Cooke, Nigel Frank (Oral history)

British administrator with Colonial Service in Nigeria, 1938-1962 including service with Nigeria Regt, 1939-1944

REEL 1 Recollections of period as colonial administrator with Colonial Service in Nigeria, 1938-1939: background to decision to join Colonial Service in Nigeria, 1938; terms of service as cadet; arrival in Lagos; character of lorry journey to Maiduguri; character of government house at Maiduguri; duties as Assistant District Officer; details of taxation system; imperial history of Maiduguri area; characteristics of dominant Kanuris tribe; problems recruiting tribesmen to Royal West African Frontier Force, 1940. REEL 2 Continues: first job as touring officer at Maiduguri; problem of not knowing local languages; reasons for refusal of populace to pay tax in Geidem; commercial life in Maiduguri area especially groundnuts; Swiss national suspected as spy; numbers of Europeans in area; illegimate children of Europeans; problems encountered as touring officer; incident when he had to mercy kill a horse; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 9/1939. Aspects of period as officer with 5th Bn Nigeria Regt in Nigeria, 1939-1944: enlistment, 1939; attachment to Headquarters, Suffolk Regt at Bury St Edmunds c1941; attempt to enlist in RAF; return to Nigeria; patrolling of western frontier. REEL 3 Continues: question of preparation of Nigeria for self-government; dissatisfaction of Belgian officers protecting Nigeria with Congolese troops. Recollections of period as colonial administrator with Colonial Service in Nigeria, 1944-1962: reasons for return to colonial administration in Igala area; encouragement of rubber extraction; contrast in power of chiefs in southern and northern Nigeria; home leave in GB, 1944 including experience of German Air Force attacks; posting to Bornu, 1945; character of Gwoza pagans; nature of inter village disputes; handling of Emir in Bornu; electoral responsibilities in Kano, 1951; political parties in Kano area, 1951; belief among Nigerians that British would win Second World War. REEL 4 Continues: posting to Bida in Niger Province; opinion of development schemes in Niger Province, late 1940s; posting to Bauchi Province; reaction to potential of attending executions in Bauchi; period as Resident in Benue and Adomawa Provinces; character of Adomawa Province and how it's people voted to remain British rather than join independent Nigeria; relations between Mambila and Fulani tribes in Adomawa; further plebiscite on whether Adomawa Province should be part of Nigeria or Cameroon Republic c1958; reputation of Ibo tribe; handling of Tiv tribe in Benue Province. REEL 5 Continues: period as Resident in Benue Province; power of tribe over individuals; attitude towards Nigerian independence; problems between Sidana and Emir of Kano after independence; background to leaving Nigeria, 9/1962; career after leaving Nigeria; attitude towards federal system and imposition of Sharia law in Nigeria after independence.