to manage the region's cash or export crops. The board assigned grade to palm produce according to free fatty acid content and then assigns producer prices to each grade.[27] The board conducts the purchase of palm oil and kernels that are to be exported through the use of licensed buying agents and engages in the evacuation of the produce to the ports for export. Most of the profits from the sales of export produce is transferred to the Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation. The development corporation was involved in producing quality palm oil kernels for the export markets through erection of pioneer oil mills and the development of other export crops such as cocoa, cashew nuts, rubber and coconut.[27] Rice cultivation was also encouraged in Abakaliki and Ogoja.[28]
Transportation
Community development was one of the initiatives of the NCNC led Eastern regional government in the 1950s and the phrase was also popular among community residents of villages and towns. Part of the initiative of the community development ministry was the clearing of land for passable
The Nigerian railway line in the region runs through Enugu, Umuahia, Aba and Port Harcourt. Construction of the railway began in 1913 and completed in 1919. The line was extended to Kaduna in 1926.[30]
The Port of Port Harcourt was the second largest port in Nigeria in the 1950s. In 1954, it cleared about $54 million worth of imports and exports,[31] while the shipping facilities at Calabar cleared $11 million worth of goods.
Government and politics
The region like Nigeria during the
History
An African dominated government institution, the Eastern Regional Assembly with the powers to debate but not enact laws was established in 1948. It had fifteen nominated African members and fourteen nominated European officials. In 1951, the regional assembly was given more legislative and financial powers following the enactment of the McPherson Constitution. In addition, the assembly number of members in the assembly was enlarged to eighty elected African members, three special members and five officials. Though the NCNC dominated the 1951 election, party organization was not particularly strong because the party's headquarters was in Lagos and its leader did not contest election in the region. Many members elected to the House were previously independent candidates and only declared for the NCNC after their election to get political backing.[33] After a crisis in 1953, party organization was strengthened and in a new election conducted in 1953 and in which Azikiwe, the NCNC leader contested, the party had a decisive victory.[34]
The history of local government representation in the region were in three phases. The first phase was through warrant chiefs many of whom were created by the colonial government. But after the
Cabinet of Michael Okpara
Name | Office |
---|---|
Michael Iheonukara Okpara | Premier |
Ibanga Udo Akpabio | Internal Affairs |
Samuel Efem Imoke | Finance |
Patrick Nwokoye Okeke | Agriculture |
Basil Charles Okwu | Information |
John Ugwu Nwodo | Commerce |
Gilbert Ekwenugo Okeke | Education |
Michael Oguejiofo Ajegbo | Attorney General |
Echeme Emole | Town Planning |
Ezekiel Pappah Okoya | Health |
Paul Omerenyia Ururuka | Works |
Pius Nwoga | Local Government |
Education
The village school was an important part of the community. Members of the community at home and abroad voluntarily gave money for the erection of school buildings. Wealthy or salaried family members were encouraged to sponsor the education of their younger ones. In 1956, there were about six thousand primary schools and fifty-four secondary schools.
University of Nigeria, Nsukka was established by the regional government. An agriculture training and research center was at Umudike.[40]
Cities and towns
The following cities were in the Eastern Region, Nigeria:[41][42]
President of the House of Chiefs
Name | Period |
---|---|
Chief Nyong Essien, CMG | ? – ?[43] |
Speakers of the House of Assembly
Name | Period |
---|---|
Ernest Egbuna | 1954 – ?[44] |
Eze Daniel Okereke, CMG | ? – ?[45] |
See also
- Igboland
- Northern Region, Nigeria
- Western Region, Nigeria
- Revenue stamps of Eastern Nigeria
- Mid-Western Region, Nigeria
References
- ^ Groß & Wydra 2013, p. 36.
- ^ Mwakikagile 2001, p. 23.
- ^ a b c Information Service 1956, p. 5.
- ^ Van Buer 1968, p. 20.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 6.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 7.
