9 - The Interwar Years

Summary

This chapter continues the discussion on Nigeria during the interwar years (1918–1939). It shifts focus away from the reasoning behind colonial actions and paying more attention to their consequences for Nigeria. The interwar years in Nigeria were characterized by the onset of a decade-long economic depression caused by the global Great Depression and the increasing marginalization of local economic activity by private and colonial forces. This marginalization was promoted to increase the profitability of Nigeria’s growing extractive economy at the expense of native economic actors. This, along with the growing development of a new, educated, native elite, would see the growth of “official” indigenous organizations. The bulk of this chapter focuses on the development of these organizations such as the West African Students Union (WASU) or the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), and details the growth of resistance movements fostered by the said establishments. They would demand greater representation in the colonial government, construct economic support groups, and attempt to end disparages in higher education. The chapter also explores alternative responses to colonialism, including the growth of organized crime and widespread regional migration. Finally, the chapter explores the different sociopolitical dynamics in Northern Nigeria.