| West African Independence | |
[Gazetteer Index page]
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Niger Official name: Republic of Niger Independence from France: 1960 Part of the once powerful Islamic Sokoto Empire it was annexed by France at the end of the nineteenth century. It was created an autonomous republic within a greater French community in 1958, and independence followed in 1960. |
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Nigeria Official name: Federal Republic of Nigeria Independence from Britain: 1960 Originally a collection of African states whose wealth came from trans-Saharan (and trans-Atlantic) trade. During the peak years of the eighteenth century 30,000 slaves were exported annually. It became a British colony in 1861 and handed over to the Royal Niger Company, RNC. The RNC's charter was revoked in 1898 and the area was divided into two British Protectorates. These were merged in 1914 to form the colony of Nigeria. A federal system of government was created in 1954 and independence achieved in 1960. |
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Senegal Official name: Republic of Senegal Independence from France: 1960 The region of Senegambia (formed by the combined basins of the Senegal and Gambia rivers) was a dependency of the states of the Sudan (the historical state not the modern republic) and Sahara. The arrival of Portuguese traders diverted the traditional trade commodities of gold, ivory, and slaves to the coast rather than inland -- which contributed to the collapse of existing kingdoms. European influence resulted in a proliferation of ceddo or warlord regimes, which were brought to a peak when the local Islamic groups took up arms in the Marabout War. Senegal was colonized by the French in 1890, with the Gambia split off as a British enclave. Independence was achieved in 1960 under the socialist president Leopold Senghor (he declared one-party state in 1966, which lasted for another 10 years before a return to partial multipartyism). |
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Sierra Leone Official name: Republic of Sierra Leone Independence from Britain: 1961 First colonized in 1787 when the British founded Freetown (now the capital) as a settlement for Africans freed from slavery. The coastal region became a British colony in 1808, with the interior annexed in 1896. Independence was achieved in 1961. |
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Togo Official name: Toglese Republic Independence from France: 1960 After initially being colonized by Germany in 1894, the larger region of Togoland was divided between the French and British in 1914. At independence, the eastern half of French Togoland became Togo while western British Togoland became part of Ghana. |
West Africa: [Benin - Ghana], [Guinea - Mauritania], [Niger - Togo]
[Gazetteer Index page]