- ^ Van Buer 1968, p. 21.
- ^ Coleman 1971, p. 47.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. ii.
- ^ Afigbo 1972, p. 89.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 9.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 14.
- ^ Jones 2000, p. 68.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 17.
- ^ Ministry of Information 1960, p. 59.
- The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
- ^ Igwe 1987, p. 24.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 12.
- ^ Igwe 1987, p. 27.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 13.
- ^ a b Information Service 1956, p. 18.
- ^ Ministry of Commerce 1966, p. 20.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 30.
- ^ Ministry of Information 1960, p. 30.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 24.
- ^ Van Buer 1968, p. 23.
- ^ a b Information Service 1956, p. 19.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 20.
- ^ a b Information Service 1956, p. 28.
- ^ Chuku 2015, p. 156.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 29.
- ^ a b Van Buer 1968, p. 24.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 36.
- ^ Diamond 1988, p. 57.
- ^ Information Service 1956, p. 34.
- ^ Harris 1957, p. 21.
- OCLC 19965584.
- ^ a b Information Service 1956, p. 39.
- ^ Okoth 2006, p. 289.
- ^ "Historical Background". Nrcri.gov.ng. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
- ^ Ministry of Information 1960, p. 9.
- ^ Ministry of Information 1960, p. 39.
- ^ Ministry of Information 1960, p. 17.
- ^ Nwaubani 2001, p. 96.
- ^ "Ngor Okpala Realigns for 2015 – Calls For Socio – Economic Emancipation". Imo Trumpeta. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
Sources
- Information Service (1956). Eastern Region (Nigeria). Enugu: Enugu, Eastern Nigeria Information Service.
- Van Buer, Franklin (1968). "2". THE STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE EASTERN NIGERIAN TAX SYSTEM (Thesis). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
- Diamond, Larry Jay (1988). Class, Ethnicity, and Democracy in Nigeria: The Failure of the First Republic. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 0815624220.
- Igwe, Samuel Okoronkwo (1987). Education in Eastern Nigeria, 1847–1975: Development and Management: Church, State and Community. Evans Brothers. ISBN 023750832X.
- Jones, G.I. (2000). The Trading States of the Oil Rivers: A Study of Political Development in Eastern Nigeria. James Currey Publishers. ISBN 0852559186.
- Groß, Uwe; Wydra, Kerstin, eds. (5 November 2013). Maternal-Child Health: Interdisciplinary Aspects Within the Perspective of Global Health. Universitätsverlag Göttingen. ISBN 978-3863950842.
- Afigbo, Adiele, Eberechukwu (1972). The Warrant Chiefs: indirect rule in southeastern Nigeria, 1891–1929. Longman.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Ministry of Information, Eastern Region (Nigeria) (1960). Eastern Nigeria. Eastern Nigeria Ministry of Information.
- Okoth, Assa (2006). African nationalism and the de-colonisation process : [1915–1995] (Rev ed.). Nairobi [u.a.]: East African Educational Publ. ISBN 9966253580.
- Ministry of Commerce, Eastern Region (Nigeria) (1966). Investment opportunities in Eastern Nigeria. Govt. Printer.
- Nwaubani, Ebere (2001). The United States and decolonization in West Africa, 1950 – 1960. Rochester, NY: Univ. of Rochester Press. ISBN 1580460763.
- Harris, Philip James (1957). Local Government in Southern Nigeria: A Manual of Law and Procedure Under the Eastern Region Local Government Law, 1955, and the Western Region Local Government Law, 1952. University Press.
- Coleman, James Smoot (1971). Nigeria. University of California Press.
- Mwakikagile, Godfrey (2001). Ethnic politics in Kenya and Nigeria. Huntington, NY: Nova Science Publ. ISBN 1560729678.
- Chuku, Gloria (2015). Igbo Women and Economic Transformation in Southeastern Nigeria, 1900–1960. Routledge. ISBN 978-1135469405.