How Did Imperialism Affect Nigeria

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Recommended: Influence of imperialism in Africa

One person having tremendous influence over a few others is already significant. However, replacing these characters with countries, continents, and colonies can greatly further this dynamic. The race for imperial power that had run rampant in the 1700s and 1800s was still in effect at the turn of the 20th century. Around this time, Great Britain added another distant land to its growing number of colonies: the area now known as Nigeria. As with most of the results of colonization, dominant nations lasting impacts on the regions they took over, both positive and negative. Although the Igbo (or Ibo) people of Nigeria somewhat benefited from British imperialism in the fields of education and commerce, they suffered a massive sacrifice of their sense of culture and solidarity alongside other native tribes of Nigeria. …show more content…

There is a universal belief that knowledge is power, and the British put that mantra to extensive use when they brought education to the Igbo. In the novel, a European missionary named Mr. Brown relentlessly attempts to spread Christian values to Umuofia. He thinks that teaching reading, …show more content…

Unfortunately, that can overshadow the grim reminder of their culture essentially being snatched from them. New schools and products have modernized Nigeria into a world power, but the price of this success was conformity to European (and especially British) customs. The Britons’ goal was simply bringing both positive and negative change to this nation. Through Chinua Achebe’s novel and countless Internet sources, the complexity of the relationship between Great Britain and Nigeria is fully revealed. Influence is powerful, but at what

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