Who discovered Nigeria? is a question which amazed me most that even Nigerians fail anytime they are being asked.But the answer are not far fetched, below is the full detail about Who discovered Nigeria?.
Nigeria is discovered during 19 century to be precise in the year 1914 after the amalgamation of Northern and southern to form Nigeria.It was named and discovered by a British journalist Flora Shaw who later got married to Lord Fredrick Lugard a British administrator(the Governor General of both the Northern and Southern Protectorates). Nigeria was name after the discovery of River Niger and its area. To know more about the meaning of Nigeria click here.
The name was coined in the 19 century by British journalist Flora Shaw, who later married Baron Frederick Lugard, a British colonial administrator(the Governor General of both the Northern and Southern Protectorates).
Flora Shaw combined the words “Niger” known as country’s longest river and “Area” means its environs to get the word “Nigeria”(referring to the area surrounding the river Niger). The adjectival form being “Nigerian” referring to or means people from the River Niger Area(Nigeria).
Nigeria is an Amalgam of the words: ‘River Niger Area’. The predominantly North and South were formed into one country for administrative ease. Although the benefits seems to be wise but at times debatable,nevertheless the decision brought into existence the largest Black African nation on earth.
However, Niger in Latin means black and surprisingly enough for a lot of people Nigeria actually means Black Area- which is ironic since it is the most populous black nation in the world.
Nigeria is the merging of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1914. The British set up administrative and legal structures whilst practicing indirect rule through traditional chiefdoms. Nigeria became a formally independent federation in 1960.
It’s of great importance to know that Nigeria became independence in the year 1960 and became a republic in 1963.