By PAUL ARHEWE
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| L-R: Awolowo, Abubakar, Bello, Azikiwe at a function in Lagos |
Before the amalgamation of Northern and
Southern protectorates in 1914, agricultural commodities were exported
to Europe and totally controlled by the British Empire. This showed the
level of foreign bilateral trade between the colony and the outside
world, where cocoa, groundnuts, palm oil and palm kernels were exported
and chemicals, machines, transportation equipment and other manufactured
products were imported. This level of bilateral trade extended until
the 1950s.
The dual mandate adopted by the Europeans, whereby African countries
will receive Europe’s civilization in exchange for unrestricted access
to the continent resources prevailed during that era.
Britain stood as Nigeria’s major trading
partner, even as 70 percent of her exports, as late as 1955 went to
Britain and another 47 percent of import came from that country to
Nigeria.
However, this bilateral trade changed
from 1976, when British dominance of Nigeria’s economy began to wane.
The United States then took over as Nigeria leading trade partner. By
this time, exports to Britain dropped to 38 percent while import from
the country to Nigeria dropped to 32 percent.
At post independence and for decades,
Nigeria’s fore
