Nigeria and the First World War (1914-1919)

Coincidentally or incidentally, the 1914 Amalgamation took place when the the First World War (1914-1918) was about to begin. During the period, Nigeria’s political orientation and participation was still passive as the territory was still under British colonial rule.
Nigerians didn’t participate actively in the war process due to the fact that the territory and her people are still under British colonial rule hence Nigeria supported her colonial masters during the First World War efforts not actively at the war front but as carriers of food, weaponry and supplier of war needs.
Notably, the advent and end of the war culminated/led to the emergence of political participation/consciousness on the part of Nigerians as a result of some inherent factors. One of the factors that arouse Nationalism and political participation of Nigerians was India’s Independence in 1917. Before the war, the Indians agreed with the British colonialists that they will only participate in the war efforts if agreed to be self-governed (Independent) after the war in which Britain agreed. As Indians were engaged in the war efforts side by side with Nigerian (Africans), the Indians began to look at Africans as coming into the war with little or nothing to gain from it. In a nutshell, the independence (self government) given to India immediately after the war infuriated Nigerians to start a process and quest for self government as proposed by Anthony Enahoro.
Another factor that led to Nationalism and political participation was change in world view. During the war, young and able-bodied Nigerians left the territory for the first time to be part of the war efforts. As Nigerians began to participate in the war efforts side by side with other Africans and Europeans, their mentality and world view changed automatically.
Furthermore, the Post-War Eight Point Atlantic Charter spear headed by Winston Churchill and Theodore Roosevelt against colonialism also invariably increased the tempo of nationalism/political participation on the part of Nigerians. The anti-colonial charter fired up Nigerians to start the quest for partisan politics on the way towards the attainment of full political independence.
The impact of the First World War (1914-1918) on Nigerians was massive and enormous leading to a turn around in the political history of the territory to be known as Nigeria, the impact of which is still in vogue in the territory.